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The Lighthouse Restaurant, slated to open on April 6, 2009, features two floors for a combined total of 11,600 square feet. The first floor is a full-service restaurant with seating for up to 200 and bar; the second floor is a banquet facility for weddings, showers, birthdays, and corporate events, equipped with a wood dance floor surrounded by windows. The design of the two floors gives guests on each floor the ultimate in privacy with exceptionally sound-proofed construction.
Chef Ken McRae comes to the Lighthouse Restaurant with more than 25 years of culinary experience. He says his menu consists of only the freshest ingredients and bold flavors. "We offer steaks, fresh seafood, pastas. We have sea bass, salmon, along with yellow lake perch and feature weekly market specials. All of our soups are homemade. We have a soup of the day and a French onion and a cream of potato," says McRae. But the steaks are the signature dish‹something that cannot be duplicated anywhere in Northwest Indiana "We cook all steaks on high-temperature broilers at 1300 degrees.
This sears the outside right away and keeps the juices in. You really get the natural flavor of the meat. We serve our steaks on 500 degree plates which is where the sizzle comes from, served with a little clarified butter on top," McRae says. The result is flavor. "It's bold, American cuisine.
It's a lot of bang for your buck," he says. The menu rounds out with fresh salads, hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, and Philly steak sandwiches especially for boaters.
The bar at The Lighthouse is also unlike anything else in the region, playing off of the theme of the lake, luring boaters to dock up outside and head on in to imbibe inside. "It's a 1961 Century boat that we brought in from South Carolina and a cabinet maker turned it into a bar with all of the original hardware and nautical hinges and equipment around," says Phil Holub, general manager of The Lighthouse with over 17 years experience managing restaurants. He says the lake is the perfect complement to the restaurant. "We provide service to people guests who travel in, and to guests on the lake. People can call in and order two steak dinners and a bottle of wine and come get it on their boat. We have 120 foot pier for docking and if you live on the lake, there's no reason to get in your car and go somewhere," he says. The restaurant is designed with interior spaces that provide harmony with the exterior. Patios wrap around the windows, perfect for a glass of wine as the sun sets. A mural on the south wall of the restaurant displays one-of-a-kind art. Piano music on Friday and Saturday nights gives a touch of ambiance to the sparkling waters outside.
Upstairs, the banquet facility is gorgeous and lively. Banquet Manager Dana Schane, with over 25 years of event experience, says the venue can be divided into two sections to accommodate all group sizes. "I don't think anyone in South Lake County has this kind of picturesque view. You can watch the boaters go by as you are dining at your wedding or class reunion. We can accommodate all needs and work with our clients. We can help people manage their moments and can help customize events," says Schane. The facility includes all tables and chairs for events and the downstairs can also be rented for parties.
The Lighthouse Restaurant is truly a destination for weddings, says Bill Wellman, senior vice president at WhiteCo which is heading up the entire project. "Our first wedding is booked for February 28, 2009 and that will be the first event in our building, so we will book up fast after that," he says. "We want brides to come out and take a look at our unique property because there are a number of different things we can do to make weddings extraordinary and exceptional. We can have the marriage ceremony on a boat on the lake and then have the boat arrive at the restaurant's dock where the reception will then take place inside. We can have a white carriage driven by a white horse bring the bride and groom to the reception down Constitution Avenue where we are located. We have a gazebo next door at the park that can be used, weather permitting, for outdoor weddings. If we have large wedding parties that exceed the capacity of the restaurant we can set up an air conditioned tent on the property outside. Brides just need to call quickly to take a look at all we have to offer because dates are going fast," says Wellman.
The Lighthouse Restaurant is the result of years of vision and planning, bringing to residents of Northwest Indiana an enhancement of the beauty of Cedar Lake. "It's a destination for incredible food and superior service in an immaculate environment that's full of fun and friendly people," says Holub.
Paradise Cove
www.myparadisecove.com
Adjacent to The Lighthouse Restaurant is a 20-acre parcel that will contain condominium units for lakeside living and resort lifestyle on Cedar Lake.
Peter Ruffing, a representative of WPN who is building the community, says Paradise Cove is "a continuation of the success that the condominiums at Sunset Harbor brought to Cedar Lake," which were also built by the same group.
"Most of our residents will come from 45 minutes away or less and for 80% of our owners, this will be their second home, a summer getaway," says Ruffing.
The benefit is all of the amenities of other, more expensive locations without the cost or the travel. "Owners will have far greater access than other lakes in Northwest Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin," he says.
"Because it is a summer home, our owners wanted smaller square footage, and so we offer one and two bedroom units at a lower price point." The property will also offer paired ranch cottages, "to capture the feel you see in resort towns. These are very dynamic, quaint products with great curb appeal and are very functional and livable," says Ruffing.
The amenities of Paradise Cove are endless. "The property will have multiple swimming pools for owners who bring in family and friends for a weekend stay and they won't get too crowded. It will be a family gathering spot. And Cedar Lake offers all water sports and a real call to nature. We also plan a workout room with a social center. But one of the biggest amenities of Paradise Cove is the easy walk to the new Lighthouse Restaurant. It's going to feel like a resort destination more than any other place in Northwest Indiana," says Ruffing.
Presales of Paradise Cove will begin this spring. Registration for information can be found at www.myparadisecove.com as dates for the development are announced.