To try and decide each week where and what to eat in and 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.

I’ve never heard of a ceviche tour until talking with chef Andrew Shimer about this week’s feature. But after hearing of his recent travel to Peru with his wife and tasting about 40 different ceviches there, I’ve never wanted to go on one more. That tasting is what inspired the creation of this dish.

To start, thinly sliced Hamachi is topped with a brunoise (very fine dice) of black Spanish radishes, Fresno chilies, jalapenos, and shallots then covered with fried sweet potato chips and garnished with micro cilantro. The dish is then dotted with cancha chulpe before being surrounded by a cantaloupe leche de tigre (tiger’s milk).

The colors and flavors of this dish explode in harmony. The fish is delicately buttery and provides the backdrop to let each of the other ingredients shine – most notably the golden-colored cantaloupe leche de tigre. It’s bright and tangy, but the sweetness from the cantaloupe rounds it into a flavor that I salivated over hours after tasting the dish. A slight heat peeks through from the peppers, but never enough to impose their will.

Textures are added from the sweet potato, brunoise mixture and cancha chulpe. Cancha Chulpe is a Peruvian corn nut so you can sort of get an idea of flavor and texture it brings by comparing to the American corn nut, but don’t compare it too much. It’s not quite as hard and crunchy and is slightly sweeter.

This dish screams refreshing, which makes it a perfect companion to enjoy with the warm weather while it lasts. And much like warm weather will be leaving us soon, so will this dish as the new fall items are added to the menu. So, if you’re one to fancy ceviche, you owe it to yourself to take the local tour and give this one a spin.

Sylva New American Bistro is located at 521 N Lake Tahoe Blvd in Tahoe City. For menu and more information visit them online at sylvatahoe.com or via phone at 530-807-1099.