Blue Boar Inn

He said:

We’ve discovered many great restaurants along the Wasatch Front, but today, we turned to the Wasatch Back for dinner in the charming little town of Midway. Midway is accessible from Park City in the north, and from Provo in the south, via Provo Canyon. I used to think that it derived its name from its position midway between these two cities. However, the truth is more parochial than that. It grew out of two neighboring settlements along the Snake Creek River¹, centering on Fort Midway that sat halfway between the two.

Part of the greater Heber Valley, Midway Valley was settled in the mid-19^th century by Swiss immigrants drawn to the area by its lush valleys and snow-capped mountains, perhaps reminding them of their homeland. Now sometimes called “Little Switzerland,” the region has embraced its heritage, celebrating it with distinctive chalet-like architecture, an annual Swiss Days festival, cultural events such as the Volksmarch 5k and 10k walks, local cuisine reminiscent of Switzerland, murals and art that pay homage to Swiss settlers and their legacy, and in general, a welcoming community spirit that takes pride in preserving this heritage.

Embracing this tradition, the Blue Boar Inn looks transplanted directly from the Swiss Alps. This rustic chateau blends old-world European charm with modern luxury. Styled as a hunting lodge, it offers romantic, luxurious lodging with guest rooms themed and named for literary and historical figures. Elegant furnishings, rich fabrics, and thoughtful details create a cozy, refined atmosphere. We didn’t stay at the inn, but that same design aesthetic continued into the public spaces and restaurant.

The inn was a feast for the eyes. Wood paneling appeared throughout the space. A beautiful hand-carved wooden staircase curved around the entryway, with stylized tulips and lilies punctuating the banister. A kachelofen stove imported from Austria and chandeliers crafted from European fallow deer and red stag antlers add to the immersive, Alpine-Bavarian ambiance. A great Ricola horn hung on one wall. (I learned that it’s actually called an Alphorn, but I couldn’t even look at it without hearing the Ri-co-la melody in my head).

The decorative touches seemed endless, but always in character. A boar’s head, wreathed in berries, leaves, and branches, hung over a fireplace with an apple in its mouth. A considerable collection of crossbows was arrayed on the walls. They included quite a variety. Some were simple. Others had cranks or gaffe levers. Some had shoulder stocks. We admired them and wondered how each might be used.

Our menu sat inside a wooden cover with the inn’s name and a boar head pyrographically etched into it. Inside, the menu itself was simple. We had chosen to dine on a Wednesday because the Blue Boar Inn forgoes its normal menu in favor of a pre-set Chef’s Dinner on Wednesdays. Though I had planned on that, I hadn’t expected to find such a reasonable price. We had a fabulous dinner at a great price! I definitely recommend visiting on a Wednesday.

Our meal began with bread service and the Blue Boar Greek Salad. Kalamata olives and red onions gave the salad an earthy flavor that was offset by a light balsamic vinaigrette and the tangy feta cheese. I really enjoyed the croutons, which were thankfully not over-toasted.

For my main course, I selected the grilled ribeye steak. For some reason, it’s been a while since I’ve had one. This was a great steak to remind me how much I’ve always liked the ribeye. Full of flavor, it had been cooked just right. It came with a bath of a mushroom demi sauce that almost seemed like a lively agrodolce. It paired well with the meat as well as with the cheddar chive whipped potatoes. Little bits of red pepper and mushroom topped the dish, along with a few microgreens. Rounding out the plate were several juvenile carrots—orange, yellow, and purple—roasted with part of their stems still on. They were delicious.

My meal wrapped up with the Signature Carrot Cake. To be honest, this fell a bit flat for me. I love a great carrot cake, but this felt less inspired. It resembled a mass-produced confection that I might find in a cafeteria setting. The texture was plain, if not a bit heavy, and it had a strong spice flavor that I might expect from a boxed cake mix. It wasn’t bad, but I think this was a missed opportunity in an experience that excelled in nearly every other way.

She said:

Brian had mentioned to me a while ago that he wanted to go to the Blue Boar Inn and Restaurant, so I agreed that it sounded fun and that we should give it a whirl. To add to our venture to Midway, we invited his father to join us for dinner. We made arrangements to pick up his dad at the halfway point so that we could all drive to the restaurant together.

Well, it seemed as though the gods had conspired against us to stymie our efforts to get to our destination. First, Brian and I got stuck at a traffic light for 20 minutes, in traffic that was already moderately heavy. So, we were a bit late in meeting Brian’s father, but we still had time to get to the Blue Boar for our reservation.

Sigh. Such high hopes. Once we’d embarked on the US-189 highway, the car started to rumble. Yep. We had a flat tire. Rather than call AAA, Brian opted to change the tire himself to avoid the wait. So, while he and my father-in-law hopped out of the car to put on the temporary tire, I called the restaurant to explain our predicament. The hostess agreed to hold our table for us. She was quite understanding and gracious, and even told me not “to flood” it and to travel safely.

Whew! We were finally on our way again, and we reached the restaurant just a half-hour past our reservation time. Brian quipped that he’d at least worked up an appetite by cranking the car’s wonky mini-jack.

Anyway, car troubles aside, the drive to Midway was quite scenic and pleasant. I took note of antique and gift shops, Bavarian-style homes and business establishments, horses and cows grazing in pastures—even a heron!—gently sloping hills, and wide-open spaces. The town itself was quite quaint and charming. Some aspects of it reminded me of Leavenworth, WA, that we’d visited several times when we lived in Seattle. It evokes a certain delightful vibe.

The enchanting ambiance carried through inside the Blue Boar. The exterior looked like something out of an Alpine fairytale. Its stucco is painted cream with a reddish-brown trim, has a clock tower, and sports a stone turret, along with a large wooden deck for patio/outdoor seating during the warmer months. The premises probably look even more lovely in winter, when surrounded by snow.

The interior didn’t disappoint, either. There was so much to take in: chandeliers crafted of moose antlers, wall sconces fashioned out of animal horns, a beautifully carved fireplace mantel made of a richly brown-colored wood, forest green stucco walls, tiled flooring, heavy blue and green tartan draperies, cream-colored linen table cloths sitting atop heavy burgundy, floral tapestry-styled underskirts, red linen napkins, and various crossbows hung on the walls. Wonderful paintings were set into wide, scrolled Victorian-looking gold gilt frames. Oh, and the “Ricola” horn mounted on the wall rounded out the look.

Now, about the food. The salad was served first, and it was acceptable. I appreciated the fresh tomatoes and the feta cheese quite a bit, but the greens were not chilled, and the vinaigrette was a bit too heavy-handed for me.

My choice of entrée was the Honey Soy-glazed Salmon. That was the star of my meal. The fish was perfectly moist and flaky, and deliciously flavorful. The rice was light, fluffy, and buttery. It was very tasty and enjoyable, as was the broccolini it was served with.

For dessert, I chose the chocolate cake because . . . hello! It’s chocolate! The dark German chocolate frosting was scrumptious, and the cake itself was fine, satisfying my craving for something sweet. Being a bit fussy about cake, I just wish that the texture had been a bit denser. Like a cross between a brownie and cake.

Lastly, before leaving the premises, I ducked into the Ladies room. Even the restroom carried over the Nordic theme in its lovely mirror and cabinet. However, the thing that made me chuckle was the bathroom tissue holder. It was made of some sort of animal’s horn. I’ll let the photos speak for themselves. 😁

Conclusion:

Take a break from the city and head out to picturesque Midway. Bask in the scenery while you dine in the beautiful European hunting lodge known as the Blue Boar Inn. Dine on Wednesdays to enjoy the Chef’s Dinner curated menu.