As we embark on 2023, we would like to share with our guests two important things in regards to our dining services at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge.

• Continuing to focus on private dinners in the dining room
• Providing winter take out meal for lodging guests

Private Dinners in the Dining Room

Starting June 2022, and going strong into 2023, the Lodge initiated a unique dinner experience and switched completely to only “Private Dinners at a Prix Fixe” in the dining room. This is a European-style private dining experience offered exclusively in the historic dining room of the Lodge. The June decision had us operate the dining room fully as a private dinner location. This decision has been a wonderful decision.

For this unique private dining experience, the entire lodge building closes at 6pm, and transforms into a private enclave for the private diners. This provides a quiet atmosphere on the resort property (learn more about our quiet park initiative), where a maximum of 12 people per night can have dinner can experience the limited menu and slow food concepts. No where else can you have an entire WPA-era Lodge to yourself.

For those who experienced this dining style at the Lodge, they have understood the concept of the change and have embraced the experience it brought them. They have come as guests, and left as friends. This is due to the food being genuine and authentic cuisines from different cultures — rustic worldly food. As well, having a maximum of 12 people per evening in the dining room, the chef having a keen interest and attention to every guest, and the chef being creative and passionate about food (she creates a new menu each week, providing uniqueness and quality) has led to positive experiences.

[ see more food photos ]

The staff has also been able to enjoy the operations much more, as we have customers that appreciate life, respect other — leading to a fun.joyous.adventuresome experience for both the guests and the KML team.

Winter Take-out Meals

Starting December 15th, 2022, we saw the need to offer cabin guests with hot dinners considering limited dining options during the winter time at the top of the Keweenaw. We launched our complimentary take-out dinners for our cabin guests with the goal to provide a nice, rotating hot dinner that will be enjoyed in the cabins by a warm fireplace, creating memories and sharing stories, while also simply breathing in all that nature has to offer. The take-out dinners are being provided by the Little Cabin Cafe.

Learn more about the winter take-out meals that we are offering during the 2022-2023 winter season.

The Little Cabin Cafe continues to be open every day of the week to the general public from 8am to 5pm, offering breakfast burritos in the morning, and one food lunch item based upon what the chef has created that day. In addition, the cafe continues to offer specialty coffee, snacks, and beverages — juices, sodas, craft beer, and wine.

Starting the week of June 13th, dining services will be scaled back for the dining room and more focused. Dinners in the historic dining room at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge will be for reserved private dinners during the 2022 summer-fall season, where the Lodge’s chef will be able to focus on each individual group one-at-a-time. 

This decision to focus on private dinners will improve the probability that guests will have a delightful experience during their stay at the Lodge, while not overtaxing our team members during the 2022 summer-fall season. We do not want to sacrifice quality for quantity at the Lodge, and this decision allows us to do that.

In addition, focusing on private dinners will provide the chef and the Lodge the ability to further define the rustic worldly food that the chef has developed.

Private dinner reservations must be made a week or more in advance, and date/time of the dinners are arranged directly with the chef.

The meals will continue to be our rustic worldly food, and will change each week. The current week’s menu will be posted on our website at least a week in advance, giving one the ability to view the dishes that will be served on a given week.

The structure of the meals will be prix-fixe person, with the price being all inclusive of the food, drink, service charge, and sales tax [ the price shown with each week’s menu ]

Wishing everyone a joyous Mother’s Day 2022!

Our dining services will have a special Mother’s Day Sunday meal on May 8th in the dining room. Hours: 12pm – 3pm (last sitting is at 2pm). The Dining Room does require reservations. You can call (906) 289-4403 ext. 3 to make your reservation.

Below is the Mother’s Day Sunday Special menu.

Download this week’s full menu in PDF format      

Note: Items subject to change based upon availability.

To make reservations, call (906) 289-4403, ext. 3

Wishing everyone a wonderful Easter holiday!

Our dining services will have a special Easter Sunday meal on April 17th in the dining room. Hours: 12pm – 3pm (last sitting is at 2pm). The Dining Room does require reservations. You can call (906) 289-4403 ext. 3 to make your reservation.

Below is a description for each of the menus for the Easter Sunday special menu.

Easter Sunday Special Menu

Appetizer

Beans and Roasted Pepper Hummus Dip  
A puree of white bean, garlic, lemon and roasted red bell pepper, with a light sprinkle of dried mint. Served with flatbread.

Lunch

Roasted Leg of Lamb  [ Italian-influence ] 
Leg of Lamb stuffed with in-house marinated artichoke hearts, and herbs. Served with garlic mashed potato and a side of green beans and mushroom finished with a dressing of butter, lemon, and mustard.

Yellowfin Tuna Steak  [ Indian-influence ]
Grilled tuna marinated prior with turmeric, scallions, lime, soy, and red chili. Served on coconut rice, scallions and cilantro and a side of vegetables.

Roasted Turkey Breast  [ American-influence ]   
Roasted turkey breast, served with light gravy of, turkey drippings, chicken broth, lemon, wine and thyme. A side of garlic mashed potatoes, and a side of vegetables.

Dessert

Apple and Rhubarb Crumble
Topped with vanilla ice cream

Note: Items subject to change based upon availability. View Dining Room Menu page the week of Easter to see the final version of the menu.

To make reservations, call (906) 289-4403, ext. 3

The Keweenaw Mountain Lodge’s concept of rustic worldly food provides an unlimited canvas for a chef to paint a culinary masterpiece. Painters know that before a brush touches the canvas a sketch must first be drawn. In the kitchen, before a recipe is finalized, the chef must test different flavors and textures to see if their idea is appetizing. “Be fearless and persistent in learning on a daily basis” is one of the Lodge’s secondary values and the “test kitchen” is where Chef Widad and her team take a concept from the kitchen-counter top to the dining room table.

The other day when I walked near the kitchen a new smell intrigued my senses and guided me through the two-way hinged door. As a self-proclaimed “foodie” it is a joy to work steps from a vibrant kitchen. I poke my head in the door and ask the chef, “what’s going on?” A simple, one word response comes back: “knish” (pronounced ca-NISH). It’s been a while since I’ve even heard that word muttered let alone had a chance to eat one. It immediately brought back memories from my childhood in New Jersey and the Jewish delicatessens that we frequented weekly.

Chef Widad was in the process of rolling out the dough. She listed off the dough’s simple and rustic ingredients: all purpose (unbromated and unbleached) flour, baking powder, salt, oil , egg, vinegar, sour cream and water. She first hand rolled the dough into about a three inch diameter log.

She then chopped the log into three inch balls and rolled those balls flat with a wooden dowel.

You can tell that Chef Widad is very present when she’s baking, she is focused like a painter in front of a canvas. She simultaneously works the dough effortlessly and with intention; skills she learned while pursuing her degree in pastry and baking from Sullivan University. 

After the dough is flat she spreads her mixture of seasoned broccoli, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, onions, and cheese (mozzarella and provolone) into the dough and then rolls it up and cuts it into knish size pieces. Some people might say that this is not a “traditional” knish filling, and Chef Widad would agree:

“The Rustic Worldly food concept is a starting point, like a solid platform at the KML. I thrive in researching other cuisines and cultures for inspiration. I attempt to go to the roots without pretense nor embellishment: I read, I choose, I test, sometimes making changes, without really touching the essence or the integrity of how other cultures cook. I adapt it to what is feasible and reachable in a remote environment. In the end, I follow my creativity and sense of flavors that are supported by my culinary education.”

Are you wondering how the knishes turned out? They baked in the oven for twenty minutes at 350 degrees. The sweet aroma of fresh baked knishes quickly enveloped the Lodge. Like Pavlov’s dog my mouth began to water. When Chef Wi pulled the first one out of the baking tin and handed it to me it was still piping hot. I ripped her a piece and we both popped them into our mouths. We both decided that the crust needed a few more minutes, back into the oven they went. When they came out of the oven the second time the crust was delicate, soft and just the right amount of chewiness. The savory broccoli filling was well seasoned adding balance and texture to the knish. It was delicious.

If you happen to bump into Chef Widad, ask her what’s cooking next in the test kitchen and she might just give you a taste of her next worldly creation.

About Chef Widad: The rustic worldly culinary flair at the Lodge is led by Chef Widad “Wi” Mueller. She is known for developing dishes using simple ingredients in such a manner that exhibits the flavors from the dish’s country-of-origin. She is a chef, artisan, and watercolor artist. Her interests are reflected in the food, gelato, and paintings that she creates. She is a native of Lebanon, and has lived in multiple places around the world — which provides a a vibrant and progressive perspective to food offerings in the Keweenaw.

As the new year begins in earnest, Chef Wi and the KML kitchen team are excited to introduce a daytime culinary treat; rustic worldly in-house soup and bread. Now available from 11:30am-4:30pm, seven days a week in the Little Cabin Cafe, you can take a break from your outdoor adventures or simply pause from the weather and come in for a hearty and warm bowl of soup and delicious bread. You can enjoy your bowl by the Outdoor Activity Center (OAC) as you scout your next KML trail to tackle or simply eat by the fireplace and soak up the ambiance of the historic main Lodge building. 

The creation and exploration of this lunchtime offering began two months ago as a collaborative effort with Chef Wi, the KML kitchen team, and other Lodge team members. The discussions focused on providing our guests with an option that followed our rustic worldly food concept and be served in an efficient way. Based upon that collaboration, we are now excited to share this deliciously created culinary option. 

Each day there will be a delectable soup and bread combo available and if you are curious to find out what is offered do not hesitate to call us at (906) 289-4403 ext. 3 or just stop by. 

Wishing everyone a wonderful Christmas and New Year’s holiday!

Are you looking for a chef-prepared Christmas or New Year’s meal? Our dining services will be open the normal hours during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. The Little Cabin Cafe, 8am – 5pm and the Dining Room 4:30pm –9pm.

4:30pm & 6pm are the two specific special seating times for
Christmas Eve & Day
New Year’s Eve & Day

The Dining Room does require reservations. You can call (906) 289-4403 ext. 3, to make your reservation and pre-select your entrees for the special seating menus.

Christmas Eve & Day and New Year’s Eve & Day
Special Seating Meals
Prix Fixe at $120 per person, plus tax
Gratuity is included in our price. If you feel like you would like to tip, please learn more about our tipping policy (see details).

Lodging guests will receive 50% off!

Below is a description for each of the menus for the Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day Special Seating menus.

Christmas Eve & Day Special Seating Menu

The entrees for Christmas Eve & Day (select 1 entree):

Beef Strip Loin  [ French-influence ] 
12 oz strip loin – grilled medium-rare topped with a mushroom Duxelle cherry-red wine sauce. Served with mashed potatoes whipped with Garlic “ Boursin” cheese and a side of vegetables.

Blackened Snapper Filet  [ Cajun & Italian Fusion-influence ]
Filet on Seafood Medley Risotto (crab meat, cold water bay shrimp, imitation crab meat, diced scallops) prepared in a light white wine-cream sauce. Served with a side of vegetables.

Butternut Squash and Brussels Sprouts Filipino Curry  [ Filipino-influence ]   
A curry packed with flavors and vegetables, warm spices, in a coconut milk base. Served on rice.

The meal is also served with a kale-based salad, and two appetizers:  Ahi Tuna Ceviche and Kafka Mini-Meatballs.

Dessert is Peanut Butter Tartlets.

In addition, dessert is served with Wassail, a special hot drink made of apple cider, orange juice, brown sugar, lemon juice, clove and cinnamon.

New Year’s Eve & Day Special Seating Menu

The entrees for New Year’s Eve and Day (select 1 entree):

Beef Strip Loin  [ French-influence ] 
12 oz strip loin – grilled medium-rare topped with tarragon-mushroom sherry wine sauce. Roasted potato with garlic butter. Served with a side of roasted vegetables.

Cajun Salmon  [ Cajun-influence ]
Salmon “en papillote”, Cajun style, topped with shrimp, served with a wild rice medley and roasted vegetables.

Baked Bell Peppers  [ Peruvian-influence ] 
Green and Red bell peppers roasted and filled with quinoa, root vegetables and herbs. Topped with feta cheese crumbles. 

The meal is served with a kale-based salad, and two appetizers:  Ahi Tuna Rice Balls and Pheasant Sausage Bites.

Dessert is a Chocolate Brioche, English Toffee Bread Pudding.

In addition, dessert is served with Wassail, a special hot drink made of apple cider, orange juice, brown sugar, lemon juice, clove and cinnamon.

To make reservations, call (906) 289-4403, ext. 3

Enjoying the concept of rustic-wordly food took on a French motif this past week with Guest Chef Gary Marquardt in-residence as part of the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge’s Guest Chef Program. This unique program brings in a guest chef to share their speciality with Lodge patrons as well as expand the skill set of our own KML team.

Chef Gary is an award winning, certified executive chef with over 40 years of experience. Even with his long tenure in the food business, he continues to focus on learning new aspects of the profession. This mirrors one of our Core Values — to persistently learn. This was evident as he and KML’s resident chef, Widad Mueller, collaborated for weeks in advance of the event creating a delectable and innovative five-course meal centered around the French style of charcuterie.

The concept of charcuterie dates back to the Roman empire, but since the 15th century, it has been closely connected to France and French cuisine. Practitioners spend hours preparing various meats, in particular pork, in an effort to present them in the most diverse ways. Most commonly, the meats used are pork, fish, poultry, and game meats (ex. venison).

The focus of Chef Gary’s program revolved around a dinner on Wednesday, September 29th. Our guests reserved their seats for either a 6pm or 7:30pm sitting and were treated not to a menu, but a culinary journey that included specific wine and Michigan craft-beer pairings. Each sitting began with introductions of the KML chef and servers before an introduction to the evening’s courses by Chef Gary.

First up was a terrine, a wonderfully executed venison with cognac-infused pheasant sausage, cranberry, and wrapped in bacon.

Following this delicious appetizer, our servers delivered salade nicoise. This serving of mixed greens, tomato, boiled egg, haricot vert, pickled onion, smoked fish, and tarragon vinaigrette was paired with either the KM Ale or a Mondavi Pinot Grigio. These two starters were portioned well to set the stage for the three entree options to come.

Entree options included Ratatouille, Pan Seared Salmon-Beurre Blanc, and the marquee Choucroute Garnie. The Choucroute Garnie included special house made garlic sausage from start to finish by Chef Gary. The wine pairings options for these amazing entrees included Mondavi Pinot Noir or Sauvignon Blanc and beer pairings included selections from Keweenaw Brewing Company’s Red Jacket Ale and Ore Dock’s Queen City — both craft-beers from Upper Peninsula breweries.

To close out this culinary journey, the final course was an apple tart topped with a calvados caramel sauce and a scoop of ice cream.

The two dining sessions allowed guests authentic opportunities to enjoy each course with their drink pairings and share in genuine conversations at their leisure in the Lodge’s historic Dining Room. Chefs Gary and Widad made their way around to each table getting to know them as well as inquiring about their interest in charcuterie. These interpersonal and culinary connections link directly to our rustic worldly food concept that we practice here at the Lodge.

As each sitting came to a close, many guests commented with excitement about the amazing taste of the food, the ability to try something new, and the time to be together. Many of our guests left saying they would be ready to sign up for the next one.

Behind the scenes

Part of the purpose of the Guest Chef Program @ the Lodge revolves around learning new things. As such, The kitchen team at the Lodge was able to work with Chef Gary during his residency in preparing the menu that he and Chef Widad worked on. This keeps the kitchen team energized and generates new ideas for our rustic worldly food.

In the past we have not allowed microwaves in the cabins. The reason was for environmental purposes, energy consumption reasons, and health and smell reasons.

However, now that we have limited dining services during the 2021 summer due to a labor shortage in the hospitality / food and beverage industry, we understand that it impacts the food options available that lodging guests have in Copper Harbor. Thus, we have been looking into other options to assist with  meal options for our lodging guests. One of them is to now being able to use microwaves in the cabins. 

The cabins are historical, having been built in 1934. These cabins were built during the great depression under the WPA / CCC projects which were established to help alleviate unemployment during the great depression. As a result, the resort (including the cabins) is on the National Register of Historical Places.

In making this decision to allow microwaves in the cabins, we want lodging guests to appreciate the historical nature of the cabins, and understand that the infrastructure of the cabins (e.g. the plumbing) is still historic and fragile in nature. Thus, lodging guests will need to make sure that no food is washed down the sinks of the cabins.

In addition, we need to be cognizant of smells – as the logs and furniture could absorb food smells (similar to if persons were smoking in the cabins), and make it difficult to ensure the cabins smell fresh for each lodging guest.

The microwaves are not generic standard microwave. Rather, the microwaves are retro in design to keep with the historical nature of the cabins (two colors: red and aqua). This is also similar to the retro mini-refrigerators we have in the cabins.

The microwaves will be delivered mid-June, and placed in the cabins by late June.

Having microwaves in the cabins will be a test this year to see how they work, and will decide later in the year if we keep the microwaves in the cabins or not based upon various factors.

We will also be increasing the number of grills on property this summer, and offering grilling kits.

The Spring 2021 semester is coming to an end at Michigan Tech, and we would like to congratulate all those students that are finishing up their studies at a wonderful university.

!!! CONGRATULATIONS !!!

To celebrate with food, here are the entrees that we will be offering the week of graduation, April 28 – May 2, 2021.  

Our entire menu will be posted during the week of April 28th, as we have a revolving menu each week, with slight changes to keep things fresh. To understand our Rustic Worldly Food, you can see Past Week’s Menus.