Food, Glorious Food: What’s new in our region

PINE STREET BURGERS
This all-natural burger restaurant has opened in Grass Valley, and it’s one of the best burgers in the region. (We eat them all: at Burger Me in Truckee and Reno, Lefty’s Grill, Ike’s and Matteo’s Public in Nevada City, and Dine N Dash Cafe in Colfax, among others).

Pine Street Burgers are made with Durham Ranch Natural Beef, and Max’s artisan buns. We like the Smoldering Pine Burger, with bacon, chipotles, grilled onions, mushrooms and Swiss cheese. Other menu items include creative hot dogs (Caspers Famous is the brand), along with wraps, fresh salads and milk shakes (made with Dryer’s ice cream) and homemade natural sodas.

TREATS
Treats of Nevada City is a year-round stop for us. This fall, you can enjoy artisan pumpkin, eggnog and peppermint ice cream (using crushed candy canes).

During Nevada City’s First Friday Art Walk, York Street (where Treats is located) is closed to motorized vehicles and it becomes a pedestrian friendly block.

LEFTY’S GRILL
Lefty’s Grill expanded earlier this year in Nevada City, to a handsomely decorated spot on Deer Creek. Business is booming, thanks to its innovative daily specials, entrees, award-winning pizzas, unique burgers and sandwiches and more—all made from scratch. Try the butternut squash tortellini, among others dishes. On October 16, Lefty’s will join with ‘ol Republic Brewery for a food-and-beermaker dinner.

SORENSEN’S RESORT
In the Hope Valley, Sorensen’s Resort offers a Thanksgiving feast and Christmas Eve dinner next to the fireplace in its cozy dining room. Guests can return from a fall colors hike to complimentary hot cocoa, tea and coffee. Its cafe specializes in beef burgundy stew, garden-fresh salads, homemade quiche, fish and steak.

THREE FORKS BAKERY & BREWING
A brewpub with a brewery, wood-fired pizza oven and bakery is planned for downtown Nevada City as early as next spring, in the same block as the Nevada City Farmers Market.

CAROLINES GIFT BASKETS
Carolines has been creating gourmet gift baskets for more than 20 years. They are stuffed full of gourmet foods and other unique items and make a perfect holiday gift.

The “California-made” basket, for example, features Carolines coffee, Carolines tea, local Loomis jam, local honey, almonds, hand-crafted chocolate bar and California olive oil.

They also have a Christmas Coffee, sold between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee, roasted to order. (We drink Carolines every morning).