The Wheel House - The Best Hand Cut French Fries in the County

The Wheelhouse - Order at the counter - dine in or take your food to go

The Wheelhouse - Order at the counter - dine in or take your food to go

My friend Lindsay Hanley (link to my interview with Lindsay) and I arrived at The Wheelhouse at 2:55 they close at 3:00 pm on Thursdays. (In our defense we couldn't remember if they closed at 3 or 4 o'clock on Thursdays, but we took a chance. I don't recommend doing this to tired restaurant staff who think they are about to go enjoy the rest of their day, but in this case it worked out well.) The Wheelhouse is following the latest model of ordering at the counter and then delivering your food to the table. Since labor costs can take down a eatery. it's a cash-flow business, wherever owners can save a little bit of cash they will. I don't mind ordering at the counter, if it means the restaurant can keep it's prices reasonably, pay it's staff a living wage and stay in business. Win-Win!

So... we arrive 5 minutes before closing and ask if it's too late to order food. Cheerfully Siobhan says it's fine and she'll be happy to take our order. I can see they are scrubbing down the flat grill she says, "they can clean it again." We both appreciated this customer service

The Wheelhouse on the Avenue of the Arts has outdoor seating.

The Wheelhouse on the Avenue of the Arts has outdoor seating.

The Wheel House is located at 5841 Sacramento Ave., Dunsmuir. Breakfast is served all a day and they serve North Bound Coffee Roasters ,  coffee that is roasted in Mount Shasta. They have an espresso bar, and have a nice selection of regional craft beers and wines. They recently expanded the restaurant next door into the old Brown Trout space. The Brown Trout is always remembered because you can see through the floor grate to the water that runs under the building.

The Wheelhouse Wings substituting chicken for the Seitan option tossed in spicy Buffalo Sauce, blue cheese dressing and crispy celery stalks.

The Wheelhouse Wings substituting chicken for the Seitan option tossed in spicy Buffalo Sauce, blue cheese dressing and crispy celery stalks.

I ordered a BLT with fries and Lindsay got the The Wheelhouse Wings substituting chicken for the Seitan option. The Wheelhouse fries are hand cut and the best fries in the county! Served with organic ketchup. The Wheelhouse is a favorite Lindsay and her fiance Martin for their vegetarian options that go beyond the token cheese sandwich and nut burger.

When we left The Wheelhouse we walk right next  door to The Dough Hook so I could check out the new bakery. Link here to my review of cupcakes and crusty bread

BLT with apple wood smoked bacon and hand cut French fries. Just the right amount of bread ratio to crispy lettuce, ripe tomato and mayo.

BLT with apple wood smoked bacon and hand cut French fries. Just the right amount of bread ratio to crispy lettuce, ripe tomato and mayo.

There is a lot to say about the uniqueness of the restaurant. It's got a quirky funky vibe being located in one of the old brick building in the historical railroad town of Dunsmuir. There is view is of the Union Pacific Railroad yard and expect to hear a train roll down the tracks. The flooring consists of well worn old wide plank wood and tall ceiling add to the sense of history. If walls could talk! The owners want this to be a place you can hang out and enjoy good food in a family friendly environment. I think they have achieved that vibe. The menu has something for everyone with vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options.

The Wheelhouse want you and your friends to have fun. They have two bookcases of games; one case is free the other you can "Pay to Play"