The next time you find yourself in Fairbanks, Alaska, might I suggest
the Pumphouse Restaurant and Saloon? The patio overlooks the Chena
River where riverboats still ply their trade and floatplanes land just
yards away. It is the perfect setting for lunch of a lean grilled Elk burger balancing nicely with the
smokey porter from the local Silver Gulch Brewery. Moseying into the saloon, pool
tables dating to 1898 compete for space with a largely unchanged late-
Victorian age decor. The velvet chairs, fringed lampshades and a tin roof
just scream for a nice glass of whisky to help take it all in. The gold rush may have largely
been a bust for this town but this joint is one hell of a cultural boon.
