T to Zed
A Trip to Tahoe and Back
Tis the season to be snowboarding and skiing. And for San Franciscans, that means road trips to Tahoe a plenty. For us the big question always is where to eat? You may well accuse us of thinking too much of our bellies, but believe us, after all that energy expended on the slopes, we always feel like we deserve a hearty meal. We thought we'd share a few of our finds in the hope that our readers have a few Tahoe travel gems to share too.
Before we even hit the slopes, there is the journey to think of. From the Bay Area, there is along drive ahead. If you handle it in less than four hours then you must be related to a racing-driver-wannabe Frenchman we know. After a gazillion journies to and from Tahoe, we have come to rely upon Davis as the best place enroute to stop for some chow.
Find out the why after the jump...
Ignore the calls of roadside giants like Taco Bell, Mcdonalds and Jack-in-the-Box. Instead, exit here for downtown Davis:
Davis is a bustling little University with a distinct town centre packed full of decent places to eat stuff. You will find variety too - Thai, Indian Chaat, Bagels, Spanish, Bistro, Mexican, Pizza and Crepes are all represented. As long as you aren't expecting anything too swanky, Davis will provide just about whatever takes your fancy.
Last year we tested out the Chef's Market but were none to impressed, so this time through we opted new spot in town, Bistro 33.
The place was busy, with waits for tables, so we asked if we could sit at the bar. We didn't want to take too long as we'd left one of our party snoozing in the car. You couldn't find friendlier staff anywhere and we immediately felt welcomed and attended to. The menu has a wide range of options catering to different tastes. We both chose pizza. The little pies arrived fast from the wood-fired oven and although they were nothing revolutionary, they tasted good enough and hit the right spot.
Another Davis eaterie we are fond of, just off of the 80, and opposite the far less imaginative In and Out, is Redrum Burger, formerly known as Murder Burger. The menu, quite adventurous for such a small shack, caters well for vegetarians, carries Italian soda syrup and even has options for the more health conscious burger-eater:
To our taste Redrum's regular beef burger is delicious and tasty, especially when topped with mushrooms and cheese. The ostrich version has less flavour but is perfectly palatable nonetheless. Davis must have first dibs on all the friendly genes in the world, this is another place where the staff go out of their way to make you feel welcome. Give it a try next time!
Another place we sometimes like to stop, on the way home from Tahoe, especially if the journey is gruelling and long, and we are gasping for refreshment before we are even in sight of Davis, is Umisaka Sushi in Rocklin. There is something quite virtuous about eating Sushi after a trip to the slopes and a bowl of Miso is always a good way to warm up after driving through the snowy mountains.
Conversely, we can do little to recommend the nearby Cattlebarons in Penryn, and suggest you avoid it like the plague unless a fondue of 'plastic' cheese is your idea of a satisfying meal.
When it comes to Tahoe itself, once we are ensconced in a cabin full of old friends and new, we usually find that home cooking is more cost effective, fun and easier to organise than dining out in large groups. With superstores like Raley's in Incline Village, providing every ingredient we could hope for, including aisles full of organic-friendly and gluten-free food, it isn't too difficult to whip up a good meal without having to dine out. If you are fussy about what kind of cheese goes into your fondue, however, you would do well to bring up the fancy foreign stuff with you from a cheese shop in town.
Having said that, if we ever find ourselves down on the South Shore we usually make sure to stop by the charming, if a little olde-fashioned, Swiss Chalet. It always comes in handy as an alternative if you forget to bring that stash of Emmental, Gruyere, and Appenzeller with you to the mountains!
Do you have any favourite spots on the way to, or in Tahoe?
Let us know in the comments...
Further Reading and Map Links:
A guide to eating at North Tahoe Lodges by SFgate.
Chef's Market, 117 E St, Davis (530)756-6888
Bistro 33, 226 F St. Davis, CA 530.756-4556.
Redrum Burger, 978 Olive Dr, Davis, (530) 756-2142
Umisaka Sushi, 4210 Rocklin Rd, Rocklin, (916) 632-1276
Cattle Baron's Cafe, 3129 Penryn Rd , Loomis, (916) 652-7262
Raley's, 930 Tahoe Blvd, Incline Village, NV, (775) 831-3111
The Swiss Chalet, 2544 Lake Tahoe Blvd, South Lake Tahoe, 530 544 3304