Lake Country Feeds

Calling the Brainerd Lakes region the Hamptons of Minnesota may be overstated, but it is the summer getaway for both the well-heeled gentry and the new-money crowd. The population and number of homes in the region has doubled between 1970 and 2000.

For those not fortunate enough to own a million-dollar lake home on the Whitefish Chain, experiencing the area means visiting a resort, and there are plenty of great ones to choose, but when it comes to dining out, the choices are a little thinner. The region has not been immune to the Wal-Mart-ting of America: Chain/theme dining long ago replaced the scratch-cooking country diner. Worth far more as a home site than as a reinvented kitschy commodity, many of the shoreline supper clubs that used to offer authentic experiences have been sold in the ongoing land rush. But there are some fun choices, both on and off the water, that should not be missed, though the area has a ways to go to equal the North Shore’s bounty.

>> FULL-SERVICE RESTAURANTS

Sherwood Forest
Built more than 100 years ago from original cedar logs, this stunning restaurant is a wonderful place to spend an evening. Situated on a small spit of road between Lake Margaret and Gull Lake, Sherwood Forest is the best chophouse in the region. The massive space—dominated by a Gulliver-sized fireplace and twin fifty-foot hand-hewn beams overhead—is comfortable and swanky by area standards, but the service is warm and relaxed. Designated a National Historic Site, the Forest has a long-standing tradition of fine dining. Go for the bone-in rib eye and pair it with béarnaise sauce, or, if fish is your thing, try the broiled walleye or pan-seared tuna. Ma Barker loved this place and so will you.

Moonlite Bay
Looking for the quintessential pull-your-boat-up-and-eat sort of place? Moonlite Bay is it. Its burgers are right up there with the best of the region’s greasy spoons’, which is not saying all that much, but the location makes this place rock. It’s billed as a family restaurant and bar, but you may want to leave the kids at home in the later hours, because the unique setting—right on the narrows between two major lakes—means the drinking crowd likes to show up when the sun goes down. During the high season, families pack the place beginning at 11 a.m. every day, wolfing down platters of ribs, drummies, big salads, and humongous sandwiches. Food aside, I have spent more days here than I care to reveal, doing serious people-watching and making careful note of the worst boat names on the chain (Nauti-Nymph) as the endless parade of watercraft drifts through the no-wake zone.Norway Ridge Supper Club
This fifty-eight-year-old family-operated lakeside eatery on the site of the old Norway Ridge Resort in Pequot Lakes is a sentimental favorite. Located on a small rise, just a few yards from the shores of Kimble Lake, it is the type of scratch-cooking country-style eatery that all up-North restaurants ought to be. Tables line the large picture windows—tree boughs are regularly trimmed to allow everyone a peek at the lake below. There are fireplaces galore, a stone smokehouse out back, a honeymoon suite, a nook for slot players, a glut of popular homemade sauces and dressings sold by the pint, a grandma who makes the cheesecake, and a small but impressive wine list. The ribs, stuffed mushrooms, broiled seafood, roast duckling, and sourdough batter-dipped vegetables are all superb. Meals include soup, homemade rolls, and salads with the famous dressings. Open April–December.

Prairie Bay
The fancy newcomer to these parts is two-year-old Prairie Bay, tucked in the rear of a strip mall by the highway in Baxter. If this restaurant was on the water it would be turning away customers twelve months a year. That said, when I go north, it’s hard to get excited about a contemporary American bistro that seems like all the big-city restaurants, but if duck confit cassoulet, bouillabaisse, tuna carpaccio with tapenade aioli, or wood-fired smoked-salmon pizzas are what you crave—served by fawning waiters who can’t pronounce the names of the dishes, in a room dominated by an Arts and Crafts motif—then this is your Valhalla! The first chef here was Tim Anderson, formerly of Goodfellow’s, but now Matt Annand is doing a great job under very tough conditions when it comes to sourcing ingredients and staffing. Anderson took over the stoves at Iven’s on the Bay, a local favorite that burned to the ground last winter. If Prairie Bay could move to Iven’s location, it would be one of the best destination restaurants in the state. Just a thought.
>> CAFES, DINERS, DIVES

371 Diner
A relatively new, retro-style, silver-bullet diner is the last thing you’d expect to find on the more commercial side of the Brainerd/Baxter line, but the 371 is a fun joint that serves the type of fare you get in most breakfast-around-the-clock cafés. Many of the sandwiches are commercial-tasting and not made from scratch, but the pancakes and caramel rolls are some of the best in town. The burgers are pretty good, as are the fries, but onion ring connoisseurs will find the 371’s Brew City rings right up there in the pantheon of great greasy finger foods. Kids will love the 371—if it’s raining and you need to compromise with the young ’uns over your antiquing habit, the 371 is a great equalizer.

The Barn
Locals do not recommend this place, but The Barn—a teeny throwback eatery with a string of booths, a loop-de-loop of a counter, and real gum-snapping waitresses slinging the hash—is the best for breakfast. In fact, it was the best restaurant I ate in all week. Some of the waitresses reek of coffee, some of cigarettes (they all share one ashtray!), some of something a little stronger, so the vibe is as real and gritty as it gets. The home-style entrées are all scratch, from the Swedish meatballs to the mashed potatoes and gravy, but the real treats are the Maid-Rite sandwiches. These loose-meat specialties are a regional treat in most of Iowa and several other places around the Midwest. They come piled high on soft buns, with mustard, onions, and pickles. I team them with one of The Barn’s homemade soups and a slice of its world-class pie. I love the sour cream raisin, but I tried three others, and all were outstanding. Do not travel within 100 miles of Brainerd and miss this one-of-a kind eating experience. Trust me.

Cheek’s Saloon
Good burgers, bad name. The best burger and fries on the Chain are found at this no-frills bar, perfectly situated across from Pelican Lake and a few miles south of Crosslake. The rest of the menu is nothing to write home about, but if a good burger, with plenty of beefy flavor, and a huge pile of crispy fries are what you crave, then head to Cheek’s. Don’t let the linoleum motif stop you. Head past the bar into the dining room and have at it. The burgers are the griddled variety, served in plastic green baskets with green and white checkerboard wax paper.

Country Cookin’ Café
Looking for the quintessential small-town café? The triple C is worth the drive from just about anywhere. On the main drag in Nisswa since 1938, this little piece of paradise relies on down-home country charm, neighborly service, and simple fare to keep its regulars happy—and it seems everyone is a regular. The soups and chili are homemade and may be tame for some, but paired with a club sandwich or Denver omelet they make the perfect lunch. Breakfasts are superb: real eggs, real pancakes, and real attitude with your bottomless cup of coffee.