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Chow: Dragonfly Restaurant & Sushi Bar |
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Written by Paul Raymore
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Tuesday, 11 December 2007 |
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The Space
If it’s been a while since you stopped into Dragonfly, it’s time you took another look. What used to be an intimate Truckee restaurant known for some of the best Cal-Asian inspired dishes around has taken over the space next door and expanded to include a full sushi bar and additional dining room space. But the friendly atmosphere, beautiful furnishings and eye-catching local artwork remain the same.
The Food
Chef and owner Billy McCullough has long been known for his imaginative texture and color combinations in fusing Asian flavors into the freshest California ingredients — that has not changed. Favorites such as the Plantain Crusted Basa and Grilled Peppered Kobe Beef Flat Iron Steak continue to be staples of the dinner menu, while the Dragon Bowl soups, unique salads created from local produce and tasty teasers are perfect for lunchtime or lighter appetites.
For a little extra sizzle, try the “Sizzling Stone” Flank Steak appetizer — you’ll enjoy soy-ginger marinated Kobe flank steak that you get to cook yourself (with some helpful hints from the staff) on a heated stone brought to your table, served with green papaya salad and spicy peanut sauce. According to McCullough, “As soon as someone orders one, we get like five more orders right away.”
 Of course if you’ve eaten in the Dragonfly dining room before, you’ll want to grab a seat in the sushi bar and try some of Sushi Chef Sam Okamoto’s dynamic creations. Favorites include the Seventh Heaven, Candy Cane and Crystal Shrimp and Salad rolls. Just be careful about ordering too much all at once — the rolls are ginormous! (And yes, that’s a word. Look it up online).
The Drinks
Like everything else, the drinks at Dragonfly have been carefully thought out to compliment the fusion of flavors you’ll experience while dining. For something unique, try the Thai Cosmopolitan, complete with chili and lemon infused vodkas, the Triple Rum Asian Mist or the Basil Gimlet.
 Wine lovers will find an easily approachable wine list that, while limited in number, seems to include a bottle perfect for every taste.
And beer drinkers can choose from a selection of microbrews, including the custom-made Dragonfly Beer — a light lager brewed with a hint of ginger by the Sudwerk Brewery in Davis, California.
Gotta Try
Billy’s Shameless “Pulg” Roll. There’s a great story behind this one, and you can read all about it at the bottom of this story. But suffice to say this will be an unforgettable sushi creation crafted by one of the talented sushi chefs on staff. And, as a bonus, through January 2008, $1 from each roll will be donated to the Truckee Rotary Club for their charitable programs.
Tidbit
Don’t miss the daily sushi happy hour special from 4 to 5:30 p.m. — for $8 you get a Sapporo or sake and a roll at the sushi bar.
 Price Range
Teasers and appetizers from $3 to $14, lunch items from $7 to $12, dinner entrees from $18 to $28. Sushi items include nigiri from $5 to $8.50, rolls from $6 to $17, and other items for $11 to $25.
Hours of Operation
Lunch is served from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., the sushi bar opens at 4 p.m. and serves until 9:30 p.m., and dinner is from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. seven days a week.
Location
Upstairs at 10118 Donner Pass Road in Truckee.
Contact
(530) 587-0557
www.DragonflyCuisine.com
Reservations recommended for the dining room.
Photos (top to bottom):
Sushi Chef Sam Okamoto
Chef/Owner Billy McCullough
The Plantain Crusted Basa
The story of the "Shameless Pulg" roll:
The story goes that to generate a little extra publicity for his half-price sushi offer last month, Billy McCullough sent out a mass email to the Truckee Rotary Fellowship list, and one small misspelling started it all...
[Editor’s note: to protect the innocent and not-so-innocent alike, we’ve taken all names and identifying information out of the email responses Billy received to his “Shameless Pulg” email below, except those sent by Billy himself.]
• I was told I could use the Fellowship page and not get fined!! Here is a shameless pulg, but a great deal that lasts until this Sunday!!! Please tell all that Dragonfly is doing a 5 day Local’s special “1/2 price on all sushi items Wednesday Nov. 28 thru Sunday Dec. 2” We have new items we want to show off, while giving locals a deal during a slow time of the year!!!! Thanks
— Billy
• i say: IMPORTANT PLANNING MEETING at bofA at 5:00 friday, then we march en masse to dragonfly and crowd billy’s bar. by the way, i hear the “pulg hand roll” is really good there, no wasabi needed. That’ll teach him to use the fellowship list for his business! (ps way to go billy!)
• I can’t believe Billy was naive enough to fall for the “you won’t get fined if you send it on the Fellowship list” story...
• I gurantee that I have never been ilnvolved in any medical management of any shameless pulgs but I am in the process of research to see if there are any poysonus aspect to this delicacy. I may wait a couple of days and recount rotarians before partaking
• O.K., O.K., O.K.!!!!!! Any Rotarian that comes in over the next few days — ask Sam at the sushi bar for the special “Shameless Pulg Roll” - I garuntee you have never tasted pulg like Dragonfly’s pulg!!!!!!!!!!
— Billy
• Billy, The Pulg Roll was awesome! I went with 5 kids and my husband tonight, saw tons of Rotarians, KidZone people and other friends.....thank you for the half price sushi and the wonderful new roll!!!!
• I, too, can attest that the shameless pulg was awesome. And it was so much fun to go out and see so many friends in one spot. Thanks for welcoming the locals, Billy!
• We thoroughly enjoyed it as well!
• I’m starting to think this is all just a brilliant guerrilla PR campaign by Brinn for her client Billy. ;-)
• Ya think?
• OK- I show up to see the emails have gotten a bit darker. I know all is in good fun and I assume now a fine is inevitable.
This is my proposal because this whole process has really cracked me up: Lisa, for my fine I would like to propose that “The Shameless Pulg Roll” goes on the menu after this weekend. Dragonfly will give Rotary $1 of every Shameless Pulg sold for a 2 month period. Rotary can figure out what to do with the money like polio causes or wheel chairs.
I appreciate how crazy this club is — even more so after this round of emails!!! And know this is something I know I don’t have to do- it is something I want to do. Also — I don’t have enough time to read anymore emails!!!
— Billy
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 11 December 2007 )
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