Spectacular Lake Superior View & Gourmet Dining                 

- By Len Barnes, Editor Emeritus -

EAGLE RIVER INN
HCI Box 621,
Eagle River, Mi. 49924

 

 

 

 

 

It's 35 miles on M-26 from Houghton-Hancock via Larium, Mohawk and Phoenix to Eagle River, and it's 26 miles from copper Harbor to Eagle River, near and along Lake Superior. I've driven each several times in summer when trees were green and in the fall when many of them were red to orange. It's located two blocks off M-26 on the Eagle river beach.

Owner of this place for 24 years has been Linda Sorsen aided by her son Michael Lambert. For the last three years their chef has been Eric Karvonen who graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in New York and has taken courses in Mexican cooking, incorporating a southwestern theme using authentic herbs and spices imported from Mexico.

"Eagle River Inn, located in secluded Keewenaw County on the shores of Lake Superior, is the perfect place to pamper yourself and get back in touch with Mother Nature," writes Linda. "Let us do it all for you, so you can make the most of your vacation time. Bring your walking shoes and binoculars for hours of strolling the beaches and watching ore boats pass by the sunset. Come visit our secret corner of Michigan. Be our guest….but don't tell anyone," she writes.

The brochure adds that there are many area attractions nearby including Sand Hills Lighthouse and Eagle Harbor Lighthouse, which has a museum and tours. Neither is occupied by lighthouse keepers currently although both can be visited. There are many other historic buildings and museums nearby as well as mines, golf , agate beaches to explore, and shopping including winter recreation activities like skiing and snowmobiling.

Eagle River Inn has 12 overnight rooms, four on the first floor and eight on the second floor, all with spectacular Lake Superior views and most of the year with occasional sights of ore boats and other ships. Each has a lakeside porch, all have double beds or a double and queen size bed. All have a refrigerator and coffee maker. With a two night minimum. All range from $85 to $110 per night plus tax.

Of two condominiums, one has a king size bed and a queen size bed, with full kitchen including washer and dryer at $155 per night for two persons (max. four). Weekly rate is $900 plus tax. The second is a two bedroom one with king and full sized beds at $165 per night for four persons (max. six), $5 for each additional person. Weekly rate, $950 plus tax. Both have refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher, dishes, flatware, pots-pans. There's a minimum two day stay for each unit.

Fitzgerald's Restaurant is one of the UP's best, featuring a casual, nautical setting with hand carved ships and a replica of the Edmund Fitzgerald which sank in Lake Superior with all hands in 1975. A panoramic view of Lake Superior's sunset or an approaching thunderstorm is possible to enjoy from one's table facing the water, often with a 100 foot freighter or and eagle passing by.

Six dinner appetizers run $6 to $7.50, from smoked trout pate and baked Brie to Angel Hair covered scallops, whitefish tostadas, both $7.50. The 12 item dinner menu runs $17.50 to $27.50. Pecan walleye is a filet dipped in pecan coating, sautéed, topped with cherry butter, roasted garlic mashed potatoes; second is chipolte-orange chicken linguini, both $17.50.

Three entrees at $20.50 include spicy 8 oz. flat rib steak, char-grilled with crisp onions, corn fries; coconut shrimp with yellow rice and char-grilled pork tenderloin with pineapple salsa, oven roasted red potatoes. Pan roasted duck breast $21.50 comes with New Mexico red chili-pear sauce, bourbon brown sugar, potato blue cheese cakes. Sea bass in banana leaves is served with roasted vegetable couscous at $23.50. Roasted rack of lamb at $24.50 with caramelized onion is mint based. Oaxacan style lobster tails, $26.50 is two tails sautéed, steamed in onion, garlic, white wine. Cowboy Steak is $27. 50, a 22 oz. bone-in rib eye char-grilled with bbq red onion, double baked potato, zucchini with cheese. A regular salad comes with dinner and the salade du jour entrée includes chicken, duck, fish or beef. Once a week, Karvonen entertains guests with a five course gourmet meal from his beef and fish entrees. He is assisted by a cook and a number of waitpersons.

Fitzgerald's has a large wine list with tap and imported beer and is the only restaurant in the area featuring vintage wines by the glass, with Beefeater and Tanqueray gin martinis at $6.50, Manhattans $5.50. Reservations are accepted for parties of four or more and smoking is discouraged in the dining room. The dining room is closed Nov. 1-Dec. 26. Reopen Dec 26 thru mid-March, daily. Weekends only mid-March to June 1st. Nightly June 1- end of October.

Len Barnes is Editor Emeritus of AAA Michigan Living Magazine and lives on Travers City's Old Mission Peninsula.

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