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
