Proud To Be American
by Kay Fahey
When Evan Williams opened his eponymous South Shore restaurant nearly two decades ago (Evan's celebrates its 20th anniversary this August) he was determined it would be dedicated to the best in American food. Although trained in classic French and Continental cuisines at fine dining spots like Chez Villaret (the restaurant that Evan's replaced), he was weary of the predominance of French chefs. An exciting world of flavors was opening up, and he was eager to explore it.
If, like us, you haven't been to Evan's American Gourmet Café for awhile, it's time for a return visit. Chef Jimi Lasquete and Williams continue to wow visitors with stellar American cuisine (Zagat Survey recently awarded Evan's an impressive 27 out of 30 on food), while the consistently excellent service is credited to Andi Sannazzaro, restaurant manager for the past 11 years.
Williams' wife, Candice, has updated the interior for a slightly more formal look. Now sporting soft cream walls and burgundy drapes with golden accents, the restaurant still retains the warm ambiance of its original 1940s cabin. Soft lighting, gentle jazz, attentive service and an intimate 11 tables offer an inviting atmosphere ideally suited to the superbly executed dinner menu and extensive wine list.
The wine list, like the menu, focuses on American regional flavors, particularly those from West Coast vintners. Williams's experience as a judge at Amador and El Dorado county fairs gives him advance notice of deserving, lesser known wineries, and he's particularly enthusiastic about recent nearby offerings. The list is studded with bottles from Lodi, Sierra foothills and Santa Lucia Highlands as well as Napa Valley and Oregon's Willamette Valley. Order a glass while mulling the menu and nightly fresh fish specials.
With his Filipino and Hawaiian background, Chef Lasquete is a natural with seafood and Asian flavors, creating dishes like hoisin- and orange-glazed prawns with Asian slaw and tangerine reduction. But Evan's remains first and foremost dedicated to American cuisine, which, as Williams says, "allows us to pull influences from any region we want." These components come together in balanced and well-seasoned dishes. Williams has been known to dismiss cooks whose palates don't measure up to his demanding standards.
"You either have it, or you don't," he says.
His current chef certainly passes the test, and it's a pleasure to find a restaurant where you never once have to reach for the saltcellar. Entrées like the succulent roast venison loin with tart dried cherry and pinot noir demi-glacé served with sweet baby carrots exemplify his ability to balance a range of flavors and allow
Lasquete scours local farmers markets in search of the best produce available, and Williams, who relies almost exclusively on the most-tender cuts, is especially picky about the meat served at Evan's. "I hate seeing bones and fat on the plate," Williams says.
The only bones we saw were on our well-trimmed rack of lamb and served as convenient handles for reaching each hazelnut-crusted morsel. Evan's is one of the few area restaurants where you can rely on finding sweetbreads, one of Williams's favorite delicacies. Ours were served in a light Parmesan batter with airy puff pastry rounds, accompanied by slivers of roasted red pepper and the sharp burst of capers, all draped in a creamy marsala beurre blanc. They were the flat-out favorite of more than one party at the table.
Speaking of sweet, the dessert menu, created and overseen by Candice, features delightful rifts on the classics, such as the chocolate and raspberry crème brûlée tart with graham cracker crust. But what I can't resist is the banana bread pudding. Made with croissants and served amid vanilla rum ice cream and fresh banana slices, it's light, moist and tender—a sweet ending to a joyful celebration of American cuisine.
Evan's American Gourmet Café
536 Emerald Bay Road, South Lake Tahoe, CA
(530) 542-1990
www.evanstahoe.com
Open daily from 5:30 p.m.
Originally published in TQ Winter 2007-08