Luxe Beat Magazine DECEMBER 2014 | Page 35

Travel in Hollywood, not in rural Solvang, and that’s part of the evolution of Solvang and wine country cuisine. The menu rotates often, depending on seasonal ingredients, since this sits squarely in an agricultural region. You’ll find house made charcuterie, local bison dishes, and steelhead trout on the menu from the local river. The clientele is more the young, urban crowd, and you don’t see a lot of old school Danish residents here. The restaurant has two rooms separated by a bar with an elegant club feel. They offer their “kitchen table,” located directly inside the kitchen itself for a unique energetic dining experience. Root 246 offers dinner only and a Sunday brunch. The Santa Ynez Valley and Solvang really visually pop in early spring, April and May, after winter rains cause the hills to become verdant green, and this is the best time to visit. The vineyards are just experiencing bud break and the pace of the Valley is slow and casual. But the fall is also a great time to visit; the air is crisp and clean, crowds have subsided and sunrises and sunsets bathe the Valley in amber hues. Fall brings harvest in wine country, so it’s still a beehive of activity. True, there are more events that take place during summer, but that also means crowds and lines for this small village which can easily get congested during peak summer days. Wine tasting rooms, several within walking distance of the hotel, can also be immensely crowded during summer. So bypass the hectic in favor of the relaxed and make Hotel Corque your choice for a wine country getaway. To learn more go to www.HotelCorque.com. 35