Bird & Jim

About

Out Moraine Avenue, a mile and a half from downtown on the road to Beaver Meadows, this is mountain food with some polish. Trout is the dish that comes up most. The smoked pheasant chowder and the bread pudding are right behind it, and between the three of them that's a full dinner plan before the menu even opens.

Elk tenderloin and bison and buffalo burgers carry the heavier end of the menu, and the small plates are worth a look: fresh potato chips with onion dip, tuna poke, mortadella sandwich bites. Meats and produce are locally sourced. Wine, beer and cocktails all get real attention, and prices run higher than most of town.

It reads as date night without going formal, and it serves breakfast as well as lunch and dinner. If the dining room is full, ask about the bar seats, and there's a patio with mountain views when the weather allows. Bird's Nest and Nest Above are next door.