Wasilla restaurant adding banquet, meeting service

Thirteen months after first opening its doors, one of the Mat-Su’s hottest eateries continues to expand its offerings to the public.

Chop House at Lake Lucille Inn is finishing up its first full summer of service. Its scenic lakeside views and expansive outdoor seating area have been big attractions to local and visiting diners alike. But it’s the great menu and consistent quality execution that keep people coming back. With expanded hours this summer, Chop House is open for full lunch and dinner service seven days a week.

Operating owner Joshua Broda brings his long history in fine dining and passion for good food to the Mat-Su cuisine scene. Chop House is his vision of a space where food is a celebration of friendliness, community, and family.

But getting there took some time. Between the extensive renovations that were needed, including updating the electrical and plumbing infrastructure, and the post-pandemic supply chain delays, the expected opening was delayed eight months. “We tore everything out of there,” Broda said. But the public response has been positive, despite the learning curve that always attends a new endeavor.

“There’s always a breaking-in period where you figure out what works and what doesn’t,” he said. “But we’ve built a great foundation and are heading in the right direction. At Chop House, we believe in crafting not just meals, but memorable experiences.”

The menu is at the heart of those experiences. It features an impressive variety of creative dishes that are steeped in tradition but also embrace innovation.

Mainstays like house-made burgers and fish and chips, made with panko-crusted Alaska cod, take their place alongside more ambitious offerings. The clam linguine boasts Manila clams, chorizo, and roasted red peppers. Another pasta dish features Alaskan scallops and shrimp tossed with garlic, shallots, grape tomatoes, artichoke, and spinach.

Meat lovers can choose from USDA prime grade cuts of tenderloin filet, ribeye, and New York, top sirloin, flat iron steaks. The bar inventory is equally impressive, with extensive bourbon and whiskey options to choose from.

While dinner service has been its focus for much of Chop House’s short existence, the restaurant added lunch service this summer. In response to customer requests, the new lunch menu incorporated more lighter fare, like sandwiches and a soup and salad combo. Broda, a chef himself, singled out the house-smoked corned beef Reuben, the French dip, BLT with candied bacon, and tomato soup as crowd favorites.

“We have many delicious and healthy lunch options,” he said. Chop House food will be featured in a different way in the new banquet and meeting room service. Housed in the lower level of the hotel, the newly refurbished space can accommodate up to 175 people in the largest room, with smaller meeting space available for groups of 10 to 50.

“We’re definitely ready to book banquets,” Broda said. “Holiday parties should be booked early because available dates are going quickly.”

The Chop House is also planning to reprise its popular Thanksgiving dinner service and New Year’s Eve formal event again this year, too. In the meantime, with summer winding down, Broda said thoughts have already begun turning to updating the menu to reflect the season. “Winter in Alaska means maybe some more hearty dishes,” he said. “Something to warm people up on a cold day.”

FIND OUT MORE

www.chophouseak.com