Mountainaire Tavern

The place was run by Bob and Challis, a couple from Berlin, Wisconsin. Their menu was great, from the biscuits & red-eye gravy in the morning to the steaks and pizza at night. What really stood out, however, were the pies. They were absolutely the best in town, blowing away such overrated places as Miz Zips (not to mention the Rock Springs Cafe in Black Canyon City). My favorite was the apple pie, with a perfect pastry crust, which you could have served hot with melted cheddar on top. After Challis left, however, so did the pies.

I’m still always on the lookout for good biscuits & gravy. The best I ever had was at the Four Bees Cafe in Black Canyon City: the place was a flyblown dive in 1990, and God knows what it’s like now. Currently, the Crown Railroad has very good biscuits & gravy: the biscuits are massive, and one of those is a meal in itself. Country Host and Northern Pines are OK.

Field House had excellent gravy, but the cheddar biscuits were like little hockey pucks. Then they came up with a brilliant idea: the Steak Benny. Start with a pair of cheddar biscuits on the bottom, then a couple of juicy sirloin tips, then gravy, then two poached eggs, and top the whole thing with Hollandaise. It was magnificent! Of course, the new owners dropped it from the menu.