Vulcania by the Voltaggio Brothers

            Today I am going to profile Vulcania, located at 6201 Minaret Road, in the Village in Mammoth Lakes.  Vulcania is the high-end restaurant option in the Village, and it is trendy but not pretentious.  The drinks are phenomenal, the food is amazing, and the ambiance is cool, making it a great date night or girls’ night out option. 

The Quick Details

• Hours: Thursday through Monday open 5:00 – 9:00 PM; closed Tuesday and Wednesday.

• Kid Friendliness Level:  Highchairs, kid friendly menu options, and cornhole outside.

• Dog Friendliness Level: Well-behaved dogs are welcome on the patio. 

• Vegetarian options: The menu includes vegetarian options. 

• Gluten Free options:  There are not many GF options.

• Drinks: Cocktails are amazing, large wine list with many by the glass options.

• Price point: Expensive.  Main courses were in the $25-$50 range.

• Parking: Parking can be limited in the Village.  There is some street parking, a paid parking lot, and a lot below the Westin.  The village is easily accessible by bus, trolley, and gondola, and is walkable from many spots in Mammoth. 

• Reservations: Make reservations on OpenTable. I would recommend them on a weekend, at a busy time of year, or for a large party. 

• Ability to accommodate large parties: With a reservation. 

The Experience

Vulcania recently opened and it came in with a buzz, given that the chefs – Bryan and Michael Voltaggio - are Food Network stars with a slew of awards between them.  I was prepared for high prices, small portions, stuffy atmosphere, and all-around disappointment.  I was not only pleasantly surprised on all fronts, but I had an absolute blast and will not hesitate to go back again and again. 

We made reservations over OpenTable for a Wednesday night, and the hostess accommodated us with a table switch that was half booth and half chairs so that we could sit with our toddler on the booth side and put his highchair on the chair side.  We went early and the restaurant was not busy yet, but as the evening went on they got more full. 

The location of Vulcania is ideal.  It is in the Village with both indoor and outdoor seating.  The outdoor patio looks out onto the Village stage, and along the edge of the patio are four glass igloos with large tables inside.  When patio seating is done for the season, these igloos still provide an intimate “outdoor” dining experience year-round.  And, they look super cool.  Also the patio had a cornhole set up, so kids and adults alike can entertain themselves while they dine. 

            Inside the restaurant the vibe is trendy.  There are mirrors on the walls, purple neon tube lighting, big globe lights from the ceiling, and modern style furniture.  The bar counter lights up, which my son loved, and it honestly looks really neat.  The indoor seating is in a large, open space with seating that radiates from the bar, located in the middle of the room.  The open kitchen is the first thing you see when you walk in, and you can watch the chefs use the giant pizza oven to make delicious food. 

            I knew that I wanted to go the cocktail route, and the list at Vulcania had all the classics.  I went with the first drink on the menu, the Clover Club, which was Bombay Gin, raspberry, luxardo aperitivo, egg white, yuzu bitters, and lemon.  I don’t know what half of those things are, but wow was the drink incredible.  It started sweet and ended with that bitter gin taste, and the egg white made it feel light and airy.  It was truly a sensory experience to sip on.  The drink was a light pink color with a frothy top and came with a purple orchid flower garnish. 

            Our waitress informed us that Vulcania was a family style restaurant, where sharing plates was encouraged, and that our food would be served as it was prepared – not exactly coursed out in the traditional sense.  She was very knowledgeable about the menu and offered suggestions on how many plates we might need.  We still went overboard and ordered something from each menu heading.  I regret nothing.

            We started with the caprese bruschetta, which replaces mozzarella with burrata.  I am a sucker for burrata cheese, and this switchup on the classic salad, which is then plopped onto fresh bread drizzled with olive oil, was bomb.  We also got the spicy tuna appetizer, which my husband especially loved.  It also came with bread and was seasoned just right. 

            For a salad we tried the Caesar, which again, was a twist on the classic.  It came with a parmesan churro instead of croutons, which was essentially like a large, crispy, cheesy, crunchy knot of goodness, and the salad came with two laid across the bed of lettuce with shaved parmesan on top.  Then there was a pocket of black garlic, which is a strong but delicious taste.  Once the salad was cut up and mixed, the blend of flavors was incredible. 

            We ordered the Voltaggi-o’s, which is the restaurant’s spin on the classic Chef Boyardee spaghetti-o’s.  We got it for our son, who devoured them.  The plate also comes with a giant meatball in the middle with a basil leaf garnish.  I have to hand it to them; it tasted very much like the original and gave pleasant flashbacks to childhood.

            With that big oven in front and my pizza obsession, we were not going to skip trying a pizza.  The ratatouille pizza came with zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, basil and squash blossoms, a melding of the classic French soup and Italian pizza.  The bright colors and the squash blossom flowers made for a beautiful presentation.  The oven made the crust crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle, and the flame gave it that charred taste. 

            From the Italian-American classics section, we wanted to try the fish with the chimichurri sauce, but unfortunately they were out the day we went.  I love chimichurri and will be back to try it.  Instead, we ordered the Braciole, a hanger steak with a polenta side.  Here, the blend of flavors was what made the dish, honestly taken individually it wasn’t a standout.  The polenta came in a separate bowl and was bland on its own but combined with the meat it transformed into something else entirely.

            At one point our table looked ridiculous with the amount of food we had on it.  We boxed up what we couldn’t finish and had it again for dinner the next night, and I had the extra pizza for lunch.  It was just as good. 

            Vulcania is a great upscale dining experience in the Village.  As always, please comment with any questions, thoughts, or your own experiences. 

Eastern Sierra Eats