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TT sits down with - Bud Haley owner of Jax at the Tracks
Editor's Note: Jax at the Tracks (fmr. home of the Truckee Diner) opens its doors Wednesday a.m. for breakfast, lunch and dinner service (every day, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. — yep, a Basin restaurant serving past 9 ...revelation) ...in Truckee. Tahoeticker grabbed a couple minutes Monday with owner/Truckee resident Bud Haley who spoke of the "new day" in Truckee eating ..."a reflection of where America is right now — people need good food, local food — and a good value."
Tahoeticker: First up, your background — personal and professional — and how you ended up in Truckee.
Bud Haley: I grew up in DC in the Georgetown neighborhood. I went to school at University of Arizona and married a San Francisco girl — that brought me out West... Moved down to Newport Beach and started Promelis ('98) — a high-end gourmet market akin to the Dean & Deluca. After a few years, we had a chance to move back to Vermont. We did that for five years. We have three boys and I wanted them to experience of living back East.
Bud Haley cont'd: We lived on a mountain top and killed our TV. The kids ran around in the woods and became big snowboarders. We came out here to join the Northstar snowboard team.
TT: ...And the restaurant?BH: I'd been looking for about three years. ...And (the diner property) came together in a week. It happened really fast. I met the original developer and I said 'this is meant for me.' I put an ad on craigslist (for a chef) and got 80 of the most-qualified resumes you've ever seen.
TT: So, who made the cut?
BH: Melinda Dorn is a rockstar chef. She's also from the East Coast — then was a Montana girl for a period of time. She's been featured on the Food Network. We connected immediately, and she knew with the reset in America — to serve great American cuisine with an edge ...food that people can understand, is what it's all about. We decided to stick with simple things — everything is made in house. Nothing is bought from the big purveyors.
TT: Lots of restaurants start off in the Basin with good intention, some give lip service to avoiding the big Sysco truck backing in. But, it's a seasonal economy and a slow one at that — how do you plan to keep the quality up?
BH: The reality is this — if you are selective and source out and develop relationships with local (vendors), if you're smart on your buying and food prep and labor and pricing — you will deliver the product with the quality and edge it needs. We really are making an effort. This is a local place. We've needed a stand-alone place in Truckee. To be clear, we're not a diner. We're an all-American restaurant with an edge — a place that's welcoming to everyone ...from my friend Sweet to the guy who just got off his private jet.TT: OK, we'll bite — what's on the menu?
BH: One of our specialties is Huevos Montana. Chipolte cornbread with pinto beans, eggs, cheddar, salsa and sour cream. Sounds basic. But it's made with such fresh ingredients ...everything is done in-house. All our baking is in-house. So when you have your Eggs Benedict, you taste that in the English muffin.
BH cont'd: We just won the best chili at the Truckee chili cook-off — because we did it with a jalepeno crepe topping. From our Kobe meatloaf to our burger menu to choosing omlette toppings from a (checklist), like a sushi sheet. It's custom. It's local. We've got local growers and we're going to work with the UNR (Gund) Ranch. We need to have the best product and that means sourcing local growers.
TT: You've got an uphill climb — not only with the economy, but with the reputation of the old diner as well as the large space. Tell us about your strategy to overcome.BH: When I came in here, I knew the challenges we'd face with the reputation. This old diner car is like an old set of comfortable blue jeans, but it was junked up. We got rid of all the kitschy/cheap wall decorations — and streamlined the diner car to its original form. We got some of Edison lamp lighting that's really hip right now in NYC and Boston. Those are just a couple of the touches. The experience is a heckuva lot more than what people are used to.
TT: So the space (120 tops) got a little updating, but we gotta ask about the economy and the whole 'why a new restaurant now?' of it all.
BH: I think, unfortunately, what happened with the run up in real estate — restaurants had to pay so much with debt service that drove the prices. We negotiated a terrific position here. We have a product that's significantly improved. And we provide something that someone can afford. This is a place family can go out to and afford it. I have hope for the economy. And we needed a home for home-cooked food; that's what made me want to pull the trigger.
TT: 'K, what's the etymology behind the name?
BH: Jax at the Tracks. We needed to make a departure from the diner and we had to avoid association with a diner mentality. Jax is a family name and it tied in with the location.
TT: So Wednesday's the day?
BH: We had a soft/friends and family opening last weekend. We're excited for all three services. Every day.
BH cont'd: We're going to hit a sweet spot. People who want to eat — we're ready. We've got a terrific staff in place and we're ready for a great relationship with the town of Truckee. When I walk a customer out the door, I feel good that I've had the opportunity to show them what food can be here.First Friday at Brickelltown is back... just in time for fall
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- 4 p.m. Friday in Brickelltown
- Bring your cruiser bike (cheaper/better peeps than Burning Man)
Ski Porn season kicks off at Squaw Sept. 18 with Standard premiere
8/31/10, 9:22 pm, By S. Cowley
- North Shore-based snowboard heavies preimere 'The Storming' Saturday, Sept. 18
- Monster'll be there too...
Sorry Burning Man - it's all about the Ski Loft Tent Sale
8/30/10, 7:52 pm, Staff Report
- 8 a.m. Friday
- Bring all your pennies... (what's left of 'em)
REI Summer - Ticker
-Basin Bargain Basement - The bargain of bargains
8/29/10, 8:59 pm, By A. Pridgen
- $105k for starter condo in KB
- Yes, we toured a similar unit in '06 for more than $300k ...actually, maybe it WAS this unit
Bomber pre-season ski sales from local manufacturers
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- From Praxis Powderboards to Moment Rubys ...to a surprise entry
- It's time to buy local... buy new
Skiing is no more
8/22/10, 11:47 am, Staff Report
- RIP Skiing Magazine
- ...Are you next, SKI?
Date set for 7th annual Downtown Truckee Wine Walk And Shop
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- Filling up that fall calendar yet?!
- Well, here's where to start
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-Squaw to host SATELite Festival in September
8/22/10, 7:28 am, By A. Richmond
- New outdoor(ish) event pronounced 'satellite' ...not 'Sate-lite' like we orig. thought
- ...Not 100 percent sure what it is — but ncludes wine, so we'll be there
Tahoe Mountain Sports gets you warm for Ski Loft tent sale
8/20/10, 6:44 pm, By Lis Korb
- First come tent sales... then ski porn premiers
- Then (gulp) snow... are you ready?!
Legendary Incline bear featured in WSJ
8/18/10, 8:31 pm, Staff Report
- Free BUBBA
- That's right - It's our fault... not the bear's... but is that what the Journal thinks?!
Trail Building Backcountry Camps
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- Get on those trails
- ...and get your build on Saturday and Sunday (and again Labor Day weekend)
REI Summer - Ticker
-Win an iPad from IVGID
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- Golf, ski, beach, compute
- repeat
Squaw creates new top marketing position... sale rumors spark again
8/10/10, 8:18 pm, Staff Report
- Wait, Squaw CREATED a position...
- Ok, something's definitely going down... (25-year industry vet Scott Clarkson tapped as VP of Marketing and Sales)
Jim's trip ...halfway... round The Rim
8/07/10, 1:16 pm, By. A. Pridgen
- Hammerel raises triple his goal amt. to benefit the TRT
- ...and tears up his knee
Volunteer trail-building workdays with the Tahoe Rim Trail Association
8/05/10, 7:45 am, TRTA
- You heard about Jim Hammerel's mission to speed-traverse the TRT
- Now you can pitch in too
REI Summer - Ticker
-Goodbye Norm
8/03/10, 8:08 pm, By A. Pridgen
- The Godfather of Incline, Norm Rosenberg, passes - he was 92
- Incline's left-leaning champion leaves legacy ...starting with the library
Test drive a Tesla... before it's too late
8/01/10, 9:30 pm, By A. Pridgen
- Tesla, the Palo Alto-based electric car company has gone through more than $300 million VC $
- ...but still hasn't tapped into Uncle Sam's reserves for the Model S - go check it out at the Hyatt
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7/30/10, 10:22 am, By John Monson
- Good grub, great views
- And nothing beats Belt Room post PCT
Ultimate Frisbee - ultimate course
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- Signature hole (no. 4) has 1080' downhill... wow
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-Squaw's MTB park open for first time since '03
7/23/10, 7:22 pm, By Amelia Richmond
- 2k feet of single-track
- 'K, we're in
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7/22/10, 10:08 pm, Staff Report
- The man who created the Milennium Scholarship and SNPLMA passed away Thursday
- Guinn, who oversaw Nevada during its most prosperous years, was 73
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- Rick Edge takes saucy edge down to downtown Sonoma
- Lokal is the (new) place to be and PlumpJack alum makes it so
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7/19/10, 8:40 am, Staff Report
- Numbers of skiers on the hill increased - but overall spending stayed modest
- Cheap passes the plan again for 2010-'11
REI Summer - Ticker
-Cushing steps down from Squaw post ...rumors of sale sparked
7/13/10, 6:06 pm, Staff Report
- Former Intrawest exec takes over
- ...Rumor mill turning overtime: is Cushing family getting ready to bounce?
TRPA's Asian clam bake
7/11/10, 9:19 pm, By Jeff Cowen
- $1.4 million effort to eradicate invasive species from the lake...
- And it involves (no joke) laying a rubber mat on the lake's floor... hi-tech
Kids' zip line at Squaw ...Boo ya
7/08/10, 5:12 pm, By A. Richmond
- KT zip line
- What about for the grown-ups?!
Just like that ...red flags are up
7/06/10, 6:22 pm, Staff Report
- Three-year anniversary of Angora looms ever-present
- Thunderstorms Wednesday/Thursday portend danger
REI Summer - Ticker
-Nevada County approves PR firm's contract the same week it OKs budget cuts
6/30/10, 9:19 pm, Staff Report
- Wait a minute - you're saying Tahoe will spend more than a million dollars this year on, sloganeering...
- Meantime, budget cuts include child care, welfare-to-work and MediCal programs ...nice
Truckee's Lautner drops a PCT hiking book
6/28/10, 8:55 pm, Staff Report
- 32 eco-friendly trips on the Sierra stretch of the PCT ...with GPS coordinates
- Two thumbs up - pick it up...
Lake Tahoe Based Russian-American Partnership turns 20
6/24/10, 11:27 am, By TBI
- Tahoe-Baikal Institute celebrates two decades of watershed protection and cultural exchange
- Political and economic ups and downs notwithstanding
Tour de Nez photo gallery
6/22/10, 8:20 pm
- The weekend that was from Reno to Northstar
- And lots of Nash
REI Summer - Ticker
-Rebuild the Rim Trail every summer Saturday
6/11/10, 9:07 pm, TRTA
- Start summer right by giving your most precious gift
- ...Your time
TRPA tries to clarify
6/01/10, 8:30 pm, By Dennis Oliver
- So, what, if anything, does this have to do with Boulder Bay?!
- ...More importantly how 'bout that casino (strip club?) corridor...
Opinion ...TRPA ensures Tahoe times they area a-changin'
5/22/10, 8:35 pm, By Ann Nichols
- Density to increase under proposed TRPA regional plan
- But, will they build it (or will they come?)
TAUs on the table from TRPA
5/14/10, 10:08 pm, Staff Report
- If you don't understand the headline
- ...Go the the May 26 meeting and you'll see puh-lenty
REI Summer - Ticker
-Cal Neva now in TRPA doghouse
5/09/10, 6:49 pm, Staff Report
- TRPA will handle foreclosed property with kid gloves over more than a decade of flunking its eco report card
- Time to blow everything up but the casino floor, Sinatra Showroom, the lakefront cabins and the Indian Room
Celebrate National Trails Day with the Tahoe Rim Trail
5/06/10, 5:33 pm, TRTA
- Build a trail
- ...Get a free lunch
Save Martis Valley - one click at a time
5/04/10, 7:13 pm, By Renee Deinken
- Well, it's not like Martis Valley is in any danger of getting developed by broke-ass East/West
- ...But still good to preserve; Check out the new site
LTVA spends almost a mil. on slogan ending in preposition
5/02/10, 8:21 pm, By A. Pridgen
- That's right, your new slogan to lure Affliction-wearing d-bags to Stateline's new strip club
- ...'Get your vacation on' (ohh noo). Inside: Our five (free) slogan suggestions ...Holla
REI Summer - Ticker
-Cost of doing nothing too high for Tahoe
4/29/10, 8:22 pm, By Joanne Marchetta
- If you can make it through TRPA director's tome...
- We'll have resident feedback for you Friday
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4/09/10, 7:00 am, Staff Report
- While others founder
- ...DP in the black and breaking ground on new $4 million admin/ticket/locker/child ski center building
Foreclosed Cal Neva casino goes dark ...for good
3/24/10, 10:32 pm, By A. Pridgen
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- ...Sad, sad day... Casino doors to shut March 31 - rest of Basin gaming on life support
And yes ...the KB roundabouts were originally scheduled to be complete this summer
1/27/10, 9:35 pm, Staff Report
- Tahoe Regional Planning Agency board votes unanimously (again) to approve three-lane/roundabouts in KB
- ...Yes, you've heard that (here) before
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