A shining culinary beacon

Never mind that It's only been open since April.

The Lighthouse in Cedar Lake has already become one of the most talked about restaurants in Northwest Indiana and rightfully so.

With an appealing atmosphere, attractive yet reasonable menu, and a staff who treats customers like fond old friends, diners can't go wrong.

The proprietors of The Lighthouse have the recipe for culinary success and they know it's all in the details.

From the boat-shaped bar and casual nautical theme to attentive servers and colorful plate presentations, there's much to enjoy at this lakeside venue.

Set on Cedar Lake, the restaurant offers diners a picturesque view of the water as they eat.

During a recent Monday supper, we watched parasailers travel across the lake and admired the multi-hued sunset.

The Lighthouse team of owners desire to make the dining experience first-rate.

"We wanted to bring a high quality restaurant into the area," said general manager Phil Holub.

And they're delivering by not overlooking any of the major components of a winning restaurant.

"We've got a phenomenal location, a phenomenal chef and we feature bold American cuisine all made from scratch," Holub said.

While visiting the eatery we were delighted to find a menu of appealing steakhouse fare without the "hefty" prices usually associated with similar-styled restaurants.

From an 8-ounce filet mignon for $18, a single pork loin chop for $14, and Cajun chicken pasta for $12 to brandy garlic-crusted Chilean sea bass, priced at $23 and The Lighthouse burger, which sells for $9, the choices are varied and far from overpriced.

Chef Ken McRae is at the helm at the nautical culinary beacon. In addition to his regular menu of steaks, chops, pasta and seafood, Chef McRae creates daily specials.

Our choices for dinner were the spinach and artichoke dip appetizer ($7); a 14-ounce New York strip steak ($21) and shrimp linguine pomodoro ($10).

My juicy steak, which definitely sizzled on the platter, got raves for its tenderness and flavor. While steaks here can be ordered Cajun-steak or blackened, they need no extra sauces or embellishments. The flavor stands on its own.

The linguine was also a good choice with a generous amount of shrimp and a mix of tomatoes, aged parmesan, extra-virgin olive oil, garlic and basil.

Entrees are served with two sides which include a choice of potato, coleslaw, house salad, chef's vegetables and more.

Among other items on The Lighthouse menu are BBQ pork ribs ($14 for half rack, $22 for full rack); yellow lake perch ($17); Philly steak sandwich ($9); four cheese macaroni ($10); and various cuts from the Lighthouse's "Prime Beef Locker."

Desserts include ice cream from Fair Oak's Dairy Farm ($3 for a trio); mini creme brulee ($3) and chocolate torte ($4).

The little ones aren't left out at the restaurant either. Items on the children's menu include steak and fries ($6); chicken tenders with fries ($5); and macaroni and cheese ($5).

The restaurant seats about 180 people, including the full-service bar.

A banquet area seats another 200 people.

Special activities such as culinary events and wine tastings are planned for the future while a pianist performs from 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Customers will easily feel they're dining at a cool seaside resort here. I sure did.

The opinions expressed are solely the writer's. Reach her at (219) 933-3365 or eloise.valadez@nwitimes.com.

The Lighthouse

WHEN: 4 to 10 p.m. Mondays to Thursdays; 4 to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 3 to 8 p.m. Sundays.

WHERE: 7501 Constitution Ave., Cedar Lake

FYI: (219) 374-WAVE (9283) or cedarlakelighthouse.com