Known Stones: Bear Tooth Grill

Chances are, if you've lived in Alaska long enough, you've enjoyed a meal or drink made by the Tooth establishments. You know the ones: Moose's Tooth, Bear Tooth and Broken Tooth. Each of these restaurants bring different things to the table, and I have never in my memory had a bad meal or drink from any of them.

While I will cover Moose's Tooth and the Bear Tooth Theatrepub & Cafe eventually, I want to focus on the grill side of Bear Tooth for this column. I had never eaten at the grill, and I can say with full confidence that I've been missing out on incredible food for the 17 years I hadn't eaten there — and you are too if you've never been.

Bear Tooth Grill does not serve pizza like its counterparts, instead opting for an inspired menu with burgers, tacos, salads and more. They have a rotating special menu that changes on the first of every month, with those dishes being served until they run out and becoming available again once they restock ingredients.

On this particular visit, the specials included Turkish meatballs, a reuben, and tri-tip tacos, along with a dessert special of bourbon peach bread pudding.

One thing I really appreciate about the food at this restaurant is how much depth of flavor there is in each of the meals I have tried. As my grandmother would say, “Every bite makes your mouth happy.” This depth of flavor extends to meals that are made with dietary restrictions in mind as well, with the whole menu being robust in delicious options no matter what meal you choose.

This is definitely a restaurant that you need to call ahead for most nights of the week to see if there will be a wait or not. Sometimes you can get lucky and they won't be slammed on a Friday night — typically when the weather is nice out or when the tourists are busy doing something around town. More often than not, however, if you go in during normal brunch, lunch or dinner hours and you haven't called ahead you'll need to wait a solid 15 to 30 minutes for a table.

That being said, if you have the time to wait, it is worth the wait and cost.

The cost of the food at the Bear Tooth Grill is definitely a bit on the spendier side if you're planning on getting a full meal. An appetizer, drink and entree will probably cost $40 before tip, but the quality of the food is well above that price point.

An amazing meal that I can almost never get away from ordering is the Banh Mi Burger with garlic cilantro fries. A pork-beef mix patty with sriracha aioli, jalapeño-cabbage slaw, and pickled red onion, it's especially flavorful and has a bit of a kick to it.

More recently, though, I've been getting the Korean Steak bowl — which is definitely enough food for two, but sometimes I just can't help devouring the whole bowl. With rice, pickled red onion,  cucumber, carrot, red cabbage, green onion, a gochujang-sesame sauce, and sesame seed and cilantro to garnish, this bowl is jam packed with texture and deliciousness.

What I've found myself enjoying more recently is going to Bear Tooth for brunch in the late morning, as there is typically no wait for a table and their brunch offerings are to die for. My personal favorite is the Bear Tooth Benny, a spicy take on a classic breakfast staple of eggs benedict. Poached eggs, Anaheim pepper, recado ham, and chipotle hollandaise take center stage, with the mix of egg yolk and hollandaise left in the wake of eating pairing incredibly well with the fried potatoes that accompany the dish.

I also appreciate the atmosphere of the grill, as it never feels overwhelming eating there no matter how busy it gets. Even if you're at a table in the middle of the floor and not in a booth, you can always hear yourself think — as well as hear whoever you're eating with relatively easily. The music isn't too loud, the decorations not too overbearing and generally it's always a pleasant dining experience.

Another thing I will give Bear Tooth credit for is the size of the appetizers relative to the cost. If you come in with a big party, you can order one or two appetizers and likely still come away with leftovers from whatever else you order, for around a cost of $30 if you split the appetizer cost between everyone.

The Bear Tooth Grill is not a restaurant I go to frequently, partially because of the cost, and partially because it tends to be a restaurant you need to make plans for. With that said, it's near the top of my  list of places to go to when I want to treat myself, and when I do make plans to go I'm never disappointed.

The food and drinks at any time of day are amazing and it's a great place to go by yourself or with your whole posse in tow. I can't recommend it more highly.

If you have the time and are looking to treat yourself to an amazing meal, Bear Tooth Grill is a great pick.