edible travel
EASTERN SIERRA ESCAPADE
Feed your adventurous spirit in Mammoth Lakes.
WRITTEN BY AMANDA BURDEN
PHOTOS COURTESY OF MAMMOTH LAKES TOURISM AND MAMMOTH MOUNTAIN SKI AREA
Are you ready for a change of scenery but don’t want to escape winter’s wonders? Consider Mammoth Lakes. It’s just a three-hour drive from Reno-Tahoe along a scenic stretch of U.S. Highway 395.
In Mammoth Lakes, you’ll find much of the same activities you experience in Reno-Tahoe with a bit more snow (an average of 400 inches a year as opposed to Lake Tahoe’s 360 inches). Although fewer resorts punctuate the landscape, downhill skiing and boarding at Mammoth Mountain Ski Area is world class. You also can snowmobile on 80 miles of groomed trails, cross-country ski and snowshoe (and even sign up for full moon ski and snowshoe tours), sled, and dogsled. And, like any good resort town, you’ll find great ways to relax and enjoy the finer things in life, including massage (try Double Eagle Resort and Spa at June Lake), hot springs (try Hilltop Hot Spring or Wild Willy’s), and good food and drink.
A favorite restaurant in Mammoth Lakes is Restaurant Skadi, which for 17 years has offered a fine-dining experience in a modern alpine setting. Proprietor and Chef de Cuisine Ian Algerøen closed his doors in the summer to remodel and will be reopening this winter. You’ll find Scandinavian-influenced dishes with creativity and flavor, including such as items as a starter of wild mushroom and Jarlsberg crêpe with porcini mushrooms and sherry coulis and an entrée of roasted Maple Leaf Farms duck breast served with spatzil, arctic lingonberries, and juniper berries. In his menu, Algerøen incorporates macadamia nuts, avocados, citrus, and venison (of fallow deer) that previous Skadi co-owner Peter Busch raises on his Walking Beam Ranch in Santa Paula, Calif.
Lakefront Restaurant at Tamarack Lodge and Resort has garnered praise from Bon Appétit, Sunset, The Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, and U-T San Diego. Though a brand-new chef (Michael Plapp) and menu have been introduced this season, the Lakefront Restaurant still will adhere to local food movement standards, including using fresh, seasonal, and regional ingredients.
New Choices
Recent additions to Mammoth Lakes’ dining scene include Wok N Rolls Chinese restaurant, a fine-dining Chinese restaurant called Red Lantern, and a new Greek restaurant called Jimmy’s Taverna. Also, locals and visitors are excited that Levy Restaurants partnered with Chef Mark Estee to open a sister restaurant to Campo in Reno called Campo Mammoth in the Village this winter. You’ll find the same attention to seasonal and organic ingredients at this new eatery.
Other good dining choices in Mammoth Lakes include Petra’s Bistro, which has French-influenced cuisine and one of the best wine lists in town; Stellar Brew, with vegan specialties, homemade granola, and organic dishes; and Toomey’s, which Matt Toomey of Whoa Nellie Deli (at the Tioga Gas Mart in Lee Vining, Calif.) fame opened last year. Stop by Side Door, at the base of the Canyon Lodge Gondola in the Village, for a panini or savory or sweet crêpe. If you’re in the mood for sushi, Sushi Rei uses high-quality ingredients in its rolls. Shogun Japanese Restaurant has remodeled and will reopen this winter. Angel’s Restaurant was purchased by a new owner, was remodeled, and the menu was updated. For finger-licking barbecue, check out Smokeyard in the Village. For healthy grab-and-go food, make a trip to Sierra Sundance Whole Foods Market. For breakfast or lunch, try Good Life Café, which has many health-conscious dishes and some with a Mexican slant. Speaking of Mexican fare, try Gomez’s for its food, 320 tequilas, and Mammoth Margarita.
For those looking for restaurants with gluten-free dishes, organic options, and local produce on their menus, Mammoth Lakes has CJ’s Grill, The Restaurant at Convict Lake, Lakanuki Tiki Bar, Mountainside Grill in Mammoth Mountain Inn, newly remodeled Rafters Restaurant & Lounge (New American cuisine with an Italian influence), The Stove, Thai’d Up, Whitebark Restaurant in the Westin Monache Resort, Yodler, Z Pizza, Looney Bean Coffeehouse & Roasting Co., Black Velvet Coffee, and Nevados Restaurant, among others.
Unusual Dining and Imbibing
For an interesting dining experience, sign up for an adventure aboard a snowcat. You start the evening with a champagne reception at Mammoth Mountain Inn followed by a heated snowcat ride up Mammoth Mountain to Parallax Restaurant, situated at 9,600 feet. The multi-course meal, which includes gluten-free and organic cuisine, is capped off with a snowcat ride back down the mountain. For optimal views, get there as night falls. Seatings are available Fridays, Saturdays, and throughout the holidays.
For more intimate dining, you can organize a private catering in your home or condo with Daniel Molnar. Molnar is a Culinary Institute of America alumnus who has worked with Wolfgang Puck and is the former executive chef of Whitebark Restaurant.
If you’re a fan of local beer, pay a visit to Mammoth Brewing Co. The brewery has been making award-winning beers since 1995 (just last year it brought home gold for its Double Nut Brown and bronze for its Real McCoy Amber at the World Beer Cup awards). You can taste 10 house-brewed beers and a root beer, and also fill up growlers to take home.
Where to Stay
For luxurious accommodations while you visit, consider Tallus Private Ski and Golf Residence Club. Each of the fully furnished and elegantly designed residences in this gated community features 5,000 square feet of living space, four or five bedrooms, a private hot tub, indoor and outdoor dining areas, fully equipped gourmet kitchens, private bedroom suites, two-car garages, a theater room, and a master suite with a steam shower and hot tub. The homes are cozy yet stylish.
The community, built along the 10th fairway of the Sierra Star golf course, offers a Preview Stay Package. While not inexpensive, the package encompasses lodging for seven nights, 10 ski/snowboard demos per day, and a private dinner for 10 prepared by a private chef at the residence. The package also features a Tallus Black Card, which includes 10 all-access season passes, a premier parking pass, first-in-line lift access, early-ups before the mountain opens, VIP passes to mountain special events, private on-mountain gourmet dining room access, and a personal concierge, among other features. Those who become a member of the Tallus club are credited 100 percent of the cost of their stay.
Other lodging options include The Westin Monache Resort, Juniper Springs Resort, The Village Lodge, Tamarack Lodge, Sierra Nevada Lodge, as well as a plethora of cabin and condo rentals.
This winter, take a road trip to Mammoth Lakes to see how the other side of the Sierra plays. Snow-focused adventures and good dining abound.
Resources
http://www.Mammothmountain.com
http://www.Mammothbrewingco.com
