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| - This was our first visit to Bass Lake Inn in Chardon - sister restaurant to Gamekeeper's Tavern in Chagrin Falls; a restaurant we frequent. It was a Tuesday night on which Valentine's Day fell and the place was crowded - parking lot absolutely packed, all tables and bar occupied, and a line waiting to get in. Good thing I made reservations about 2 weeks prior!
I enjoyed their Surf & Turf - one of their Valentine's Day dinner specials. It was absolutely exquisite because days, even weeks later I'm still raving about it! I've never had Surf & Turf like this - the lobster was not served whole-tail, rather already cut up into pieces. When it arrived at the table I thought two things: "cheapskates!" and "uh oh, this is gonna be dry!" Boy was I wrong! The lobster was cooked perfectly - tender, juicy, and absolutely full of flavor. I don't know what they sauteed the lobster chunks in but it was truly delicious! Not chewy, not drenched in drippy butter... perfect! And the beef filet was full of flavor, too! 5-stars from me!
Unfortunately, my wife didn't care too much for her walleye dinner. She said it wasn't horrible but it didn't leave a lasting impression. In fact she doesn't want to come back to Bass Lake Inn because of her meal which is a shame because I loved my dinner!
If I had any complaints about tonight's meal it would be that the dessert. We had their Red Velvet Cake - one of my favorites and another Valentine's Day special - but found it dry/overbaked. (Velvet Cake should never be crumbly!) Also, the portions overall seem to be just a tad undersized for the money.
The decor is very country tavern themed and there is a cozy, cabin feel even though the restaurant itself is quite huge. I loved the old timber ceiling beams, the fireplace mantle, and the warm and rustic decor.
All in all, however, I found Bass Lake Inn to be a delicious dinner experience and would give it 5-stars (even with the overdone cake and the smaller portion size for the money spent)! Lose a star for disappointing my wife, however.
TIP: On a cold day, restaurant seems to have some hot & cold spots. I suggest staying away from sitting next to the windows (we saw one couple complain and move). And unless you are perpetually cold, stay away from the fireplace (all we were missing was the spit!).
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