Sure the snow may be waning, but the Tahoe summer months are right around the corner! We sat down with Shila Morris, co-owner of the Truckee breakfast spot Squeeze In, to get the scoop on why it’s worth “the squeeze.”
JST: Squeeze In has been around for a while! Tell us a little about how you started the restaurant.
Shila Morris: The restaurant started back in 1974, selling one thing: omelets. Some traditional, some a little out there, and some completely bizarre. The original menu said “streakers eat for free” and there were a few legendary takers. With its hippie vibe and good food it became a Truckee institution. As a family we would eat there throughout our childhood, and my parents would always say: “If we could do ANYTHING we would own the Squeeze In.” When the opportunity arose, they didn’t hesitate to cash in their retirements and savings, call in every favor, move to Truckee and start to live their dream. They took over on January 1st 2004. Since then they added my husband and I as partners, and we expanded to my hometown of Reno, Nevada.
JST: What’s the story behind the name of the restaurant?
SM: The Truckee Squeeze In, is just a little over 10 feet wide. We call it a hallway with tables, and that’s really what it is. It only has 42 seats and a kitchen that can best be described as a galley. It’s tiny, but it cranks! When you visit on a busy weekend or a holiday, you are literally squeezing in!
JST: If you’re a first time visitor to Squeeze In, what is the one thing you have to order?
SM: We got famous for our Racy Tracy omelet. It’s the quintessential California omelet and it’s our most popular. It was even featured on Food Network’s Throwdown with Bobby Flay! It’s an omelet with crispy bacon, fresh mushrooms, jack cheese, avocado, and sautéed in our famous wine sauce. It definitely put us on the map! Of course if you ask the staff what the best thing on the menu is, they would all say it is the Aikane omelette. This is our Hawaiin omelet with diced ham, jalapenos, pineapple, cream cheese, honey, and served with sour cream on the side. It is unique, tasty, and filling! Whether you go for our peanut butter omelet or just sausage and cheese, you can’t go wrong with an omelet from the Squeeze!
JST: What makes the Squeeze In different from other Tahoe breakfast spots?
SM: Squeeze In stands out for many reasons. Having been around for nearly 40 years both locals and tourists know that they can count on Squeeze In, year after year. Not only do you have to squeeze into our restaurant, but our restaurant is squeezed to the max with awesome stuff to look at! There’s everything from antique radios, to celebrity signed posters, to bicycles and surfboards adorning the walls and ceilings. And if that’s not enough eye candy for you, the fact that you can sign the wall with a sharpie (yes it’s true!) keeps people engaged and interested. Kids get a basket of toys to play with while they wait for their food, while mom and dad can enjoy a mimosa or bloody mary. All while being served by really genuine and happy people. We take great care in our genuine service, and people continue to comment on the friendliness of our staff. Finally, of course, is the food. You have to have good food, and boy, so do we! All of our breads come from the local Truckee Sourdough Company, which not only provides us with all preservative free, fresh bread daily, but also a custom wheat berry bread made exclusively for us. It’s touches like this that make our guests love the Squeeze and coming back for more
JST: Anything else you want our readers to know?
SM: When you visit the Squeeze In, you’ll see why it’s so special to the little town of Truckee. We make you feel like you’re one of the family and will serve you whatever your heart desires, at the pace you want. Our pleasure in life is serving great food, in a fun atmosphere by genuinely happy people. If that sounds up your alley, than we look forward to seeing you soon!
Make your reservation at Squeeze In or follow them on Facebook!
