WE've had a lake house in this area for 15 years, and you just kind of take what you can get in the food dept. There are a couple of other restaurants within a 10-mile radius, but don't expect much.
The location where Backroads stands has been about 5 different restaurants since we've been around. They have all been the local hangout, despite the lack of decent food. Frozen-to-fryer comfort food has been the fare.
We visited the town over Memorial weekend after a two-year absence and laughed at the menu's frequent references to "home made" and fresh.
But lo and behold ... it was! For the first time, the restaurant served some healthy foods and some seriously home-made traditional food. The stuff was surprisingly good: hand-cut, home-made "Road chips," home-made onion soup (a little too heavy on the salt and beef bouillon), hand-breaded thick-cut onion rings ... and our entrees, all of which were presented beautifully.
I had the steak salad with freshly toasted focaccia bread. $11 included a generous portion of steak with grilled onions and mushrooms on fresh greens - delicious but could use a little more seasoning. My husband had the Philly cheese steak ($10.50). Looking around the restaurant, the hamburgers and fries looked big, cheesy and delicious.
The service was courteous and professional.
We met the young owner, Mahrie Anderson, who grew up in town and moved back recently after 10 years in the military. I told her that, as the only restaurant in town, the food didn't really have to be THAT good. She says she majored in nutrition and would want nothing else.
We live in the San Diego area and would be frequent guests if Backroads were located there. It's amazing you can find this kind quality in a town of 600-some people.
If you find yourself on 94 between Fergus Falls and Alexandria, it's worth pulling over for this.
Good luck, Mahrie! read more