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yum!

A blog about food

River Grub

New Life at Sunbeam Village Grill

The Sunbeam Village Grill, (SBV) owned and operated by Shannon Orr of Ketchum is a little piece of civilization found out there in the midst of the wilderness. Snuggled up against the road in the thick of Sunbeam Village at 100 Yankee Fork Road, SBV Grill neighbors White Otter Outdoor Adventures, a river outfitter which runs float trips down the Sunbeam Stretch of the Salmon. The SBV Grill provides satisfying sustenance after a float that is albeit beautiful, at a half day, long enough to make your stomach growl.  

Open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., mid June through Labor Day, the SBV Grill serves hungry patrons lunch and dinner in its quaint dining room, big enough for the whole family, yet intimate enough for you and your kayaking date. The deck was my first choice with its comfortable seating, cool breeze and echo of water sounds from the river.

After a peaceful meander down the Sunbeam Stretch with my able guide paddling furiously through the rapids while I admired the scenic beauty of the place, a 1/3 lb burger ($8 + $1.50 for cheese and bacon) was what I had in mind.  Shannon and her smiling restaurant crew delivered it just the way I like it—smothered in blue cheese and delicately adorned with a perfectly cooked strip of bacon. My burger would have been lonely without potatoes so I ordered a healthy alternative—a large basket of sweet potato fries ($4) which were excellent. I felt it would be nothing short of criminal to skip a beer, so I had a Tecate ($2.50), the Mexican version of white water.

My oarsman ordered grilled Ahi prepared in a sweet soy glaze and placed lovingly on a bed of Artesian greens ($9) and a Pellegrino ($3). According to Shannon, it’s regularly requested and a big draw for those in search of a twist on your typical pub fare. Which is the nice thing about the menu at the Grill—it’s simple but diverse enough with items such as grilled chicken burgers, pulled pork sandwiches and big salads to please most of the fisherman, water lovers and campers who wander in from the road. There’s also a kids’ menu and a freezer full of ice cream (try the Huckleberry $2.50 a scoop or $4 for two) that served as the perfect compliment to my dinner.

My stomach full and my guide spent from hauling me from shore to boat and back again, I left Sunbeam Village and headed back to Ketchum, happy to have found a culinary gift when I least expected it and needed it most, right along the banks of the Salmon.

For more information on dining at the Sunbeam Village Grill, please call 208-838-2326 or 208-720-3923.  SBV Grill accepts all major credit cards. 

To take a float trip down the Sunbeam Stretch of the Salmon, check out, www.whiteotter.com or call 208-788-5005.

Photos courtesy of John Parsons.