Travel
honor tart ith th amin
Saganaki Cheese and then follow it
up with a huge pile of divine Alaskan
Red King Crab legs, local Arctic char
or bison ribs.
As impressive as the ambiance was
at The Wheelhouse, decorated with
genuine period furnishings and
archival photos from the sternwheeler era, the food and wine were
equally impressive. I ordered (and
loved) all my local picks, starting
with Alderwood Smoked Char Dip
followed by Grilled Arctic Char and
ending with a delectable Low Bush
Cranberry & Apple Galette topped
with birch caramel yogurt and
salted walnuts!
For authentic Greek cuisine,
minus the jet lag, head to The
Drunken Goat Taverna for
gargantuan platters of Greek
specialties such as calamari,
spanakopita, hummus and their
killer lamb chops. If it’s packed
(which is the usually case) then head
next door, where the same menu is
available at their Billy Goat pub.
Tip: Keep in mind that they serve
humongous portions in the Yukon,
which sure worked for me!
ot-to- e- issed
Re iona rin s
Whitehorse is home to the Yukon
Brewing Company, an award-winning
brewery that was conceived in 1997
by two canoe-paddling buddies and
now sells over 850,000 liters a year.
They won the Canadian Beer of the
Colorful houses to brighten up the
winter in Dawson City
Year in 2009 for their addictive
Yukon Red (often a sold-out);
however they always have something
exciting up their sodden sleeve.
Check them out on Facebook for
their creative specials such as a
special Bonanza Brown with raisins,
sugar and vanilla.
Time your visit for the 2:00 p.m.
tour for $10 per person. I loved the
fact that all the money goes to a
local charity, so you’re not just
getting drunk midday, you’re being
philanthropic!
You can tour the brewery, hear how
they make their craft beers, and end
with a tasting of eight beers, as well
as their botanical vodka, Solstice,
which is infused with raspberries,
rose hips and sage.
iff r nt a th ir
r ar
for something truly unique, The
Downtown Hotel in Dawson City has
them beat. I’m going out on a limb
here, but I feel it’s safe to say that
this is the only place in the universe
where you can belly up to the bar
and order a Sour Toe Cocktail, a
shot of 40 proof alcohol that is
then garnished with an amputated
h man to Th r t to at
a
to 1920 and came from a frostbitten
rum runner.
To become a member of this noniti t
yo m t ay r t
to
the reigning Sour Toe Master. He will
then open the old wooden case that
ho
a ta o offi ia
rti at
and jar of salt where the gnarly big
toe is buried. He digs out the toe,
drops it in your glass, and delivers
the following Harry Potter-like
incantation: “You can drink it fast,
you can drink it slow-- but the lips
have gotta touch the toe.” If you
follow these directives without
swallowing the toe (which results
in a
n yo ar a ar
a m m r hi
rti at
am th
proud 57,924th member of the
Sour Toe Cocktail Club, which
began on 1973.
t perhaps their reatest
reso rce is the peop e
There is no way to describe Yukoners
because they are truly inimitable.
But if I were to try, I’d say in general
they are hospitable, outdoorsy,
totally crazy, tough as nails,
tenacious, fun-loving, quirky,
dedicated, fascinating and totally
unforgettable.
For other ways to have fun in the
Yukon (365 days a year) visit
travelyukon.com.
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