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.

If by the time you read this you are already sick of turkey, stuffing, green bean casserole and whatever else Thanksgiving fare made to your belly, then this week’s feature offers up a great alternative. Never mind the fact that you can’t pronounce the name, once you dive in for a bite, you really won’t care.
This appetizer offering starts out with a battered green onion and cabbage pancake that gets a nice griddle to crisp up the outer edges and leaving you with a super tender interior (but keeping its texture all the way through). It’s topped with a striping combination of Japanese-style barbecue sauce and mayo, and finished with furikake, togarashi spice and bonito (smoked fish) flakes. If you want to amp it up even further (which I’d absolutely suggest), add an additional topping of pork belly or shiitake mushrooms. Or both – feel free to go big.

As you might expect, this dish doesn’t lack in the flavor (or texture) department. It’s complex and layered, but none of the components ever feel out of place. Each one decides when the right time is to jump in and start dancing, which leaves you with a taste that slowly evolves with each bite. The smokiness from the bonito adds a ton of depth and helps to balance the slight sweetness from the sauce, but both together are the superpower that elevates the earthly notes of the pancake.
Given our recent storms and opening of resorts, this is a perfect starter for Yuki’s ramen options. Who doesn’t want a big bowl of steaming ramen to go along with a snowy day? Just make sure you don’t skip this dish beforehand.

Yuki Ramen Tahoe is located at 3447 Lake Tahoe Blvd Unit #1 in South Lake Tahoe. For menu items and general information, you can reach them by phone at 530-600-0664 or hit them up via their website at yukiramentahoe.com.