To try and decide each week where and what to eat in and around the basin can be a challenge — there are so many amazing choices. In this feature we’ll dive into dishes that will surely satisfy those hunger pangs and leave you wondering where to go next. 

When somebody asks me what my favorite food is, my default answer maybe 99% of the time is pizza. I’ll let other things squeak in every now and then, but I’ll be hard-pressed to find another food that I can dive into more than pizza – even bad pizza is never that bad. Luckily this week’s pizza is great. It might even be one of my top five best pizzas ever. 

Starting with the dough (Fireside’s recipe), it is delivered fresh daily by Truckee Sourdough Company. It gets a toss here and roll there and is ready for a slathering of their house-made Thai curry sauce. A layer of roasted chicken is added along with diced tomatoes, slivers of red onion, and crisp slices of yellow bell peppers. After a few dollops of mascarpone cheese around the pizza, it gets the oven treatment and once complete, a dusting of fresh basil and cilantro is added. 

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It is served with slices of lime, which once squeezed over the pizza, unlock all its secrets. All of the flavors bump up to 11, and that umami bonus level is achieved. 

The chicken is super moist – a benefit from the brine used prior to roasting. Combined with the veggies, the layers of texture start the assault on your taste buds. It’s fresh but a little sweet, and earthy but a little savory. And when you dance into those pools of mascarpone (not a traditional pizza cheese by any means), that creaminess harmonizes with everything so well you’d think they’ve been in a band for the past 30 years.  

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The sauce has a little bit of brown sugar, so when it hits the edges of the crust it gives you pockets of caramelization that only add to the lore of this pie. The crust holds up perfectly – not too crispy with the right amount of chew. 

If you’ve already had this pizza, you absolutely know. But, if you want to change it up a bit, throw in some pineapple and jalapeno. You’re welcome.  

Fireside Pizza Company is located at 1985 Olympic Valley Rd No. 25 in Olympic Valley. For food and drink information visit them online at firesidepizza.com or reach them via phone at 530-829-0982.