Chef Scott Burns has made it a priority to serve local, seasonal, and (most importantly) tasty food. Having worked at Nakoma for about a year and a half, he has incorporated ingredients from the spring/summer farmers’ market in Quincy and even food from the area’s Featherview Food Co-op. Because Burns is passionate about using what’s available around him, and wasting little (if anything), the menu changes regularly. In the summer, he may serve up a tasty Caprese salad with fresh tomatoes and peppers, and in fall, he loves creating an elk medallion dish with butternut squash.
“There’s a wide spectrum of taste being catered to here [at Nakoma],” Burns says.
Because guests come to Nakoma from near and far for a round of golf, mountain biking, or even for the spa amenities, he tried to leave the menu open enough so anyone may find a dish with which they’ll be satisfied. Burns also customizes menus for groups members where they may be heading for a several-hour hike and need a picnic lunch.
California’s diverse agriculture allows Burns to be creative with his menu. California has a variety of climate zones (desert, mountain, and typically lush farm land) so that farmers are able to grow nearly anything. Burns claims that this alone makes it a lot easier to source food within 100 miles of the resort.
Menu offerings include breakfast, lunch, and dinner. With everything from eggs Benedict and a vegetable omelet to the chicken Caesar wrap and smoked duck leg wonton tacos, guests are sure to find a fish appealing to their palate. Dan Gallagher, Nakoma’s general manager, loves the filet mignon with porcini mushroom compound butter, drizzled with a red wine reduction. And for dessert, he likes the banana bread pudding with strawberry compote.
I recently visited Wigwam at Nakoma and had the grilled vegetable Napolean over grilled polenta with basil oil and a balsamic reduction. The dish was rich and satisfying (especially for not having meat in it) but light enough to eat the entire portion.
Menu items at the Wigwam restaurant include a wide variety of fare, including steak, potatoes, and much more.
In the midst of food and fun at Nakoma, voyagers also can drive into the Quincy and Portola area, less than 30 minutes away for craft beer from The Brewing Lair in Blairsden, a nice hike and later, an upscale dinner at Cuccia’s Italian restaurant in Graeagle or Longboards Bar & Grill in Blairsden.
Nakoma Resort • 348 Bear Run, Clio • 877-462-5662
