To try and decide each week where and what to eat around Truckee-Tahoe 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. 

If anyone remembers that scene in the movie “Ratatouille” where the food critic bites into the dish and it immediately transports him back to his childhood and a dish his mother made, then you understand the similar experience when I bit into this week’s feature. My grandmother, who grew up in the south, made the best fried chicken. As soon as I bit into this sandwich, my mind went right to her friend chicken. Needless to say, I have a high opinion of the fried chicken coming out of Truckee Food Shop. So let’s start there. 

Chicken thighs are marinated in a bath of buttermilk for 24 to 48 hours. Before going into the fryer, they get a dredge in a panko mixture that contains a special seasoning that includes chili flakes (I couldn’t coax the secret recipe out of chef and owner Eduardo Diaz de Leon). It is placed upon a toasted brioche bun from Truckee Sourdough that’s been slathered with a house-made chili aioli, and then topped with their scratch coleslaw, which contains veggies they get fresh from Tahoe Food Hub. 

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The crispiness of the chicken is undeniable. It’s supremely juicy and is a great counterpunch of flavors and textures to go along with the tang and crunch from the coleslaw and the cream and subtle heat of the aioli. It might seem simple, but when simple meets great ingredients under care and execution, the result can be extraordinary — which is absolutely the case here.  

The basic concept of Truckee Food Shop is farm to table grab and go. This sandwich is their most popular and because of the love for the chicken, there’s also a grab and go box option of just the chicken. You can’t go wrong with either option (or both). 

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And if you want to dive deeper into additional offerings, check out their specials they offer every other Saturday. Items like oysters and green curry with rockfish and prawns are sure to climb the charts as your local go-to favorites. 

Truckee Food Shop is located at 12030 Donner Pass Rd. No. 3 in Truckee. For menu and further information visit them online at truckeefoodshop.com or via phone at 530-214-8935.