Tamarack Grill at Burke

couldn't believe what the place looked like. after having been at the burke base lodge before and seeing the redesign, i was floored. the downstairs looks sensation, but the actual grill upstairs is like stepping into a fancy boston restaurant. this place is going to give elements in StJ a run for it's money as being the top place in the northeast kingdom for a fancy shmansy meal and wine.

looks like the menu is rotating as it was a piece of paper placed on a solid board with a limited amount of entrees and appetizers. the wine list was fairly extensive but limited if you are only looking for a glass, reasonable prices on the bottles though. the bar looked like a sweet spot for a beverage after a hard day skiing, cerntainly MUCH MUCH MUCH more inviting and open than the mid-burke bar which i never liked.

they had two people greeting people outside on the stairs. i can't believe they eat up that expense for such a simple service as saying hello and directing people up the stairs and wishing people a good meal. i was so dumb founded (felt pretty stupid after i did it though ) that i asked the guys if it was really their job just to stand outside and greet people. wow.

no expense was spared on decorations and ambiance. lighting was extremely well done, service was always with a smile from everyone on staff. we got the feeling that people were being TOO nice to us. and this coming from people that actually live in the NEK in which people are WAY friendlier than where i come from in the north of boston region.

wine glasses were taken away and reset based on the type of wine ordered, nice touch, with the wine poured at the table. after ordering, we were presented with "a gift from the head chef" which we had not ordered, a small dish of something very tasty! huge portions on the bread as well, nice.

my girl friend got a NICE chunk of meat of good portion. i ordered the scallops and only got 3. that was t-h-r-e-e scallops. they were decent sized, but yikes! very tasty but still, portion size was a little small. but my girl friend's portion size was decent which had me scratching my head. regardless, counting the appetizer, i was full any ways.

certainly setting the bar for up scale dining in the NEK. definitely NOT a 'place for the locals to go' as was quoted by someone in the cal wreck before the place opened. though it was mostly VT plates in the lot, certainly not a place i would go to hardly ever given the $25+ per person price tag which is definitely the most expensive joint in the area. total price tag counting tip and tax was $72 for two people, you do the math.

this place is going to rock people's sox coming up from the metro areas. if burke didn't already have enough to offer on the slope, this place puts burke in a class by itself with an experience not found at many other new england ski areas with exception of places like stratton and stowe for on hill dining. the bar is certainly a huge and welcome addition as well making my new base lodge of choice sherburne over mid-burke.
:beer:
if you know what i mean

any ways, fantastic experience despite the sticker shock. but hey, that's what xmas gifts are for!! thought you folks my enjoy the write up given the place is new and hasn't had much press online.

Great write up, but:

riverc0il said:

cerntainly MUCH MUCH MUCH more inviting and open than the mid-burke bar which i never liked.

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:blink: What is your beef with the Bear Den? It is the ORIGINAL pub at the mountain and is old school. History on the walls everywhere. Great feel and locals hangout...I figured you would dig it. No smoking either. Was there a bad experience or something?

No smoking either.

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well, since this season began at least that place used to REAK! perhaps i will give it another try now that VT cleaned that crap outta bars.
:beer:

riverc0il said:

thought you folks my enjoy the write up given the place is new and hasn't had much press online.

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http://news.alpinezone.com/7406/

Greg said:

riverc0il said:

thought you folks my enjoy the write up given the place is new and hasn't had much press online.

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http://news.alpinezone.com/7406/

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I've never been to Burke...I don't know much other than what I read here about them.

Yet when I see something like this I have to say that the people who bought the place are smart and know how to attract attention to the area.

I think that Burke skiers were fortunate that this group bought the mountain.

Just can't freakin resist, Riv......

riverc0il said:

my girl friend got a NICE chunk of meat of good portion.

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...but are you blowin your own horn here ???? :lol:

And what ever happened to your injury recovery ? Sheesh....going out on cozy dates with the GF when you could be rehabbing. Where's your committment ? How about eating cold three week old mac and cheese while you chop wood with one arm ? Come on, man, get your priorities reorganized.

Actually, you picked a pretty good "in-season" down time, because it hasn't been much of a season.

Salud !

JimG. said:

I've never been to Burke...I don't know much other than what I read here about them.

Yet when I see something like this I have to say that the people who bought the place are smart and know how to attract attention to the area.

I think that Burke skiers were fortunate that this group bought the mountain.

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Well, so far so good. Many locals, including me, are hoping things work out. There is quite a history up there :roll: There's much optimism and much skepticism. We can only wait to see what will happen. What they have done so far has been great. But this is Ginn's first ski resort, and running a ski resort is not like running a golf course. They are working out things such as snowmaking (another not-so good weather year).

Personally, I am impressed. I have a Burke hat I wear with pride because it is my home and because of Ginn's work. The new HSQ is breathtaking. The lower lodge is great. Customer service is the same friendly Burke. Improvements everywhere--new soundsystem, etc. A long ways to go. Summit HSQ and snowmaking work is next and won't be cheap. It will take patience on all sides and I hope it pans out.

Yet the thing that makes me happy is that under the new paint and carpet is the same Sherburne Lodge; the HSQ is buttressed by the original double chair pylons; Dashney Mile is the same, but with snowmaking. What I am metaphorically saying is that despite the improvements, the place is still Burke. I hope when they do work on the summit, they leave the trails largely the same but add snowmaking; that they don't bulldoze too many trails, and that they are smart about development of what they have. I think Ginn is a smart guy and knows what he has. It is like no place I have skied.

boss, i gotta call you out on the not so good weather year. the weather was fantastic until this past week. in a matter of fact, i think it was one of the best early season ever (at least in my skiing life time).

while it is ginn's for ski resort, the fact is they are resort pro's. i look at it like a staples buying barnes and nobles or something for an example. staples doesn't do the book business, but they do box retail stores really well and could likely pick up the business based on a similar business model with minor adjustments. ginn might not have the snow making situation down but it seems better than previous years and i am sure they will get it down once they have a year under your belt. you always learn the most that first year of doing something new.

as far as ginn running the ski area, i still believe the ski area is secondary. it is just the center piece to get the ball rolling and that around which the money makers will be built. the tamarack grill will be a big money maker. so will the golf course and most importantly the lodging and real estate sales and club house stuff, etc. once the ski area meets top new england resort standards in that it has two HSQ's, one of which to the summit, and wall to wall snow making except on the expert trails, i think they will turn their efforts and energies towards really bringing in the money.

riverc0il said:

boss, i gotta call you out on the not so good weather year. the weather was fantastic until this past week. in a matter of fact, i think it was one of the best early season ever (at least in my skiing life time).

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True, but it has been overall too mild for snowmaking. Only three days below zero so far. Too warm overall during day and night. That was my point.

while it is ginn's for ski resort, the fact is they are resort pro's. i look at it like a staples buying barnes and nobles or something for an example. staples doesn't do the book business, but they do box retail stores really well and could likely pick up the business based on a similar business model with minor adjustments. ginn might not have the snow making situation down but it seems better than previous years and i am sure they will get it down once they have a year under your belt. you always learn the most that first year of doing something new.

as far as ginn running the ski area, i still believe the ski area is secondary. it is just the center piece to get the ball rolling and that around which the money makers will be built. the tamarack grill will be a big money maker. so will the golf course and most importantly the lodging and real estate sales and club house stuff, etc. once the ski area meets top new england resort standards in that it has two HSQ's, one of which to the summit, and wall to wall snow making except on the expert trails, i think they will turn their efforts and energies towards really bringing in the money.

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I still disagree. The ski industry is a unique animal and if you look at Ginn's website, they are in a different universe (high end golf destination resorts). Do their other resort properties involve snowmaking? No. Do they involve grooming? No. Are they as weather dependent? No. Their goals are to manufacture high end housing and to sell them. They are close to metro areas. Burke, right now, is a ski area that is a bit more remote.

On the big scale they are similar, but in the micro, they are completely different. It would be transfering an undergraduate poli sci professor to the law school. Yes, both are academic fields, but they are completely different areas.

The new manager worked for Disney. This is different than Burke. But can someone with a hospitality background do well at a ski area? Absolutely. Pats Peak's manager came in with the same philosophy and background and that place has become wildly successful in the last few seasons. Does he have some learning to do? Yes he does.

Though you mention that the ski area is just a piece of the plan, it is what they currently have operating. If they lose their shirt in the first few years, it is possible that they abandon their plans. Right now the only thing they have is the ski area, so they have to do it right :wink:

From what I've seen, they have a lot of money and are operating with a different level of expectations. It appears that they want to get through this season before doing other things and moving forward with plans. I don't know who is calling the shots with regards to snowmaking and grooming, but the snowmaking has not been as good as in the past, perhaps partially in response to warmer weather.

Am I optimistic? Yes. I just hope that we aren't having deja vu because there have been other owners who had deep pockets and little ski resort experience and ultimately failed (Quinn, he saw real estate; Northern Star: poor management).

So I think that they have a learning curve and wish them well obviously :wink:

Do their other resort properties involve snowmaking? No. Do they involve grooming? No. Are they as weather dependent? No. Their goals are to manufacture high end housing and to sell them.

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not snow making perhaps but grass growing. not grooming perhaps, but perfectly manicured lawns. i imagine weather has somewhat an effect on golf course and resort mantainence although clearly not as much as a ski area. the goals of many ski resorts including ASC is to manufacturer and sell high end housing. i see many more parallels than differences here. and while burke is more remote than their current properties, it is no more remote than the other major ski resorts from a population center, so burke is on even footing in that regard for this region. a learning curve for sure due to the unique aspects of a ski area, but one i am sure they are more than up to the task of handling. from what i have seen so far, these folks are schrewd business men of the highest calibure. it is one thing just to have deep pockets and throw money around (as we have seen before), but quite another to do so with effectivenss and results.

i see the current efforts to put burke on the map and draw people's attention. they have succeded big time. if i were them, i would be trying to lure in potential real estate buyers with this great uncrowded ski area with a posh restaurant, high speed lifts, and unparalleled service. these guys certainly aren't going to make ROI and millions of dollars on day trippers or season pass holders like you or me. these guys are gunning for deep pockets as their portfolio would indicate.

Good review of Tamarack Grill. I'll have to make a point to try it when I'm up that way for a few days. My favorite restaurant in the area is the Creamery in Danville...eat downstairs in the Pub. Tell Marion I sent you
Regarding Ginn....I'm optimistic. As I've stated on the NELSAP forum, I'd rather see Burke alive rather than on the NELSAP list even if that means "Okemoizing" the mountain. I love Burke the way it is now, but as history is shown, it's not economically viable.

Any pics to see anywhere?

Picutres of the Tamarack Grill are on the website.

Yes, REAL ESTATE...

That's the only thing that Ginn wants and, yes, absolutely, the ski area is going to be the centerpiece. Now, I own real estate in ski country and, as much as I had enjoyed skiing Burke, there was no way I was going to plunk down $300K for a condo at a ski area that looked like it would close at any moment.

So, here it is, two years later and now there's a new HSQ to the mid station with a summit HSQ not far away, a gourmet restaurant, a golf course on the way, and a hotel. Well now, as a real estate investor, I'm looking at getting in on the ground floor in a place on the rise, with potential upside to my investment.

Trust me, Ginn knows exactly what he's doing and, so far, from what I've read, it sounds like it's going great! I'm hoping to get up to Burke for a day during Feb vacation week...

Hmm. A few disagreements:

The Tamarack definately CAN be for locals - the pub fare is four times the quality for the same price as the other Pub in town. I've enjoyed watching football at night, getting great service and occasionally enjoying the actual restaurant which has accurately been compared to the best in the area. I agree the greeter thing is kinda weird.


I think the weather's been great, despite the recent washout. best coverage since 2001 through Christmas, but yes, lately it's been rough

Burke Being Okemoized? Current managment has been pretty clear about staying mid-sized, which certainly doesn't fit the Okemo/North Jersey model.

nek_crumudgeon said:

Hmm. A few disagreements:

The Tamarack definately CAN be for locals - the pub fare is four times the quality for the same price as the other Pub in town. I've enjoyed watching football at night, getting great service and occasionally enjoying the actual restaurant which has accurately been compared to the best in the area. I agree the greeter thing is kinda weird.

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Depends on how one defines "local" :roll:

I think the weather's been great, despite the recent washout. best coverage since 2001 through Christmas, but yes, lately it's been rough

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I disagree. Much of Christmas week, the lower mountain had grass sticking up. Not good. Burke used to blow the he%^ out of the lower mountain before opening it. I think the weather got the best of them and they might have had a hard time getting labor to work snowmaking. Not an easy job.

I think that the winter of 2002-2003 had better cover at this point, but it was colder than he%^ then too. I think they are working the bugs out of the system...but I just hope not too many are discouraged.

nek_crumudgeon makes a good point that the pub side of the tamarack is definitely more geared towards the locals. i completely forgot to look into if there was a seperate menu for the pub or what the drink prices are. looked like they had a good tap going, but i didn't investigate properly which is a shame on me.

Boss - I agree, the lower mountain could use better coverage under the lift, especially during the high period right after Christmas. I think I was referring to natural snow, not man made - which we've got a lot more of (until today) than in year's past. It rained all day on Xmas 2003 - I know because I was chasing water out of my house with a shopvac!

Considering that I'm a local and know most of the faces in the Burke/Lyndon/St J area, I should clarify that most of the people I see regularly at the pub portion of the Tamarack are locals. My affordability index works like this: Sandwich soda and cookies at Subway $7.99 - Tamarack 'slider' burger with orgainc greens $9.99. Guinness is $4 - which is only .50 more than they sell Bud bottles for in the Bear's Den. Burger and a beer for $15 at a ski area? Hell isn't a bottle of water $4 at Okemo?

nek_crumudgeon said:

Boss - I agree, the lower mountain could use better coverage under the lift, especially during the high period right after Christmas. I think I was referring to natural snow, not man made - which we've got a lot more of (until today) than in year's past. It rained all day on Xmas 2003 - I know because I was chasing water out of my house with a shopvac!

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We're cool :wink: Thanks for clarifying.

Considering that I'm a local and know most of the faces in the Burke/Lyndon/St J area, I should clarify that most of the people I see regularly at the pub portion of the Tamarack are locals. My affordability index works like this: Sandwich soda and cookies at Subway $7.99 - Tamarack 'slider' burger with orgainc greens $9.99. Guinness is $4 - which is only .50 more than they sell Bud bottles for in the Bear's Den. Burger and a beer for $15 at a ski area? Hell isn't a bottle of water $4 at Okemo?

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OK, so they do have a pub menu then, awesome! :beer: Yeah, that is reasonable. I praise them, but they have some work to do. Not a position I'd want to be in. Not this weekend at least.

You're going to have to PM me sometime for some turns at Burke. I'm up there fairly often and you've probably seen me.

Here is a great article in the Boston Globe about Burke. In fact, I think those are my old K2's in the ski rack!

http://www.explorenewengland.com/tr...12/25/at_burke_skiing_is_value_packed_for_now