Vista prime steaks & seafood

A refresh takes a retro look

Snoqualmie Casino's mission is to offer an "exceptional entertainment experience" whether you're gaming, enjoying live entertainment, or dining. With 'EEE' in mind, the refreshing of their fine dining restaurant has taken a slight retro turn, back to the days when tableside preparation meant fine dining. And yet, they are rooted directly in the present and the Northwest.

In refreshing the restaurant, they wanted it to fit into the concept for the casino. Hence, it is casually elegant. Guests may be relaxed or in their best; all are welcome. The host station is the first sight on entering Vista, then the bar. The dining room has high ceilings to accommodate the huge windows overlooking the beautiful panorama of the Snoqualmie Valley (during daylight hours at least). Curved booths along the wall take full advantage of the view, but there are no bad seats.

"Back in the day, cooking tableside was very popular in fine dining restaurants and very structured. We're doing it in a less structured, more entertaining way," explains Chuck Spahn, Food & Beverage Director. Whether it's prawns sizzling in a white wine, butter, shallot, and garlic sauce right next to you (you can smell it, can't you?), or a dramatic Café Diablo lighting up the room, it's a fun time at Vista. Executive Chef Bruce Dillon, now in charge of all food at the Casino, and who was the opening chef for the fine dining restaurant, emphasizes their focus on quality ingredients. "We single source as much as possible. On the new menu, our beef is coming from Snake River Farms. The grade is higher than prime based on the beef marbling system (BMS) for Japanese Wagyu. We serve Snake River's Gold Grade American Kobe beef which is the highest grade (there are black and silver grades also, silver being the lowest which is still higher than prime)." One of their signature offerings is the American Wagyu cap of ribeye, gold grade, a very tender piece of meat. Menu items also include seafood and chicken, based on Northwest cuisine. Everything is made from scratch and focused on flavor. Maître d' Kwan Won has joined the team: he has worked across the country entertaining people with his table-side service and flambé finesse.

Vista's cocktail program has also taken an upturn recently, with rotating seasonal signature cocktails using fresh squeezed juices. Wine options range from affordable to high-end to match your evening. And there's just nothing wrong with finishing your evening with the aforementioned Café Diablo, a dessert wine, or tableside Bananas Foster.

Throughout the Casino, there is a focus on guest service; employee retention is key. At Vista, they are attuned to making each guest's experience exceptionally entertaining and enjoyable (a fourth 'E' if you're counting).

Connie Adams/January 2017

Vista prime steaks & seafood
Snoqualmie Casino
37500 SE North Bend Way
Snoqualmie, WA 98065

www.snocasino.com

Deckle of beef