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Fresh Ketch
 It
was our third anniversary, and my husband Doug and I were
excited about our trip to the “far side…” of Lake Tahoe. You
see, we live in Truckee near the North Shore, and South Shore
might as well be another country – after all, it is all
the way around The Lake. The plan was for Doug and I to drive
separately from work and meet for dinner at The Fresh Ketch in
the Tahoe Keys Marina at South Lake Tahoe. Then we’d stay
overnight and head to work in the morning. Albeit brief, this
mini-vacation would be a rare and fun treat.
I headed out early enough to see
the breathtaking scenery on route 89 South along the West Shore
in the daylight. When I got to South Shore, I found our condo
and checked in.
After that, it was time to head to
the marina and a romantic dinner at The Fresh Ketch.
As I entered the restaurant, I
admired the warm stone and wood entry with framed photos of the
early days at Tahoe. Stepping inside, I overheard the young man
at the front stand speaking with my husband on the phone – he
was running a little late. Hostess Sarah
DeLacy asked me if I would like to
have a drink at the bar while I waited, which I gladly did.
 I
took a seat at the long, polished wood bar, where bartender Dave
Paschall promptly greeted me. I introduced myself and ordered a
glass of Hogue Fumé Blanc. Dave told me he has worked at The
Fresh Ketch for 10 years. Throughout the evening, we met other
employees that had also been there for many years. It must be a
great place to work!
I noticed that the ground floor of
the restaurant is for bar patrons and casual dining. The
atmosphere was warm and friendly, and on a Thursday evening, the
bar and dining area was almost full.
From the bar, I could see many
people enjoying food and drink at polished wooden tables warmed
by the glow of a fire in their large stone fireplace – a cozy
contrast to the damp, chilly autumn evening outside. I could
also see the masts of boats bobbing in the marina just beyond
the restaurant’s outdoor patio, which is open when the weather
is nice.
Not surprisingly, the whole
restaurant is decorated in a nautical theme, and appropriately,
the bar serves traditional rum drinks such the Mai Tai and Rum
Runner, along with specialties such as the Eye Ketcher and Ketch
22 with blends of liquors and juices. They also have a selection
of wines by the glass and splits of champagne. The casual dining
menu features seafood (of course), from oysters to calamari,
clams, crab cakes, fish tacos, grilled salmon and more. A sushi
bar is set up Thursday-Saturday nights and live jazz happens on
Friday nights. Brian Seaholm and Domi Chavarria were the
friendly sushi-makers that evening.
Just as I was starting to get to
know my neighbors at the bar and Dave started showing me photos
of his kids, my husband arrived, and we were taken upstairs to
the fine dining area.
Upstairs, the atmosphere was very
different from downstairs. It was perfect for a quiet, romantic
anniversary dinner. Sarah showed us to a nice window table
overlooking the marina. Our wood table was set with white linen
napkins, silverware, cobalt blue water glasses and wine glasses,
all accented by the flicker of candlelight and softly playing
music.
Our server, Mark Edwards, greeted
us cordially and told us about the specials that evening.
While we looked over the menu, I
ordered a split of Piper Hiedsieck Brut with which to toast
three years of matrimony.
 When
Mark returned with our champagne, we ordered a couple of
appetizers – oysters on the half shell, and a scallop and
spinach gratine in a Gorgonzola cream sauce. While we waited,
Mark brought some warm sourdough bread and butter. The oysters
came served in the traditional presentation: a half dozen
oysters on the half shell on a bed of crushed ice, served with
lemon wedges and cocktail sauce. These were bluepoint oysters
from Chesapeake Bay. Now I must confess, I’m not really a raw
oyster fan, but it seemed a fitting start to a romantic evening,
and my husband quite enjoyed them.
The scallop and spinach gratine
was a big hit with both of us. The Gorgonzola cream sauce was
light and delicate, with lots of sliced garlic to enhance the
flavor. The fresh spinach floating in the sauce was just wilted,
the way we love it. The sauce was so delicious that we found
ourselves sopping it up with our bread.
 Oh,
and the scallops were fresh tasting and cooked just right –
medium-rare.
Next, our salads arrived. I
ordered a crispy ahi salad, and Doug ordered a smoked trout and
nashi salad. My salad was a bed of greens tossed with green
apple rice wine vinaigrette and fresh basil and topped with rare
strips of seared ahi coated with black and white sesame seeds.
My husband’s salad was tossed with smoked trout in a creamy
horseradish dressing, topped with nashi (Japanese pear) slices
and walnuts toasted with cumin. The salads were so large that we
only picked at them to save our appetites and our palates for
our entrees.
 I
ordered one of the entrée specials: a mixed grill with blue nose
bass, tilapia and ahi in a roasted tomato-tomatillo sauce. The
fish, although of different textures, were all cooked perfectly,
with a melt-in-your-mouth finish. The roasted tomato-tomatillo
sauce, served on the side, had a spicy, smoky flavor that
complemented the fish well. Our entrées were served with a moist
rice pilaf and broccoli rabe that was cooked until bright green
and still crunchy.
Doug
wanted to order a Mediterranean-style halibut with carrots and a
mint-yogurt sauce, but our server and I steered him towards a
Hawaiian mahi mahi with a wasabi-panko crust in a ginger cream
sauce. Although his fish was cooked perfectly, the heavy use of
wasabi in the breading and on top of the fish overpowered the
more subtle flavors of the fish and the cream sauce, causing a
bitter flavor, and I silently wished that he had ordered the
other dish.
Doug
is the wine expert of the two of us, as he has managed gourmet
restaurants for over 20 years. Doug began his meal with a glass
of 2004 Chalone Pinot Noir from Monterey County, which he
described as a “medium-bodied, fruit-forward Pinot Noir that
started with strawberries and ended with a dark cherry finish.”
Since I like white wines, Doug ordered me a 2003 BV Carneros
Chardonnay to go with my meal. After taking a sip, he described
it as “a full-bodied, rich Chardonnay with big vanilla notes and
hints of pear and green apple, with a metallic finish from being
aged in stainless steel.” His comments about the wine list:
“They have a diverse selection of wine varietals such as
Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio and Shiraz. There is something for
everyone on this list, and those who want to ‘venture out’ can.
There are also nine champagnes and three splits from Washington,
California and France. With so many champagnes on the list, I
think many customers must come here to celebrate special
occasions.”
When Mark returned with dessert
menus, he confirmed that many people do celebrate special
occasions here. He pointed out the lawn below us, which is used
in summer for al fresco dining, wedding receptions, etc.
The dessert menu features popular
favorites such as chocolate truffle torte, NY cheesecake, key
lime pie, crème brulee and peanut butter pie. Their signature
dessert is Hula pie, made with macadamia nut ice cream,
Hershey’s fudge and whipped cream. Their coffee list includes
cappuccino, espresso, and coffee drinks made with liquors such
as Kahlua, Bailey’s and frangelico. Their “finale” menu offers
port, cordials, cognac and liqueurs. Doug got very excited when
he saw a Broadbent vintage 1994 port listed for $8, but was
disappointed to learn that it was not in stock. “I knew
it was too good to be true,” he said.
Doug ordered the chocolate truffle
cake and an espresso, and I ordered the crème brulee.
After a long day and lots of food
and wine, we decided to go back to our condo early and enjoy the
rest of the evening in front of the fireplace. As we stared into
the fire, we were too tired to muse about our past or future -
we’ll save that for tomorrow…
The Fresh Ketch is at 2435 Venice
Dr. in the Tahoe Keys Marina, South Lake Tahoe. The Seafood Bar
is open 11:30 a.m. – 10 p.m. and Upstairs Dining hours are 5:30
–9 p.m. For more information, call (530)541-5683 or visit
www.thefreshketch.com. The Fresh Ketch was
voted “Best Seafood Restaurant” by Tahoe locals.
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