Media | Chef Frederic In the News

‘This quietly superlative contribution to the legacy of French cuisine in the American West is chef Frederic Pierrel’s mountain redoubt—and unless you are skiing or fishing in the eastern Sierras, you might never find out that some of the best cooking in the country is happening here.

Read about this place on Yelp and in some of the Mammoth visitor materials so we had to try it. We’ve been coming to Mammoth annually for almost 20 years and didn’t know about there was a bowling alley.  We walked through the nice bowling alley and went upstairs to the restaurant.  We were warmly greeted by the hostess upon arrival and got a seat next to the window with a lovely view of the mountains. There were so many good selections that it was hard to choose.  For starters, we got the French onion soup and the heirloom tomatoes.  Both were excellent. Next, we had the braised lamb shank and a fish special – sea bass.  Each came with a beautiful presentation of vegetables that included orange mashed potatoes (carrot puree added for color and extra flavor), caramelized brussel sprouts, tomatoes, and baby squash.  We loved the variety of vegetables, the color and the taste.

Amazing!!! I didn’t think that a restaurant of this caliber could be upstairs from a bowling alley. I had the Lam Shank and it was delicious. My girlfriend had the Filet Mignon, it was perfectly cooked with a peppercorn sauce on it. Will come here every time I visit Mammoth.

Never mind that it’s over a bowling alley. If anything that just improves the view of the mountains to the west. But honestly the food could be served in a windowless basement and it would still knock my socks off. The food is perfectly cooked and all guests at the table agreed. The plating was perfect, the server was professional, and the Chef checked in with us to make sure we were pleased with our selection. The portions were perfect, I left satisfied and not in discomfort. Overall I am pleased and will return in the future.

A must stop for good food after a great day skiing. I have to say, I was skeptical. French food? Up on a mountain town? Showing up 30 minutes before they close?

Yes!  It is worth it.  The service was fantastic.  Our waitress was very charismatic and smiled a lot.  She made good conversation and helped us pick out our food.

We showed up late in the evening and it helped to call beforehand to check that they were open. When I called, 30 minutes before they closed, the  hostess checked and told us to come right away because they would hold the kitchen open.

The whole thing with the bowling alley downstairs… well… it’s there…. I was interested in the food.  I LOVE French food. This does not disappoint.  It’s more of a “back to basics” version of French food with the occasional nouveau cuisine dish here and there.

When I was little (and I used to be fat), I loved making French onion soup.  And whenever I go out to anything French, French onion soup and escargot are musts in my book.  And Rock Brasserie’s French onion soup and escargot are delicious!

Now, price-wise, we weren’t too hungry so ordered a whole bunch of appetizers and it was pretty reasonable. The chef came by to make sure we had enough bread for the escargot and checked that we were happy with the food.

Overall, they have a good thing going for them.  The bowling alley downstairs is very lucky!

In a word, the dinner was fantastic, probably one of the best meals of my life. From appetizers to dessert, it was close to perfection. My sister-in-law compared it to the movie “Babette’s Feast” and she lived in Paris for 10 years! All I heard was rave reviews from my family and friends. We loved the intimacy of the room and the natural way our guests distributed themselves among the tables.

Amazing culinary experience!! If you have the chance to taste Chef Frederic’s artistry, I’m sure it will be a memorable one. His passion and commitment to outstanding food is a rare gem these days.

“Dat boyz gritz iz off da hook!” Seriously, the website is awesome and your food is ALWAYS insane… now go get some more Mushrooms!!!

We had read the great reviews on Yelp before driving up to Mammoth and were very excited to try this relatively  new restaurant.  We looked around us and it was pretty full and everyone seemed to be having a great evening. We ordered the Heirloom tomatoes and Caesar salad and salmon ($26) and halibut ($36) specials.  Everything was delicious, the heirloom tomatoes were particularly beautiful to look at and tasted great.  As we were leaving we decided to bowl!!  We highly recommend this to everyone… I loved it!!

When you combine a spectacular natural setting with a chef’s gift for mixing and matching creatively prepared foods, you create a dining experience unmatched in the Eastern Sierra and beyond. It’s always a treat to dine at Lakefront with Chef Frederic, but Sunday brunch on the patio is my personal favorite and an unparalleled treat each and every time!! Lakefront is at the top of everyone’s must do list for Mammoth Lakes!!

Wow! What a pleasant and fun surprise, a gourmet restaurant above a bowling alley! It is the understatement of the year to say that this is the best food I have ever had at a bowling alley! In fact this was one of the best meals I have had in ages.  The ambience was on point! Jazz music played in the background as the incredible sun set was framed through the floor to ceiling windows that made up one wall of the restaurant. The service was impeccable and the food was delicious.  We started our meal with the Wild Mixed Mushroom Strudel, it was amazing! We were spoiled for choice with all the specials, but finally settled on the Elk Medallions from the menu and the Wild Boar Medallions from the specials menu. Both meals were perfectly seasoned and delicious. For dessert we split an incredible apple dessert made with the best made on-site vanilla bean ice cream that I have had.  If you find yourself in Mammoth I suggest you find your way to the Rock and Bowl Brasserie!

We, once again, enjoyed another superb dinning experience at the Lakefront Restaurant last week. From the scallop & poki appetizers, to the beef & seafood entrees, all were exquisitely prepared. The presentation was a delight to the eyes & the service was outstanding. We always include this fine dining experience on our winter & summer trips to Mammoth – we can hardly wait for August!

Que c’etait delicieux!

Over the years we make it a tradition on our trips to have one night where we try to find excellent food in a comfortable atmosphere with a good bottle of wine. You would be surprised at how difficult this is to find. The atmosphere allows you to enjoy the obviously world class meals slowly. Having over 100 bottles of wine in our wine cellar, we were surprised at the favorite wines of ours that were on the wine list.

This is a solid, traditional, French restaurant. Service is spot on and the menu has your typical fare, but it’s really done right. The house bread is delicious to start. On this particular day they had two specials that we sampled, the foie gras and scallops. I have to tell you, I actually had dreams about this foie gras that night, it had this perfectly salty, truffle finish that was to die for.  Honestly, kind of a gem. Great for groups, the ambiance is upscale but also not unapproachable if you walk in with snow boots and jeans.

For years and years we have had the utmost in confidence that Frederic and his staff will deliver amazing meals for all occasions. He has never once failed us. Each and every visit brings another special memory. Our company brings visitors from all walks of life in the greater Los Angeles/San Diego/Orange County areas where nice restaurants abound. We have yet to find anyone who doesn’t think Lakefront rivals the best of the breed.

Make sure you listen attentively to the daily specials there you’ll find seasonal and local splendors…YUM! For dessert, we love to indulge in the delicious wild berry tart! Three cheers to an excellent wine list! Chef de Cuisine Frederic is always warm and friendly, and the wait-staff is great.

Excellent service and excellent food with reasonable prices. Who knew you could get food this good right above a bowling alley in a ski town?  Started off with the escargot – perfect balance of garlic, butter and parsley which I dipped the ciabatta from Schat’s and scooped up every garlicky morsel.

We ordered the albacore with peppercorn sauce and ribeye for dinner. Delicious!  For dessert the dark chocolate mousse was to die for!  Vanilla bean creme brûlée was rich but not too sweet. My decaf coffee was the best coffee that I have had since our week long trip to Mammoth (much better than Starbucks hands down) – it was the only regular coffee that has been served to me with crema.

Just had a second great meal and experience at The Underground Lounge. We own a vacation home in Mammoth and have a list of our favorite places to visit when in town. Lakefront was a favorite for years and we were curious to try Chef Frederic’s new venture. What a pleasant surprise!

We had a tremendous first experience here last night. When you want fine dining in Mammoth this is the place to go. We were a party of 8 celebrating a birthday.

They have: a Dining room with a great view; Tremendous staff- the feeling is very comfortable as the Chef and the owner both participated in delivering the food, refilling water and clearing plates ; Reasonably priced; Wonderful selection of items that were all prepared perfectly.

Starters that we tried, and loved: Mushroom stroodle, tomato-based fish soup, home made foie gras mousse and toast points, beef carpaccio with a light drizzle of truffle oil, French onion soup (sweet from the onions, not salty), escargot.

Main Course Items:  Prime fillet mignon with a light sauce (sous vide). Fantastic pommes frites. Elk fillet medallions (prepared perfectly rare, as requested). Bone in rib-eye. Fillet of Mediterranean Sea bass “loup de mer” (very light).

Final Course:  home made light strawberry sorbet, home made chocolate mousse and apple tarte tatin.

The wine list and aperitif selections were also very good. We couldn’t have been more pleased.

We discovered this place after bowling downstairs. The service was exceptional. The halibut was delicious. It was a relaxed environment with a view of the mountains. The chef comes by and checks on your meal. I’m definitely coming back for more.

We recommend Fred´s restaurant to all our clients. They rave about the food, and when Fred comes to visit them at the table, they feel special. That makes us look special.

If you are in Mammoth Lakes this is a MUST stop!!!! Who would have thought a 5 star cafe locate on top of a bowling alley next to a video golf!!!! (fyi this golf is a blast) We had a party of nine and we definitely made reservations. This place although it’s quite hidden it is on the small side.

The server was absolutely awesome.  My buds new of a specialty drink so I went with their suggestion. This Brasserie has its own Barrell Aged Whiskey Sour. WOW!!!! This is served in a rocks glass with one round ice cube. The table ordered multiple appetizers from a killer cheese plate to a wild mushroom strudel. (ORDER THIS ONE). If you don’t try this while you’re in Mammoth you will miss out on a great experience. Not to mention the view is awesome as well.

This is a fabulous restaurant in an inconspicuous location. By far one of the best meals we’ve had.  We were a party of seven in town for the Gran Fondo and to celebrate our anniversary. We were greeted and seated by the chef whose personality is equal to his culinary skill…that’s to say huge!  Our waiter Brian was extremely attentive and the overall service was exceptional.

I went with the suggestion of our server and about 80% of our table the Halibut. Holy Smokes best halibut I have ever eaten. A very larger perfectly cooked with a lite seared crust on the outside. This had a potato puree and asparagus. This also was served with a lite not over coming sauce. The Chef came out to make sure everyone was happy which was very nice.  If you don’t try this while you’re in Mammoth you will miss out on a great experience. Not to mention the view is awesome as well.

This was fabulous. My husband got the rib eye, and I got the elk medallions. Both were excellent. We also shared a mushroom strudel after seeing so many rave reviews of it, and it was really good. It was smaller than it looked to me in the pictures though. For dessert, we shared their apple tart with vanilla bean ice cream. They said it was a favorite, and I see why!

Best Birthday Ever! Chef designed and catered a meal with my favorite ingredients – from Fois Gras Toasts served with a sweet Riesling, Duck Confit melting in my mouth and we topped the night with Lavender Crème Brule. Now a treasured memory.

GTH‘, ‘BEST FOOD EVER – Just combine Friends and Chef Freddie’s cooking. Mix with wine and one is in heaven! Thanks for the experience – see you next year!

Tres Manifique! We love the consistently superb comfort food served with passion and flair. A great value for the price. Although celebrated for fine dining and special events, we eat here as often as possible when we are in Mammoth, like it was our neighborhood restaurant at home.

Chef Frederic, once again, did not disappoint. I had a wonderful Sea Bass with perfectly prepared green beans and a red wine recommended by Chef. The cheese platter was limited for what I was looking for, but still very pleasant. Warning: beware the bread. Chef’s bread is AMAZING – YOU WILL FILL UP ON IT. Crackly, flaky outside, soft, warm inside. As soon as the bread came out, I knew it was Chef Frederic.

Food: absolutely delicious. We started with a basket of the best housemade brioche I’ve ever had. My wife said, “It doesn’t even need butter.” She had the housemade foie gras torchon with toothpick-speared sweet local crab apples as a whimsical add-on, and was in heaven. She then moved on to the perfectly rare elk medallions, also a huge hit. I had the heirloom tomato salad, which was perfection, and followed with the pork mignon in a mushroom cream sauce. I had housemade pear ice cream (pears from the same local orchard as the crab apples). Subtle, smooth, delicious.  I’d go back here in a heartbeat the next time I’m in Mammoth Lakes.