To try and decide each week where and what to eat around the basin can be a challenge – there are so many amazing choices. In this feature we’ll dive into dishes that will surely satisfy those hunger pangs and leave you wondering where to go next.

For this week’s dish, we pull the curtain back for a little surprise. A surprise in the sense that this is not a menu item, but rather a special that you have to catch just right on a seafood Friday night. And while seafood night has featured other items like salmon wellington or lobster tail pot pie, we’re calling out the popular appetizer of ahi poke nachos.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, ahi tuna is one of my favorite types of fish. Slice it up raw and throw it on top of a pinecone and I’ll have no problems digging in. Luckily for this dish, the ultra fresh fish is diced and marinated in a combination of soy, sesame, lime, and ginger – so your fingers should remain sap free.

The wontons (chips) are fried to order then topped with the marinated ahi and a seaweed salad. A sweet soy glaze is drizzled over top along with a wasabi cream – both made in house – and accompanied with sliced ginger and avocado.

As you can imagine with the wontons, the textures in this dish are fantastic. The ahi just dissipates on your palette and you get a great ebb and flow of sweet, sticky, crunchy, and smooth. The wasabi adds a nice punch, but it never overpowers the rest of the gang. The seaweed provides a little tanginess that ensures every corner of the room is represented when it comes to flavor.

If ever there were a dish that could pave the way for people to dip their toe into the sushi pool, this might be it. Start here, load up different flavor combos for each bite and decide what you like best. If every bite is great, which I’m guessing it should, then you’re ready. If not, just stick with these – they’re just as fun and delicious.

Emerald Bay Bar and Grill is located at 888 Emerald Bay Road in South Lake Tahoe. For menu, daily specials and more, visit them online at emeraldbaybar.com or reach them by phone at 530-541-7017.