The Village at Mammoth expands apres ski options.
By ERIC NOLAND, Sunday, November 4, 2007, LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS

It's been long in coming and gradual in developing, but Mammoth Mountain can
now provide a skier with a fully pedestrian experience.

The Village at Mammoth, which has rounded into shape over the four years since
its launch, is a compact little enclave of condos, retail shops and restaurant/bars,
just a blip compared to the sprawling and more deeply rooted villages at Vail,
Colo., and Whistler, B.C.

But it has already accomplished an important feat:chipping away at Mammoth's reputation as a commuter ski area (you know, stay
at a motel, drive to breakfast, drive to the base mountain, drive to a beer hall,
drive to ... .).

At the corner of Main Street and Minaret Road, the village has a dozen or so
shops and eateries on its ground floor, with upscale condos on the upper floors.

Best of all, just steps away is the Village Gondola, which may not reach the top of
the mountain but will at least access Mammoth's interconnected system of ski
runs and lifts.

So, if inclined, a visitor can park in the subterranean lot upon arrival, never climb
behind the wheel again, and subsist quite comfortably.

The shops skew toward gear and apparel, while the food offerings run the gamut
from snacks (ice cream, chocolates) to fine Provencal dining. There is also a little
market that carries all the essentials for stocking up a condo kitchen.

And though small, the village is an inviting place. The winding, European-style walkways are paved with rough cobblestones. Most restaurants have outdoor seating with space heaters. There are a few gas fire rings that are lighted when an assembly warrants it. And the complex of three condo lodges has an outdoor heated pool in a rock-garden setting and two extremely popular Jacuzzis.

One afternoon, a dad and his two teenage daughters alighted from the Village
Gondola carrying their gear, soon stepped through a lobby door into their lodgings at White Mountain Lodge, and were seen moments later in white terrycloth robes and Sorrel boots, clunking toward the swirling waters of the hot tubs.They later walked to dinner.

If the Village at Mammoth does nothing more, it has already made an important contribution to this town: a decent restaurant. Mammoth has long been the
province of pizza, burgers and gringo Mexican food. (Out on Main Street, La
Sierra bills itself as, no lie, "Mexican American Italian Grill & Cantina.")

Restaurant LuLu, a spinoff of the popular San Francisco dining spot, provides a
welcome, and refined, alternative. Its cuisine is country French, which works
remarkably well in a wintry locale where daytime exertions are common.

Cassoulet and braised short ribs are prepared in a stone oven, and there is a
nightly rotisserie special – it might be rabbit on Tuesday, leg of lamb on
Wednesday, wild boar on Friday.

LuLu also has an extensive antipasti and small plates menu, and a waiter enthused at some length about how the restaurant is geared for family-style sharing of dishes (which was odd, because I was by myself).
The ambience here is warm and inviting, and the service is excellent. From just a
little bit of eavesdropping, it was evident that Mammoth residents have found their way here for special occasions, there to mix with the transient condo dwellers.

Also on tap nearby, the Lakanuki Tiki Bar, with its slightly naughty jokey name (say it quickly).Other hangouts include the Side Door Cafe, which combines an extensive wine
selection with such unsubstantial food offerings as crepes and paninis, and
Hennessey's Tavern, the kind of loud, pub-grub place that has never been in
short supply in Mammoth.

A Starbucks, a Ben & Jerry's ice cream store and Zantes' Soda Fountain offer hot and cold treats.

About the only drawback to all this coziness is that the club hoppers aren't cognizant (or don't care) that there are bedrooms 10 feet above street level when they're stumbling home at closing time. If you retire at any time before 1:30 a.m.,
prepare to be awakened in the wee hours by booze-fueled frivolity.

The accommodations are otherwise quite comfortable, with full kitchens, gas
fireplaces, daily maid service and DVD players. The owners of some 200 units
participate in the village rental program.
Meanwhile, under construction adjacent to the village and due for completion this
year is the Westin Monache – the first upscale hotel brand to make an appearance in Mammoth Lakes.