Last January, a global street-food eatery opened inside the Juneau taproom of Forbidden Peak Brewery. Founded by chef Lionel Udippa, Red Spruce AK offers a robust and flavorful rotating seasonal menu featuring a range of tastes and cuisines.
When the coronavirus pandemic hit, Uddipa and his close-knit team had to roll up their sleeves and rework their menu. Instead of creating their usual smaller portions, COVID-19 pushed them to create family-sized meals. The summer menu has “Beer Food,” including Hey-Ha Thai Party Wings, a Bavarian Pretzel, an Alaskan Salmon Burger, and more to complement a cold beverage. These flavor-packed small bites are rounded out by mouthwatering Coconut Glazed Street Corn, Red Spruce Pad Thai, and street-food options created with local and seasonal ingredients.
Red Spruce utilized eco-friendly disposable tableware to keep employees safe and a counter-service window for guests to place orders. In addition to car-side delivery, these efforts allowed Uddipa to align Red Spruce’s operation with local and state mandates. Without the anticipated tourism, Juneau’s tight-knit local community has been so important to the Red Spruce team. Heading into the fall season, Red Spruce will again shift the menu to align with the seasons and delight discerning eaters.
The ups and downs of the pandemic mean Red Spruce’s first year in business has panned out much differently than imagined. Uddipa is thankful that their supportive community, appreciative and understanding of precautionary efforts, has enabled Red Spruce to maneuver deftly enough to keep their footing. He credits his talented chef and the entire Red Spruce team for their positive energy, creativity, and passion brought to their craft. Look for Red Spruce’s bursts of flavor and culinary innovation served safely through the months to come.
Red Spruce is located inside Forbidden Peak Brewery at 11798 Glacier Highway, Suite 9 in Juneau, Alaska. Connect with the team and peruse menu updates on the Red Spruce AK Facebook page.
This profile is part of our web series sponsored by the Alaska Small Business Development Center. Read the rest of the series.
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