Category

Corner Highway 89 and Alpine Meadows Road, Tahoe City, CA 96145
(866) 991-9912 or (530) 583-4264

http://www.riverranchlodge.com/

Planning a romantic dinner? Like the sound of water? You might want to try River Ranch Lodge. It’s right on Truckee River and if you’re lucky enough, you can sit next to the river.

Salads: I’m not sure which they are, but I think the second might be the House Salad…

Pan Fried Crab Cakes ($12.95) - Dungeness crab with smoky aioli and micro greens.

Portobella Mushroom Napolean ($18.95) - Grilled marinated portabellas with mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, sauteed spinach and broiled tomatoes.

Sonoma Chicken ($19.95) - Half free-range chicken, pan roasted with caramelized onions and sherry, served on mashed potatoes with greens. The skin was nice and crispy. The meat was tender. The caramelized onions and sherry thickened just enough so that it reminded me of a buttery gravy. This doesn’t reheat well if you have leftovers.

Duck Two Ways ($26.95) - Half Maple Leaf Farms duck with pan roasted breast and confit leg. Served with a blackberry fumet.

As I was eating my chicken, I noticed that the couple next to me had ordered one of the specials… Jumbo Shrimp Pasta. I only noticed this because of the size of the shrimp. JUMBO! The largest shrimp that I’ve ever seen. I’ll be trying that next time

This restaurant is extremely popular during lunch hours. Pretty much everyone who goes river rafting ends up here, in their patio area. They offer the usual (burgers, wings, fries, sodas, etc) for less than their dinner prices.

8692 North Lake Blvd, Kings Beach, CA 96143
(530) 546-7109

Looking for a breakfast or brunch place? Want to try dishes that other restaurants usually don’t have? Well, you’ve come to the right place!

Cup of Granola with Milk - Kind of unsweetened blandness…

Lobster Scramble-In with a Croissant ($12.95) - OMG!!! This is incredibly delicious! I don’t know why, but lobster and eggs go great together. It reminded me of a dish that my mother makes, which is sort of like a shrimp quiche. This is the best dish that I’ve tried here. I think they used provolone cheese.

Cajun Shrimp Scramble-In with a Chocolate Chip Muffin ($12.95?) - I was a little disappointed that the cajun flavor kind of came and went. I was looking forward to more of a kick. I think the tiny shrimp are mixed in with cheddar cheese. The muffin was a little overcooked. The potatoes are the usual suspects, but with a little bit of onion mixed in.

This was my second visit. The first time, I ordered Monkey Madness ($3.95?). It was pretty good! I think they cooked sliced bananas in a pan with butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. A sweet treat, but definitely not a meal. I also had the Lobster Scramble-In with an Apple Cinnamon Muffin. The muffin was good. I think they offer a different muffin everyday.

Both times, I sat near the kitchen and I could practically hear every word the cooks were saying. This isn’t exactly fine dining, so I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised at the yelling due to a mix up in the kitchen. After a while, it became funny.

Aside from the kitchen antics, I would definitely try this place again. There were so many dishes that I wanted to try. There wasn’t a wait today, but there can be, especially during weekends and holidays. I don’t think they take reservations, but you can call ahead and place your name on their wait list.

907 Tahoe Blvd, Incline Village, NV
775-831-1000

www.bitetahoe.com

Want to try some upscale small plates? The plates really are SMALL and it doesn’t come cheap. It’ll probably take about 3 small plates per person to satisfy your hunger.

Petrale Sole with Double the Lemon Buerre Blanc and Huckleberries ($14) - Doesn’t look very appetizing does it? I don’t remember what the fish tasted like, but I do remember thinking that the huckleberries added a nice fruity taste that went well with the sole.

Grilled Chicken Sliders with Fearless Peanut Sauce ($9) - Very juicy, tasty sliders, but I couldn’t really taste the peanut sauce, which is what drew me to the sliders… so a little disappointing.

Tequila, Garlic Prawns with Cilantro Creme Fraiche ($13) - I’d say this was the best of the three. The prawns were expertly grilled and very delicious.

Happy Hour is offered every night from 5 to 6 pm and Happier Hour is from 10 pm to midnight (when you can also enjoy classic board games). These are probably the best times to go, so you can enjoy some specials on select dishes, wines, and beers.

3940 Lake Tahoe Blvd #3, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
530-541-FISH (3474)

http://www.thenakedfish.com/

It has been disappointing to learn that several restaurants in the Lake Tahoe area do not offer their Happy Hour specials during the summer… but not The Naked Fish! Come Monday through Thursday (excluding holidays) from 5 to 6:30 pm.

Happy Hour Handrolls ($2.50 each)

911 - Spicy tuna, cucumber, and spicy tobiko.
Shrimp Tempura - There was an interesting dark sauce poured onto the shrimp tempura.
Shrimp & Avocado - I thought the slice of avocado was actually too much… or maybe there should be more shrimp!

California Roll (HH $3.75, regularly $5.75) - Shredded crab and avocado. This is pretty much offered at every sushi restaurant, but this was the best that I’ve had. It’s usually kind of dry at other restaurants, but at the Naked Fish, the crab (or should I say Krab?) was moist… almost creamy… like melt in your mouth good… I like it plain, without soy sauce.

Mermaid Roll ($6.95) - Yellow Tail and mango.

Adam’s Leaf ($6.95) - Yellow Tail with Dynamite Sauce sandwiched between Shiso leaves, deep fried, and served with Ponzu Sauce.

High Roller ($12-15?) - It’s basically the California Roll topped with salmon, eel teriyaki sauce, and Dynamite Sauce.

Beware of the small parking lot. Also, try to come early because they are busy! I saw this restaurant on an episode of Rachael Ray’s Tasty Travels and it did not disappoint. While sitting inside, it occurred to me how different the atmosphere was from the lazy summer days of Lake Tahoe. The restaurant reminds me of a trendy place-to-be in San Diego. Our waiter was super friendly. You can tell that he enjoys what he does.

760 North Lake Blvd, Tahoe City, CA 96145
530-583-0358

www.SolyLago.com

Enjoy some chips and salsa while you wait for your dinner…

Ceviche ($10) - First of all, I was surprised at the bountiful amount of shrimp that was hidden underneath the red onion, avocado, tomato, cilantro, and wedge of lime. This was delicious with the lime.

Chicken Mole with green beans and some kind of squash ($18) - I wasn’t too thrilled with the jasmine rice. It tasted like vinegar. The chicken was a little dry and I didn’t like the chocolate mole sauce. I couldn’t taste the chocolate. I guess I was expecting something else…

Enchilada con Pollo ($14) - I enjoyed the moist and tender chicken enchiladas. The three enchiladas were stuffed with chicken, salsa roja, beans, rice, and topped with queso Oaxaca. There was more than enough for me. I couldn’t even finish two enchiladas.

I wouldn’t recommend sitting outside. Little things were blowing all around. Instead, ask for a table near the window to enjoy the view of the lake and the docked boats. The staff was nice.