SigMT

74 | SignatureMT BELOW: While they do get a few tourists, it's mostly locals that line up around meal time. And the Hot Slaw side dish is a bit of a local legend, as is the old bear trap that greets you as you walk through the front door. RIGHT: "We try to serve really large portions and we try to keep prices absolutely as far down as we can," says Ted Beck. Grocery in the front while her family lived in the back. Like most growing up in a small commu- nity she had many duties, from helping with the store to filling in on drums with the family band. At age nine, she forged a friendship with Western author Ivan Doig who lived nearby, exchanging leers for many years. Vicki's family eventually sold the building and moved, but her roots were set. Some 50 years later she bought the building back, ready to remodel. e restaurant feels distinctly Montanan, built of barn wood, leather and tin, but it blends the rustic with a modern sentiment. ey cater to the locals, rather than the tourists, supporting the community that supports them. "We thought we would be lucky to sell ten hamburgers a week," says Vicki's husband Ted of their opening. Last year, they went through 4,500 pounds of ground beef and 8,500 pounds of prime rib, nearly "four and a quarter ton" as he puts it. "ere's a lot of carnivores around here," Vicki adds with a smile. Tall, ten-ounce burgers and hand-cut fries keep people coming back for lunch, but dinner is the main draw. And, nothing packs them in more than the Prime Rib. Perfectly pink with rich, roasted flavor, if the words tender and juicy mean anything to you, this is the hunk of meat your mouth wants. Served as a thick slab, it fills the air with its succulent scent while dripping juices all over your plate. "ese guys are farmers and ranchers, and you beer offer them a big piece of meat," says Vicki. "ey don't want tofu. ey don't want bagels with lox," she jokes. While Prime Rib reigns supreme for many, it's not the undisputed king of meats. e Black and Blue Sirloin makes for a bolder choice. It's a leaner cut with bigger beef flavor that begs for the pungent punch of the creamy blue cheese on top. Some say beef only needs salt and pepper. Ignore that nonsense, because blue cheese makes everything beer. e Chicken Fried Steak with mashed potatoes is another country classic. e crispy, golden-brown breading on the steak plays well with the light, pillowy mashed potatoes. Like comfort food done right, both come smothered in white peppered gravy. e Hot Slaw is a recipe rumored to have begun in a bar in Highwood before gaining a

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