Mile 33 Haines Highway
Haines, Alaska
(907) 767-5756
http://www.33mileroadhouse.com/
Haines Alaska is famous for the winter gathering of bald eagles. Many if the eagles are resident year round but in winter there is a migration of eagle form far and wide to feast on the salmon in the Chilkat River. People come from even farther and wider to watch and photograph the eagles in the largest gathering of eagles on planet Earth. A portion of the Chilkat River has been set aside as a bald eagle preserve. The Haines Highway parallels the Chilkat River. Although the best eagle viewing is between miles 18 and 24 of the Haines Highway the eagles frequent much more of the highway frontage. That is where I was off to today, to see the eagles; a proud symbol of our country. I wanted to get some good pictures of eagles in their natural habitat. The fact that it was a blustery cold windy day with pounding rain didn’t promise a really successful day so some contingency plans were made. Since I would be about thirty miles up the Haines Highway I added a stop at the historic and locally famous 33 Mile Roadhouse for lunch.
Much of rural Alaska is historic, not plowed under in the name of progress. The 33 Mile Roadhouse is no exception. The log structure fits perfectly with the isolated wilderness setting. Chrome, glass walls, garish neon and red patent leather upholstery would be out of place in this setting. The original roadhouse was built in 1936 when the crude Haines trail was being built into the crude gravel Haines Road. Construction workers frequented the roadhouse for food and fuel. It really was a frontier then and the roadhouse has had its share of gun-toting patrons and irascible patrons that needed to be escorted out of the establishment at the end of a shotgun. That original building was lost to a fire caused during maintenance – thawing with a blowtorch – in 1984. A new building, the one here today, was quickly built and the roadhouse was back in business. The business has had several owners over the years. About five other people have owned and operated the roadhouse before The Lapp family purchased the business about 1970. They have operated for two generations until recently when it was sold by Jerry and Kathy Lapp to local restaurateur Robert Harris (2011). Over the years the Lapp family has earned a sterling reputation making the sixty-six mile round trip from Haines trivial when going for one of the 33 Mile Roadhouse hamburgers or a piece of Kathy Lapps apple pie. Mr. Harris has a high standard and reputation to uphold. It should be noted that the 33 Mile Roadhouse is the first goods and services visitors arriving in Alaska from Canada on the Haines Highway encounter. So, it wise to remember, that once you pass the roadhouse on your way north there will be no good or services available until the Haines Highway intersects the Alaska Highway some 160 miles later at Haines Junction.
The log cabin structure is almost thirty years old. However, it is immaculate. The Lapps have lavished much care and maintenance to the facility. It is clean and inviting to the hungry traveler. The décor, as would be expected, is Alaska kitsch, some antlers, whale bones, skis and maybe an old miner’s lantern. There are tables and chair as well as a counter with stools. I was quickly seated, given a menu and my drink order taken. Looking around I could see the clientele included some travelers, some indigenous people as well as some tradesmen taking a moment for lunch. They all stop in at the 33 Mile Roadhouse. I had been told by a friend way back in Chugiak about the roadhouse. They recommended the 33 Mile Hamburger. After looking over the menu, that is what I chose, the 33 Mile Burger (with cheese, mushrooms, ham or bacon, $10.25. All burgers served with our house dressing and French fries or potato salad. Substitute onion rings or green salad for $1.00). I chose bacon on the burger, the French fries and a Coca Cola®.
While waiting, I sipped my soda. It was a can of soda served with a glass and ice. Most of the time
I would prefer a can or bottle and not the sometimes watery fountain drinks. My food order was prepared in a reasonably short time. It was a large, almost intimidating plate of food; certainly no skimping on portions. The French fries were dark. On closer examination I could see they were the whole potato kind including the skin. Although I could be off the mark, that probably means they prepare the French fries from fresh potatoes and fry once; in order to cook through in the hot oil the outside overcooks a bit making the dark color. Cooked that way the texture is also a bit off, not the crispy outside we would expect. They tasted just fine with a dab of catsup and I didn’t leave any on my plate. We are conditioned, I suppose, to expect the golden brown, crispy French fries that have been parboiled, cooked once in low temperature oil to cook through and then later cooked in high temperature oil to crisp and brown. The 33 Mile Roadhouse may want to work a bit on the French fries.
The hamburger was already assembled. It was a tall assemblage. I carefully picked it up to keep it all
together, squeezed quite a bit to be able to get a bite. Everything was there in abundance. There were mushrooms, there was crispy bacon, some melted cheese, a bed of a crisp lettuce leaf and an extra not on the menu, a bit of diced onion. It was a juicy burger. It comes with the house dressing but I really couldn’t
tell what it was. All of the other flavors were right up front, all together. I did notice that the center of the fresh, hand-made patty was a bit pink. If it had been cooked to the 140° mark it just barely made it. If am cooking my own ground beef at home, rare is fine. But when I am eating out I would prefer to know for sure, for safety sake, that the beef has been cooked to the correct temperature. That is my personal preference but it wasn’t pink enough to keep me from finishing the burger and fries with some gusto. The burger was tasty, large and a real meal in itself.
Aside from the comments about the pink center and the dark fries, it was a really great meal. The young ladies serving the tables were charming, friendly and attentive. Not to mention that I was eating in a pace with a lot of history, a place in tune with its surroundings, it all went to making a great eating adventure. If you are traveling the Haines Highway I would recommend a short layover to partake of a good meal. If I am ever in the Haines Highway again, I will make it a point to stop by for another 33 Mile Roadhouse hamburger and see how the Lapp traditions are being carried on.
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