FOOTHILL FLAVORS

Comfort Food Enjoyed at Eddie’s

By Antoinette May Herndon

It breaks your heart to lose a loved one. We don’t “get over it.” The loss, the ache, the unexpected reminders are always there. All that any of us can ever do is pick up the pieces and try to move forward.

But it helps a lot if the moving forward process can involve a memorial of some kind. Happily for all of us, Ray Jursnich has managed to do just that with his new restaurant, Eddie’s Grill, a lively and inviting newcomer to Valley Springs.

You could say Ray had a run of very bad luck. Late last summer he became an economy casualty when he was “liberated” from his job at the Rancheria. “Actually, I was very fortunate,” he says now. “The lay off enabled me to spend every day with my father—the last month of his life.”

Eddie Jursnich was a native of Butte, Mon., where he attended college and graduate school. As a young man, Eddie moved to Davis where he taught elementary school, later becoming a grammar school principle. He lives on as the spirit of Eddie’s, the grille that Ray has recently opened in his honor.

Lots of you will recognize Ray from his days behind the bar at the Hotel Leger in Mokelumne Hill. Working with him as chef is Clay Major, another Leger alum.

Eddie’s Grill, the

new baby on the block, opened Feb. 26. The reception has been good. On a recent Saturday night, tables and booths were filled with patrons spilling out onto the pleasant patio outside.

Charles and I were there as guests of those popular newlyweds, Mike and Lila Moran. What a treat! First off we had glasses of Moose Drool. ($3.50) Have you ever tried Moose Drool? Charles and I discovered it eight years ago in the Rocky Mountains where it’s made. We loved it and have searched in vain for more ever since.

For the uninitiated who just might be put off by the name, Moose Drool is a rich chocolate brown beer with a creamy texture. It’s malty, with a slight caramel taste tempered by just enough hops to keep it from being sweet. Think nuts and raisins.

After studying the many photographs of Eddie’s growing up years in Butte, nostalgic depictions of the 1940s, we settled into a comfortable corner booth ready to move on to the menu. It had a cartoony sketch on the cover, a smiling man who looked like he’d be fun to know. We guessed rightly that it was Eddie.

The menu looked inviting and lived up to expectations. Mike and I were delighted with our meatloaf served with garlic potatoes and tempting slices of asparagus. ($12.95) Lila chose chicken marsala for her entrée, also $12.95, and was very pleased with it. With

our entrees came a choice of soup or salad. Lila and I picked the soup which turned out to be a rich, creamy mushroom. Very good.

Mike went with the house salad, a nice blend of crisp greens, but Charles wanted a wedge salad. He seems to be on a wedge kick these days. This one turned out to be gorgeous. It was crisp ice burg topped with tomatoes, cucumber, and both garlic and blue cheese croutons with house made bleu cheese dressing. ($7.75)

Afterward, Charles moved on to Eddie’s Fav, a quarter pound burger with all the fixings. ($6.25)

Ray and Clay are justly proud of their burgers. “They’re specially ground, made from home made ingredients,” Ray says. “Comfort food is what we do and we aim to do it right.” But I think that it’s more than that—just try the banana cream pie. ($3.25)

Ray and his partner, Shelley Diedrich, are off to a flying start. Eddie’s Grill is a living memorial that should keep customers smiling for a long, long time.

VITALS: Eddie’s is located 10 Nove St., Valley Springs. Phone: 772- 3322. Open 11 a.m. to p.m. Monday through Sunday. Credit cards accepted.

amherndon@sierralodestar.com

PICTURES

Ray Jursnich, owner of Eddie’s Grill, chats with a customer.

Eddie’s terrace has an eye on Valley Springs.

Eddie’s Grill is the new kid on the block.