April/May 2015 65 FROM TOP: COURTESY OF SADDLE CREEK RESORT; JACK FORKNER; KEITH SUTTER V RESTAURANT, adjacent to the Victoria Inn in Murphys (vrestaurantandbar murphys.com), offers a separate bistro and bar for more casual dining. Despite the name, BOOTLEGGERS OLD TOWN TAVERN AND GRILL (bootleggersauburn.com) in Auburn is a white-tablecloth eatery that serves award-winning food. The menu features locally sourced produce and herbs, California meats and seafood and slow-cooking techniques. At the northern end of Gold Country, Nevada City’s NEW MOON CAFÉ (thenewmooncafe. com) prides itself on “big city” dining with a small town atmosphere. Dishes feature local and organic ingredients, and the menus change with the seasons. “one of America’s top golf courses,” according to Zagat. A spacious craftsmanstyle lodge welcomes guests. The golf experience begins with a bang. The first hole is a straightforward 388-yard par-4, but the second hole is the No. 1 handicapped hole. It is obviously designed to find out what you’re made of—flesh and bone or all steel. This 410- yard, par-4 (279 yards from the ladies tees) monster skirts a long water hazard on the right, crescent shaped, slightly dogleg-right. If you survive—and you know you will—the remainder of your round is all biscuits and gravy, as the locals might say. I was halted on the fourth hole, a 184- yard par-3 from an elevated tee with plenty of bailout room on the right side. A majestic white egret was perched regally atop a leafless oak tree above the green. The bird peered outward toward the hills, likely wondering with due skepticism, what kind of animal drives around in a cart and hits small white balls with an assortment of oddly shaped implements? How foolish we must appear. I made my double-bogey and moved on. Saddle Creek takes full advantage of the natural bounty. Environmentally sensitive areas are off limits and well marked, contributing to your golfing pleasure. Some may call it Copperopolis, but here at Saddle Creek, I call it golf heaven. FINE FIXIN ’S IN GOLD C OUNTRY Gold Country cuisine has come a long way since its chuck wagon days. Sublime, seasonal dishes spring from the town of Plymouth, home of TASTE (restauranttaste.com), one of Wine Enthusiast’s top wine restaurants in America. And in Mariposa, two notable restaurants are CHARLES STREET DINNER HOUSE (charlesstreetdinnerhouse. net), a well-regarded, classic steakhouse, and SAVOURY’S (savouryrestaurant.com), serving sophisticated American fare in a stylish setting. For a taste of Italy, CRUSCO’S on Main Street in Angels Camp tempts diners with flavorful regional dishes while CARPE VINO in Auburn (carpevinoauburn.com) dishes up an imaginative, French-inspired tasty California cuisine with a Mediterranean twist and an extensive array of local wines, to be sipped in a pretty courtyard. And elegant menu from within a historic downtown saloon. In Sutter Creek, SUSAN’S PLACE (susansplace.com) offers THE COPPER GRILLE BAR SADDLE CREEK RESORT CARPE VINO
South Bay Accent - Apr/May 2015
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