EAT This week: Sage Leaf’s Huevos Rancheros
To try and decide each week where and what to eat 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.
I am fresh off of binging “The Big Brunch” on HBO Max, so this week’s feature fits right in the pocket for me — it’s also insanely delicious so the fit was going to be there regardless. But, if this dish has never been part of your ordering arsenal, here are all the reasons why it should.
Each layer is so perfectly crafted, it’s hard to pick out where to start so we’re just going to go from the bottom and work our way up.
A rich base of refried pinto beans cooked through with cheddar cheese is where the celebration starts. House made fried corn tortillas are then topped with two fried eggs and drenched in a ranchero sauce that incorporates dried guajillo peppers, fresh jalapenos, chipotle peppers, onions, garlic, lime juice, cilantro, and a boat load of fresh tomatoes. The finishing touches contain queso fresco, scratch guacamole, shaved radish, and micro cilantro.
You might think this dish seems heavy, but it manages to be hearty without being heavy. The tortillas are thin, airy, and somehow magically stay super crispy with everything else going on. It’s easy to see where all the textures come from, and how they help maximize the flavors, but everything is supremely balanced.
From sweet and smoky (ranchero sauce) to savory (beans) to rich (egg yolks) to salty (queso fresco) to creamy (guacamole), all of them are shooting fireworks at your taste buds like a Fourth of July gone wild – a holiday party that I will happily attend every day, if I could.
A refined take on a somewhat traditional rural Mexican dish, but for me it checks boxes that I didn’t even know I needed in a huevos rancheros – and oh what tasty boxes those turned out to be.
Sage Leaf is located at 893 Tahoe Boulevard, Ste. 600, in Incline Village. For menu, hours of operation and more information visit them on the web at sageleaftahoe.com or reach them by phone at 775-413-5005.
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