Bacchis-Tahoe City- A MUST GO!
Will add a full post about our entire trip, but the Wife and I were in LT from 4/5 to 4/10, and I had to post about a place we found that to us is a must visit. The resto. is called Bacchi's in Tahoe City, CA.
We had been to Big Water Grille and a couple other places that were highly recommended, and were just in the mood for simple Italian. A Google search revealed Bacchi's and we said what the hell. Are we glad we did.
A word of forewarning: if you are looking for a beautiful lake view in the sunset with the mountains in the background, Bacchi's is not your place. You must drive through a small residential area off the main highway to get there, and it is in a woodsy area, slightly commercial/industrial next to an auto repair shop. Trust me, you are not there for the outside view.
The place has been there for a long time, and looks it. There is rustic paneling and an old style vinyl-edged bar in the front, with some photos. What caught my attention was a personal letter on the wall from the head of the 1960 Italian Winter Olympic team thanking them for their hospitality and praising the food. Old-time speakers played quiet music (in fact, if memory serves me, it was the soundtrack to the Godfather).
There were only a few of us in the place at 7 p.m. and it stayed relatively quiet (I am told early April is slow season in Tahoe). We were quickly welcomed by a great server who was friendly and accomodating the whole time. We were never rushed, nor was the wait too long for anything. We ordered a Tuscan red, and the server initially thought they did not have it. Before going back, he suggested three other reds to consider if they were out of what we wanted- we know wine pretty well, and he would have been right on the mark with any of the three. BTW- the wine list is HUGE.
The menu is totally traditional Italian, from the spaghetti and meatballs to the sweetbreads to the pasta and chicken livers. You name the Italian dish- they had it.
First, they bring you a tourine of homemade minestrone, with warm bread. There was more than enough in there for 4, and it rocked. Then you get a small communal salad with antipasto sides to add (chick peas, pickled beets, salami, etc.). I had the spaghetti/ravioli combo. with meatballs, and my Wife had veal parmagiana. Both were freshly made, including the pasta, and the sauce was the best (as my father would have said, good gravy).
To top it off, they had a wonderful dessert menu. We were both pretty full, but they serve spumoni, and I can never get that in Ohio. It was great, and cut right through the bloat from the meal.
When the server came back after dinner and asked how it was, I told him to please compliment the preparers that it was one of the finest Italian meals I'd ever had. He smiled and said- you're looking at him, and thank you.
I've gone on long enough, but I cannot recommend this place enough. From the great service to the food to the varied menu, you can't go wrong. We were out of there for $115.00, including tip, dessert and a $33.00 bottle of wine. Well worth every penny.
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Been going to Bacchi's in Lake Forest for over 50 years, and while accurately described and happy to know little about it has changed, I would never consider it more than just a food place; never as a dining spot. It is a relief from the yuppie glitz that infects too much of Lake Tahoe these days, I will grant it this.
›2 Replies-
re: glbtrtr
janetofreno
Apr 21, 2008 09:59 PM
Can you give me a better idea of where it is and if its open for lunch? I'm thinking my Japanese visitors next month might like something homey like that when we visit Tahoe. Besides, DH is always on the lookout for good spumoni :-)
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