Lake resort has tasty fare and scenery to spare

BARBARA CONLEY, FOR THE OLYMPIAN

Originally published November 9, 2001

SHELTON -- One of my favorite fall and winter pastimes is taking long drives through the countryside, with stops along the way to stretch the legs, enjoy the sights and try out new restaurants. On a recent cool but sunny weekend, my husband and I chose Lake Nahwatzel Resort as our destination. It's about 10.5 miles from the second Shelton exit off Highway 101.

Lake Nahwatzel is a 280-acre, spring-fed lake nestled in the foothills of the Olympic Forest with the peaks of the Olympic Mountains in the background. Private homes, a public fishing park and the Lake Nahwatzel Resort share its shore. The resort includes a restaurant with cocktail lounge, recreational hall, antique shop, cabins and RV hookups.

The dining room is small and cozy, with wood floors and a high ceiling reinforced with log beams. Two large, old, wood-spoke wagon wheels and various antique dishes, spoons and pictures enhance the room's rustic charm. But the main attraction is the view of the lake and tall evergreen trees just beyond the outdoor patio deck.

The dinner menu offers a variety of food, including pan-fried oysters, broiled salmon and halibut, chicken teriyaki, salads, steak and, on Friday and Saturday nights, the house specialty, prime rib. Most entree prices include choice of soup or garden salad, garlic cheese bread, and choice of baked potato or rice pilaf.

My husband chose chicken fettuccini with a garden salad and was impressed that French dressing was an option (rare these days). I chose a petite filet mignon with the soup of the day, cheesy broccoli. Our starters were delivered promptly and the taste testing began. The dressing was too spicy for my husband's taste, but I enjoyed the creamy texture of the mild-flavored soup with the surprise addition of sliced carrots.

The fettuccini arrived in a large bowl dotted with generous numbers of mushrooms, zucchini, red onion and chunks of chicken -- it looked delicious, and a begged taste verified my eyes' suspicion. The petite filet mignon, wrapped in bacon and topped with mushrooms, was cooked just as I had asked and was tender and flavorful. The garlic cheese bread was disappointedly dull and dry, but the red candied apple slice added a nice decorative touch to the plate.

The dessert menu includes New York cheesecake, deluxe chocolate cake, ice cream sundaes and Casey's homemade specialties. The special on the day we visited was pumpkin cheesecake, and I got a slice to go. I'm having it right now with coffee as I write this, and I have only one word for Casey -- bravo!

To get to the resort from Olympia, take U.S. Highway 101 north to the Shelton-Matlock exit and go west (left) about 10.5 miles. If you are interested in an afternoon adventure before dinner, travel about 20 miles beyond the resort through Matlock to the Schaefer State Park and enjoy a stroll along the river and tall trees.

Barbara Conley is a part-time writer and frequent restaurant patron who lives and works in Olympia. The reviewer makes every effort to remain anonymous. Meals are paid for by The Olympian.

Lake Nahwatzel Resort & Restaurant

Three forks: Good

- Location: W. 12900 Shelton Matlock Road, Shelton. 360-426-8323.

- Food: Good. Dinner entrees include fish, beef, chicken and pasta. Lunch and breakfast also served.

- Value: Comparable to other restaurants serving the same type of fare. Dinners range from $13.25 for chicken teriyaki to $22.95 for house cut filet mignon and prawns.

- Beverages: Coffee, tea and soft drinks; wine by the bottle and glass; full bar.

- Service: Friendly and efficient.

- Atmosphere: Casual and cozy with a nice view of Lake Nahwatzel.

- Hours: The resort opens every day at 10 a.m. Dining: Sunday through Thursday until 10 p.m. Closed on Mondays starting in November.

- Reservations: Accepted, not necessarily needed.

- Credit Cards: Visa and MasterCard.

- Smoking: No.

- For children: Yes. The children's menu offers hamburger and fries, chicken strips, fish and chips.

REVIEW GUIDE

Five forks: Excellent

Four forks: Very good

Three forks: Good

Two forks: Average

One fork: Fair

The Olympian Copyright 2001

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