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Family
Favorite
The menu features many unpretentious options — everything is easily pronounceable. Diners may find comfort in familiarity, you won't find any surprises here; but something else could be said for the lack of experimentation. The finer foods in life — steaks, seafood and pasta — are carefully thought out to be well-prepared in traditional European-American style. Michael's Landing is not about to let its customers go hungry. Dinners come with fresh warm bread, choice of soup or salad, and a choice of potato, rice or fettuccini Alfredo. Lighter portions come with vegetables. I recommend the appetizers if you are hungry enough — especially the ones with crab. The hot crab and artichoke dip and the stuffed mushrooms with crab and hollandaise taste rich and delicious — this is not about low fat, this is about taste! The dip comes with toasted sourdough rounds, and I was sad when the bowl was empty — I admit to scraping it clean. The restaurant's baby back ribs are high quality. I find favor in the lighter portion ribs (three-quarters of a pound), with mashed potatoes. Their ribs have the perfect blend of sauce to spice rub. No sauce dripping off my face like a two-year-old (although that is fun in the privacy of your own home or at a corner table), but enough to coat my fingers and be licked off one by one. The meat — sans membrane — comes lean, tender and partially falling off the bone. If you love ribs, it makes your mouth water. Fish lovers will be pleased with the variety of fish dishes and the various cooking methods. The menu features salmon, halibut and marlin, all offered in a dozen different ways. Salmon can be baked, flame broiled, grilled or poached in court bouillon. The baked salmon is moist and flaky, with a heavy hand on seasoning. The fresh Pacific blue marlin — flame broiled with lemon and herbs, and the Alaskan halibut — baked with a pecan and brown sugar crust — also sound intriguing. Dessert is especially hard to pass up, even after a full meal. It is presented on a large decorated tray, and the server points out each calorie explosion. Our waitress speaks of the "house special mud pie," not on the tray, which intrigues me. Michael's Landing's mud pie starts with a layer of devil's food, then two kinds of ice cream — mocha and butter pecan — and the whole thing is topped off with fudge and nuts (virtually impossible for these ingredients not to render something delicious.) At times like these it's worth it to indulge. Michael's Landing lives up to its goal to be a family favorite by maintaining reliable, delicious food. The drink menu boasts an extensive array of wines, full bar options and non-alcoholic fruity concoctions. The atmosphere is casual enough to come in jeans and a sweatshirt; yet the quality of food gives good reason to come for special occasions and to bring out-of-town-guests. 603 NW 2nd, (541) 754-6141. 10:30 am M-Sa, 10 am Su. $$-$$$ |
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Michael's
Landing has been 94 years in the making.
The building was once the original train depot, then the Corvallis
Police headquarters, and became the restaurant it is today in
1982. The structure itself is not eye-catching, nor the indoor
décor by any means chic — I won't go off about the
eye-sore that teal and maroon creates — but do not let these
visuals be any indicator as to the quality of the food. Michael's
Landing strives to be a family favorite, placing emphasis on the
food — fresh ingredients, good flavor, nice presentation;
the atmosphere is friendly, warm, relaxing and spacious. Michael's
Landing also takes advantage of locale and has picture windows
all along the side facing the Willamette River.