Dine and Dish: The Sawmill in Shaver Lake

SHAVER LAKE, Calif. (KFSN) -- At The Sawmill in Shaver Lake, it can feel like you're having a meal inside a museum with all the old photos and artifacts.

"I think it's important to keep the history of Shaver going," says Manager Sophia Elming.

"We call it the cookhouse and the saloon, and it's about the old logging camps that used to function," says Owner Steve Fleming.

"Elmo's chili" represents that time when workers would gather for meals.

"It's a beanless chili," Steve said. "We use top-grade meat."

"Elmo" is Steve's nickname.

"Very spicy, filling and we can put it over fries for chili fries, if you like," he said.

Head chef Mike Nutt prepared the Sawmill chicken sandwich-- a fried chicken breast with the house buzz sauce, Ortega chiles and jack cheese.

That sauce oozes over the ciabatta bun.

Dozens of chicken pot pies come out of the oven every day.

Steve's mother always made these for her family.

"She's 95 and that's her recipe, and she puts sweet basil in her pies, which is very unique," he said.

Here, you can enjoy a meal and soak in the sights.

"They like to look around and see all the pictures," Sophia said. "A lot of times, they're doing a history tour of Shaver."

Shaver's painful past is also noted.

"The back bar, my dad did and it's all Creek Fire wood," Steve said.

The steam donkey built in 1890 used to pull logs to the deck.

Now, it's used as a wood stove to keeps folks warm.

"It really cooks in the winter time," Steve said.

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