New Tahoe

Tahoe has long been beloved for its 400 inches of snow, blue skies, and gorgeous mountains. It’s still all that but now has extraluscious places to stay, a deliciously updated dining scene that offers everything from natural-beef burgers to live crab, and countless ways to butter yourself up when you’re not out on the slopes.

North Lake

Neither ski bums nor folks with multimillion-dollar “cabins” ever had any complaints about North Lake. But, until recently, lodging, dining, and ski areas tended toward rustic. Well, not anymore…

Northstar

With a new $55 million ski village and a $300 million Ritz-Carlton due to open in late 2009, this resort's backers hope it will become a stop on the international ski circuit.

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If you’ve been wanting to learn how to snowboard but don’t want to spend the day on your bum, your time has come. Northstar is opening a first-of-its-kind Burton Snowboard Academy—with a slope carved to teach turns without so many boom-diddles. Northstar has also added six new runs, trimmed trees on the Backside for more glade skiing, and extended the lift on Lookout Mountain by 500 feet. (800) 466-6784, www.northstarattahoe.com.

Also new this year, Balance Holistic Health in Northstar Village offers yoga, tai chi, massage, and acupuncture. Though it offers mani/pedis and facials, the vibe is more therapeutic than spa. It’s the place to go to work out the kinks after a day of hitting the bumps on the Rapids. (530) 320-0191, www.balancefindyourcenter.com.

 Eat

After skiing all day in California, swing into Olivier for a quick trip to France. This wine and olive oil shop opened a café in July that serves hearty quiches and a mustardy croque monsieur. Lighter fare includes a gourmet salade niçoise, and if you have a kid in tow, try the heavenly lemon mascarpone crepe with raspberry puree. (530) 562-1400, www.oliviernapavalley.com.

 Due this month

Fans of Truckee’s popular Moody’s Bistro & Lounge should enjoy Mark Estee and JJ Morgan’s latest eatery in the new Village at Northstar. Baxter’s Bistro & Lounge will offer upscale “mountain comfort food,” such as burgers with foie gras and truffles. There’s also live jazz, an extensive wine and specialty cocktails menu, and outdoor fire pit. (530) 562-3200, www.baxtersbistro.com.

Get your cacao fix at Chocolate Bar, serving chocolate martinis, chocolate fondues, and the cutest chocolate-dipped “tuxedo” strawberries. (775) 337-1122, www.thechocbar.com.

Stay

To lay the first tracks at Northstar, stay in The Village, literally minutes from the Big Springs Express gondola. You’ll be first in line, unless the fluffy beds, flat-screen TVs, and Jacuzzi tubs keep you lollygagging all morning.

Even if skiing is not your thing, you can hardly find more comfy or entertaining mountain digs. The condos are deluxe, spacious, and loaded with homey touches. Plus, you can enjoy state-of-the-art fitness centers with steam rooms, outdoor hot tubs, and a swimming pool. If you’re going all out, try the Great Bear Lodge condos—each with a private elevator—overlooking the rink. Accommodations range from $189 to $2,499 per night. (866) 320-4054, www.tahoemountainlodging.com.

The Village also offers bungee jumping, candle making, and sushi lessons. With a skating rink, four open-air bars, fire pits everywhere, and live entertainment, Northstar has one of the liveliest après-ski scenes in Tahoe.

Coming in Fall 2009

A $300 million, ski-in/ski-out Ritz-Carlton Highlands-Lake Tahoe is taking shape at Northstar’s midmountain. Designed in the Arts and Crafts style of great national park lodges, this hotel will feature a three-story lobby, with windows offering a 360-degree view of Northstar and Martis Valley.

A grand staircase, winding around a massive stone fireplace, will take guests from the entrance up to three restaurants, a wine bar, and pool. Skiers can pop over for lunch or an après-ski massage in a sure-to-be luxurious spa, with views from all the treatment rooms.

Each of the 170 guest rooms will have a fireplace, as will the 23 penthouses, listed at $3–$7 million each. For room rates and updates, go to www.ritzcarlton.com, or call (800) 241-3333.

Truckee

Historic Truckee is keeping its quaint look, but inside the Western-style storefronts, you’ll find gourmet restaurants, hip boutiques, and three new wine bars. Plus, the town has a chic new boutique hotel with Euro flair.

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The new, new thing in Truckee is wine tasting. Three spots have opened up. Right downtown is Bacchus & Venus, a spin-off from Sausalito. The polished Napa Valley–style store focuses on boutique California wineries, pouring Rutherford's El Molino and Napa’s Duckhorn Vineyards, to name two. (530) 550-9800, www.bacchusandvenus.com. Open late and uniquely situated in a historic Victorian on the west end of town is Trio, offering not just wine but music, art, and a full dinner menu. (530) 582-2323, www.triowine.com. And, one block behind downtown Truckee on Jibboom Street is The Pour House, a little wine shop and tasting bar in a nondescript shack. Give it a shot, though. The local hangout has a cozy interior and unusual wines, and sweet deals for any price range. (530) 550-9664, www.thepourhousetruckee.com.

Eat

Dragonfly was one of the first of the new wave of restaurants to delight Truckee palates seven years ago. What’s new at this Asian-inspired eatery is more space and twice the seating, plus a sushi bar. Owner-chef Billy McCullough has gotten on the sustainability bandwagon big time—even starting a Slow Food chapter in Truckee that now has 65 members. Our favorite sushi variation is the candy cane, loaded with maguro, escolar, and spicy tuna. (530) 587-0557, www.dragonflycuisine.com.
For good fast food, hit Burger Me, an ultrahip version of In-N-Out on the west side of town. The Niman Ranch hamburgers are $6—make it a combo with a drink and fries for another $2.50. And don’t worry if you see a line out the door; it moves fast. (530) 587-8852.
FiftyFifty is not your typical brewpub. Sure, it’s got seven kinds of beer made on-site, plus salads, burgers, pizza, and flat-screen TVs to watch the game. What sets this spot apart are the entrées. From the slab of meaty ribs to the pork chops topped with peppercorn and mango salsa, this is an upscale pub for the chic ski crowd. (530) 587-2337, www.fiftyfiftybrewing.com.

Stay

The coolest place to lay your head in Truckee is Cedar House Sport Hotel. This 42-room Euro-hip boutique hotel is totally modern, with a garden roof and recycle waste cans in every room. In your suite, you’ll find stainless steel bar stools, artfully situated spot lighting, and “pogo” closets, which are like coat racks from The Jetsons. But the place is not so cool it’s cold; it has a B&B-like feel, with a Continental breakfast buffet, après-ski snacks, and a fully stocked bar in the lobby. The owners live on-site with their dog, Baxter, and you can bring your mutt here, too (for a $50 fee). They can make arrangements for any sport you like, including snowcat skiing in the backcountry. (866) 582-5655, www.cedarhousesporthotel.com.

Homewood

The news here is that JMA Ventures, which also owns Alpine Meadows, bought Homewood and plans a complete overhaul of this smallish ski mountain, which boasts views of the lake from every run. Plans include a quaint pedestrian village, midmountain lodge, gondola, and underground parking. The village, to be located at the north base, will house an ice-cream shop, hardware store, market, 50-room hotel, spa, and 40-condo complex. Also in the plans are an ice rink, swimming pool, and amphitheater. (530) 525-2992, www.skihomewood.com.

Squaw Valley

The village has morphed into a sophisticated destination with great restaurants, plus an urban-style wine bar. Nearby Squaw Creek resort  just got a $53 million upgrade.

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Want to unwind after conquering KT-22? Head to Uncorked in the Village at Squaw. This chic new wine bar offers tastings and wines by the glass, plus plenty of winemaker events. Yes, the cheese plate with salumi is just as delicious as it looks. (530) 584-6090, www.uncorkedatsquaw.com.

If you are staying at the Village in Squaw and need some adult time, drop your children, ages four to 12, at the new Kid’s Club. The club provides arts and crafts, games, a jumbo inflatable slide, and movies to entertain the kids, for $15 per child from 4 to 9 p.m. (530) 584-1000, www.thevillageatsquaw.com.

New this season, Squaw unveils a $1.2 million renovation of its midmountain restaurant and plans to serve fresh and healthy food—not the typical pizza and burger fare. Squaw will also offer backcountry tours of restricted terrain not open to the public. The tours can be customized to a group’s size, skiing and riding ability, and snow conditions. (530) 583-6955, www.squaw.com.

Eat

Just a 10-minute drive away from Squaw in Tahoe City, is Evergreen. The comfortable, understated dining room has modestly priced entrées, but chef-owner David Lutz’s food is way better than we bargained for. Try the sautéed salmon fillet on top of a hash of Dungeness crab, artichoke, and fingerling potato, with curry hollandaise. Don’t miss the wine pairings. (530) 581-1401, www.evergreentahoe.com.

Due this month

Named for Squaw Valley’s famed ski run, Twenty Two Bistro & Bar will be the second restaurant from Billy McCullough, owner-chef at Truckee’s beloved Dragonfly. McCullough has teamed with restaurant veteran Ray Villaman, who launched Mikuni in Northstar. The duo plans on a simple menu of small plates, featuring New American cuisine with international influences. (530) 584-6170.

Stay

We’re glad the Resort at Squaw Creek recently finished a $53 million renovation. This 405-room hotel has always had the most amenities on the North Shore but was getting a little dated. Suites still feel smallish, but now you’ll find upscale upgrades such as granite countertops, with top-of-the line appliances in the kitchenette. Check out the new spa, with 10 treatment rooms, plus the state-of-the-art fitness center.

The grand lobby and restaurants were also spiffed up, and the new menu at the Six Peaks Grille makes the most of seasonal cuisine on a grand scale.

Service remains friendly but funky—don’t expect servers to notice your empty glass. Just flag them down and enjoy all the resort has to offer, such as the adjacent lift to Squaw’s world-class skiing, ice rink, sledding hills, pools, and hot tubs—as well as dog sledding. (800) 327-3353, www.squawcreek.com.

Incline Village

For its $62 million renovation, the Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa & Casino delved into Incline’s rustic roots, creating a Tahoe-in-the-’20s “grand lodge” feel that’s a combo of luxury and coziness.

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With stone floors, slate walls, and expensive but low-key details, the Hyatt’s renovated Stillwater Spa feels opulent but understated. Try the Tahoe Tranquility treatment, with massage, body scrub, and hydrating facial ($285). The Deep Powder Renewal is geared specifically for postski recovery ($250). Take time afterward to lounge in your robe in a cushy leather chair by the fireplace. (775) 832-1234, www.laketahoe.hyatt.com/hyatt/pure/spas.

With its tasteful, outdoorsy ambience, Hyatt’s Grand Lodge Casino is not your typical Vegas free-for-all. But, among the tables, slots, sports betting lounge, and poker room, there are still plenty of ways to lose your money.

Eat

If you’re looking for a special-occasion dinner, head to the Lone Eagle Grille. This restaurant has an impressive wine list, including bottles of Darioush and Silver Oak. The new chef, Mark May, is whipping up creative gourmet fare—like ahi tuna “niçoise” with a yuzu-caper vinaigrette. Ask for a window table for a breathtaking view over Lake Tahoe. Don’t miss the desserts. (775) 886-6899, www.laketahoe.hyatt.com.

Don’t be fooled by its strip mall location—the interior of the nearby Bite radiates L.A.–style chic. The "small" plates offer generous portions of simply prepared, delicious treats. Sliders are a specialty, and carafes of wine are a great deal for under $20. (775) 831-1000, www.bitetahoe.com.

In funky Kings Beach, Caliente provides well-prepared, upscale American-Mexican dishes in a fun environment. Try the cochinita pibil: tender braised pork, slightly sweet, with a nice heat. The lively bar has an extensive tequila collection and is open late. (530) 546-1000, www.calientetahoe.com.

Stay

Sure, the Hyatt’s recent renovations didn’t go all gaudy and futuristic on us—think shingle exterior, stone walls, exposed wooden beams, and multiple fireplaces—but the 422-room hotel still has all you’d expect of a deluxe resort.

The spacious rooms sport plush beds and sheets, large bathrooms, and stereos with iPod ports. Regency-level rooms offer upgrades such as concierge service and complimentary champagne and hors d’oeuvres. New one- and two-bedroom lakeside cottages, with fireplaces, flat-screen TVs, and full baths, have gorgeous lake views, and direct access to the Hyatt’s private beach.

In addition, there are six restaurants, a heated pool and Jacuzzi, a 24-hour casino, and a world-class spa. (775) 832-1234, www.laketahoe.hyatt.com.

In The Works

The charmingly retro Cal-Neva Resort, Casino, and Spa, which has not upgraded since its Rat Pack heyday, is planning a 16-month, multimillion dollar renovation set to begin in May. (800) 225-6382, www.calnevaresort.com.

Across the road, new owner and local resident Roger Wittenberg is seeking to replace the similarly dated Tahoe Biltmore with a $250 million, 15-acre eco-resort. www.boulderbayresort.com.

South Lake

The land of kitschy motels and enormous casinos is undergoing a makeover. With tons to do and a monster ski area, playtime central is getting all tasteful on us. Well, check that out!

Heavenly

Heavenly’s village is at the base of the gondola, right next door to the casinos. Among the shops, restaurants, bars, skating, and movies are hotel suites run by Marriott.

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This year, Heavenly will splash out with three new gladed trails that will include “islands” of tree skiing. Meanwhile, it has gone eco by serving hormone-free beef and organic dairy products in the lodges, and outlawing trans fats. Heck, it’s your duty to get out there and work up your appetite!

For an insane thrill, try the new Heavenly Flyer, a zip line that will fly you across 3,100 feet of countryside, over trees, ending at the gondola. (775) 586-7000, www.skiheavenly.com.

The remodeled swimming pool in a movie-set grotto is reason enough to visit MontBleu’s Onsen Spa. Lounge on cushy chaises while you drink in the sultry air, as well as the faux rock islands, waterfalls, and the natural light pouring through glass walls and a huge skylight. Open until 10 p.m., the spa is a great place to stargaze in total comfort, after a massage, facial, fitness workout, or sauna. (866) 895-7894, www.montbleuresort.com.

Eat

The ultra-authentic Cantonese Gi Fu Loh at Harrah’s was created for the casino’s Asian high rollers. It features seafood so fresh the chefs have to chase it down with a net. We ordered an Alaskan king crab, which had the leg span of a coffee table and was cooked two ways—the legs were spicy and deep-fried, and the body was steamed in an herbal broth. Also, check out the noodle bar. (775) 586-6668, www.harrahs.com.

Wide Awake Conscious Café may score a big, fat zero for curb appeal, but don’t miss out on its homemade, delicious spinach, mushroom, and cheese crepes; oven-dried tomato frittatas; or Caesar salad with house-made croutons—all using the freshest, most organic ingredients available. One reason the Wide Awake will have you hopping is the killer coffee—as good as any we get in the East Bay. (530) 541-7400, www.wideawakecafe.com.

At the MontBleu Ciera Steak + Chophouse wine dinners, mountain air makes for especially good appetite and good cheer. A Taste of Italy included such surprises as a seared sea bass appetizer, with perfectly seasoned white beans, and tender grilled lamb, which provided just the right excuse to drink a Barbaresco and a Barolo. (775) 588-3515, www.montbleuresort.com.

Stay

The four-bedroom condos at Sierra Shores have three fun-filled stories. A soaring great room with a chef’s dream kitchen opens onto acres of living area, with a massive stone chimney and fireplace. Each condo has an elevator, mini multiplex of flatscreens, and a top-floor suite with steam shower, Jacuzzi, fireplace, and deck. $595 to $1,295 a night, (533) 541-9360, www.sierrashores.com.

Minutes away from everything, The Deerfield Lodge is mountain coziness, not glitz. Owners created suites from pairs of motel rooms, adding Jacuzzis, fireplaces, and handsome furnishings. $259 to $349 a night, (888) 757-3337, www.tahoedeerfieldlodge.com.

Sierra-at-Tahoe

This laid-back resort has two awesome new ideas for families: the Teach Your Kid private lesson, where parents of children three and under learn to teach them how to ski, and whole-family instruction, where the entire family is taught as a group.

Check out the backcountry skiing at Sierra as well as healthy lunches of made-to-order mahi-mahi tacos, chicken tacos, quesadillas, burritos, grilled meats, sweet potatoes, and corn bread—with no trans fats.
Rent the 360° Smokehouse BBQ at the summit for private feasts of pulled pork, tri-tip, and brisket. (530) 659-7453, www.sierraattahoe.com.
 

Kirkwood

Kirkwood started a transformation way back in 1997 that will double the number of places to stay in the valley, but the draw of this out-of-the-way resort is its killer snow, not glam amenities. Sure, the place has evolved over the years and now has fire pits, ice skating, and ski-in/ski-out lodging, but it still feels casual and low-key.

The big news this year is that for the first time in two decades, Kirkwood is expanding its accessible terrain. Two new surface lifts on the resort’s backside will take skiers to some pristine powder and legendary chutes.

After you’ve skied yourself out, be sure to stop in at the trusty Kirkwood Inn. For a funky roadside ski hang that’s been there since the dawn of time, it’s got an insanely delicious steak sandwich and spinach salad, as well as muscular Zinfandels from neighboring El Dorado and Amador counties. (209) 258-7338, www.kirkwood.com.