Foothill Flavors

A Haven For Mountain Diners

By Antoinette May Herndon

It was early, only around six, but no way were we going to make it all the way back to Mok Hill without grabbing some kind of dinner. By now the late breakfast we had enjoyed at Tahoe was beginning to feel like a past life experience.

Charles and I were traveling west on highway 88, nothing but big trees on either side of us. It really is woodsy up there, the forest primeval. Lions and bears, oh my! I could sense them watching, perhaps speculating on what a great pair of dinners we would make. You can see I was getting to the place where every thought centered around food.

“ Isn’t Pioneer near here?” I asked plaintively.

“Somewhere,” Charles replied laconically.

Trees. Trees. More trees.

Suddenly, it seemed, we’d rounded a corner. There in front of us nestled among the pines was a little chalet. Shades of Switzerland! A sign in front said Black Station Restaurant & Inn. We came to a screeching halt.

Two friendly dogs, tails wagging wildly, greeted us from the porch. Bob McCann, the owner-host, introduced them as Charlie, a border collie, and Jackie, a crazy mixed up puppy.

The Black Station Inn’s interior is reminiscent of a European hunting lodge, happily

minus all the antlers. Mounted deer heads always give me pause. I still remember how sad I felt at the sudden demise of Bambi’s mother.

The mountain bistro has a cozy well-stocked bar and boasts “the largest dance floor in Amador county.” We were a bit early for dinner and so were the only guests but Bob and his wife, Rebecca, made us feel right at home.

We might even have made a quick turn around the dance floor— the background music was lovely— but decided to have a quickie at the bar instead. Charles was delighted with his libation. It’s pretty hard to go wrong with a Scotch over. A no brainer, right? But my martini ($7) was flawless: chilled glass, right proportions, fresh olive. Charles was equally happy with his libation. Both were $7.

The dining room at Black Station is cozy and warm with a crackling fire, comfortable chintz covered chairs and lovely views of the forest outside. This is a back country experience worth going the distance for.

All the entrees include a choice of soup or tossed green salad with homemade dressings, rice pilaf or baked potato, and vegetables. We each went with salad and loved the bleu cheese dressing—thick and cheesy.

Traditionalist that he is, Charles ordered the New York steak for his entrée. This turned out to be a 12 oz. boneless strip cut from the center loin section and broiled to perfection, a

very wise choice. ($20.95)

Always the adventurer, I picked the raspberry peach chicken. It was a boneless breast marinated in raspberry, peach, honey and brandy sauce. An ambitious offering worth a try. ($16.95)

Spotting Black Station was a rare find. Bob is a warm and friendly host, his wife, Rebecca, an inventive cook. The dogs are darling, the mountain ambience properly alpine. Most importantly, the food is thoughtfully prepared and graciously served. A quick Google search revealed that some passersby have posted five star ratings.

Check this mountain hideaway out on your next trip to or from Tahoe.

Vitals: The Black Station Restaurant & Inn is located at 28355 Highway 88 in Pioneer, just a half mile east of the 4000 ft. elevation marker. Phone: 295-4508. The cocktail lounge opens at 4 p.m. Dinner is served from 5 p.m. until 8:30 Tuesday through Thursday and from 5 to 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Credit cards accepted. The inn has four attractive guestrooms, each with a private bath.

Pictures:

Bob McCann serves a fine dinner at the Black Station Restaurant & Inn.

The exterior of the Black Station Restaurant is reminiscent of a Swiss chalet.

The dining room of the Black Station Restaurant is warm and inviting.

The cozy bar at Black Station Restaurant & Inn is a welcome haven.