Daniel Tosh, Andy Samberg, Bobby Flay, Jerry Brown and other notables enjoy dining in our region

When he was governor the first time around, Jerry Brown and singer Linda Ronstadt would eat at the Willo Steakhouse, a Nevada County institution on State Highway 49. The Willo has served more than 1 million choice New York Steaks, carefully aged and cut daily.

Comedian Andy Samberg also is a regular visitor to our region. Andy married Joanna Newsom of Nevada City last year. The newlyweds from Hollywood enjoyed Thanksgiving with friends and family in Nevada City.

The late Robin Williams had strong ties to North Lake Tahoe. “Aside from skiing, Williams also enjoyed dining out locally with family and friends,” as Squaw Valley Times owner Bill Jensen wrote this summer. “He was a regular customer at Wolfdale’s in Tahoe City and became close with owner/chef Douglas Dale.

“He started coming in about 20 years ago,” Dale told Jensen. “He liked to dine, he liked his food, he liked his wine. I once served him a roasted, stuffed pheasant breast and that became his favorite.”

This week comedian Daniel Tosh, who hosts the Comedy Central television show Tosh.O, enjoyed breakfast at the Squeeze In in Truckee. Tosh is performing on the South Shore this weekend.

In 2010 the Squeeze In was selected to be featured on “Throwdown with Bobby Flay” on the Food Network. The family owned restaurant was honored and humbled when world renowned celebrity Iron Chef Bobby Flay visited their restaurant and said they were “the nicest competitor in the history of Throwdown.”

For its part, Nevada County is hosting its first restaurant week January 23-February 1. Nevada County Tourism and GoNevadaCounty.com, the official tourism website of Nevada County, in partnership with the Grass Valley Downtown Association, Greater Grass Valley Chamber, Nevada City Chamber, Penn Valley Area Chamber, South Nevada County Chamber, Truckee Donner Chamber and Sierra FoodWineArt magazine, are sponsors.

The event will be held in conjunction with Visit California’s statewide California Restaurant Month. During Nevada County Restaurant Week (Friday, January 23 to Sunday, February 1), restaurants located throughout the County will be offering “deals,” specials and prix-fixe menus enticing local “foodies” as well as visitors to come and experience a new restaurant, one of your favorites or both.

“As the top U.S. destination for culinary travel and one of the leading agricultural producers in the country, there is a vast array of culinary experiences to be found in California. There’s no better time to visit than during January’s California Restaurant Month, when this special program treats visitors to offers they won’t see any other time of the year,” says Caroline Beteta, Visit California president and CEO.