I was embarrassed. When we left Skadi on Saturday night, I remarked (to my wife) that it had been, "the best meal I've ever had in Mammoth." Talk about a back-handed compliment; it was one of the best meals that I have had all year, yet here I was comparing it to local culinary standouts like Chart House and Rafters (both reasonable options for groups and the like.) Skadi would stand out in any "restaurant city" in the world, it's that good.
We loved Skadi when it was in the old location. Nice view and close to the liquor store, but not really a special environment. The new location is cozy and intimate. Ian (the owner and chef) will come to talk to you, and at the end of the night, you'll want to add the waiter to your Christmas card list. The staff are trained extremely well, and Ian's sous chef is all business: the place hums along at a comfortable pace. We sat at the counter overlooking the kitchen area (that's kind of our thing, anyway) and had a good time eyeballing everyone smart enough to call ahead. I wouldn't have changed a thing.
Now for the food.
Starters: I had the Foie Gras, and it was very good, and enough for two people, easily (I ate all but a tiny piece anyway). My wife had the savory mushroom crepe, and while it looked delicious, she forgot to save me a bite. She assured me that it was so wonderful, she didn't regret not sharing it.
Soup: I had carrot-curry soup served in a big bowl. It was full of flavor and texture and all kinds of carroty goodness. It was poured over fried carrot strings and I loved it.
Salad: My wife had the traditional Caesar Salad. It was good, she liked the light dressing, and it was beautiful.
Mains: My wife is on a Salmon kick, so she got the crispy-skinned salmon. I ate some and it was great. She ate every last bit of it and was thrilled. Salmon is a good barometer for a great restaurant, and this was a great dish. I had the maple duck breast. It's a carryover from the old location and it's still just about the best thing you could ever put in your mouth. The preparation is perfect. If your experiences with duck breast summon comparisons to cardboard or sawdust, you owe it to yourself to order Ian's version. It comes with a side of fried spatzle. And that was good, too.
We were stuffed. After starting with Scharffenberger sparkling Rose and moving on to a Penner-Ash Willamette Valley Pinot with the meal, dessert was out of the question. But we did it anyway. We had the creme brûlée. It was great and I was almost hating myself for eating so much of it, but I couldn't stop. I was consoled by the fact that my wife ate more of it than I did, but I probably could have eaten a whole serving myself.
I can't wait to come back to Skadi. It's a rare restaurant and even rarer in a resort town. You must make reservations; my wife and I got lucky. It is not a restaurant for children, and it shouldn't be. The food is refined and complex, substitutions are discouraged and they probably don't have crayons. I don't know what their corkage policy is; I didn't ask. I will buy their wine when I go back and it will be fine. Actually, it will be great. read more