Last week Ski Utah hosted a networking ski day for members at Deer Valley Resort. The skiing, as usual, was excellent and my wife and I thought that, in honor of the 2022 Winter Olympics, we’d drop into Stein Eriksen Lodge to enjoy lunch at the Troll Hallen Lounge.
The first male alpine ski racer from outside the Alps to win an Olympic gold medal, Norway’s Stein Eriksen won a gold in the giant slalom at the 1952 Winter Olympics, as well as a silver medal in the slalom. For many years Stein served as the Director of Skiing at Deer Valley Resort, and many of us miss seeing the late Olympian shredding the Deer Valley slopes. Yes, even in his 80s he could outski most of us.
There are a couple of lunch options for the public at Stein Eriksen Lodge. A la carte lunch is served in the Troll Hallen Lounge from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and there is also an all-you-can-eat Skiers Buffet. Apres-ski is from 3 to 5 p.m. with a special menu that includes Wild Game Chili and an Artisan Cheese & Meat Platter. We opted to order lunch from the Troll Hallen Lounge menu, although we later caught a glimpse of the buffet, which looked amazing and included a carving station, hot and cold entrees, seafood, salads, a stupendous dessert selection, and more.
The Troll Hallen Lounge was bustling throughout lunch. Tourists have returned to Park City and Deer Valley in droves and the on-mountain restaurants are very busy, even on weekdays, so plan accordingly.
Plan accordingly, also, when you order from the Troll Hallen menu. Portions are definitely not stingy. For example, we shared an order of Stein’s Garlic Cheese Fries, which could easily have been enjoyed by two or three more people. We barely put a dent into the “Starter” which was fried skin-on Yukon gold potato wedges tossed with asiago cheese, garlic, fresh herbs, olive oil, and Executive Chef Zane Holmquist’s special fry sauce. Zane has been the head chef at Stein’s for about as long as I can remember and oversees a top-notch team of culinary pros.
Additional starters at Stein’s include Deviled Avocados & Egg; Smoked Ora King Salmon & Lefse; Wild Greens & Beet Salad; and a dish we really enjoyed and was, again, very generously sized: Tree Nut & Goat Cheese Hummus, served with salty homemade pretzel bites and crudités, including watermelon radishes and heirloom carrots. Incorporating chevre into hummus is a simple but genius idea.
Our server, Charles, was absolutely phenomenal and provided us with solid wine recommendations for pairing with our lunch items, including Olivier Leflaive Bourgogne Blanc Les Sétilles for my wife and Soter Vineyards North Valley Pinot Noir for moi. If you’re looking for a private dining experience like no other, inquire about the Alpenglobes at Stein’s. The Lodge has six private, enclosed Alpenglobes arrayed on the outside deck that are climate-controlled and offer panoramic mountain views to guests. Each globe seats up to 6 guests. Reservations are $200 for a 90-minute breakfast or lunch meal period and $250 for a 90-minute dinner. Dining menus are the same as Troll Hallen Lounge.
Main dishes for lunch at the Troll Hallen include a tempting Snake River Farms Wagyu Pastrami Hoagie with Stein’s famous chow chow and apple-whole grain mustard on a seeded hoagie roll. There’s also Raclette & Roasted Artichokes and a Chicken & Broccoli Sandwich to be had, as well as Zane’s Bacon Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup – a perfect wintertime lunch. I opted for Stein’s Burger, and I’m glad I did. It’s one of the best burgers I’ve gotten my lips around in ages: an 8-ounce Angus beef burger served with melted aged white cheddar cheese and crispy fried onions on a nice quality sheepherder roll, with lettuce, tomato, and dill pickle spear on the side. All of the sandwiches and “Stein’s Classics” from the lunch menu come with a choice of house-cut fries (which are very good), baby greens, or quinoa salad.
As with every dish we saw at Stein’s, my wife’s Shellfish Ski Bowl Salad was generously portioned and could easily be shared. It was a scrumptious and colorful melange of sweet crab, Nordic bay shrimp, quinoa, power greens, cucumber, carrot, haricots verts, and radish with Green Goddess vinaigrette. The Shellfish Ski Bowl Salad made my wife very happy.
Skiing at Deer Valley Resort is always a special treat, and one that is made even grander with the superb service, cuisine, ambiance and libations that Stein Eriksen Lodge has to offer. Next time, we’ll book a room so we can grab a nap after our long, leisurely lunch.
Culinary quote of the week:
“I hate television. I hate it as much as peanuts. But I can’t stop eating peanuts.” – Orson Welles
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THIS CONTENT IS FROM UTAH BITES NEWSLETTER.
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Originally trained as an anthropologist, Ted Scheffler is a seasoned food, wine & travel writer based in Utah. He loves cooking, skiing, and spends an inordinate amount of time tending to his ever-growing herd of guitars and amplifiers.
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