Alan and Marta Figel opened this rustic contemporary restaurant and winebar in 1981, and have built a loyal and enthusiastic clientele for their always interesting twists on American and international dishes. The Figels have travelled extensively in the Caribbean, Latin America, and Asia. The flavors of these cuisines can be found in dishes on the menu and in the daily specials. Andrew, like his father before him, is particularly interested in chile peppers, which appear in many dishes, as well as in his hot sauce collection, which now numbers 1300. The hot sauces are displayed on a wall of the dining room, and are available for use by customers. The restaurant was featured in a recent article of Chile Pepper magazine, with some of Andrew's favorite recipes that use chiles: Pecan-Ancho Chile Crusted Lamb Chops, Double-cut Pork Chops with Chipotle Chile Onion Relish and Cornmeal Crusted Redfish with Jalapeņo Cream. The building, which was originally built in 1937, has a colorful history including use as a speakeasy. Alan and Marta completely redecorated the interior, and now guests love to linger on the verandah enjoying the lake view. Each year since 1987, the wine list has been awarded The Wine Spectator's prestigious Award of Excellence.
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