CLICK HERE if you are having trouble viewing these photos on a mobile device
With its plentiful farms and craft beer culture, South Placer has a burgeoning food scene that stretches from Roseville to Auburn and beyond. Here are three eateries we’ll definitely visit again, including a deli and gourmet market in Newcastle, a new Loomis tap house and a modern fine dining bistro in Granite Bay.
Oakwater American Bistro
This just-opened New American bistro woos diners with its local ingredients, thoughtfully-prepared dishes and sexy ambiance. Tucked into Granite Bay’s Quarry Ponds, the cognac leather booths, pendant chandeliers and white pressed-tin ceilings evoke a big-city supper club — a talented duo plays jazzy covers of Lorde and Coldplay. Oakwater is unmistakably modern, with warm service and family-friendly flair.
Executive chef Daniel Cote came from the kitchens of Yountville’s Bouchon and Woodside’s The Village Pub and is now growing and showcasing his own food in beautiful classic dishes, like day boat scallops with cauliflower puree and pickled rhubarb ($32), and a bone-in pork chop slathered in Oakwater Farms’ apricot glaze ($33). Even the french fries are special; thick, hand-cut, duck-fat fries are tossed with crispy chicken skins ($8); halloumi-style fries are made with Lincoln’s Long Dream Farm halloumi-style cheese and tzatziki sauce and maple-Dijon aioli.
It’s elegant yet rustic dining that you’ll want to experience twice in one weekend.
Details: Open from 11 a.m. Tuesday-Saturday (and from 8 a.m. weekends for brunch) at 5540 Douglas Blvd., Granite Bay; www.oakwaterbistro.com.
Find more Placer County travel adventures here.
Newcastle Produce
Hiking in Auburn? You’ll want to stop at this small gourmet market and deli for picnic provisions. Owner Jan Thompson, whose family has been farming in Placer County for generations, offers an array of locally-grown produce, specialty foods and fun condiments. But the biggest draw is the full-service deli, which includes both hot and cold sandwiches, seasonal soups and salads and lovingly-made grab-and-go items, like mini meatloaf and chicken pot pie.
After perusing the chocolate and wine sections, we settled into a small table and feasted on a warm, pressed pastrami sandwich slathered in Dijon mustard ($9). The deli salads were our favorite, especially the crisp, slightly sweet broccoli salad ($8.25/lb) and a delicious, paprika-flecked chickpea salad ($8.25/lb) with artichokes and parsley. The ingredients were simple and wholesome, and written right on top, making it easy to re-create when we got home.
Details: Opens at 7:30 a.m. weekdays, 8 a.m. on Saturdays and 10 a.m. Sundays at 9230 Cypress St., Newcastle; https://newcastleproduce.com
Gander Taproom
Located inside the same building as the historic 1940s Blue Goose fruit packing shed, this new Loomis tap room is the ultimate gathering place for families. Owners Kim and Nate Peters have outfitted the long, spacious former antique shop with 30 rotating taps, six wines, a light menu and enough activities to keep the kiddos delighted. It’s got a rustic yet modern vibe.
Craft beers in hand — Mraz Brewing’s crisp Mango Sour from the El Dorado Hills and Crooked Lane’s Love Bites Imperial IPA from nearby Auburn — we grabbed a round pub table in the back near the shuffle board and foosball, so our son could work on his game or dart outside to the patio for corn hole and a dice game.
Gander’s menu is divided into snacks ($6-$7), grains and greens ($8-$13) and sandwiches ($11-$12). Stick to those bar nibbles, like warm olives with fennel, chiles and orange ($6), and cornbread sticks with ancho chile butter ($7). The salads, too, are delightful, especially the Farm Salad ($10), a heaping bowl of field greens, smoked ham, pickled red onions, fresh mozzarella, soft-boiled egg and croutons in a red wine vinaigrette. Just what we needed after hitting the ale trail.
Details: Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily at 3550 Taylor Road, Loomis; www.gandertaphouse.com