Lois Elaine will give you the entire historical overview of the Lake Alice area if you are inclined and have the time. ... I'm certain of that.
We learned about her father making a living hauling logs out of the woods on gigantic skids pulled by horses all winter long. We also learned about his later regrettable decision to follow the railroad for work out west, but then he subsequently returned.
We learned a lot about Lake Alice history in a short hour-plus visit!
Lois is the matriarch of a family run affair called the Knob & Kettle Restaurant and Lounge that is plopped along a roadside clearing on U.S. Highway 71 just two or three miles east of Minnesota's Itasca State Park, depending up on which entrance you use to enter the famed park. But that's the closest destination it seems close to. The nearest town -- Lake George -- is five miles away and isn't much more than a village, and the town that gives the restaurant its mailing address -- Laporte -- is 18 miles away.
And so, as you are cruising along Highway 71, the Knob & Kettle seems to pop up in the most improbable of locations, kind of like an oasis for modern weary travelers.
While Lois covered a lot of local history for Shelley and I in our recent brief outing, I wasn't able to get to the heart of why the restaurant landed here. ... I should note, that Lois and the next generation, her two sons and a daughter-in-law, have only owned the building for two years, and it was a different restaurant under a different owner before that. But I can only assume that once upon a time the place served as a roadside pit stop for travelers coming and going from Itasca, both north and south, but frankly I can't find much history on the area. The one morsel I did find is that Alice Lake for which the area takes its place name was named for Alice Glazier, the daughter of Minnesota explorer Captain Willard Glazier, and according to the 2000 census said there were 87 people in 39 households in the entire township.
If it sounds like I'm digressing, you'd maybe understand if you could see the inside walls of the Knob & Kettle. The entire north wall of the log cabin structure is littered with 8 X 10 framed black and white photos of Lake Alice and the surrounding region. And Lois will happily talk you through each of the photos if you keep encouraging her. In fact, she'll even go so far as to cross the restaurant to retrieve one of her favorite photos, a black and white shot of a turn-of-the-century school house, that contained at least four of her aunts and uncles. "That schoolhouse was huge. It was two stories, and you don't hear about many two story country school houses back then," she proudly boasts. "It was just up the road there across the street, County Road 3."
While Lois was not doubling as our local historical guide, she was serving as our waitress as well. I dare not guess our host's age, as my nerdy ol' time etiquette would call that rude, but let's just say that she was much closer to my mother's age than mine. But you wouldn't know it by how spritely she was and her adept use of a iPad to take our order and place it with the kitchen staff. ... And she kept a running commentary that would briefly pause as she went to complete another task or wait on somebody, and then pick up again when she came back to our table. ... Simply put: She was a hoot. ... And, of course, I was immediately fond of her because my mother's name happens to be Lois Lorraine, and she spent 45 years as a waitress in small town cafes. ... Lois is my kind of people.
The Knob & Kettle turns out to be an interesting mix. For many, it'll remind them of their local county bar where you can still belly up for a beer on a weekend night, catch the game on its half dozen or more big screen TVs mounted along the ceiling or play a game of darts. And if the mood strikes you, there's still a jukebox -- digital of course -- over in the corner.
However, on the eastern half of the lounge, there is a nice brick fire place, with some very nice tongue and groove cedar colored wood paneling that gives you a more-than-casual supper club feel.
Then there is the staff which is so friendly and welcoming, and being the restaurant is the only place to grab grub within 10 miles, it likely feels like a hometown café and community center for those who call Lake Alice Township home.
Finally, and maybe most importantly, the Knob & Kettle is a smokehouse that boasts about its prime rib, almost staking its entire reputation on its meat. Interestingly, the Knob & Kettle -- and Lois herself! -- both boast that their signature sandwich, The Northwoods (prime rib, swiss cheese, sautéed onions and a signature creamy horseradish sauce) was featured on The Food Network at one time. But Lois couldn't recall when, and my internet searches came up empty. (Also curious, is that the restaurant has only been open supposedly for two years. But I'll let someone else solve the mystery.)
Shelley and I are big appetizer people so we ended up ordering their mushrooms and walleye bites, both breaded, of course, and deep fried. We hadn't intended to order two appetizers, but as often happens, our eyes and our stomachs ended up settling in on varying choices. ... So, to break the tie-breaker, as we always do, we just ordered both. And it turns out that they might have been our favorite part of the meal.
Both were handmade, the large mushrooms and delectable walleye bites both coming in a light and crispy breading that didn't taste like it was loaded with oil. They were perfectly crisp and golden brown, just the hue you won't in deep fried things, if you partake in such oily goodness. And the walleye was delicious; I can still taste its signature taste more than 24 hours later. ... I think I'd go back for the walleye bites alone. ... That's not to say that the mushrooms weren't good, just not walleye bites good.
When in Rome, as they say, you have to eat like the Romans. So Shelley ordered up the supposedly famous "Northoods" sandwich, and I went for my ol' standard, the Philly and onion rings (you'll see a trend here if you read enough of our food outings). Shelley, being the better about watching what she eats took a house salad as her side.
The Knob and Kettle serves all of its prime rib sandwiches on a square, toasted ciabatta bun burger, which seems odd at first when you order a Philly, but it must be a signature move on their part as its written into their menu.
The service was fast, and we received our orders quickly, but with enough time to enjoy the appetizers (which we could not finish, by the way). There was time to enjoy a local brewery's beer, and watch my beloved Minnesota Vikings get decimated by the Indianapolis Colts.
And, so ... drum roll please ... what about the main event -- The Northwoods and the Philly? ... Ultimately, they were fine. The meat was tender and filled with flavor. I liked my grilled onions and green peppers, and the sandwich was filled with ooey, gooey, melted American and Swiss cheese. But unfortunately, there were no meat sweats and no food epiphanies here. Shelley reported feeling the same about her Northwoods, a good sandwich for your local bar, but nothing to write home about ... or appear on The Food Network?
But, OK, all that being said, we already have talked about how we will be back to visit the Knob & Kettle. On our two-plus hour drive from Moorhead, Minn., to the cabin where we stay north of Bemidji, Minn., the Knob & Kettle is perfectly located about an hour and 45 minutes into the drive. A perfect spot to stop, stretch the legs, let the ordinary troubles of our normal daily lives evaporate into the sky and enjoy a beer to start the weekend before getting to the cabin.
Besides, Mary and her clan seem like great people, and Shelley and I are true believers in supporting those mom-and-pops restaurant entrepreneurs, as both of our families have histories in the local food service industry.
Look, I'll level with you: I wouldn't tell you to make a destination out of the Knob & Kettle unless you also wanted to see something like Itasca State Park or you were on your way to Bemidji or something similar. ... But, if you do find yourself heading along U.S. Highway 71 in the Lake Alice area, do stop in. ... Meeting Lois is worth the stop, and you absolutely won't go wrong with their walleye bites!
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