Ahhhh, weekends. They’re a time to enjoy all our Valley has to offer and we are forever in search of new places to explore. Just the other morning, after looking at the weather report and admiring Galena’s snowfall, Peter and I decided to dust off our snowshoes and head north in search of Galena Lodge and its full roster of amenities (i.e. lunch).
It was a gorgeous, sunny Sun Valley day and the drive was stunning. We arrived around noon, purchased a snowshoe pass ($5 each) and checked out the open trails. We chose the Yurt Loop, an easy 2.9km trek that winds through trees, has a nice climb and offers spectacular views. The trudge through powder was sublime! After winding our way back to the Lodge, our conversation quickly segued from the glory of nature to the promise of lunch.
It was about 3:00 when we arrived (Galena Lodge serves lunch until 3:30) and just a handful of patrons were still lingering after the lunch rush. We scanned the menu on the wall and debated our choices. Galena’s menu is thoughtful and locally inspired with choices like: The Snow Plowman’s Lunch ($12.50) with Lava Lake Lamb sausage, bread, cheese, mustard pickles and tomato chutney. The Spinach Salad ($11) with roasted beets, Stilton cheese, candied walnuts and apples tossed in a citrus vinaigrette. After much deliberation, we chose the Lava Lake Lamb Burger ($12.50) with arugula and goat cheese served with homemade French fries, and the Meatloaf Sandwich ($10.50) with caramelized onions, chutney and melted Havarti cheese with a side of homemade fries to keep it company. Another local favorite (for another time perhaps) is the Grownup Grilled Cheese with caramelized onions, bacon, apples and havarti cheese ($9.85)
We grabbed a table by the window and watched families (complete with dogs) sled and play in the snow. We took our time with the wine list and ultimately chose a Brunos Blend Sauvignon Blanc ($26 a bottle) to prep our palattes whilst our outsides thawed out. Meals arrived shortly therafter and grins abounded.
Peter’s Meatloaf Sandwich was toasted to perfection. Crunchy, but not too crunchy so as to tear the roof of your mouth, the chutney gave it a bit of a sweet flavor, but didn’t overwhelm it. The fries were made to order and are some of the best we’ve had in the Valley. The Lava Lake Lamb Burger was simple yet upscale, dressed up in arugula and goat cheese. The bun was nothing to write home about, but the flavor of the lamb and goat cheese made up for it. All of that exercise was worth it!
Lunch at Galena is definitely on our list for lunch spots this winter, especially after a breathtaking morning of trekking through the trees! Regardless of how you celebrate weekends, we highly recommend you drive north to Galena for all it has to offer—inside and out.
Galena Lodge is a community owned day lodge nestled in the Rocky Mountains 23 miles north of Sun Valley Resort and Ketchum, Idaho.
Julie Molema is SVM's yum! blogger and production manager for Sun Valley Magazine. Her favorite things to do are going hiking, skiing and going to lunch. Read more of her yum! blogs here.
