The Wily Widgeon Café - Hope Idaho
by bl1899 on 06/16/08 at 9:31 pm
It was Father’s day and I decided to take my dad and his girlfriend out to lunch. They live in Hope so it limits you on the places you can go, just because there are not a lot of restaurants in Hope. But what is located in Hope are several delightful restaurants, one being the Wily Widgeon Café, located in the historic Hope hotel. The building’s historic beauty is enough to feast on but once you get inside you are treated to a menu of scrumptious selections. My dad’s girlfriend is a vegetarian and pointed out that there was not much to offer on the vegetarian side, however she did find one meal that suited her taste buds just fine, a soft tortilla wrap with greens, grapes, candied pecan nuts, a raspberry balsamic dressing with feta cheese to top it off. It sounded pretty good to me as well but I opted for almost the same wrap that had chicken added and a blue cheese dressing instead. My dad got a southwest salad that I was eyeing on the menu as well. The menu was full of interesting meals that I found myself wanting to try all of them. I ordered a beer from the connecting bar next door. The bar is worth the stop if you are traveling by. It is filled with aviator memorabilia which gives a unique decor to this full bar that has several beers on tap as well. The bar has traditional bar seating but also has raised half moon shaped bench seating with tables, creating a cozy environment. Kids are allowed in the bar as long as they are not seated at the bar!
As we waited for our meal we took in the spectacular views of the Green Monarchs that stood majestically across Lake Pend Oreille. Although my favorite time of year for viewing the Green Monarchs is winter when their rocky jagged cliffs are covered in snow, this year I have noticed just how beautiful the mountains are without the snow on them. I am not sure if it is just how green the forest is from the heavy rains this year or if I never took the time to notice but they are intensely green this year, which I am sure they are every year, hence their name.
Our meal had arrived and we were not disappointed. The wraps were a hit with both myself and my dad’s girlfriend and my dad also enjoyed his salad, which from the looks of it, I will be having the next time I am there. For our three meals our bill was about $40.
If you are interested in going to the Wily Widgeon Café they are in Hope, about 13 miles east of Sandpoint on Highway 200. They are located at 126 W Main Street. If you follow the old highway business loop, which branches off Highway 200 at the top of the bridge just before you get to Hope, it will take you right to the Hope Hotel. It is a good idea to call to make sure they are open before you make the drive out to Hope as well. They can be contacted at 208-264-5800
