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For their last day of school, my daughter’s class had a flight experience day at Solo Flight School at the Lake County Airport Lampson Field. Each child learned about airplanes, attended a short flight school, and got to pilot an airplane from Lakeport to Ukiah where the students would switch piloting duties on the trip back (with a pilot trainer in the aircraft with them at all times, of course).
I went to the airport to support my daughter but, being the eternal epicurean, upon arriving at the airport I immediately noticed “There’s a restaurant here!”
For those of you that remember the Sicily’s in Lakeport and Kelseyville, this place is owned by the same people. They have been at the airport since last November and I’m thrilled to have found them. There is something for everyone on this menu. Pasta, salads, steaks, seafood – without a doubt, you will find something that you will like.
The décor is unique. I started off noticing the stereotypical Italian red and white table clothes, but that design element is mixed with pub-style beer promotional neon lights, aviator artwork and some photos of celebrities that have visited their establishment. It’s a little bit of everything that tells the patron just who they are, and it’s funky and fun.
Something I took note of (because as a critic I look for these kinds of touches) is the server presented all of the women I was with (yeah, it’s a tough life) their menus first, and took their orders before mine as well. He also served all of the women before me. To me, that is the sign of a really high-class place because that is a business that knows proper etiquette. That alone makes me respect an eatery because restaurant protocol is a dying art.
Complementary dinner rolls and butter were served while we were waiting for our meal. We also ordered some drinks from their well-stocked bar.
Since my wife makes an awesome Fettuccini Alfredo, I ordered the Prawns Alfredo; I thought it would be interesting to compare them. The shrimp was perfectly cooked and had an appropriate amount for the dish.
As a matter of fact, everything was perfectly cooked. The sauce was fantastic – the only difference that I could tell between Sicily’s Alfredo sauce and my wife’s is that my wife’s includes onions, Sicily’s Prawns Alfredo is THAT good! Remember, my wife edits these columns for me so I have to watch out that I don’t say it’s better than my wife’s but the insinuation is there, got it?
I ordered some deep fried calamari on the side, and it came with French fries; both were crisp and good tasting. I came back another day by myself because I liked my first lunch there so much, and this time I had the Buffalo wings. They come in either a half order (six wings) or whole order (12 wings) with a blue cheese dressing on the side. They come to the table a presented on a pure white plate, and the wings themselves are a beautiful color of red sprinkled with gorgonzola cheese. The presentation really made something as simple as Buffalo wings seem posh. The wings are perfectly seasoned with a spicy hot, but not insane, sauce.
And there’s a bonus to eating here. Not only do you get to enjoy a really good meal but you get to watch aircraft take off and land while you eat. It’s like dinner and a show, although it’s a little more hair-raising when you’re watching your 13-year-old daughter landing an aircraft on a windy day.
So now since discovering this new location, I’ve been there twice for lunch and will definitely someday come back later in the day, because the dinner menu looks even more impressive. They claim “Best Steaks Around the Lake,” and after looking at their dinner menu I’m champing at the bit to go there for an evening. Just listen to these offerings, quoted from their menu ...
Rib Eye Gorgonzola: Tender, juicy 14 ouunce grilled steak topped with Gorgonzola cheese and a special blend of herbs and spices.
Peppered Filet: Tender, juicy 10 ounce beef tenderloin rolled in fresh cracked pepper and glazed with a balsamic cabernet reduction.
I’m drooling like a mountain lion looking at a flock of three-legged sheep just thinking about having dinner there! Then there’s the seafood entrees, the veal, even eggplant parmesan ... Criminy! I’m going to have to get a small apartment nearby just to be close enough to eat everything on their menu that I want to try!
The prices are more than fair for the quality of food and service you are getting, and they do accept reservations which I think are always a good idea. They’re open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for lunch, and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. for dinner, Sundays 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., and they’re closed on Mondays.
If you are interested in the flight experience that my daughter’s school attended, you can call Solo Flight School at 707-U-CAN-FLY (822-6359)
And no, I’m not including my wife’s Fettuccini Alfredo recipe today. I can’t. She’s closely guarding that recipe.
Ross A. Christensen is an award-winning gardener and gourmet cook. He is the author of "Sushi A to Z, The Ultimate Guide" and is currently working on a new book. He has been a public speaker for many years and enjoys being involved in the community.
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