Just for the Hell-Of-It: A Halibut Dinner in Homer Alaska

If your group of buddies does not take an annual guys or girls trip, you’re really missing out on life.  Sure, it is nice to take family vacations, travel with loved ones and significant others, and see the amazement in kids’ eyes when they first see some of the wonders of the world.  But, it is also nice to just get away with your best friends, leave all your worries behind you, and enjoy other cultures for a little while.  For me, enjoying other cultures means experiencing traditional food and drinks as well as customs, music, and general attitudes about life. 

On a recent guy’s trip, seven of us from Louisiana ascended to Homer, Alaska for a week where we were blessed with gorgeous weather and even lovelier people.  We had no ideas about the ties between Alaska and Louisiana.  Apparently everyone in Alaska is somehow from Louisiana, knows someone from Louisiana, does business in Louisiana, or at least appreciates Louisiana like few other people do.  Maybe it has something to do with the uniqueness of our cultures that few people in the rest of the United States understand.  It possibly has something do with the economy since two of the major sources of wealth for both states are energy (oil) and seafood.  Whatever it is, I found it to be really interesting, and when I saw a museum exhibit about the Exxon Valdez oil spill from 1989 it really hit home.  In many ways, Louisiana is just a warmer, flatter, humid-er version of Alaska… complete with delicious seafood, friendly people, a rich, unique culture, and an oil disaster of its own! 

Scenic Homer, Alaska from East End Road Looking Out Over Kachemak Bay

Homer, Alaska is a rustic yet hip fishing village and tourist destination on the south end of the Kenai Peninsula, resting on the west side of Kachemak Bay.  They boast themselves as the Halibut Capital of the World, and guided fishing trips bring in the majority of the tourists to the otherwise quaint town.  Knowing that their busy season stretches from Memorial Day to Labor Day, our group decided we would plan our trip for the week before Memorial Day, thereby missing the heavy crowds and tourist-induced price inflation.   

On our first full day in Homer we booked a charter halibut fishing trip.  I’ve been on charter fishing trips in the Gulf of Mexico before, but I had never before reeled up anything like a halibut.  The largest fish we caught weighed about 65 pounds, but they can grow over 300 pounds!  Our captain took us way out so that we could have a chance to catch a big one, and then brought us back into the bay so we could be assured a good catch.  All in all we had a great trip and left the docks with over 100 pounds of fresh halibut filets!

 

Jay, Brent, Matt, Eusebio, Gary, and Eric Returned from a Successful Halibut Fishing Trip!

The following day we invited some Homer locals over for dinner and drinks with a little Louisiana flair.  Among our guests were Karen and Steve, owners of the Homer Brewing Company, a small and passionate microbrewery that produces fantastic local beers that you can’t find anywhere else save the rare keg that makes it up to Anchorage.  The Homer Brewing Company treated us well all week long, and I am very thankful to Karen and Steve for sharing their beers and hospitality with us!  Their favorite brew seemed to be the Red Knot Scottish.  This ale uses Scottish yeast and cask conditioning to create an amber ale that is mild yet extremely flavorful. 

Growlers from the Homer Brewing Company Were Empty by the End of the Night

After sharing a few brews, the time had come to turn our attention to the food for the evening.  Chef Eusebio Gongora, who happened to be a member of our traveling party, prepared a beautiful halibut-four-ways meal for us that began with a fresh Alaskan halibut ceviche.  The ceviche included morsels of halibut filets, roasted bell pepper, orange, red onion, jalapeno, garlic, lemon juice, lime juice, salt, and pepper.  The dish had a tropical taste that I don’t think they get very often in Homer.  The halibut easily highlighted the ceviche with its fresh and tender marinated flesh filling up the bowl of sweet, sour, and spicy deliciousness.

Fresh Halibut Ceviche Whet Everyone’s Appetite

Not to let the ceviche highlight the night by itself, Eusebio also served up a batch of crispy halibut fritters.  They shared similarities with Southern hushpuppies, though I’ve never had a hushpuppy with seafood stuffed inside before!  The fritter had a cornmeal base that was cut by a little bit of flour.  Chef Gongora then added onion, celery, bell pepper, garlic, butter, smoked cheddar, salt, and pepper to go along with the fresh and beautiful diced halibut.  After mixing all the ingredients together they were formed into balls and deep fried in vegetable oil until they turned crispy and light brown on the outside.  The contrasting textures between the crunch on the crust and the warm, moist core made the fritters a pure delight to bite into. 

Halibut Fritters

Finally we readied ourselves for the main course.  Eusebio prepared some mashed potatoes and asparagus for side items, but what really got us all excited were the two additional variations of Halibut. 

Alaskan Halibut Filets Await Our Stomachs

The first method of cooking took the smaller pieces of halibut, dipped them in egg and milk, rolled them in Cajun fish fry, and then dropped them in a pot of hot vegetable oil.  Much like fried catfish in the South, this variation of halibut left the fish tender, moist, and flaky while providing a nice crisp on the outside. 

Cajun Fried Halibut… In Alaska!

The final round of halibut for our dinner was prepared a little more traditionally but still contained every bit as much taste and flavor.  Chef Gongora used the larger halibut filets, seasoned them up real nice, and then pan seared them before finishing them off in the oven.  Before serving, he topped each filet with a homemade lemon butter that offered a tangy taste to complement the fish.  The pieces of halibut ate like ridiculously tender steaks.  Each bite offered tremendous, fresh flavor that you could cut with a fork and would melt in your mouth. 

Alaskan Halibut for a Bunch of Louisiana Cajuns

The Alaskan halibut dinner satisfied everyone from first bite to last.  The growlers of beer from the Homer Brewing Company went extremely well with dinner, and nobody left hungry.  After eating halibut the way we did I can understand why it can cost as much as $20 per pound to get it fresh in Louisiana.  Good thing we brought about 70 pounds home with us!            

Cafe Cups: Artistic Dining in Homer, AK

After asking around through websites, social media, and amongst the locals, the most common answer to where I should make sure to dine in Homer, Alaska resoundingly and emphatically had to be Cafe Cups.  This hip dinner-only restaurant is run in the front by Jen and in the kitchen by her husband Dave.  The cafe is as artistic as it is local.  Meanwhile, the environment produces an ideal small setting with personal service and very original, unique, and custom decor.

Cafe Cups in Homer, AK

Eusebio, Matt, Eric, and I went out for dinner one evening to see just what Cups had to offer.  The restaurant certainly had a very unique quality to it and a terrific ambiance.  We arrived at about 8:30 pm and the place didn't have an empty table anywhere.  Jen greeted us and told us it would be just a few minutes so we patiently waited for a table.

The Inside of Cafe Cups and a Cup of Coffee

While Cafe Cups is certainly more of a casual fine dining restaurant, I still could not resist starting my evening meal with a cup of coffee.  The java came in a regular old mug like you'd find in people's kitchens, and after looking around I realized that all the coffee mugs were a little different.  I though that was a pretty cool touch. While it may not have been Community Coffee, the brewed beans in Alaska were pretty darn good.

Kachemak Bay Oysters, Chargrilled and Raw

Since Eusebio and I are such lovers of good old Gulf of Mexico oysters that we get in Baton Rouge and New Orleans, we thought we ought to try the Alaskan variety.  Cups delivered some fantastic oysters, though they were far different than those from the warm, muddy waters in Louisiana.  The Kachemak Bay (where we were, right around Homer, AK) oysters tasted just like the sea.  They were clean, salty, and noticeably pure compared to our beloved mollusks.  In this case, however, pure does not mean better.  There is something to say about the flavor of oysters from the Louisiana coast.  The river-silt laden waters give the oysters a totally different taste that I've become so accustomed to that it is weird to taste an oyster from other waters.  I'm sure that some of the taste difference also comes from the cold waters of Alaska vs the warm waters of Louisiana.  Still, I enjoyed both oyster varieties and was glad I got to experience the difference.   

Pulled Pork Empanadas and B.R. Cohn Cabernet

The special appetizer of the day happened to be pulled pork empanadas.  Down here in Cajun Country we would just call it a pie, just like a crawfish pie or a meat pie.  In Spanish and Portuguese cuisine, empanada is just a term that means stuffed bread or pasty.  These pulled pork empanadas tasted absolutely delightful.  They were my favorite dish of the evening despite only getting to eat one of them.  They were served with a deliciously spicy lime-chili sauce that complemented the seasoned pork very nicely.  The B.R. Cohn wine also went great with the cuisine of the evening.  The fruity red came from Sonoma Valley.  Cabernet is one of my favorite grapes for its full bodied and fruity tendencies while typically remaining dry and never overly sweet.  This 2007 California wine hit the spot!

Barbecued Ribs and Mashed Potatoes

The ribs at Cups disappointed me.  They were alright at best.  The main problem is that they were dried out and chewy.  I like a rib that is still moist and tender.  They are best when the meat pulls off the bone with a gentle tug of the teeth and then practically melts in our mouth.  These ribs did not succeed in doing that.  The mashed potatoes were also nothing special.  They were rather bland and did not have enough seasoning for my tastes.  

Tiger Prawns

Eric had a ribeye that looked pretty good, but nothing incredible.  Eusebio had an order of Tiger Prawns which were served with their signature honey habanero sauce.  They might have been decent sized shrimp for Alaska, but compared to Louisiana shrimp they also didn't blow me away (though they were by no means bad either).  The best meal of the night was the lamb shank special that Matt ordered.  The lamb had a succulent flavor with superbly cooked, moist meat and excellent seasoning.  

Creme Brulee, Strawberry Cheesecake, and Mint Chocolate Ice Cream

For dessert I gave the strawberry cheesecake a try.  This homemade sweet had a great cookie crust and creamy, lush cheesecake filling.  The strawberries did not seem fresh, but I guess you can't get everything straight off the vine when you're in Alaska in May!  Eusebio's creme brulee also passed the test, as did the homemade mint chocolate ice cream!  Other than the empanadas, the dessert was probably my favorite part of the meal.  In the end, I left Cafe Cups satisfied but not in awe.  Still, for a town with a population of 5,000 people year round the restaurant was impressive.  I really enjoyed the atmosphere of the cozy cafe, and while the food has room for improvement, it still was worth a visit!

Things To Do
Homer

Beer and Pizza at the St. Elias Brewing Company in Soldotna, AK

Our second day in Alaska brought a road trip from Anchorage, down the Kenai Peninsula, to the town of Homer where we had a house rented for the week.  Along the way we passed through a town called Soldotna which is home to two craft breweries.  Ready for lunch and brews for the non-drivers, our caravan stopped in to see what the St. Elias Brewing Company had to offer.

While St. Elias only opened its doors and tapped its first kegs in 2007, the brewery and pizza joint is already well known for producing high quality bites and boozes.  They claim that their beer matches the personality of their business: fun and lively yet historic and eclectic.  In addition, the brewery also serves brick-oven baked, rustic, traditional Neapolitan style pizzas.  I was ready to get started and see what I thought about these proclamations.

Our party of seven arrived at St. Elias and were promptly greeted by the aromas of baking pies and boiling mash.  Within minutes we had a table and began ordering brews.  My first choice was a pint of Marathon Mild.  The Marathon Mild is a seasonal that is brewed in the style of a  English working class ale.  Though the beer is very dark in color, it actually tastes a fair amount lighter than it appears.  I enjoyed the brew and prepared myself for more.

The St. Elias Brewing Company, Soldotna, Alaska

Brew Tanks and Brick Oven at the St. Elias Brewing Company

Since there were seven of us there, we decided to order seven different pizzas and share the variety amongst ourselves.  Boo tried to mess this process up, but in the end we got it taken care of.  All of the pizzas were pretty good, though I think my favorites were these two:

Brewhouse and Chicken on the Ranch Pizzas

The Brewhouse pizza is loaded with garlic oil, mozzarella, provolone, bacon, Italian sausage, pepperoni, marinated mushrooms, and caramelized onions.  The salty pie tasted fresh and delicious with the meats, mushrooms, and onions all melting together with the cheese blend.  The Chicken on the Ranch pizza had garlic oil, ranch, mozzarella, provolone, garlic chicken, marinated mushrooms, roasted tomatoes, and fresh basil.  Although the pizza seems very similar to the Brewhouse pie, the flavors were actually a good bit different.  The real killer ingredient in all the pizzas was the dough.  The fire-baked crust had a crisp and flavorful outside with a remarkably chewy inside for a small thin crust pizza.

Hawaiian, Chicken Pesto, and Lonestar Pizzas

Running in the close second tier were the Hawaiian, Chicken Pesto, and Lonestar pizzas.  The Hawaiian was an average version of the classic pineapple and ham combination.  St. Elias's Chicken Pesto was a like a the second cousin to the superior Chicken on the Ranch.  Finally, the Lonestar showed a little originality by putting red peppers, chicken, onions, and pineapples on a homemade barbeque sauce base.  It proved to be an interesting combination that succeeded in offering something other than the typical pies.

Sampler Platter of Brews

To get off the subject of pizza for a bit, let's switch gears back to beers!  Not knowing what to order and wanting to try them all, the logical choice involved something that brewpubs like to call "samplers."  I got eight 3-ounce pours of brews to indulge on.  Starting on the left and going clockwise: Even Keel Kolsch, The Farmer's Friend, Puddle Jumper Pale Ale, Mother's Milk Irish Stout, Williwaw IPA, Vanilla Bean Porter, Brass Monkey ESB, and Marathon Mild.  I'd tell you what my favorites were, but after a week of drinking I really don't recall.  I'm pretty sure that the darker the beer, the more I liked it.  The light beers were just average, but some of the others like the Vanilla Bean Porter and the Brass Monkey ESB were fantastic!

Peter Rabbit and Smokestack Pizzas

My bottom rung of pizzas were still tasty, but they would be the least likely for me to order again.  The Peter Rabbit filled the role of St. Elias's vegetarian pie.  Broccoli on pizza just doesn't fit with me despite it being quite edible.  For a veggie pizza it did the trick, but not being a vegetarian myself, I'd shy away from it next time.  Finally, the Smokestack had bacon, olives, and rosemary.  Again, the pizza was fine, just not up to par with some of the other ones.  I would have appreciated a little pizazz.  Still, simple is okay when you have bacon, so it's not all bad!

Yukon Gold Tater

Eusebio took the adventure of ordering a dessert.  The Yukon Gold Tater is not actually a baked potato at all!  The artistic creation is actually a larger portion of cookies 'n' cream ice cream rolled in powdered cocoa, then topped with whipped cream, pistachios, and a little custard that looked like butter.  The dessert could maybe earn credit for creativity, but I'd have a hard time saying that it earns much merit otherwise.  The ice cream is Dreyer's and isn't anything special or homemade.  The cocoa powder that is used to give the potato skin appearance is so fine that both Eusebio and I both accidentally inhaled it to the point that we choked.  After coughing a bit and drinking some beer to clear my throat, it became obvious that the dessert did not quite tickle my fancy.  Oh well, I still enjoyed the pizza and beer, and I had plenty more of Alaska to eat and drink!  

Things To Do
Soldotna

Matty C's Fund-a-Stache KFC Double Down Challenge

My buddy Matt Callac is putting his mustache to good use.  He recently signed up with the "Fund a Stache" website to collect charitable donations of behalf of his mustache.  As part of the giving, he is also accepting challenges from people who donate to the Blood: Water Mission charity which supplies clean drinking water to people who are unfortunate enough to not have reliable access to it.

So you may be asking, "aside from clean drinking water and a really cool mustache, what does this have to do with Bite and Booze?"  Well, I'll tell you!  One of his recent challenges sent him to KFC to take the Double Down Challenge.  If you aren't familiar with the KFC Double Down, it is a "sandwich" that consists of bacon, two different kinds of melted cheese, and the Colonel’s secret sauce inside of two Original Recipe chicken breasts that act as the bun.  Not only did Matt eat a KFC Double Down, he actually indulged in two of them.  But, that's not all!  Matt also "Lutherized" one of the Double Downs, meaning he put the "sandwich" between two donut halves (Krispy Kreme, of course) before consumption.  AMAZING!  Well done Matt!

Additionally, as far as Bite and Booze goes, Collin Ford recently asked me to do a blog post the KFC Double Down, but now I don't have to, because Matty C. has done it for me!

Here is the video from Matt's incredible feat.  Also, please make sure to check out his "Fund a Stache" website and contribute to such epic challenges (and to clean water)!