The Ritz-Carlton ·
I recently enjoyed a relaxing day at The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe, taking advantage of the Wellness Weekend package featuring spa treatments and fitness classes with my sister, Michelle Allen.
After a luxurious afternoon at the spa, we ended the day with a wonderful dinner at Manzanita.
Organic, seasonal ingredients punctuate the menu of Chef de Cuisine Jeremy Grossman at Manzanita, using locally grown meat and produce when available. Paired with a world-class wine list and a stellar location at Northstar’s mid-mountain, Manzanita is one of the region’s best locations for fine dining
We started the meal with one of the evening’s specials – a delightful springtime Bruschetta. Housemade bread was grilled and topped with warm ricotta, roasted peaches and corn, drizzled with a light lemon vinaigrette and topped with micro basil.
We could have easily made a meal of the starters and the shared plates featuring Chilled Avocado Soup, Asparagus Salad, and Bianca Pizza with housemade ricotta and wild mushrooms, to the Cheese & Charcuterie with local cheeses.
Instead, we opted to split the Butter Lettuce Salad to save room for dessert. The split was amble for each of us with fresh butter lettuce topped with herbs, Point Reyes Blue Cheese and a lemon vinaigrette.
While we pondered the delectable entrée selections for our main course, Chef Grossman and Executive Chef Stanley Miller stopped by to offer their recommendations for dinner – the Chef’s Spring Harvested Vegetable Selection and the Skuna Bay Salmon.
The vegetable selection is a vegetarian’s delight and a great option for anyone looking for a lighter dish for dinner. Featuring quinoa, baby carrots, picked radish, greens and served with a mustard thyme vinaigrette it was light and tasty. The salmon was perfectly prepared and nearly melted in the mouth with a tasty fava bean mash, wild mushrooms and pea shoots.
The menu also featured Diver Sea Scallops, Ribeye Steak, Mid West Prime Filet and 12-Hour Bordeaux Braised Shortrib with selections to please any palate.
We ended the evening with delectable dessert creations with Michelle opting for the Cappuccino Mousse served with fresh raspberries, while I enjoyed the Toffee Pot de Crème drizzle with caramel and sea salt served with a trio of Snowflake sugar cookies.
Manzanita is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and reservations are recommended for dinner. For more information, call (530) 562-3000 or visit ritzcarlton.com/laketahoe.
