Tips for Dining, Eating and Food Shopping in California (exc. LA, SF Bay Area, San Diego)
Start New ThreadI am looking for a recommendation of a really good restaurant for dinner in the Tahoe City/Truckee area. We are an older couple (from NYC) interested in the best food we can find. We appreciate all the posts on good burgers, bars, views, etc. but that is not what we are looking for. Headed there next week; do not care about a view or where to be seen. Have car/will travel.
By moosic
on Jan 3, 2011 01:04 PM
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Waiting to hear what others will recommend, but I have heard good things about Plump Jack's in Squaw Valley. Stay away from Bacchi's in Lake Forest near Tahoe City - old, venerable and quite awful. Sunnyside is low-key and fun for more locals and has gone upscale with its menu. Look for restaurants on the way to Emerald Bay for the more off the beaten path ones catering to more exclusive Tahoe residents than in downtown or Truckee.
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Bacchi's
2905 Lake Forest Rd, Lake Forest, CA 92630
Sunnyside
1850 West Lake Blvd, Tahoe City, CA 96145
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"...Waiting to hear what others will recommend..."
Wise words glbtrtr, things seem to change rapidly in this tourist oriented resort area. I would advise searching this board for location names (Truckee, Kings Beach, Incline, etc) and add Reverend Andy or coliver to your search. The former a frequent well versed visitor and the latter a local. Look at the more recent posts, quite a few over the past 6 mos, iirc. Happy chowing, and please report back.
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I see the Pfeiferhouse in Tahoe City is still open. That was as exotic and upscale as thing got back in the 1960's when I was working up there. I thought it had closed but was happy to still find it in a search of this area. http://pfeiferhouse.com/dinner-menu.html So for an enduring bit of Tahoe City history, this is a charming choice for a traditional menu, but not necessarily fine dining.
I do know the Truckee restaurant scene vastly improved over the years but don't know if it is still holding its own today.
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PolarBear, I take exception to the label frequent visitor. I live half the year in Incline Village.
That being said, I recommend Moody's Bistro in Truckee, Manzanita at the Ritz Carlton NorthStar, Plumpjack in Squaw Valley, and Wild Goose in Tahoe Vista. If you want cutting edge Nobu style sushi, Mamasake in Northstar is terrific.
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Mamasake
1850 Village South Road, Olympic Valley, CA 96146
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ReverandAndy, OP has car, will travel and wants the best food at any cost. What happened to your oft repeated recommendation for Big Water Grille in Incline?
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Their terrific chef left a year ago. The menu was dumbed down this summer. It's still a nice spot, good place for drinks and apps, but not one of my favorites. Jackrabbit Moon is doing more interesting things in Incline. Le Bistro is always dependable for very good fairly priced French.
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That's good to know, thank you.
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Rev, I'd say your recs are more valid than mine ANY day. You get out more than we do. Hurry back.
Looking here for inspiration for lunch today with daughter visiting for the weekend. I do love Moodys but haven't been t their place at Northstar - can't remember the name.
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Cath, Baxter's is Moody's sister at Northstar. It's very good. We were at Sunnyside a few times this summer and I don't recall the menu being "upscale". Prices are probably higher than they were a few years ago but it's still a casual lunch with sandwiches and a great location on the water.
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Sunnyside
1850 West Lake Blvd, Tahoe City, CA 96145
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We went to Moodys which never disappoints. The three of us shared ahi four way, steak tartare (a HUGE portin), housemade charcuterie and 'crab toast' which was a thick slice of focaccia toasted and topped with a big amount of Dungeness crab. And a bottle of Viognier. And now I'm having a nap :) Gotta make it to Baxters some day. BTW, it's too warm here. Need snow. Best, C
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Forgot to mention. I asked server if Sir Paul (McCartney) was stiil coming in when in the area. She said yes. The last time he just jumped up on the stage and started playing with the jazz group. Then joined his party for dinner. That's the kind of enticement you can't buy at any price. :)
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Reverend-is Wild Goose open to the public? For a while there it seemed that it was a private dining location. Did this change (I've had a hankering to eat there for years...)
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I don't think it's private, but you may have to wait until May 25
http://www.wildgoosetahoe.com/about/
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Arty,
Wild Goose reopened to the public at least a year ago and the food is terrific. However, enbell is correct and they are closed till May 25. In that price range my next choice would be Manzanita at the Northstar Ritz.
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Thanks to you both. I look forward to trying it. Was it open during the winter and is now going on a hiatus until summer? Or is it a summer only venue? We are usually ion the North shore only in the winter-but could make the trek from the South this summer if that's our only opportunity.
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I haven't been to Sunnyside and didn't realize that there menu had "gone upscale." That's too bad IMO.
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Sunnyside
1850 West Lake Blvd, Tahoe City, CA 96145
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Uhh, ......my own reference was going back to the 1960s when Sunnyside was down and dirty and a place of unsavory reputation and mysterious intrigue for us college girls working up there in the summers -- the boat guys hung out there. So going upscale was only a personal reference back to its more raucous days decades past. I should have dated my reference. Mea culpa.
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Sunnyside
1850 West Lake Blvd, Tahoe City, CA 96145
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Oh good. It's always been that ubiquitous "California Casual."
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Moody's in Truckee is very good.
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Moody's
10007 Bridge St., Truckee, CA 96161
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Moody's in Truckee is always excellent, especially if you get my friend Justin as your server! I also really like Pianeta and Dragonfly, and actually Cottonwood is one of my personal favorites but since they offer a view of the twinkling lights below of town, and you can usually find a fun vibe in the bar on Friday nights, maybe that's not what you're looking for. Another high end option in Truckee to check out is Stella at the Cedar House Sport Hotel. I have heard really great things about this sort of newly opened, semi-private dining room where you get an intimate experience with the chef and all the food is prepared in a wood fired oven. That's my two cents! Truckee is awesome! I hope you'll come! i also would not recommend the Pfiefer House which is mentioned above as being quite good in the 60s. I would not take out of town guests there.
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Welcome to the board, LT, and thanks for letting us know these old standby's are still chow worth.
Cheers,
Dave
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Ooohh - I second Moody's and Dragonfly in Truckee - both outstanding. Can anyone say yay or nay for Tracey De Jardin's Manzanita Restaurant at the Ritz Carlton, Northstar?
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I love Manzanita, which I recommended in an earlier post on this thread.
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We had a great meal at Pianeta, an Italian restaurant in Truckee. Here's the website: http://www.pianetarestaurant.com/
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Too bad OP didn't report back. I also want to point out to visitors that it's quite a drive from Tahoe City to Truckee. You'd definitely need a car (well, you almost always need a car here) and if you were inclined to drink a tad too much, it's a dark and winding road. Stay safe.
ETA: Rev, are you back yet?
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