Curry. It’s a hot, spicy sauce most often associated with Oriental cooking, especially Thai, right?

    Not the way Lynn Segrest sees it. The new executive chef at Stillwells restaurant in Northwoods Resort sautees onions, chops bananas and grates cinnamon into a reduction that he adds to white citrus cream sauce. Then he takes huge jumbo shrimp and combines them with the sauce, topped with carmelized bananas and a touch of fresh coconut on top to create his version of shrimp curry with just a hint of zip.

    “You do taste a little bite but not like in a normal Oriental dish,” Segrest says. “This is real delicate and sweet. Of course we can turn the heat up or down at the guest’s request.”

    White citrus sauce stars again with sauteed jumbo shrimp and angel hair pasta ($20). White cream sauce really comes to life a distinctive citrus flavor that refreshes the palette but does not overpower. “I put in a little orange juice,” Segrest says. The result is an incredible entree where believe it or not the sauce and pasta steal the thunder from huge prawns!

    Indeed sauces are the name of the game for Segrest, who earned a loyal legion of followers while operating his own restaurant in Lake Gregory, the Chateau Gourmet, for the past 11 years. The restaurant may have burned to the ground in August 2007—arson the suspected cause though no arrests have been made—but Segrest kept his loyal following, one of which is Donna Esparza, sales and marketing director at Northwoods, who persuaded him to move to Big Bear to continue his artistry.

    Out of a few homemade “house” sauces that are staples, Segrest creates dozens of others by adding or subtracting a few key ingredients. “I was trained in French techniques and sauce-making,” Segrest, who has 30 years of culinary experience under his belt, says. “Through a three-month cycle we might utilize 40 or more sauces. Probably 99% of the time when something comes out of the kitchen it will have a sauce on it, unless the customer asks for, say, fresh grilled fish. Otherwise I put sauce on it.”

    That saucy goodness carries over to every meal of the day, on Stillwells newly introduced menus. Breakfast, for instance, offers incredible hollandaise sauce on eggs benedict ($11.50). And at lunch, Grandma Columbia’s meatball sandwich ($10) with three homemade meatballs, lots of garlic and fresh-cut basil features house marinara sauce.

    Segrest’s sauce pedigree didn’t come by accident. He was a sous chef at the five-star Charles Court restaurant in Colorado Springs and Vintage Country Club in Indian Wells, so his soups at exceptional and Stillwells features a different homemade specialty each day, be it something traditional like beef barley or New England clam chowder on most Fridays, or a savory offering that’s a little more exotic—say New England cream cheese and beer!

    Stillwells under Segrest’s direction sports a lot of new touches to set it apart. Take the good old American hamburger, for instance. Segrest seasons a half-pound of Angus beef with salt and pepper and garlic like the others do...plus nutmeg, Lea & Perrin’s worcestershire sauce, egg, bread crumbs and other tastes and then serves it atop a kaiser roll with onion crisps. Topped with choice of cheese—including bleu or pepper jack—it’s a feast in its own right, worth $11 at lunch. Just as impressive, it makes an appearance on the dinner menu.

    From rib eye steak ($30), a 12 oz. angus cut that “I cut by hand and serve with maitre d’ butter,” Segrest says, to rack of lamb ($28) cut from huge “big eyes” 2-0-24 oz. racks, the tasty offerings abound. Salads are a unique Segrest specialty. The sliced apple and gorgonzola ($10) at lunch was most popular at his restaurant, featuring sliced apple, candied almonds and cheese with homemade balsamic vinaigrette.

    Grilled romaine salad is set to be introduced as well, a hot-and-cold specialty complete with grilled Bermuda onions and even grill marks on the lettuce, served with vinaigrette plus dijon mustard. Light and lively, it’s a unique presentation that has been hit as a dinner specialty...look for it to make the menu team soon.

    There’s so much more to tell—baked brie drizzled with caramel, candied almonds and sliced apple ($9), chicken marsala with mushrooms, wine and demi glaze over fettuccini ($16), petit angel hair swirl with marinara and alfredo sauces ($10). From healthy lifestyle alternatives that include a savory gourmet mushroom veggie burger ($9.50) to massive three-egg omelettes, there’s a lot to choose from continually-evolving menus.

    Sunday brunch has long been a Stillwells staple, though the pasta station has been scrapped. It’s now considered an extended breakfast buffet served Sundays from 7-11 a.m., still featuring the famous 20-plus item omelette station, waffle station, traditional morning meal favorites, fruit and salads, yogurt and more. Price is $15.95, $6.95 ages 6-12, 5 and under free.

    Stillwells is in Northwoods Resort, 40650 Village Dr. Call (909) 866-3121.