By Steve and Lynn Templeman

In a town sporting a population of barely 100 it is rare to find an establishment that garners national attention. The object of this acclaim is the St. George Hotel, the signature building of the town of Volcano. It’s not often we visit an establishment that has been in business since 1862. The Gold Rush tradition is still alive and well at the St. George Hotel, Restaurant and Bar.

Before dining we visited the world famous Whiskey Flat Saloon. It dates back to the 1930’s and serves as the bar for the St. George Hotel. It is a fabulous place to stroll around and look at the plethora of historical items of interest that line its walls in a visitor friendly atmosphere. G Q Magazine named the Whiskey Flat Saloon one of the “Ten Best Bars Worth Flying To.” The St. George Hotel has also been featured in Bon Appétit, Sunset and Cottage Living Magazines. It is well worth the drive (or flight) for the thirsty history buff. The full service bar also has an appetizer menu featuring a number of tasty snacks from the kitchen.

The owners of the St. George Hotel are Richard Winters, Jennifer Zajac-Winters and Gary Little. Between them they have over 50 years in the hospitality industry. Under their leadership, Christine’s, the restaurant in the St. George Hotel, has been voted “Best Fine Dining” and “Best Place To Take A Date” in Amador County for the second year in a row.

As we entered the main dining room of Christine’s we were greeted and seated by our server Megan Long and Assistant Server Katie. Megan suggested that we order a couple of their most popular appetizers. Our first choice was the Chilean Mussels that are sautéed in a white wine and creamy garlic pesto sauce, garnished with chopped tomatoes and served over linguini. Another delicious specialty we enjoyed was Polenta, topped with Italian Sausage, sun dried tomatoes, shallots, garlic and fresh herbs in a light cream sauce. With these fine delicacies we enjoyed a Bray Vineyards, Verdelho (Shenandoah Valley) 2006 and a Lava Cap Winery Petite Sirah - 2004 that enhanced our appetizers.

The dining room is a spacious high-ceiling classical historic hotel restaurant and is located on the first floor in the main building. Its modern touches make it comfortable without compromising its gold rush ambiance. Wood paneling, green trim, hardwood floors, white linens and fresh flowers create old style elegance.

We sampled both the House and Spinach Salads. The House Salad is topped with toasted pecans, roasted butternut squash, croutons and feta cheese, dressed with house made Raspberry Vinaigrette. The Spinach Salad blends Spinach, Arugula and Frisee with red onions, mint, walnuts, apples and goat cheese tossed with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. The salad lover won’t go wrong with either of these dynamic dishes.

The Executive Chef at Christine’s is Gregory West, former proprietor of “Zinfandels Restaurant” in Sutter Creek. We reviewed his work several years ago and were eager for an encore. Also on staff are Chef de Cuisine Pamela Merkle, Sous Chef Jason Thawley and Bar/Dining Manager Megan Scott. Together they have created the cuisine and service that has garnered the aforementioned dining awards. We found the servers to be very skilled and efficient. Management has educated their staff to pamper the diners—we certainly were.

The main course offerings ($17.95-$26.95) included some delicious Charbroiled Lamb Chops flavored with Caribbean Jerk Dry Rub. They grow their own fresh herbs in a small garden behind the hotel and these herbs add that special touch of fresh flavor to every entrée.

Christine’s Pork Tenderloin features tender medallions coated in breadcrumbs with a touch of butter. It is topped with sautéed pears, caramelized onions, Brie cheese, toasted pecans, and served with Garlic Smashed Potatoes and a Dijon Béchamel Sauce.

The Summer Pasta is linguine tossed with yellow corn, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, zucchini, garlic, shallots and fresh basil from the garden. It is garnished with toasted pine nuts and feta cheese…truly a vegetarian delight.

Christine’s well-balanced wine list features Amador County’s best wines as well as selections from other U.S. and International regions at moderate prices. For those who enjoy an occasional glass with their meal, the entrée menu makes it easy by including 2 to 3 wine suggestions to pair with each offering. We were celebrating our anniversary, so we decided to enjoy a bottle of Argyle Willamette Valley Brut 2001 to commemorate the occasion. It is the nectar of the Gods!

For dessert we sampled a couple of old favorites, Orange Crème Brule and a very decadent Chocolate Seduction Cake. We also recommend Crème Brule Cheesecake, cheesecake on top, crème Brule on the bottom and chocolate and caramel sauces as toppings. The freshly ground coffee from Sutter Creek Coffee Roasting Company was the ideal beverage to conclude a fine meal.

We were fortunate to be able to spend Saturday night at the hotel. That meant that we would be there on Sunday morning for their marvelous brunch, which features such delights as Eggs Benedict, Amoretto French Toast, Omelets and lunch entrées. Whether you seek a late breakfast or early lunch this brunch is a great way to start the day.

The bar, hotel and restaurant together create a flexibility that makes an ideal venue for a relaxing short or long getaway. The culinary staff is available to create a menu for the variety of events that are staged both indoors and outdoors at the St. George Hotel for up to 200 guests such as weddings, corporate meetings, birthdays, or anniversaries. They have planners on staff that can coordinate your event and a brochure that outlines the details.

The unique saloon, the classic dining experience, the tranquil hotel and the accommodating friendly staff made the St. George Hotel a great place to spend our anniversary getaway.

The St. George Hotel is located at 16104 Main St. in Volcano. Whiskey Flat Saloon is open 5 pm-close Wednesday to Friday, Saturday Noon-close and Sunday 9:30 am-close. Christine’s is open Thursday-Sunday 5:30-9 pm and Sunday Brunch 9:30 am-2 pm. Reservations are recommended and can be made at (209) 296-4458. Their informative website has menus, directions and hotel accommodation information at www.StGeorgeHotel.com