The best meal of our lives

I spent years as a waitress, including five star hotels, exclusive lodges, and cruise ships, and have served meals for Prime Ministers, world-renowned surgeons, and celebrities. NEVER, I say NEVER  have I had a meal that came even close to the repast we had last night at the Copperleaf Restaurant at the five star Cedarbrook Lodge in Seattle.

 The restaurant is five star rated, plus the establishment has numerous accolades that include:

• Cedarbrook Lodge AND Copperleaf Restaurant being awarded the 2014 tripadvisor® Certificate of Excellence.
• Cedarbrook Lodge #1 in the U.S. in 2011 on tripadvisor® Travelers’ Choice®.
• On Expedia® Insiders’ Select™ 2011, Cedarbrook Lodge ranked #1 in the world.

 The meal was especially designed for us by Roy Breiman, the Culinary Director, a graduate of La Cordon Rouge Culinary School in Sausalito California, and lauded by Bon Appetit as one of the thirteen “Top Hotel Chefs in America”, and prepared by Executive Chef Mark Bodinet, who graduated with honours from The Art Institute of Phoenix with an associate’s degree in Culinary Arts. Boo yah! I kick, kick, kick myself for not taking the good camera … I would have photographed every single course. The point-and-click would not have done such divinity justice. So, I’ve borrowed some from their website :)

 

Mum described it as “An eloquent meal with a myriad of elusive flavours wafting across your taste buds.” How, I hear all who know us ask, did someone who says “Boo yah!” accomplish being treated to a meal at Copperleaf? Roy’s my cousin! This was the first time we had met, and wow, what a night to remember! Plus, to top of the ultimate culinary highlight of my entire life, Roy was one of the loveliest human beings I have ever met … and a blood relative.  SCORE! His wife Pam was equally as lovely … just such a shame we only had the one night and then on a plane to Toronto via Detroit, and an hour and a half drive to Niagara Falls, where we are now. But for sure, Seattle has also whooshed to the top of my “must visit for longer than two nights” lists. Errr - it’s getting a little crowded at the top of that list now. But we’ll be back for sure, and hopefully Roy and Pam can come visit us down in NZ at some stage.

Cedarbrook Lodge Culinary Director Roy Brieman (Cousin Roy!) and Executive Chef Mark Bodinet

As mentioned, we’re in Niagara Falls for the night. We hadn’t originally planned to come here, but when we realised it was so close, we just had to call in, and wanted to see them all lit up at night. Our eyes nearly fell out of our heads when we arrived and drove down the main street … it looks like Vegas. I had no idea. Soooooo wish we could stay here longer, but sadly, it's just tonight. We were up at 6am, flew from Seattle to Detroit, then onto Toronto, and then drove an hour and a half to Niagara to check out the Falls at night ... simply stunning.

 

Pic stolen from the internet - it's after midnight and I'm too tired to get my photos off the camera.


Tomorrow we're going to do a tour with Journey behind the Falls, and then it's onto to St Thomas (about three hours drive) for more cousin catchups with Keren and Julie. Need some zzzzzzzzz's now!