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Written by Patrick McCartney/Tahoe World
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Tuesday, 09 October 2007 |
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The Space
Built in the 1920s on the banks of the Yuba River, Rainbow Lodge has offered generations of skiers and year-round visitors a fine dining experience in a rustic mountain setting. The lodge is constructed of native granite blocks and wooden timbers, and the neatly manicured grounds include rows of Adirondack chairs shaded by cottonwood trees, where visitors can relax and watch the river. Since the beginning of winter sports in America at nearby Cisco Grove, Rainbow Lodge has provided a touch of elegance in the high country.
The Food
Executive Chef Alan Davis has invested more than a decade in creating a French-California menu that mixes classic French cuisine with contemporary California dishes. Apart from the eclectic menu, Rainbow Lodge offers daily specials that emphasize fish entrees but sometimes feature such meat dishes as osso bucco.
“We offer a good, consistent product,” said Davis of his goal to assure visitors and regulars alike a quality meal.
 The restaurant buys “top of the line” meat and fish from Facciola in Palo Alto, and offers a wide selection of wines.
The Drinks
Rainbow Lodge offers an extensive wine menu featuring domestic and imported vintages. Corkage for wines brought by diners is $12 per bottle.
On Nov. 10, the restaurant will host its first Wine Tasting dinner of the season, featuring the wines of Le-Crema. The special event includes a room for two, five dinner courses with accompanying wines, and breakfast the next day. The cost for two is $375.
On Dec. 8, Rainbow Lodge will feature wines from the Luccheri winery.
 Gotta Try
Two dishes have remained favorites of the restaurant’s clients over the years. The Whole Roast Rack of Lamb features New Zealand lamb basted with Dijon mustard, breaded with pistachio nuts and served with a garlic demi-glaze garnished with raspberries and rosemary. And perhaps the restaurant’s signature dish is Steak Diane, a filet mignon sautéed in a flaming espagnole Irish whiskey cream sauce with shallots, chives and mushrooms. Because of the age of the restaurant, the dish is flambeed in the kitchen, Davis pointed out.
 Tidbit
Rainbow Lodge re-opened in July after plumbing problems kept it closed for five months. The lodge and restaurant are open daily the year round.
Price Range
Dinners range from $18.95 for a vegetarian dinner to around $30 for the priciest items.
Hours
The Rainbow Lodge restaurant is open daily from 8 to 11 a.m. for breakfast, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. for lunch and 5:30 to 8 p.m. for dinner. Reservations are recommended for dinner.
 Location
Located in Soda Springs near the Royal Gorge ski resort, Rainbow Lodge is on old U.S. 40, or the Lincoln Highway, just a half-mile from the Rainbow Road exit off Interstate 80.
Contact
The restaurant’s phone number is (530) 426-3661, and shares a Web site with the cross-country ski resort at www.royalgorge.com.
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