Melt-in-the-mouth grilled pork tenderloins, so tender it cuts with the touch of a fork, rubbed in coriander and served with chipotle peach salsa, gorgonzola cream sauce and zippy barbecue mashed potatoes. Price? $15.50.

    Or volcano chicken, half-a-bird marinated, broiled and served with luscious garlic mashed potatoes...$11.95. Lobster, shrimp and scallops stir-fry, with a clean, crisp refreshing taste that lightens up the mouth, for $17.95. Braised short rib stew, served in a bread bowl for $11.95. Barbecue chicken pizza, $7.95.

    The list, or shall we say new menus at Stillwells restaurant in Northwoods Resort, goes on and on and on, only sounding expensive, and tasting expensive, but leaving guests pleasantly surprised when the check arrives. It’s all part of a plan by executive chef Sharif Elhadidi to create moderately-priced, and dare we say family-oriented, dinner, lunch and breakfast menus for hotel guests and locals alike, and that blends with the restaurant’s rustic, mountain lodge decor.

    Only parchment-wrapped Alaskan halibut ($20.50), chestnut-miso crusted halibut ($21.50), ribeye steak with that tasty chipotle-peach salsa ($26), and pepper crusted filet mignon in bordelaise cream sauce ($28) are priced over twenty bucks at dinner. Only a couple of other dishes, like bourbon barbecue ribs ($18.95) even approach that price. Most are around fifteen bucks and some are around ten or less, all which goes to show that fine dining, amidst beautiful surroundings, doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg.

    Actually, “fine dining” is a bit of a misnomer, because Stillwells is trying to get away from that label, and become a place where family and friends can gather nightly or weekly for fine food and service, without being just a “special occasion” type of place. But portions, quality and presentation are all a step above ordinary, even if they’re not priced that way.

    “We’ve tried to create a fresh, down-to-Earth menu with lots of fresh fish and prime steaks,” Elhadidi, who ran a kitchen in England when he was 13 and graduated from hotel management college in Cairo, said. “It’s very user-friendly and not too intimidating. Anyone can find more than one item that they’ll absolutely enjoy.”

    The pork tenderloin is going to be one of Big Bear’s big dining hits, served slightly pink in the middle and with the most tasty gorgonzola cream sauce. When I sampled it there wasn’t a bit of fat or grisle and I never used a knife to cut inches-thick medallions. Chestnut-miso crusted halibut—I actually had salmon—is another delicacy that figures to be popular, with a lemon dijon sauce to die for.

    Short rib stew in a bread bowl, hot and hearty for less than twelve bucks, will be popular during winter, as will an array of pasta dishes, like tequila lime chicken, cheese tortellini with meat sauce or blackened chicken alfredo, all $12.95, four-cheese pesto tortellini ($11.50) and seafood marinara ($15.75), with shrimp, scallops and lobster. But lighter appetites are also addressed on the new menu, with seafood and oriental salads, shrimp scampi ($16.95) in light cream sauce, and the aforementioned stir-fry, packed with seafood and boasting a very light, fresh taste, highlighted by cilantro and soy dressing.

    Pistachio chicken ($14.95) in dijon sauce and served with toasted almond rice pilaf is a holdover from the previous menu, a favorite of Northwoods general manager Lynne Baker. Other possibilities include Atlantic salmon in dill sherry sauce ($14.75), along with a host of unique appetizers, including Pacific calamari ($7.95) with lots of garlic and served on a pile of fries, lobster spring roll with miso aioli ($10.50), and ahi sashimi ($9.50) or seared ahi with sweet soy mustard sauce ($10.50).

    Breakfast and lunch have a new look too at Stillwells. Some of the dinner items like pasta and pizza dishes are served in smaller portions (and prices) at lunch, while there’s specialties including blackened chicken sandwich ($7.95), Caribbean ahi tuna sandwich ($8.95) and parmesean crusted prime rib sandwich ($9.95).

    The morning meal features traditional favorites plus the everything bagel breakfast ($6.95) with scrambled eggs, ham, onion, bell peppers and cheese, and the breakfast quesadilla (7.95). Ski all day on the ribeye steak and eggs ($11.95), while youngsters will love strawberry or chocolate chip pancakes ($6.95).

    Speaking of younger guests, both lunch and dinner feature a children’s menu, with cheeseburger and fries ($5.95), cheese pizza ($7.50), and penne alfredo, chicken fingers and fries or spaghetti marinara, each $5.95. Fast-food prices while parents dine for not that much more!

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