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Passport to dining: An international food experience, Kings Beach style |
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Written by Julie Brown/Tahoe World
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Tuesday, 02 October 2007 |
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When I was assigned to preview the North Tahoe Business Association’s Passport to Dining event, I jumped on it. Who doesn’t like to cover good food?
Lucky for me, Executive Director Cheri Sprenger and Kali Kopley, chair of the association’s promotions committee, chose the Blue Onion to sit down and discuss the event.
This was my first visit to the quaint restaurant situated on the greens at the Old Brockway Golf Course, but Kopley reminisced about her first ever lunch in Tahoe on an Indian-summer October day at the Blue Onion.
 Named after a delicate and detailed set of china ware, the Blue Onion is nice blend of Californian and Mediterranean delights.
Though probably most famous for their crepes - a brie, apple and pecan crepe sounded fabulously delicious - I went ahead and ordered a Turkey, bacon, brie and pesto panini. Classic, tasty, creamy and rich, et voila!
Owners Margaretha and Jay Valois started with a catering company 11 years ago - which is also called the Blue Onion - and now own three restaurants on top of their catering business.
And the Valois family loves the Kings Beach community.
The Blue Onion supports everything, Sprenger said. They donate to community barbecues, including the community clean-up and the NTBA’s Fourth-of-July fireworks. They host mixers and community workshops.
“I swear we get hundreds of people at the clean-up day because they’re here for the Blue Onion barbecue,” Sprenger said.
 “I love this town, and I think there’s a lot of potential here,” Margaretha said. “I just like to support right here, locally.”
And with that, Margaretha pinpointed the purpose behind Passport to Dining, which is likely the most anticipated North Tahoe Business Association event of the year.
If you don’t already know, I’m going to spill the beans. The Passport to Dining event is a steal for a high-caliber food and wine - and spirits, too - event, but the best part is that it’s an event for local foodies. Visitors are welcome too.
Restaurants throughout the North Shore and Truckee - including the Blue Onion - will feature a signature dish or beverage at the event. Tickets include as much food and drink as you can consume, not to mention live music by “Moo Got 2,” a jazzy, funky band with a Latin flair, Kopley described.
In it’s third year, the event is the business association’s biggest fund-generating event of the year, Sprenger said. And each year, a portion of the proceeds is reserved for a noteworthy cause. This year, part of the proceeds will be used to jump-start a new nonprofit called, “Friends of North Tahoe.” The nonprofit is a community fund that will sponsor everything from decorative street lights to educational workshops, and anything in between.
Event coordinators are expecting between 350 to 400 guests. And tickets have sold out in it’s previous two years. So if you want partake in the food, drink and music mayhem, might want to get on it fast.
Check it out
October 4 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the North Tahoe Conference Center. Tickets are $25 for NTBA members, or $30 in advance and $50 at the door. Contact the NTBA office at (530) 546-9000 for more details.
Photos of Margaretha Valois by Alex Close/Tahoe World
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 02 October 2007 )
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