The Oaks is Open Again in Ogden Canyon

UPDATE: THE OAKS HAS CLOSED SINCE THIS ARTICLE WAS PUBLISHED IN 2020.

The Oaks is back, and just in time for much-needed social distancing.

Like a lot of folks, my husband and I have mainly stayed home during the pandemic. Why tempt fate when Covid is on the loose? But every so often, I get REALLY tired of my own cooking. I need to get out, but somewhere fairly safe and not too far away. An outdoor table along the Ogden River — with a hearty bite of comfort food — was calling my name.

In June, I read Mark Saal’s Standard-Examiner article that The Oaks had re-opened under new owners. This Ogden Canyon landmark first opened around 1902, about a mile away from its present location. The website, The Mystery of Utah’s History https://mysteryofutahhistory.blogspot.com/2015/09/the-oaks-of-ogden-canyon-began-in-1903.html gives more information on some of its early days, when it was known for chicken and trout dinners. The website says The Oaks moved to its current spot in 1933  — higher ground — to avoid flooding from the Ogden River.

When it was bought by Keith and Belinda Rounkles in 1981, The Oaks only offered a takeout menu, according to an interview I did with Belinda Rounkles a few years ago. The Rounkles built a patio to offer outdoor dining with a view of the river and mountainside. But after about 38 years of operation, the Rounkles shuttered the restaurant in January 2019 and put it up for sale.

The new owners, Chris and Christina Bowler, told the Standard-Examiner that they were long-time customers who hated to see it close.

 When a restaurant opens, I usually wait a few weeks before visiting, as the staff often needs time to work out any kinks in the food or the service. Judging from some of the Yelp! comments, there were a few adjustments made by the time we visited in July. When we stopped in again in August, it seemed the service was even better. It’s still a little tricky finding the outdoor entrance, but we didn’t have much of a wait before someone came to seat us. It was a Friday afternoon, and we watched a staffer setting out color-changing flameless candles on the tables in time for the dinner crowd.

The first time we visited, we were seated at a booth with the tables marked off for social distancing.

The second time, we  asked to sit at an umbrella-covered table with a great view of the river. As a bonus, it was at least 20 feet from any other table.

From my foray while finding the ladies’ room, I know there are indoor booths, but until the weather turns, I won’t be heading inside.

The Oaks has a casual, streamlined lunch/dinner menu with enough variety to cover a wide range of tastes, but small enough to be executed consistently in the kitchen. Sometimes restaurants try to offer too much of everything, but few dishes are done really well. Since I was unable to find a company website with a menu, let me give you the rundown of lunch and dinner.

• Seven different hand-helds, from $11.99 to $13.99 (three different burgers, salmon fish tacos, Reuben, Banh Mi and Potter’s Chicken sandwiches)

• Four salads from $7.99 to $8.99 (house, wedge, beet and spinach). You can add chicken or salmon for $4.99.

• Three starters, all $7.99 (fried Brussels sprouts, fried artichoke hearts, and fajita nachos)

• Three kids meals, all $4.99 (grilled cheese, chicken tenders, mac & cheese)

• Four dinner entrees served after 5 p.m.: Spaghetti Carbonara ($15.99), Statler Chicken ($16.99), Blackened Salmon ($18.99) and Angus Flank Steak ($18.99).

The chalkboard in the entry area lists a daily special.

• Three desserts, all $4.99 (Chocolate Tart, Sweet Frybread, and Caramel Apple Crumble), as well as more than two dozen flavors of Farr’s Ice Cream.

• The restaurant also serves breakfast. Here’s a link to the online ordering site which lists steak & eggs, an omelet, a breakfast burrito and other hearty options.

On our first visit in July, we both tried the signature Oaks Burger. It’s a 1/3- pound ground beef patty topped with caramelized onions, melted white cheddar on a broche bun, with lettuce and roasted garlic mayo. Everything seems to come together, flavor-wise.

I’m kind of old-school — $12.99 still seems a bit precious for a burger. But food costs are creeping up, and the price is on par with chains like Red Robin. And it comes with a generous side. Kim ordered crispy sweet potato fries, and I had a side salad. 

On our second trip, Kim had the Southwestern Burger, $13.99, also 1/3 pound ground beef, caramelized onions, jalapenos, pico de gallo, roasted red peppers, pepper jack cheese and chipotle aioli.  He liked the spicy flavors, but his memory still lingered on the Oaks Burger from our last visit. His side Lemon Slaw — red cabbage with a creamy lemony dressing.

I had the Spinach Salad ($8.99), dark green leafy spinach, tossed with candied walnuts, dried cranberries, shards of red onion, crunchy apple slices, and an apple cider vinaigrette. (Adding chicken or salmon is $4.99).

We split a side of French fries ($2.99), which were wonderfully crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. A side order is plenty to share with 2 people.

There’s a separate indoor stand where you can order Farr’s Ice Cream cones to go ($2.99 per scoop, extra charge for sugar and waffle cones) and shakes. Perfect if you’re driving through the canyon and just want to stop for a quick cone to go.

I noticed several online complaints that The Oaks doesn’t have a liquor license anymore. The menu offers a lot of specialty non-alcoholic drinks, including the old-fashioned Shirley Temple and Lime Rickey; Jackson Hole Organic Soda, Ginger Beer, coffee, tea, and Coke products. But if you’re looking to enjoy a beer on the patio, it’s not going to happen, at least for now.