edible notables
TACO TIME
Wednesday nights belong to Sunnyside this winter.
WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY JULIA MUELLER
Taco Wednesday at Sunnyside Restaurant & Lodge has been a popular pastime for nearly 20 years. Running only in the winter, from 4 to 9 p.m. every Wednesday through April, taco night features a packed house fresh off the slopes, enjoying the Mexican specialty for an attractive price. Fish tacos (mahi mahi usually, but sometimes ono or bass) are half-price (one large taco usually is $9.50) and come in three varieties: Cajun-seasoned, grilled, and beer-battered. They are served with fresh cabbage, diced tomatoes, a creamy cilantro-jalapeño ranch sauce, and a choice of flour or corn tortilla. Diners also can add a $3 draft beer.
Arriving hungry and ordering one of each is the general recommendation. But light eaters beware: There is no such thing as a puny taco at the more than 25-year-old West Shore staple. Each taco includes a generous entrée-sized fish steak. The special event creates a hustle and bustle in an otherwise quiet hamlet.
If there is a season to be excited about, it is Taco Wednesday season. But the appeal doesn’t end with affordable tacos and breathtaking scenery. Sunnyside also hosts raffles on taco nights to raise money for nonprofit organizations. About $5,000 may be raised on a single night. Prizes include skis, snowboards, and other goodies. That’s why Sunnyside serves upwards of 1,000 fish tacos on any given Wednesday during taco season.
Sunnyside’s manager, Jeff Hill, proudly explains that Kanaloa Seafood in Santa Barbara, a sustainable, no-net operation that promotes eco-friendly, humane fishing, supplies Sunnyside’s fish.
“Sunnyside is hyper-conscientious of the fish we use,” Hill says, “because the company that owns Sunnyside (TS Restaurants) also owns 12 other restaurants all located at the ocean. We pride ourselves on doing right by sea creatures.”
Julia Mueller was raised in Incline Village and has a master’s degree in finance from the University of Nevada, Reno. She is passionate about nutritious food and photography, and writes a food blog (http://www.Roastedrootfood.com) where she shares nutritious recipes. She loves mountain biking, running, and snowboarding, and enjoys sharing great food and beer with friends.
RESOURCES
Sunnyside Restaurant & Lodge
1850 W. Lake Blvd., Tahoe City
530-583-7200, http://www.Sunnysideresort.com
