In fact, I know that I have never viewed their breakfast menu and there is a possibility that any thought of breakfast at this location has never occurred to me.
From home it can be a three-hour trip to get to Jasper, Arkansas. It is a grand view of the Boston Mountains that lies along the Scenic Highway 7.
From home it can be a three-hour trip to get to Jasper, Arkansas. It is a grand view of the Boston Mountains that lies along the Scenic Highway 7.
Just beyond Jasper, Highway 7 begins a climb that is bordered by runaway truck lanes for the downhill traffic in the event that the steep grade takes it toll on the brakes, curves, trailheads for the hikers that want to go to the top of Round Top, and scenic overlooks.
The first large scenic overlook is commercially driven, with a gift shop and an observation tower with a vantage point that provides a view of the deep Arkansas Grand Canyon below and the neighboring State of Missouri to the north. Want a better view? Climb the observation tower and elevate your view by about three more stories. I can only see for a given distance anyway and this is only a slightly broader view of the distant horizon. But, the first time I was there, and maybe the second time, I had to climb the tower, so who am I to judge?
Beyond that scenic overlook, beyond the junction that will take you to Mount Judea, along the top of the ridge where you will get a breathtaking view of a portion of the Arkansas Grand Canyon, sits The Cliff House Inn. Pull into the parking lot that is bordered not only by stop blocks, but also a guard cable that if you should breach, your decent into the canyon would only be hindered by the treetops that lie below.
Beyond that scenic overlook, beyond the junction that will take you to Mount Judea, along the top of the ridge where you will get a breathtaking view of a portion of the Arkansas Grand Canyon, sits The Cliff House Inn. Pull into the parking lot that is bordered not only by stop blocks, but also a guard cable that if you should breach, your decent into the canyon would only be hindered by the treetops that lie below.
The Cliff House Inn houses a gift shop, guest rooms on the lower deck and a restaurant on the upper level including a porch-with-a-view, all the while sitting precariously perched on the side of a cliff. The journey here has been a scenic cornucopia and the view provided from this vantage point is awesome, but some of the best is yet to come.
It is here in this restaurant that I experienced one of the best steaks that I have ever had in my life. The ribeye served at this location is marinated to perfection and then prepared your way without flaw. When you can cut the steak without a knife, using the edge of the fork, well, let me tell you, that baby is tender.
I have had this precise order as a midday meal and as an evening meal, but that is not the only thing on the menu that I have sampled. The current post-pandemic conditions have taken their toll, not only on the labor situation, which has impacted the management of The Cliff House Inn, but also on their supply. So, the last few times that we have visited this establishment, they had sold out of the ribeye and other selections had to be made. A pleasant complexity it became as the Atchafalaga Steak Boudin was as enjoyable as the ribeye. A later attempt resulted in ordering the Top Sirloin, which proved itself to be an excellent steak in its own right.
Fortunately, my stroll around the menu didn’t stop there, as the good wife has eyes that are bigger than her stomach, but in this case, it would have taken an entire village to eat the portion that was served on the Arkansas Fried Catfish Platter. The catfish that had to leave in the carry-out container was enough for another meal, and as a leftover was still delightful.
If you think you could leave at this point, you might want to reconsider and take a look at the dessert menu. I can’t offer a lot in this area, because, I have always found a place to anchor in the Company’s Comin Pie. There is a reason that this is the Arkansas State Pie and the House Specialty, and it will make the end of the meal something to remember. But, if that pie doesn’t seem to be your thing, you might want to try out the Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pie.
I have had this precise order as a midday meal and as an evening meal, but that is not the only thing on the menu that I have sampled. The current post-pandemic conditions have taken their toll, not only on the labor situation, which has impacted the management of The Cliff House Inn, but also on their supply. So, the last few times that we have visited this establishment, they had sold out of the ribeye and other selections had to be made. A pleasant complexity it became as the Atchafalaga Steak Boudin was as enjoyable as the ribeye. A later attempt resulted in ordering the Top Sirloin, which proved itself to be an excellent steak in its own right.
Fortunately, my stroll around the menu didn’t stop there, as the good wife has eyes that are bigger than her stomach, but in this case, it would have taken an entire village to eat the portion that was served on the Arkansas Fried Catfish Platter. The catfish that had to leave in the carry-out container was enough for another meal, and as a leftover was still delightful.
If you think you could leave at this point, you might want to reconsider and take a look at the dessert menu. I can’t offer a lot in this area, because, I have always found a place to anchor in the Company’s Comin Pie. There is a reason that this is the Arkansas State Pie and the House Specialty, and it will make the end of the meal something to remember. But, if that pie doesn’t seem to be your thing, you might want to try out the Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pie.
Since pecan pie is a personal favorite, I just had to give it a shot and a shot infused into the single piece was the just one of the surprises that this pie held. I could taste it all, the bourbon, the chocolate, and the sincere pecan pie. It was a great day!
Take a little road trip and if you are headed down Arkansas Highway 7, enjoy the scenery, but also treat yourself to some culinary delights along the way. It may be a full day time investment as a day trip, but it’s just a step, for a stepper.
Recommendations and suggestions are accepted, but please don’t send me into the front lines of a bad food experience. If it is a good experience, we will let the world know here at Hunter? Gather? Eater! We are not a food critic, so we are not going to criticize anyone, we just won’t eat there in the future.
I’m not a hunter, you can hire people to do that, I’m not a gatherer, all though the goodwife likes to garden, but glory be, I am an eater!
If you have a recommendation or a suggestion, or you would like for us to visit your place of business, send us a line at STarchangel1920@gmail.com.
Take a little road trip and if you are headed down Arkansas Highway 7, enjoy the scenery, but also treat yourself to some culinary delights along the way. It may be a full day time investment as a day trip, but it’s just a step, for a stepper.
Recommendations and suggestions are accepted, but please don’t send me into the front lines of a bad food experience. If it is a good experience, we will let the world know here at Hunter? Gather? Eater! We are not a food critic, so we are not going to criticize anyone, we just won’t eat there in the future.
I’m not a hunter, you can hire people to do that, I’m not a gatherer, all though the goodwife likes to garden, but glory be, I am an eater!
If you have a recommendation or a suggestion, or you would like for us to visit your place of business, send us a line at STarchangel1920@gmail.com.
1 comment:
Guy drives all the way to cliff house, misses breakfast, and thinks he saw the place at its best? Enough to write 500 words about it?
Somebody needs to set him straight on this--that is the best breakfast in Arkansas. Bar none. The biscuits alone are worth the trip.
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