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. 

Not sure what about the cold weather and heading into the holidays makes me think of (and crave) lamb chops, but we are at that point of year where it’s happening. So, in truly selfish fashion, this week’s feature takes my empty tank of lamb chop indulgence and fills it full. 

Starting with the star of the show, these are thick cut New Zealand chops from Te Mana Farms (recently changing names to Lumina), so right up front you have quality shining bright. Any time you have lamb, the cook is of utmost importance and each of the chops served were a gorgeous medium rare — something you actually seldom see accomplished in a lamb dish (my wife and I order a lot of lamb, it’s true). 

They are served with a mint pesto and herbed Greek yogurt over a pinot reduction and garnished with fresh chives. Served alongside them is a sauté of fingerling potatoes, spinach and red onions with Dijon mustard-lemon vinaigrette. 

If you’ve read me before, you’ll know I’m a big fan of multiple flavor combinations in a single dish, giving you the opportunity to try different options and, ultimately, choosing the one you liked most. This dish personifies that experience and if I absolutely had to choose, it would be the simple bite of the lamb with the pesto and swiped in the pinot reduction. You might think that sounds like a heavy combination, but it is surprisingly light while not losing any of its richness. 

In all honesty, you can’t go wrong with any bite combo here. The potatoes are both creamy and crusty, and combined with the onions, spinach, and vinaigrette (and also picking up some of that reduction), it makes for a great companion to the lamb. 

Perhaps the only bite I didn’t do was a kamikaze with everything – I’m not a complete animal … although, that does sound like a challenge for the future. 

The Lake House is located at 1181 Emerald Bay Rd. in South Lake Tahoe. For menus and further information visit them online at thelakehousetahoe.com or reach them by phone at 530-600-1308.