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Sunday, June 23, 2019

Summer Eats at Bear Lake


                                                
Scott Heiner

Ruca’s

The first thing I did when I walked up to the window of Ruca’s was ask, “Is Ruca here?”  They explained that there is no one named “Ruca,” but it is a word meaning “my true love,” from the song “Waiting for my Ruca” by Southern California rock group Sublime.

The owner of Ruca’s is Dalena Kelley, who spent her childhood summers with her grandparents in St. Charles.  Dalena has two true loves, Bear Lake and good food.  After two decades working and managing in eating establishments, she is passionate about quality fresh food.  She combined her experience and love of good food with her love of Bear Lake to create her own true love, “Ruca’s.”

Dalena uses her imagination to experiment with various ingredients to come up with gourmet sandwiches and salads that are unique.  Her goal is to serve items that are not found anywhere else.

Ruca’s main feature is aebleskivers --fluffy Danish pancake balls.  They are difficult to make properly, requiring exact proportions of ingredients, so aebleskivers are a labor of true love to produce.  Made from an old recipe straight from Denmark, Ruca’s is the only place that serves them in Utah.  They come in several variations from sweet to savory.

I ordered one of her sandwiches, the “Sublime” (named after the aforementioned rock group).  A toasted sandwich consisting of roast beef topped with raspberry jalapeno jelly, smoked provolone and pickled red onions.  I was pleased with its unique taste.  I also ordered their patriotic Red, White and Blue aebleskivers, topped with red strawberries, blueberries and garnished with white whipped cream.  Delectable.

Ruca's also specializes in coffee with beans supplied by a local certified organic roaster as well as hot and iced teas and lemonades.  They also serve breakfast and recently added milk shakes.  All in all, their menu is extensive, sure to have offerings that will appeal to every taste.

Dalena has designed a setting that evokes the atmosphere of a fun beach party.  While it’s common to decorate local places with bears, Ruca’s once again takes the unique approach with two huge black wood reproductions of the famous stone moai statues on Easter Island.  They feature outdoor dining tables on a lush lawn equipped with lawn games and a great view.  

Ruca’s also plans to sponsor a free movie night every Saturday evening this summer, projecting on a giant portable screen so families and people of all ages can relax on the lawn for an enjoyable evening.

Their website is www.RucasBearLake.com


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