The Foraging Angler: Mammoth Region

Illustrations by Ben Engle

THE ROLLING CHEF– $$
3069 Main Street
Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546
760-920-7935
Open Tuesday-Saturday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Closed Monday
Owner Ismal Rivera

I love it when I find places like this. Kirsten and I were having that usual couple’s debate about what to do for dinner during a one-night stay in Mammoth. We didn’t feel like having a sit-down, and we also didn’t want to go through a drive-through. Then she spots this place. A large crowd is around it, eating at tables and standing waiting for their orders. We stop. “Holy moly,” it is good!

First, you need to know that this place is a food truck, hence the name “Rolling Chef.” But it is good. I ordered a sandwich called the pan a lo pobre. It is a pan with grilled al mojo marinated steak, ham, fried egg, black bean spread, avo-spread, queso frito, lettuce, tomato, and red onion. This is more than a sandwich; it’s a meal. It also comes with crispy hot fries. Kirsten loved my sandwich. It was so big that I shared it with her in the hotel room as a snack. Kirsten ordered the fish tacos. They were loaded with deep-fried cod, cabbage, pico de gallo, and a chipotle aioli sauce (she got that on the side). They were good because she ate them all. I didn’t have the opportunity to try them. 

On a recent trip to Mammoth to fish at Crowley Lake, we stopped again. I ordered the fish tacos, and Kirsten ordered my pan sandwich. We agreed that it was great! What made this stop special was running into an old fly-fishing buddy, who is also a fly-fishing guest (client). He looked at me and said, “I figured I’d see you here sometime.” He said it with a smile and told me not to tell anybody. Well, Fred, I am speaking—enjoy, buddy! I also had the chance to meet Chef Ismal Rivera, the owner of the fine food trailer. It was great to talk to him and try his food. 

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THE MAMMOTH SMOKE SHACK – $$
3141 Main Street
Mammoth Lakes, CA 93456
760-924-8491
Open Monday – Thursday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Closed Sunday
Owner Mike Conger

Kirsten and I love BBQ, smoked meat, and well, everything in between. I have to say, I’m always looking for the new best thing to improve my smoking skills. The Smoke Shack has delicious food, but I wouldn’t call it a shack. In my neck of the woods, this would be somebody’s home.

I have been to this place a few times, once alone and once with Kirsten, to try the food. The first time, I went with my favorite, the smoked tri-tip sandwich. It’s really good. It has a generous portion of smoked-to-perfection tri-tip on a baked roll, topped with roasted red peppers and your choice of our homemade regular or spicy BBQ sauce. I chose the spicy option the first time, and on my recent visit I went with half-and-half. The spicy food is tasty, but you need a big drink to wash it down. Combining the two was perfect, at least for me. It comes with two sides. I picked the homemade potato salad and macaroni and cheese. Both were excellent. Kirsten ordered the pulled pork sandwich with the sweet BBQ sauce, and my leftover half was just as good. It’s served on a large baked kaiser roll. For her sides, she chose potato salad and baked beans. The baked beans were super good.

What I love about this place is that they think outside the box. They offer vegan options, salads, gluten-free choices, and more. The last time I was in Mammoth, I stopped and got the pulled pork burrito for the road. It was great and huge, with a generous portion of pulled pork, refried beans, fresh pico, and red peppers. It was terrific and gave me the energy to head back to Almanor. Mike Conger and his staff are doing a bang-up job at this joint!

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This isn’t my usual Mexican restaurant. First, it’s in a log building. Second, the building is two stories tall. Not my idea of a cantina. Ernie Gulley recommended this place to me on a trip, and Kirsten and I are always looking for a great Mexican restaurant. As my buddy Coach Weaver says, “I’m always up for great Mexican food!” When we went to check this place out, it was busy. We found two chairs at the bar, and we grabbed them.

We ordered two margaritas on the rocks and some guacamole dip that the bartender recommended. The drinks and the dip were excellent. I asked the bartender what she liked on the menu, and she pointed to the enchiladas rancheras. It consists of two cheese enchiladas covered with their homemade sour cream sauce. Topped with guacamole, olives, and tomatoes, served with their homemade Spanish rice and refried beans. An excellent choice. Kirsten ordered the tostada del mundo, adding shrimp. It was huge—a large deep-fried flour tortilla served with whole black beans, Spanish rice, crisp lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, olives, guacamole, and sour cream, topped with grilled shrimp. We were stuffed.

I usually order enchiladas as my first dish at a Mexican restaurant. I use it as a barometer for the quality of the rest of the food. At the same time, my cheese enchiladas were excellent. Since then, Kirsten and I have returned twice—once on a trip to Hot Creek and once to meet friends for the weekend. Each time, we enjoyed great cocktails and food. The service is fantastic, and you see the owner walking around, talking to guests.

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All my fly-fishing guests (clients) who fish at Crowley Lake have told me repeatedly that I should visit Tom’s Place Resort. One morning, Kirsten and I did just that. We had breakfast there, then dinner, and more breakfast.

This is a place that has stood the test of time, having endured for over 100 years. Built in 1917 by Hans Lof and later sold to Tom and Hazel Yerby, the name Tom’s Place stuck—and it has stuck ever since. The new owners, Mark and Michelle Layne, bought the place in 2000, and it remains great. It offers lodgings, a bar, a market, and a café. 

The food is excellent, always served quickly and with a smile. I like this place because it reminds me of spots where my dad, on his Made-Rite route, would sell and deliver too. The owners are always working their butts off.

My favorite breakfast, and Kirsten’s as well, is the country-fried steak and eggs. It’s a large steak, crispy and always way too hot to eat when it arrives at your table. The gravy is fantastic—creamy, rich, and full of great flavor. I asked what the ingredients were, and the waitress just smiled and walked away. You can get your choice of eggs, potatoes, and toast. I even ordered the biscuits and gravy to go, so I could try to figure out what’s in the gravy. I still haven’t mastered it yet. Breakfast is fast and simple at Tom’s Place.

Kirsten and I were heading back to our hotel room in Mammoth Lakes. Taylor was with us, and we were all discussing what we would have for dinner. I saw that Tom’s was open, and I pulled in. It happened on Thursday night, when the café had prime rib as its special. We all ordered it, and it was great. I thought the breakfast gravy was excellent. The brown sauce was even better. Homemade mashed potatoes and green beans were served as sides along with hot rolls. It was a feast.

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Kirsten and I stayed at the Resort at Convict Lake, a celebrity resort, for our anniversary one year. Our anniversary is June 15, right in the middle of the Hexagenia hatch at Lake Almanor. We rarely get the chance to go somewhere and celebrate, but this year we did. The resort and its amenities are very nice. The restaurant remains unchanged, with white linen on the tables and great views, making it a place to enjoy. 

Their menu changes with the seasons, and I love the new; sometimes, I miss the old. On this trip, we started with cocktails. I chose a Moscow mule, which was awesome. Then we decided to order an appetizer. We chose the crab and Argentine shrimp cake. It was served with baby arugula, accompanied by citrus grapefruit and orange supremes, and a nice basil-and-jalapeño aioli. 

For our entrée, I ordered the rack of lamb. Many restaurants no longer offer lamb, and when I see it, I order it. The rack was a work of art. It was marinated in heirloom garlic, with fresh thyme, grilled to perfection, and served with a mint port wine demi-glaze and celeriac. Kirsten ordered the filet mignon, cooked to our specifications (rare or medium-rare, according to Chef Martin Garcia), with blue cheese chunks, leeks, and a bourbon glaze. Both entrees came with homemade mashed potatoes and seasonal veggies. We were too stuffed for dessert, but we grabbed a slice of almond vanilla cheesecake to take back to our room.

It’s a place that Kirsten and I have on our list to stay at again.