E.T. Barnette, the founder of Fairbanks, got booted off the riverboat “Lavelle Young” and, with no other place to go, founded the town. The large, sleek dining room, in the base of the Marriott SpringHill Suites, is named for that ship, and it, too, has precious cargo: it was the first to bring sophisticated urban dining to Fairbanks. In the mode of Alaska’s best restaurants, the cuisine is eclectic, with Italian, Southwestern, Asian, and French influences. So that might mean a bourbon shrimp with fondue dish, a complex meatloaf (with 25 ingredients!) or a fab salad with toasted goat cheese. Despite the quality, you can dine economically as well as grandly, and that goes for Wednesdays especially, when wine flights are discounted.