good local eats

Disclaimer: this is not an advertorial, paid plug or anything else I received any sort of currency for - wine, food or otherwise. Sometimes the stars align just so, and you gotta sit down and give kudos when kudos are due.

I've been to this spot and written about it before. But I'm sure I didn't do it justice then and there's a good chance I won't do it justice now. Unless you have the interactive plug-in feature with smell-o-read. Since that doesn't exist - that I know of - you'll just have to take my word for it on this one.

Local Lounge & Grille in Summerland, BC is the bee's knees, the not-so-hidden gem, the get-my-mouth-watering-just-thinking-about-it place to eat.

There. I said it.

We've had lunch, brunch and dinner cooked by executive chef Paul Cecconi and his team, been greeted by biz guy Cameron Bond and enjoyed the spectacular view of Lake Okanagan from both the Lounge and the Grille. There isn't a bad seat in the place.

This weekend my fella and I took to dining out for the Day Of International Love (otherwise known as Valentine's Day), and when we think of dining out in the Okanagan, we think of Local. So what if we live in Oliver and they're in Summerland? It's worth the drive. Always.

Knowing they book up quickly, I made sure to reserve with Cam in advance. He replied to my hesitant 'hope you still have room for us on the 14th' query with a welcoming 'will give you the best seats in the house'. Considering any seat is the best seat, it wasn't a difficult promise to follow through on. And damn I loved that corner booth.

When you're at Local, you feel like a local. It's a rare night when Cam's not somewhere near the door to welcome you. As the popularity of the joint increases I don't expect him to always be everywhere, all the time. But it's a super nice way to start the visit.

Service is spot-on. It's the perfect combination of make-you-feel-at-home with pamper-you-just-a-bit, and these servers are pros. If you've had exceptional service, you know what I mean. If you haven't, well, you haven't been to Local.

I fell in love with Paul's salmon & risotto, and my fella goes weak at the knees for Paul's ground chuck burger - complete with blue cheese and other yummy toppings. So of course I had to tuck into a perfectly seared wild BC specimen, and of course my fella had to wrangle with that beef. We shared a new salad: baby iceberg, smoked bacon, mushrooms and blue cheese dressing. I'm asking Paul for the recipe. Yum.

The wine selection is stellar. There's great representation from a variety of BC wineries, and you'd be hard-pressed to find a gap in the offerings. I enjoyed a deliciously pretty Pinot Noir from See Ya Later Ranch. Did I say 'yum' yet?

We ended the night with a ridiculously decadent dark chocolate cake (which was so warm I think it was just made, like right after I ordered it), peppermint ice cream and raspberry pipe sauce. Taste bud overload; the party in my mouth hit a whole new level.

And we met Paul, whose culinary creations we salivate over weeks before we get to the restaurant. While I'm a bit sad to say goodbye to the salmon, I'm excited to try the new menu coming out Tuesday Feb 16. Oh, and I want to say thanks to Cam and Paul for holding out on switching the menu until I had that salmon one last time. If the sable fish is anything like your salmon, Paul, I'll be eating it right out of the kitchen. Saves the server a trip to the table.

They're never in a rush. The food's always good. There's a lot of smiling faces, customers and staff alike. Chairs and booths are comfy. It's a good place to be.

Be a Local local. You won't be disappointed. And if you want company, just drop me a line. I'll take any excuse to go back.


~ Jeannette