Bozeman’s Gallatin River Grill Bestows Culinary Gratification

While I was in Bozeman, Montana I invited my friends Sean and Libby to join me at the Gallatin River Lodge for a fine dining experience at their restaurant (Gallatin River Grill). The Lodge is located just west of town and is situated on 350 acres. The restaurant portion of the lodge is divided into two areas…we chose to sit in the “Patio Room,” which is only open during the summer months. The floor-to-ceiling windows provide fantastic views of the ranch and the wildlife that enjoy the nearby pond.

We began our evening by selecting a glass of wine from their extensive list, which was enhanced by an appetizer of sautéed wild mushrooms. I don’t ordinarily go out of my way for mushrooms, but it seemed of interest to my friends, so I just went with it—and, I’m so glad I did…they were outstanding.

For our next course we each ordered a salad, I had the “Farm Salad” with candied walnuts, fresh apples and chevre. Sean had the Caesar that was adorned with whole slivered anchovies…. and Libby opted for the house salad.

For our entrées we decided we’d each get something different…I chose the Blackened Rainbow Trout with corn pico and yellow split pea sauté…it was fabulous. Libby opted for the Grilled Sirloin with roasted vegetables and garlic mashed potatoes. Sean had the special, which was Grilled Elk Sirloin accompanied with a morel mushroom cream sauce and blue cheese onion fritter. I don’t think I had ever tried Elk before…all three of us rhapsodized over the dish—it was so tender and full of flavor that Libby and I almost wanted to exchange entrées with Sean. It’s always exciting trying new things…the next time I see Elk on a menu, I’ll be very apt to order it.

“We strive to use local ingredients here at the Gallatin River Grill, while at the same time keeping each season in mind. Specials often include fresh seafood, bison and duckling,” says Craig Seguin, Executive Chef, who was trained at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY.

The Grill has a creative mix of palate-cleansing desserts to choose from, so we decided we’d each get something different and share (it’s so nice dining with close friends for this reason alone). I ordered the Vanilla Bean Crème Brule with fresh berries (which is a house specialty)…absolutely heavenly. Libby ordered a trio of unique and colorful flavored sorbet, and Sean had the huckleberry ice cream with cinnamon waffle and fresh fruit. All the desserts were marvelous.

As the setting sun concluded the day, so did our lovely evening at the Gallatin River Lodge and Grill. Note of interest: the Gallatin River is where the 1992 Robert Redford movie, “A River Runs Through It” starring Brad Pitt was filmed.

If you live in Bozeman, or are traveling to the area looking for a fine-dining excursion, make sure to stop by. If you’ve eaten at the lodge before, please leave a comment below and let my readers and I know what you thought. You can click the following link to see more pictures from the Gallatin River Grill.

Gallatin River Lodge and Grill:
9105 Thorpe Rd
Bozeman, MT
(406) 388-0148
GRLodge.com

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