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 it comes to fish – rainbow trout specifically – there might not be a better purveyor than the North Central Valley in Idaho, which is exactly where this week’s feature is coming from. Combine that with the treatment it’s getting from Paxton’s and you have a match made in heaven.

To begin the process, a whole trout is stuffed with butter, lemon and fresh herbs. It’s then cooked on each side giving you a perfect crispy skin while keeping the meat insanely moist. It’s topped with a mixture of brown butter, walnut and pickled pear and served alongside a confit of carrots and broccoli.

Now if you’re one of those people who are more team mild and delicate than team strong and fishy, then this dish is right up your alley. The meat is tender and flaky and seasoned perfectly. The brown butter provides depth of flavor and the hint of sweet and tart you get from the pear makes for a great juxtaposition. This dish is also not lacking in the texture department – whether that’s from the crispiness from the skin or the creamy crunch from the walnut, it’s balanced to a tee.

If I were to make as bold a statement as this may very well be my favorite preparation of trout that I’ve ever had, I wouldn’t be lying. Granted, I have other fish that I gravitate to more, but that doesn’t mean I can’t tell a well-cooked dish when I see one – which is exactly what this is.

Paxton’s Settlement is located at 120 Country Club Dr #24 in Incline Village. For menu and more information visit them online at paxtonssettlement.com or reach them by phone at 775-298-7900.