Lamplight Restaurant and Catering
597 E. Center Street
(435) 587-2170
Website: http://www.lamplightdining.com/ and http://www.facebook.com/lamplightrestaurant1
Located just on the outskirts of the City of Monticello, Utah on Route 191, this restaurant might be medium sized, but is large on atmosphere, service and good food. Scott and Alexa Laws have a classy place, but make sure to give everyone that hometown good feeling. Scott is owner and chef, Alexa is head wait staff and their children all help out with the restaurant maintenance duties from service to bussing tables. These are all around good people, and they make your dining experience pleasant.
Sadly, the restaurant has been put up for sale, due to personal reasons, and while we hope the sale never goes through; we certainly understand the reasoning. Until a buyer takes interest though, the Lamplight will remain open for business.
Upon entering the restaurant, one of the Laws children will greet and seat you; Alexa comes to the table, all smiles and menu in hand. The menu is new for the season and while there are still some old favorites, they’ve added many new items. We decided though to have a couple of old favorites: Alfredo with Chicken and the BBQ Ribs and Chicken Combo. While I had the salad bar as my side; hubby chose salad bar, cole slaw and mashed potatoes with pepper gravy.
The salad bar is not huge, but still has a nice selection of two types of lettuce (iceberg and mixed greens), fruit, vegetables, cheeses and mixed salads such as crab, macaroni and potato.
The Alfredo with Chicken had angel hair pasta (light and delicate) with a creamy, cheesy, garlicky sauce; the chicken was grilled perfectly – deep grilled flavoring and moist chicken. While the pasta was angelic, the sauce was certainly sinful – a perfect combination of texture and flavor.
The Rib and Chicken Combo was covered in a rich, spicy and tangy barbecue sauce; and if you weren’t covered to your elbows in it, you weren’t eating the meal right. The ribs are very tender and melt in the mouth; the chicken was juicy and also tender; mashed potatoes are homemade and covered in rich brown pepper gravy.
Though we were too full to eat dessert there, we did take home a portion of their fabulous Chocolate Cake – three layers of deep, dark, moist cake with delicious filling and frosting; certainly a treat to die for.
Rolls with butter are also served with the meals; the meal portions are large, so expect to be carted out in a wheel barrel if you manage to eat it all; or take some home. We needed to take half our meals home, but enjoyed them for lunch the following day…still just as yummy. Considering the size and quality of the portions; their pricing is reasonable.
Staying in or traveling through Monticello, Utah, make the Lamplight Restaurant a meal stop whether it’s for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Mary Cokenour
UPDATE:November 2011 - The Lamplight Restaurant has officially closed; the restaurant is for sale and has an attached home. The owners, Scott and Alexa Laws, will be sorely missed in Monticello, as will their excellent restaurant.