AMAZING!
Dined here on7/5 late evening. This place was fantastic. The owners were friendly and so was all the wait staff. I had the crab cakes (3!) which were fantastic. Shared the brie stack (also amazing, the vanilla sauce it comes with was so flavorful). And lastly the beet salad. The beet salad was good, but if someone was ordering it for their entire meal, it may be a little small. This isn't really a complaint- just a suggestion, but they should offer more vegetarian options for their entrees. I don't think there was anything truly vegetarian.
I would come back in a second if I went back to Mammoth Lakes.
Petra's never disappoints. Â The small dishes are creative and tasty. Â I cannot say what to order because I've never had anything I have not been pleased with. Â I especially like that you can order 1/2 glasses from the extensive wine list. Â Unless I'm with somebody, I normally eat at the bar and meet locals and many happy travelers.
Review Source:Showed up early and sat at bar. Happy hour has a limited menu: soup, salad, olives, Brie, pasta and cheeses.
Broccoli soup with chorizo: creamy but under salted, even with chorizo.
Brussels sprouts hearts: beautifully caramelized little treats with a runny grana Padano cheese sauce. Once again under salted, otherwise delicious.
(FYI I rarely if ever add salt to my food...)
Duck confit appetizer: welll cooked, nice balance between the fat and the fig. Being nitpicky here but wish duck skin was crispy.
They have a really good list of interesting central California wines by the glass, which surprised me. And you get them for less at happy hour!
Met some nice folks at the bar too. It does get crowded so make reservations, or get cozy and squeeze in at the big wraparound bar with the other diners.
All of the above with 1 glass of wine and happy hour discount was about $36 with tip. This place is pricey but good for a splurge. Service was friendly and attentive. 1 star off because of under seasoned food. Would go back again, of for no other reason than a glass of wine.
Dining experience was nice. Restaurant was busy.  Appetizer sautéed  mushrooms were good.  Grilled Caesar salad was not so good... Lettuce was yellow.  Scallops and rib eye were excellent.  Chocolate cake was at least a week old... Tasted so old and dry.  We will go back. Overall, it was a nice place to eat and the staff were friendly.
Review Source:Great atmosphere, great service. Â I ordered the duck--it was too dry--but my husband liked his bolognese. Â I haven't had brussel sprouts in years, but my meal came with "brussel leaves" which is basically the sprout pulled apart and cooked in a ton of salt and pepper--it was okay. Â We had great wine, though, and good service.
Review Source:Ok, first off I would love to know if all these high star ratings are people comparing this place to other Mammoth food and rated it high because its one of the few places that serves "Fine Food", or if it's just a natural shame to let me know you  got your mug rupped eating out!
I walked in with a buddy, he has been working at the Las Vegas Hilton for 25 years in several restaurants and presumably knows what to look for. Â I, unfortunately, like good ffod and do make a study of finding one really "fine dining" establishment when out of town.
Walk in: Â No greeter, five mintutes later a girl att eh bar comes over to seat us. Â At that time the greeter comes over, states angrily, "I got it!" and takes us to a table and dumps us off without a word of greeting! Â Sound like 4 stars to you yet?
Our waitress comes over and I sit back awed at the sheer number, variety and plain damn ugliness of all the TATOOS all over her arms and all the bare skin fron and back. Â I have seen bikers with less of that crap showing and it looked like India Ink! Â GROSS!
She gives us our menus, comes back a few minutes later and asks if we have any questions. Â We said no, expecting to be offered drinks and she turns on her heal and walks off without a word!
I don't know if the food is any good because they only had five items on the menu, I am not a duck afficianado and I dont particularly care for ribeye steak, I find both a bit greasy for my taste. Â I understand about making yourself exclusive by having only a few items to serve but really folk, five entrees in a dive where Sonny Bargers ex wife is the waitress. Â My buddy could find nothing he really wanted and because the prices were outrageous even compared to the rest of the Mammoth rip off prices, we got up to leave. Â The girl at the door asked if everything was ok and we said we should have looked at teh menu before seating. Â She actually said, "Yes we are a little pricey for some!!! Â LOL, I said "No, we aren't really worried about money, we are more worried that you have nothing appealing on the entree list and we came expecting really fine dining and all we saw was fine prices!"
Come on people, would you give this sh*thole 4 stars in LA or NY or Vegas, heck no so stop giving it to them in Mammoth you are just encouraging them! Â If a place is BS walk out and next door best food that close to the mountainis the burgers!
Should you feel in need of some Old World comfort after a "yard sale" descent on Chair 23 and achieving an A+ spring skiing sunburn, Petra's Bistro across from the Village at Mammoth may be just the ticket to restore your element-beaten soul.  Petra's offers an upscale, relaxed ambiance, fireside seating, and expertly blended cocktails to put you back to rights. Take in the cozy winter-themed Austrian wall murals and order the Brussel Hearts appetizer and a signature cocktail to start. Then select the pan seared scallop entrée on a butternut squash puree with a brown butter balsamic.  Delish! I dare you to have enough room for dessert.
Review Source:Went here for my birthday a few days ago. Overall, I'd say this visit was a solid 3 stars.
First things first: the "front door" was either locked, jammed, or I had no clie how to open it. This was awkward.
We ate at the bar, but got to look at the fireplace from where we were seated. Ambiance was nice.
I ordered a cucumber Hendricks martini at the recommendation of the bartender. My fiancée ordered a white wine (forget which one) at the recommendation of the bartender as well. Both were great.
We started with the crab cake appetizer. This was delicious, but probably the best tasting dish of the night.
For dinner, I ordered the duck. Â Unfortunately the duck was extremely dry, and had an unusual taste to it. To put things into perspective, if a restaurant has duck on the menu, I typically order it. I've probably had duck 20 different ways at 20 different restaurants... unfortunately this ranks at the bottom at #20 and will continue to do so.
The bartender did check in specifically on the duck prior to me mentioning the poor quality. She did indicate they had a new cook on staff, and wanted to ensure the duck was prepared to my liking. At this point I explained the situation, and she promptly took care of the situation by eliminating the duck from the tab.
At this point, I shared the pasta my fiancée had ordered with her instead of going for another duck or another dish. It was good, I'd say great for Mammoth area. Certainly nothing to write home about, but it was tasty.
All in all, if the duck were done much better, I would be hard pressed not to give this place a solid 4 or even a 5 star review for the following reasons: friendly, empowered staff, great ambiance, outstanding (and reasonably priced) wine list, and convenient location.
Had a just OK meal here the other night. Â What started out as an exciting place turned into just a fair meal. Â The Sea Bass was definitely over cooked and had too much of a black crusty seasoning. Â The crab cakes had NO FLAVOR at all. Â I will say that I enjoyed the beet salad the most. Â I was so disappointed and we spent soo much money for a lousy meal. Â The setting was good and the server did a good job, but when it comes to fish, the cook just did not know what he/she was doing. Â The wine was good as a consolation. Â As was the dessert. Â It would have been better going to more of an affordable place.
Review Source:With mountain resort restaurants being often mediocre, Petra's stands above the rest in mammoth as the must go-to spot. Â First, it is conveniently located across the street from The Village. Â The small homey and romantic ambiance is only rivaled by White Bark in the entire city. Â I typically order filets, and hardly ever a ribeye. Â Howver, the server raved about it so I followed her advice. Â The ribeye with a red wine demiglaze was the best I've ever had, and in my top 10 of the best steaks ever to enter my mouth. Â We started with the wild mushroom soup and red blood beet salad. Â Both were excellent. Â Every time the attentive server came by to check in on us, all she heard were pleasurous moans and groans. Â Â Bravo Petra's !!
Review Source:Cute place, dim lighting, great service in the room by the bar. Â Good place for a date night!!
Brie was delicious and different, served on a seriously yummy slice of pineapple with nuts. Loved this!
Gnocchi was very flavorful and buttery!!
Broccoli soup was nice, light yet creamy.
Orrichete bolognese was bland and kind of too watery. Not our favorite.
The scallops were well cooked and I like it with the spinach lentil and sauce combo, but felt the price was a bit steep.
Overall, a good experience and we will be back to try some other things... Maybe up the stars then!
Amazing food, friendly staff, totally cozy interior. We got the mussels, pork belly and the sea bass special (served whole). The mussels were pretty good, pork belly was good not great, but the sea bass moved this restaurant from a 4 to a 5. It was perfectly cooked, soft and tender meat, not greasy or oily. It is served with this amazing salad that has grilled kale and brussel sprout greens. Delicious.
We ended up sitting at the bar because the restaurant was fully reserved for dinner. Lesson: make a reservation for this place. It seemed to us that a lot of locals eat here, which I further take as a good sign.
If you're in Mammoth on a multi-night visit, eat here at least once. Â Friendly staff, excellent wine dispenser system that keeps their 'by the glass' selection fresh and at the proper temperature, plus very good food in a nice setting. Â Recommend sitting at the bar for dinner then head downstairs to the Clocktower for your nightcap. Â Ate here twice over four days, had the whole fish special, the ribeye, the potato leek soup, the mushroom appetizer, the green salad with crispy shallots - all very good.
Review Source:This restaurant is a gem in Mammoth Lakes. We enjoyed a Saturday night meal at the bar towards closing.
1. Atmosphere + Service: 1 star
The service was timely, attentive, responsive thoughout the whole night. My only complaint was that I needed to ask them to bring out bread after noticing the adjacent table had theirs.
The atmosphere was pleasant. It was void of the vapid, loud and annoying hordes who clamor to eat the neighboring village restaurants. Yay!
2. Drinks: 1 star
My boyfriend and I ordered one each of the two Pinot Noirs available. I had a half glass of the light delicate and dry. He had a full glass of the darker full-bodied. Yum.
3. Appetizers: 1 star
Fried brussels sprout hearts in a carmelized glaze! So delicious. I greedily consumed most of the dish.
4. Entrees: 1 star
Boyfriend ordered the ribeye and I wanted the scallops. Each arrived at the same time before our hungry eyes.
Scallops were seared to perfection. They were of great quality because I could catch subtle hints of sweetness in the flesh.
I would have preferred less of the super salty bacon bits. They do provide a contrast, but completely overwhelm the delicate scallops. The bed of quinoa, spinach, and (I think) mashed potatoes was interesting, but some what blah and bland.
Boyfriend loved his ribeye because he cleaned his plate. He ordered it medium rare. The rapini wrapped in pancetta was well executed. A nice rework of the traditional bacon wrapped asparagus.
Overall:
A great dinner in a nice and warm atmosphere. Boyfriend did make a mention that the restaurant's menu totally look like it was created in the 90's. Haha, it's not really a complaint though
I enjoyed the place, it's a well done cozy, classy place. Although I had to send my pork chop back because it was overcooked, when it came back done right, I was very satisfied.
Wine selection was great: they had Dutton Pinot Noirs and some choice Chardonnay. We had a party of 10, everyone was satisfied with their meal selection.
Waiters are friendly and knowledgeable about the wines. I would say that they could've been a little more prescient about giving us the 10 person table that was originally reserved for another group that never showed, but we were also spur of the moment.
I'd come back, maybe even make it a little romantic suggestion if I come up next time with a cutie.
Everything about our experience this evening: Â Fantastic!
The creative cocktails were unique and flavorful. Â Be sure to try the Saffron infused Orange Martini and Petra Special Margarita.
Next we had the baked brie with heirloom tomatoes. Â Best ever. Â The main courses we had were halibut and scallops. Â We live in San Francisco and these rated higher than most of the top restaurants we have eaten at. Â Tasty desserts. The service was superb, especially our waiter John.
Petra is a must when you want a fine dining experience in Mammouth.
We have been here over five times so thought I should finally review after our last time here this past Wednesday night
They don't tell you too much about their happy hour, we do have to ask each time. Â They will initially tell you cocktail discount. Then if you keep prying, they will give you happy hour menu for food items! Â (it does seem indicative of the fact when we go in there, the service seems to be new to the job)
Anyhow, lately they haven't had the gnocchi, which is why I initially loved this restaurant. Bummed when it's not on menu
But we have had their gazpacho (wow!), crab cakes, spaetzle, spinach salad, cheese plate, olives, etc.
We now seem to go in and order their great cocktail caipirinha and their amazing cheese plate and we are good for the night! Â We have every intention to order more, but end up full. Â And since all of it is happy hour prices, it's about $25 for two of us
"Learn from the past, look to the future, but live in the present." -- Petra Nemcova
This is one of the hardest lessons to teach my son, to learn to stay in the moment. Â For him it is always about what is coming up.
"Dad, how long is this hike?" (Because he wants to play video games after)
"Dad, how long is dinner?" (Because he wants to play video games after)
"Dad, what time will we be back? (Because he wants to play video games after)
"Dad, how long is the car drive? (Because he wants to play video games in the car and after).
"Dad, what time will we get up? (Because he wants to play video games in the morning).
He wanted to stay in the hotel room when we arrived in Mammoth and check out the game room, but I insisted our first night in the area we would go out for a nice meal. Â After consulting Yelp, various restaurant websites and our shuttle driver Jack, we went with Petra's. Â It is located across from The Village in the Alpenhof Lodge. Â Doesn't look like much from the outside, but, inside the joint has a warm, chic interior. Â Fine food in comfy surroundings :) Â We did not have reservations so the only seating was at the bar.
My son of course wanted to act cool and did not want me handling his ordering duties. Â Recently, because of a meal with fellow Yelpers Robert J. & Lori M. and their daughter, my son has developed a taste for Shirley Temples so he confidently ordered himself up one while I ordered myself a glass of Navarro Pinot Noir. Â Their wine list is thoughtful if a bit pricey but they at least let you order either a half glass or full glass. Â Even better is the fact they have enomatic machines for their By The Glass list so the reds are served at correct temps. Â
Menu is limited but what they do have is very good. Â We split a baked pasta and ribeye and my boy surprisingly ate hearty portions of both (Well surprisingly on the pasta because he normally eats it plain but this one he liked with everything on it). Â The pasta especially was tasty with fresh herbs, asiago cheese and a robust sauce. Â The steak was also exceptional and far better then the steak we had a few nights later at Nevados. Â
No dessert as we went across the street to Ben N Jerry's :) Â
Highly recommended especially for cool, swanky kids like my son ;)
So McCoy Station is closed during the summer. Â No chili cheese fries mid-mountain, which may prompt the summer visitor to search for more civilized eating options. Decided upon Petra's due to a slur of decent reviews laziness to wander any farther from the Village. Â We were seated in the middle of one of the dining rooms where we seemed to feel every step a passer-byer made. Â The room was also either really loud, or our waiter was unable to speak at a level audible enough for humans to hear. Â We had to ask him to repeat himself a handful of times. Â
We decided to share the spaetzle and smoked salmon crostini appetizers, and the baked orichtette with lamb bolognese main. Â As with most meals served in this ski town, portions were large and hearty. Â The food was alright, and a tasted a bit underseasoned across the board. Â A meal here would definitely fill you up after a day on the slopes, but nothing to write home about.
Petra's and I had a bumpy start but the exceptional and friendly staff plus the all around stupendous quality of the food really brought it around.
We made a same day reservation for dinner and, even though they were crazy busy, we were still accommodated. This was the same weekend of Bluesapalooza and thus, the restaurant was really low on a lot of their food. We didn't know this going in and I don't think it would have changed our restaurant choice but it did have a significant effect on what I ordered for my meal. I lived but let me tell you... it was hard.
The first thing I saw on the menu. And I literally mean the very first thing I saw, was the corn soup. I don't know if you know this (but you should), I freaking love corn. Like really, really love it. And corn soup is one of the highlights of my life. I was dying for this soup. My mom was too. But then, it happens, the worst thing ever. They are out of the soup. I was crushed. Our waitress was so sweet and she could tell I was really bummed. I felt for her. She felt for me. There was a lot of feeling going around. I ordered two drinks to stave off the pain. Plus some mushrooms and the smoked salmon crudite plate to eat. I had to push past the hurt.
The drinks were yummy. Strawberry fields and chocolate martini. Both winning cocktails went down easy and helped guide me through my corn soup loss and the terribly stressful family dinner conversation.
The mushroom serving was huge. A big bowl that was absolutely perfect. I couldn't finish it all so everyone got a taste (except my brother who quickly reminded me of his distaste for fungi, what a fool). These were very good as an appetizer.
The smoked salmon plate was interesting. It had salmon, pickled cucumbers (are these not just pickles?), some jam and goat cheese. You put all this together on the little baguettes and you have quite a treat. It was light, unique and very hands on. I enjoyed it tremendously.
My parents had the scallops and those were sensational. So well prepared I couldn't believe it. But, the true winner of the table was the pancetta wrapped chicken my brother ordered. It was on a big, fluffy bed of mashed potatoes and the whole thing was completely delectable. The chicken had been brined (I think) and was some of the juiciest white meat I had ever had. We were just eating and yumming and totally the happiest people in the world. It almost made me forget about the corn soup disaster. Almost.
Practically everything about this evening was perfect. The staff, the food, the good vibes. Petra's is a true dinner gem in Mammoth and I'm so thrilled we got to enjoy it. I can't wait to go back and get some corn soup!!!!!!
I recently stayed up in Mammoth for about 17 days in June. Since I'm a huge foodie one thing I always do is a "restaurant run" where I drive around and check out all the local restaurants that pique my interest.
The moment I popped into Petra's, I knew I wanted to eat there. I loved the vibe --it had a kind of upscale chic, but not trendy energy and it just "looked" like it would serve gourmet food for a refined palate. (A lot of other places in Mammoth seem to cater to the beer/ hamburger/ pizza crowd, so this place stood out for me.)
I sat at the bar and I much enjoyed my experience there. The bartender Josh is super friendly and a food connoisseur as well so he had plenty of suggestions for me. I went during Happy Hour where you can get discounted menu and drink items, which worked for me. : )
The food was simple and of good quality ---with some menu items more memorable than others. For example, on the first night I went I had  a corn soup appetizer and the Baked Orchiette with Lamb Bolognese.  Both needed a little salt in my opinion and needed  more flavor. The pasta dish was dry and could have used a lot more sauce or lamb as well. But the food was good enough for me to return the following night as well and on this second night I had made much better choices ---the Paprika dumplings with Chorizo were INCREDIBLE!
Anyways, I do think that if you're a foodie Petra's is one of your ONLY choices in Mammoth ---unless you like dark steakhouses or those aforementioned pizza/beer/burger joints.
Friendly service, classy yet cozy vibe, great wine selection and the food is excellent. Â I make a point to dine here on every visit to Mammoth.
Repeat dishes tend to include the mussels and the gnocchi but sometimes we go with the special. Â The last time was a yummy rabbit pot pie. Â
The desserts are usually great and one time even came back for seconds "to-go" of the homemade chai ice cream.
Wow wow and more wow! Â
Our first night in Mammoth, my boyfriend and I had drinks at the Clocktower Cellar and got to talking to one of the bartenders. Â We asked what his favorite restaurant in town was and he said, "I know it makes me sound like a homer (since they're upstairs from Clocktower and part of the same hotel) but I think Petra's really does have the best food." We checked it out on Yelp and the rest was history...delicious, delicious history.
Crab Cakes appetizer - insane. Â Best, if non-traditional, crab cakes I've had on either coast or anywhere in between.
Wine list - extensive. We picked something safe (Stag's Leap Chardonnay), but were floored that it was only $44. Â I've seen it for $60-$80 on other lists.
Scallops - massive. Â If I had encountered these things in the ocean, they would have scared me. Â Perfectly cooked with a delicious quinoa side.
Duck - heavenly. Â Tender and cooked just right. Â Greens on the side were excellent as well.
Pear Cobbler - perfection. Â I've never had a pear cobbler before, but the tartness of the pears really balanced the sweet brown butter ice cream that came with it. Â Brown. Butter. Ice. Cream.
Make a reservation, or you'll be sorry. Â In fact, I'll even be sorry for you.
YUM, Â SUPER YUM, Â VERY YUM.
Blueberry-Basil Martini- awesome. Â Try it.
Complimentary bread with olive oil mixture- Be careful it's SO good you don't want to ruin your appetite for the main courses.
Crab Cakes- Â Delicious and big portion
Scallops- Â So ridiculously good. Â HUGE.
Gnocchi- DO it.
This place is beautiful and I was able to spend some time in front of the big fire place and couches. Â My advice: Â Call ahead and reserve the fireplace area (if there are 4 to 6 of you). Â MAKE A RESERVATION, or go to the bar if you don't. Â
XOXO
Best restaurant in town!
My boyfriend and I were able to get an early reservation the day after New Year's, and the food, wine and service were exceptional. Â I'm not sure if it was just because of the holiday craze, but definitely call ahead of time to make sure there's an open table.
Being one of the only nicer restaurants in Mammoth, my boyfriend and I booked a reservation here for New Years Eve and had an awesome meal. They had a 7 course prix fix menu for $125 per person consisting of things like crab cakes, seared scallops, spinach salad, acorn squash soup, risotto, ahi or prime rib and desert. Of course everything was delicious, I was so stuffed when we left. The only downside was the bill, about $400 bucks after a cheese plate, wine, and tip, still deciding whether it was worth the splurge.
Inside the restaurant is very cozy with low ceilings and we were seated near the fireplace, very nice. We chose the later seating time at 8:00 and were allowed to keep our table until after midnight although we escaped a little earlier to catch a cab.
If you're looking for a nice outing for NYE, definitely come here. And hopefully you'll get snow, no such luck this year:(
Hint: They waived the $25 corkage fee on the bottle of champagne we brought since we also ordered a bottle from their menu.
All the makings of having a great meal out with my wife...but overall I thought it was mediocre. Â Clams were good although the mixed flavors of sausage seemed to overpower the clams. The romaine salad was tasty. But the crab cakes were small, greasy and little flavor. The lamb was cooked perfectly (rare- med rare), spaetzel was an interesting combo with corn and something else I couldn't put my finger on. Â The addition of a sausage and other ground meat was strange combo I assume for filler but it was again overpowering and I would have preferred more lamb since the portion was small for $32. Even the wine recommended by the staff for lamb, a Whitcraft Pinache, was too fruity and sharp for a lamb.
Service was okay although the very long wait between appetizer and main course had me nursing my glass of wine to make sure I had some for the lamb.
Doubt we'd ever return.
I have had two entirely different experiences the two times I came here. Both were for my anniversary with my boyfriend. On the first occasion we had a reservation and had a wonderful experience. The food was fabulous, the wine selection was great, and our service was up to par.
On our second trip, we forgot to make a reservation and suffered because of it. They placed us at the bar and basically forgot about us. We were seated right next to the door so I was freezing my face off even with a down jacket on. We waited it out and got a better seat at the bar after our appetizers came and the meal turned around. The food was great, but the service was not.
My suggestions for this restaurant are as follows:
Be prepared to spend a lot of money
Make a reservation
Sit far away from the door
Do not order at the bar if you want good service
EVERYTHING WE ATE WAS DELICIOUS.
Petra's Bistro goes down in history as one of the most memorable dinners of my life. Â Seriously. Â
Get a reservation -- Petra's books up solid. Â
We couldn't help but order at least one item from every category of Petra's menu. Â Here's what we got:
1. The Cheese Course: <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2FcNV0v8&s=7a7eaaa19b741cefe7651e799dfddefe983ce807b930cb85c317f4356a9f36fe" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://bit.ly/cNV0v8</a>
2. French Onion Soup (boyfriend's fav): <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2Fb3A9kO&s=3e25e266b9caa9aecde1c5ed369c51c64d4bfd505c99b74b0090092f1bb13c9f" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://bit.ly/b3A9kO</a>
2a. Mushroom Soup: <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2FaFky1g&s=e193bcccd54fdbecb4eab78b5882887087924d6a8cb448087309d82b9104bc94" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://bit.ly/aFky1g</a>
3. Warm Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese & Apple: <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2FaFky1g&s=e193bcccd54fdbecb4eab78b5882887087924d6a8cb448087309d82b9104bc94" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://bit.ly/aFky1g</a>
4. Crab Cakes: <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2FbqzfsC&s=c934a3154323905f2f25ad6ace7165976d7f2ca4da01d169f2c34c3b3aec954e" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://bit.ly/bqzfsC</a>
5. Grilled Porkchop with Polenta Cake & Grilled Peaches: <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2F9YHf4u&s=b990d77d175c9ba60404191918fa0a826aee3c396cdb52a5cf46cc9d6cba8208" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://bit.ly/9YHf4u</a>
6. Sorbet (boyfriend's fav dessert), while I had decaf coffee.
Here's how I'd describe our overall culinary experience: sophisticated, delicate preparation, freshness, comforting, careful attention to detail (service, atmosphere, decor, friendliness, flavor, and presentation of food) = just right. Â If a picture is worth a thousand words, then I hope my photos convey a million dancing tastebuds. Â
Go to Petra's. Do not pass GO, do not collect $200, just go.
My initial impression of Petra's was positive. Â When you walk in the first thing you see is a long bar and a large wine selection. Â Overall the space had a rustic, laid back sophistication to it. Â
My main meal was a real disappoinment though. Â The carpaccio appetizer looked and tasted suspiciously similar to thinly sliced roast beef---the kind I get at the deli counter at Vons. Â The duck breast was undercooked. Â The reason that I normally order duck---a crisp, luscious skin----instead had a rubbery, soggy consistency.
If I do return to Petras, instead of dinner, I'll opt for an apres ski glass of wine with a bowl of wild mushroom soup and some warm french bread. Â The extensive wines by the glass selection and the soup were the strongest items on the menu.
LuLu's was completely booked so they sent us to Petras. Â (Thank you!) Â
So, there we were, the Mr. and I, completely suited up in snow pants/jacket and boots (it was our first time to Mammoth) in this cozy, well appointed, nook of a restaurant, whilst everyone else was dressed in there aprés snow wear, but we didn't care.  The vibe was chill, we were warm and enjoying some of the best bistro food we've had in a while.  Everything tasted fresh, beets, endives, the chowder, the bisque, the crab cakes, the beef, and it was all so yummy.
Apparently they've got a great wine selection but we didn't try any of it. Â We came for the food and were so glad we did. Â It can get to be a little on the pricey side but it was definitely one of the highlights of our trip.
Highbrow food in a mountain town. Â All the food we had was expertly prepared and muy delicioso! Â
The baked brie was devoured, gnocchi was tender and flavorful, malt panna cotta with brownie for dessert was decadent yet light.
Prices aren't too bad if you don't go crazy with the wine. Â And it has a surprisingly casual atmosphere for such cuisine. Â Jeans/sneakers are no problem.
The only reason it gets 4 instead of 5 stars are the portion sizes. Â Everything tasted so good I wish they gave us more! :D
My family has been coming to Mammoth for years and years, but this was our first time dining at Petras, and I have to say, I'm thrilled that we found this place! Â The ambiance is rich and mellow, fairly quiet with low lighting. Â The space is relatively small and cozy, and our party of five (one of us is a child) was seated on two sofas by a charming little fireplace. Â (We were warned that that was all they had available when we made the reservation, and it was plenty comfortable.) Â The service was very friendly and attentive. Â Our waiter even noticed me taking a photo of my brothers and offered to take one of our entire family.
They had an extensive wine selection and my parents and I split a bottle of Silver Oak Alexander Valley cabernet sauvignon. Â I'm not terribly informed about wine, but as someone who dislikes the sharpness of a lot of red wines, I loved this one. Â It was thick and a little buttery. Â Yum.
The food was generally fantastic, with some dishes outshining others. Â The menu is seasonal and apparently changes from day to day. Â The bread was wonderful, sliced baguette crunchy on the outside, soft fluffy on the inside, served warm with olive oil and balsamic. Â We ordered a ton of food, and as by far the biggest eater in my family, I had my fork in every plate. Â (This led to a very flattering discussion about whether there was anything I didn't eat. Â I let them talk as I played cleanup and scraped their leftovers down my gullet.)
To wit:
Cheese plate - there were four different cheeses, the names of which have long escaped me. Â They came with sliced apple and pear, dried cranberries, pine nuts, and bruschetta. Â I was a bit disappointed in the cheeses. Â Two of them were so mild that they were completely overpowered if not eaten alone. Â I liked the other two cheeses better - one was a dry yellowish cheese that had some nice bite to it, and my favorite was a tangy blue that was quite good.
Oysters - These were $4 a pop, but absolutely delicious. Â Sprinkled with caviar to make you feel better about the price.
Butternut squash soup with lump crab meat and creme fraiche - Good, not great. Â Very nice and comforting but could've used a little more flavor.
Seafood chowder - This was a winner! Â Zesty broth loaded up with whitefish, clams, shrimp, and some of the best spicy calamari I've ever had.
Crab cakes with blood orange segments, watercress, and orange aioli - I'm pretty particular about crab cake, but this was a great dish. Â The texture of the crabmeat was uncompromised and the blood orange segments were the perfect accompaniment.
Pork belly pizza with pineapple - This was just okay. Â The flat pizza bread was good, but the pork was on the dry side and the pineapple helped but the whole thing was a little bland.
Pork tenderloin wrapped in pancetta with spaetzle and potato wedges in a tangy red sauce, maybe a red wine reduction - Delicious, tender pork, and the sauce was awesome, but what set this dish apart was the spaetzle. Â There was plenty of it and it was the perfect complement to the pork, and it was even incredible on its own.
Scottish salmon with lentils - This was my least favorite dish. Â The fish was cooked dry and the lentils were bland.
Day boat scallops with pomegranate seeds, parsnip puree, crispy parsnip chips and white truffle oil - Yummy yummy yummy. Â The scallops were great, though they could have been seared a little longer. Â The pomegranate seeds were a delight with the mild flavor of the scallops. Â There were a lot of components to this dish but they all worked together and nothing was gratuitous.
Tarte tatin with cinnamon ice cream - We split one dessert as we were all stuffed by the time the dessert menu came around. Â It was a good size, with plenty of soft gooey apple melded with sweet pastry, accompanied with caramelized apple crisps and refreshing cinnamon ice cream. Â A great cap to a wonderful meal.
I am blissfully stuffed and our family had a great experience at Petras. Â Despite the wine bar atmosphere, it was a nice cozy spot for a family dinner, even with a child. Â It would be a lovely date place as well. Â We will definitely be back our next trip to Mammoth!
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