Lefty’s Fry House: Fish & chips, beignets and more

LEFTY’S GRILL CELEBRATES ITS 10TH anniversary in the New Year, and its owners are expanding with a “Fry House,” featuring the restaurant’s signature fish and chips and imaginative new dishes.

In 2008, two left-handed chefs, John Cammack and Chris Duncan, opened Lefty’s in historic Nevada City. The restaurant drew a loyal following for “casual, white tablecloth dining,” including burgers, award-winning pizzas, creative entrees and fresh salads.

Five years later, Lefty’s outgrew its space and moved to 101 Broad Street, with views of gurgling Deer Creek. The space, double the size of its original location, included a stylish dining room and patio, and upstairs bar area with flat-screen TVs.

Last year, Lefty’s achieved a new mile- stone: it began serving “the perfect cocktail” to go with its food (AKA “the perfect bite.”) It also opened a new, 1,100 sq.-ft. street-level dining room decorated Art Deco style.

Now the owners are expanding again — this time opening Lefty’s Fry House in Grass Valley this spring. The casual eatery will be located in a shopping center at East Main St. and Hughes Rd., next to Sierra Cinemas. Future plans call for multiple locations in the region, Cammack told us.

The menu will feature Lefty’s signature fish and chips, falafel and new dishes such as sandwiches on naan bread, fresh salads, and beignets tossed in powdered sugar. It will feature beer from ol’ Republic Brewery.

Lefty’s Fry House will seat 32 people inside and the owners hope to add outdoor seating in the summer. It also will promote
“to go” dining that includes online ordering, a growing trend. Summer Thyme’s Bakery & Deli, another popular local restaurant, has been successful with its own online ordering system.

Last winter, Deer Creek rose up and flooded Lefty’s downstairs dining room as well as its kitchen. With the help and support of the community, the restaurant was able to reopen.