September 2004

The Harbor View

by Martina Priadka

The Harbor View
314 Main Street | Pepin, WI 54759 | 715.442.3893

Driving down winding roads past lakeshores and through national parks can be one of the best ways to spend a day. This is especially true when it is a crisp fall afternoon with plenty of sunshine and leaves that are putting on a display of color that will put any fireworks show to shame.

That is why a drive down to the Harbor View Restaurant in Lake Pepin is something I look forward to every year. From the first visit, I fell in love with the excitement of the adventure, the day in the park with friends and the food and atmosphere that completed the experience. Since that introduction, the Harbor View has become a tradition for me.

This tradition is not unique to me, however. The ninety-five-seat restaurant is always full and has a two-hour average wait most of the days it is open. Who are all these people and where are they coming from? All over actually. The drive to Pepin, Wisconsin has been a tradition for so many Twin Cities folks that I would be surprised if this is the first time you have heard of it. But the drive itself is only a small reason for this mass mecca. I mean you can take a drive in the country just about anywhere, right? No, the real reason for this drive is the reward at the end.

The waterfront Main Street that is home to a few shops, residents and restaurants definitely feels like home. The doors of the Harbor View open and immediately you are part of the family. The owners, who have worked hands-on from day one and the rest of the staff, most of them also there since the start, are so gracious and generous that you will feel like a regular from your first visit. But even regulars must wait in line, especially if you arrive in the middle of dinner service on a beautiful fall evening. I recommend starting your drive early, spending the afternoon in one of the parks or orchards (see theskini travel section) and arriving around 5 p.m. to get your name in early. You can always spend the waiting time sipping on a glass of wine while watching the wind play with the waters of the Mississippi. Once your name is called and you are seated, the book lined walls and smells from the kitchen will make you want to sit back in your chair and take a deep sigh. The wait is over and the relaxation has begun.

But the meal hasn’t, so choosing from the selections written on the chalkboard on the wall is your next task. The menu is consistently satisfying with choices including pork, lamb, fish and chicken prepared in classic and honest ways that change regularly depending the season. This is simply great food that is meant to nourish and please. Every time I go for dinner I plan on trying something different. I read the menu, discuss how good everything sounds, decide on something like the Cassoulet because it is an unusual and impossible to find dish in Minnesota. And every time, when the server arrives, I end up ordering my usual favorites instead; a salad with the blue cheese vinaigrette and the seafood stew. How can I pass up something I love so much! I may be boring but I am loyal to my loves. And who knows when I will get a chance to make the drive again. Lucky for me, my friends have all ordered something different so I will still get a chance to taste everything I wanted anyway!

Now I can spend my time choosing some wine. The wine list is full of fun, interesting, and very reasonably priced wines. If you are into wine and take a little time to search through the list, you will find yourself wondering if there is a misprint on the prices. It is very easy to find a great vintage of a great wine at a price you don’t usually find in restaurants. If you are not a wine expert it doesn’t matter. The list is well thought out and full of so many great choices you could literally close your eyes, point at the list and come up with something good. Then just eat, drink, laugh and enjoy.

The feelings you should have at the Harbor View are relaxation and satisfaction. This is a place where you should not expect anything too fancy. There are no reservations, no credit cards accepted and no espresso. It is not about competing with top restaurants or the local celebrity chefs. They don’t need to. Have they ever had a dissatisfied guest? I doubt it. Even when some people get disgruntled during their wait for a table owners Paul and Carol Hinderlie and the staff can easily pacify them and bring a little sunshine into their mood. How else could they survive for over 25 years? And since it is family run, how long do you think they will want to keep going? For a long time to come we hope, but at least long enough for you to get a chance to head down and experience it!

...Now That's Theskini!::permalink


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