Hours: Dinner is served 5 to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 4 to 9 p.m. Sunday. Happy hour is 4 to 6 p.m. daily. Breakfast is served 6 to 10:30 a.m. Monday through Friday. Brunch is 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Lunch is 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Where: 7805 N.E. Greenwood Drive, Vancouver.
Contact: 360-816-6100 or www.hudsonsbarandgrill.com
Health score: Hudson’s Bar & Grill received a score of zero on July 11. Zero is a perfect score, and Clark County Public Health closes restaurants with a score of 100 or higher. For information, call 360-397-8428.
Why: Hudson’s Bar & Grill, at the Heathman Lodge, recently rolled out a new dinner menu. Executive Chef Ray Delgado keeps the dinner menu in step with the seasons by preparing creative, exclusive dishes using fresh, local ingredients. A dinner visit to Hudson’s offers food and atmosphere that you cannot find anywhere else in Clark County.
Hours: Dinner is served 5 to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 4 to 9 p.m. Sunday. Happy hour is 4 to 6 p.m. daily. Breakfast is served 6 to 10:30 a.m. Monday through Friday. Brunch is 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Lunch is 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Where: 7805 N.E. Greenwood Drive, Vancouver.
Contact: 360-816-6100 or www.hudsonsbarandgrill.com
Health score: Hudson's Bar & Grill received a score of zero on July 11. Zero is a perfect score, and Clark County Public Health closes restaurants with a score of 100 or higher. For information, call 360-397-8428.
What I tried: I had the porcini-crusted scallops, and my dining companion had the grilled Columbian River king salmon. For dessert we tried the cheesecake and a brownie.
My entree included four large scallops, each prepared with porcini mushroom dust on one side and seared to an opaque interior. The scallops sat on a mixture of roasted cauliflower, yams, beech mushrooms and small cubes of bacon doused in a vinaigrette. The sea and earth flavors of the scallops were appetizing. Unfortunately, given the fact that scallops are inherently sweet, the yams made the dish too sweet, and I thought the vinegar in the vinaigrette was too strong to be paired with such a level of sweetness. The flavor of the cauliflower and the bacon were lost somewhere in the midst of the dish, while the beech mushrooms complemented the scallops.
My dining companion enjoyed the grilled salmon steak, but he was disappointed to have to scrape away the gray, fishy meat that had been left on it. The salmon sat atop a creamed corn and bell pepper ragout, and like my dish, it was sprinkled with scallops. My dining companion noted the fresh quality of the corn, and the fact that it was not overly seasoned. He thought it paired well with the salmon.
Of the two desserts that we tried, the cheesecake was superior. The brownie was very dense and its consistency reminded me of a refrigerated cookie. It was frosted with a generous amount of creamy, chocolate frosting. Though it was good, I prefer homemade-style brownies that have a crisp edge and cakelike texture that become gooey as you chew. The cheesecake, drizzled with a berry syrup and garnished with fresh strawberries, was fluffy on the fork and creamy on the palate. It was properly rich and authentic in every regard.
Atmosphere: The pioneering spirit of the Pacific Northwest is imparted in the decor of both the lodge and the grill. The grill displays sturdy log construction, a large colorful mural, and a two-sided rustic slate fireplace. Seating is mostly at tables and chairs, and a few booths divide the main dining room and helps keep the space cozy in spite of the tall ceiling. Bar stools are at the bar as well. Live music during the dinner hours lends a sense of the metropolitan.
Menu highlights beyond what I tried: Pan-seared rockfish is served with tomatoes, spinach and prosciutto risotto. The grilled pork chop comes with spiced butternut, potato gnocchi and pork jus. Among the communal plate choices are duck breast, grilled polenta, broccolini with romesco, and scampi shrimp. Hudson’s still has chicken-and-corn chowder and seafood stew on the menu. Salads are made with organic greens. Sizzling forest mushrooms with garlic and herbs in a sherry butter sauce, and manila steamer clams with garlic, shallots and parsley in white wine-butter broth, are among the starters.
Other observations: I enjoy the atmosphere at Hudson’s and the service is friendly and attentive. I thought the food on this dinner visit was overpriced at $75.88 (we drank water). I do not mind paying for exclusivity, but it should be without flaw.
Many gluten-free options are available.
Hudson’s is a popular dinner destination, so reservations are recommended.
Cost: Dinner appetizers range from $2 for grilled rustic bread with bistro oil, parsley and olives to $16 for Alaskan snow crab claws. Soup is $3 for a cup and $5 for a bowl. Salads are $9 and $10 (for $6 and $8, you may add chicken or Dungeness crab to the Caesar salad). Communal plates to share range from $10 to $36. Entrees cost $16 to $28. Happy hour plates range from $2 to $6.
