As an outfitter for hunting, fishing and outdoor gear, Cabela's in Lehi has quickly become a destination place for serious outdoor enthusiasts and interested spectators. It's a fascinating use of 150,000 square feet. In addition to its extensive outfitting merchandise, diorama, mountain centerpiece, aquaria and general store, it also has a restaurant, or more correctly, a cafeteria-style deli on the second floor.
The wood tables blend in with the store's feeling of the outdoors, and shoppers walk through the dining area as you eat. By design, it's a quick stop.
While going to the restaurant as the reason to visit Cabela's is likely applicable only for those who crave a sampling of wild meat, including bison, elk and ostrich, the restaurant also features more familiar fare, such as roast beef, ham and cheese and BLTs. Each is served on hearty slices of bread and covered with spreads and toppings of your choice, much like a sandwich shop. In addition, Cabela's operates a grill for hot sandwiches, has shelves of prepackaged desserts and salads, a stop for picking up pizza and a breakfast menu for biscuits and gravy.
Highly recommended is the elk sandwich at $7.29, a generous serving of thinly shaved meat that is moist and more flavorful than roast beef— which is also a good choice. The bison sandwich is $6.99 and, although tender, was reminiscent of jerky.
It's easy to put in a good word for the chili, which has substantially more beef than beans and has a lightly seasoned taste. Those who prefer spicier options will find it with the chicken chili.
Among the options at the grill is a chicken/Swiss cheese sandwich. Visually it looked as if it might be dry, and one taste confirmed that this was a dreary, old bird. At $5.49, a more appetizing version could have been found at any number of drive-ins.
The green salads were sold out, so our table sampled the macaroni and potato salads. They are typical of cafeteria salads where any subtlety of taste has long disappeared under copious amounts of dressing. And the desserts ranged from good to unmemorable. The peanut butter silk pie was smooth and had a delicate flavor. The red velvet cake, however, was sweet but oddly tasteless. As a girl, I was told that someone paid a great deal of money for a red velvet cake recipe from New York's famed Waldorf-Astoria. This couldn't have been that version.
It's probably not worth the trek to Lehi just for the food. But this eating place is not intended to be anything more than one additional service at Cabela's, and if you're shopping and get a little hungry, Cabela's has a bite just for you.
CABELA'S High Uinta Restaurant and Grill
Rating: ** (out of possible ****)
Where: 2502 W. Grand Parkway, Lehi (take Alpine/Lehi exit)
Cost: $2.99-$7.29
Specialty: wild game sandwiches
Reservations: not required
Phone: 800-237-4444
Charlene Winters is a freelance writer, former food editor and food judge who — when she's not in the kitchen — works as the director of communications and marketing for BYU alumni. Contact her at: charlene_winters@byu.edu.