The Tudor English Pub in South Lake Tahoe, California

When you go to a city that you have never been to before and want to find out what is really a good restaurant (as opposed to whatever is in the AAA guidebook), ask someone who lives there-the hotel concierge, the gas station owner, the grocery store clerk, or anyone who resides full-time in the city. That is how we found out about Freshies Restaurant and Bar in South Lake Tahoe, California, an excellent Hawaiian restaurant that specializes in organic and vegetarian food, or so we were told.

Freshies is located at 3330 Lake Tahoe Boulevard, just across the street from the magnificent lake itself. The only problem was that we arrived about 5 minutes past closing time. Now what to do? Ask the people at Freshies for another recommendation. That is how we found The Tudor English Pub, just a block up from Freshies, on the corner of Fremont Ave and Mono Lane.

The pub is situated above Dory's Oar restaurant in an old building with plenty of atmosphere. Their web site says that the Tudor is a "local's" institution, and indeed, we were the only tourists in the place. An efficient and charming Englishman offered us recommendations on food and drink, and we were not disappointed.

The burgers are unbelievable-large, juicy, and fresh. The Classic Tudor Burger comes on a warm bun with lettuce, tomatoes, onion, and Thousand Island dressing, and your choice of fries or salad. Considering that it is hand-pressed from ten ounces of Fire River Angus, it is a steal at only $7.99. Other burger choices on the menu are in the $12 - $15 range and include the unusual Maui Burger that has pineapple, cheese, bacon, teriyaki sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, and Maui Sweet Mayo atop it, and the Nor-Cal Burger that comes with Spicy Sambal, goat cheese, caramelized onions and pesto.

The varied menu ranges from a choice of over 30 Tapas to full-course meals of King Crabs, Seared Halibut, and Filet Mignon. The full bar has an interesting choice of beer on tap, and depending on whether you like a dark beer or a lager, there is something for everyone.

On the lighter side, the Bruschetta Salad is more than enough for a meal, created from broccoli, cauliflower, artichoke hearts, red peppers, tomatoes, crostinis, and plenty of fresh, fresh mozzarella ($10.99).

When you are in South Lake Tahoe, forget the guidebook, and find great food and service where the locals dine, at The Tudor Pub.

The Tudor Pub (above Dory's Oar restaurant)
Address: 1041 Fremont Ave. South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
Phone: 530-541-6603
E-mail: reservations@dorysoar.com
Web: http://www.dorysoar.com/tudorpub.html
Happy Hour: 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m., every day