EAT

an epicurean experience - s u m m e r 2 0 14 -

The Vail Valley’s Best Restaurants

ARTISAN BREWERS

Discover a world beyond beer

POINT IN TIME

Local eateries capture the valley’s history

HAVE YOU EVER FELT RUG LOVE? Come to Ruggs Benedict and fall in love with a rug.

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VAIL DAILY MAGAZINE GROUP GM Susan Ludlow sludlow@vaildaily.com

EDITOR Wren Bova

EDITOR’S LETTER

wren@vaildaily.com

ART DIRECTOR Carly Hoover choover@cmnm.org

PHOTO EDITOR Dominique Taylor dtaylor@vaildaily.com

MARKETING DIRECTOR Mark Bricklin mbricklin@vaildaily.com

AD DIRECTOR Patrick Connolly

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f you think you’re glad summer is here — talk to a Vail Valley chef. Braising meats and eking flavor out of root vegetables is all well and good, but summer’s bounty is the sort of thing a chef lives for. The farmers markets aren’t just for the home

cook anymore — on Saturdays and Sundays you’ll find some of the area’s culinary professionals wandering the booths, stopping here

pconnolly@vaildaily.com

and there to grab the flat of peaches or boxes of greens that the

NATIONAL SALES DIRECTOR Cynthia Bruggeman

farmers saved especially for them, in addition to talking with (and

cbruggeman@vaildaily.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS & PHOTOGRAPHERS Brenda Himelfarb, Katie Coakley, Kim Fuller, Krista Driscoll, Kristin Anderson, Lauren Glendenning, Justin McCarty, John LaConte, Kimberly Nicoletti, Anthony Thornton, Traci J. Macnamara DESIGN TEAM SUPERVISOR Afton Groepper DESIGN TEAM Ashley Detmering, Darin Bliss Malisa Samsel ADVERTISING SALES COORDINATOR Justin Busch jbusch@vaildaily.com

ACCOUNT MANAGERS Carole Bukovich, Eric Burgund Chris Jacobson, Beth McKenzie Heidi Bricklin CIRCULATION MANAGER David Hakes dhakes@vaildaily.com

VAIL DAILY PUBLISHER Don Rogers

quizzing) the folks who grow the food.

And all of that variety is found on local menus, whether it’s chantrelles foraged from Vail mountain or bright pink beets grown just down the way. It’s a very delicious time to be eating out in Eagle County.

EAT staff writers just spent the past month dining at local restaurants in order to tell the tale. Restaurant chefs and managers ask us to come in and experience what they’re creating. Sometimes we wander through the kitchens, gathering insider knowledge (and a trick here and there); other times we stick to the dining room and work our way through course after course. And in the following pages, we tell our stories about what eating out is all about this season in the Vail Valley.

Cheers and bon appétit, Wren Bova EDITOR

drogers@vaildaily.com

SWIFT COMMUNICATIONS PRESIDENT Bob Brown rbrown@swiftcom.com

COLORADO MOUNTAIN NEWS MEDIA GM Jim Morgan jmorgan@cmnm.org

COLORADO MOUNTAIN NEWS MEDIA PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Bill Walker bwalker@cmnm.org •••

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an epicurean experience - s u m m e r 2 0 14 -

cover photo by anthony thornton

The Vail Valley’s Best Restaurants

The caprese salad from Bol is the perfect expression of summer: ripe tomatoes, zingy basil and creamy, fresh mozzarella cheese.

ARTISAN BREWERS

Discover a world beyond beer

POINT IN TIME

Local eateries capture the valley’s history

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11 PHOTO GALLERY Before pleasing the palate, these dishes delight the eyes.

BY DOMINIQUE TAYLOR

14 THE EAT COMPENDIUM Snapshot views of the valley’s best restaurants.

BY EAT STAFF WRITERS

56 TASTE OF TIMELESS Local eateries are a trip down memory lane with rooms and walls filled with old photos and keepsakes from decades long past.

BY KIM FULLER

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CRAFTY BREWERS

BITE SIZED

Brewing isn’t just for beer. Enterprising locals use the brewing process to create kombucha, cheese and port.

Something to nosh on…

BY TRACI MACNAMARA

BY WREN BOVA

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CONTRIBUTORS Potluck or picnic go-to: Ranch and veggie tortilla roll-ups.

I miss mom or dad’s: Mom’s vegetable beef soup.

Food truck Vail needs: Crepes.

CARAMIE SCHNELL

LAUREN GLENDENNING

KATIE COAKLEY

Writer Music to cook by: Silence, most of the time.

Otherwise some awesome ‘90s Pandora station.

Burger topping: Blue cheese and caramelized onions.

Guilty pleasure: BACON. Wish I had easy access to: ANY good ethnic food. Indian, Vietnamese, Dim Sum, Korean.

Latest recipe, trick or ingredient I discovered: How to make kick-butt brownies using cocoa powder we brought home from a small town near Bogota, Colombia. The cacao trees they sourced it from were literally right there.

Sweet treat: Best dessert I’ve eaten recently was the wild berry tiramisu with white chocolate from Wolcott Yacht Club.

Outstanding.

Potluck or picnic go-to: Pasta of some sort. Recently a farfalle pasta salad with wild asparagus, tomatoes and goat cheese.

Food truck Vail needs: Asian street food.

Writer Music to cook by: Reggae.

Burger topping: Bacon and blue cheese crumbles, or bacon and guacamole.

Guilty pleasure: Gourmet mac-n-cheese.

The willpower to turn it down just isn’t in my DNA. Wish I had easy access to: Thai and Vietnamese.

Latest recipe, trick or ingredient I discovered: I learned how to “sear” sashimi by pouring the hot oil over the top, like Nobu Matsuhisa’s “new style.” I’ve been doing it with wild salmon lately and it’s amazing.

Sweet treat: I’m a sucker for cupcakes.

Potluck or picnic go-to: Guacamole. I add mango and pomegranate to it for a little something extra.

I miss mom or dad’s: Dad’s caramel fudge. He never wrote a recipe down and it only comes out right about half the time, so it’s impossible to recreate.

Food truck Vail needs: Asian-Mexican fusion truck.

Writer Music to cook by: Motown. It gets me boogieing while I’m braising.

Burger topping: Grilled onions and mushrooms.

Guilty pleasure: Totino’s pizza rolls.

Sweet treat: Brownies.

Potluck or picnic go-to: Veggies and hummus. (I really want to say beer. And wine.)

I miss mom or dad’s: Beef Stroganoff.

Food truck Vail needs: Indian food (there was an amazing roti truck at Bonnaroo — I fell in love).

ANTHONY THORNTON Photographer Music to cook by: Ella Fitzgerald.

Burger topping: Goat cheese.

Guilty pleasure: Cereal for dinner.

Wish I had easy access to: Trader Joe’s dumplings.

Latest recipe, trick or ingredient I discovered: Purple basil.

I miss mom or dad’s: Mom’s homemade pizza.

Food truck Vail needs: Gourmet hot dogs.

KRISTA DRISCOLL Writer Burger topping: Aioli of any kind, especially avocado or mustard.

Guilty pleasure: Graham crackers and frosting out of a can.

Wish I had easy access to: Super fresh seafood, right out of the ocean.

Latest recipe, trick or ingredient I discovered: Slitting the skins and blanching tomatoes to peel them easily.

Sweet treat: Chocolate stout.

Sweet treat: Ice cream. I have to have it at least once a week.

Potluck or picnic go-to: Rosemary potatoes.

I miss mom or dad’s: Meatloaf and twice-baked potatoes.

Food truck Vail needs: Indian food.

ELEANOR NESBIT Photographer Music to cook by: Benjamin Francis Leftwich.

Burger topping: Avocado.

Guilty pleasure: Beignets.

Latest recipe, trick or ingredient I discovered: I taught myself how to cook falafel — so delicious!

KIMBERLY NICOLETTI Writer Music to cook by: Jack Johnson’s “Banana Pancakes.”

Burger topping: Goat cheese.

Guilty pleasure: Salt and vinegar chips.

Wish I had easy access to: Chicago-made pizza and fresh-grown, organic tropical fruit.

Sweet treat: Fannie Mae’s Pixies (it’s a Chicago candy company that makes the best chocolatecovered pecans, loaded with caramel).

Potluck or picnic go-to: My husband’s homemade salsa.

I miss mom or dad’s: Chocolate chip cookies and homemade pizza sauce (the latter of which my mom used as a vehicle to sneak vegetables into my diet by blending in stuff I wouldn’t otherwise eat, like mushrooms, onions and carrots.)

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PHIL LINDEMAN Writer Music to cook by: Mostly hip-hop. For some reason, Nas just makes me hungry.

Burger topping: Diced green chilies.

Guilty pleasure: Donuts, particularly the cream-filled kind. City Market/ King Soopers long johns are out of this world.

Wish I had easy access to: A good Indian curry.

Latest recipe, trick or ingredient I discovered: How to properly boil bagel dough. Seriously.

Sweet treat: If donuts aren’t nearby, I’m a sucker for a Snickers bar.

Potluck or picnic go-to: Beer.

I miss mom or dad’s: Chicken and corn chowder.

I’ve never been able to duplicate the flavor.

Food truck Vail needs: Donuts, to keep the theme going.

TRACI MACNAMARA Writer Burger topping: Green chilies and pepper Jack cheese.

Guilty pleasure: Butter.

Wish I had easy access to: Seaweed for seaweed salad.

Latest recipe, trick or ingredient I discovered: Making beer can chicken on the grill.

Sweet treat: The Bookworm’s Nutella crepe.

I miss mom or dad’s: Mom’s triple layer German chocolate cake.

Food truck Vail needs: Powder-day breakfast burritos.

MELANIE WONG Writer Music to cook by: Depends on the food!

Burger topping: Sautéed mushrooms.

Guilty pleasure: Not gourmet at all (just calorie dense), but cinnamon bagels with cream cheese from Einstein’s and a huge iced chai tea latte.

Wish I had easy access to: Dim sum.

Sweet treat: Coffee ice cream.

Potluck or picnic go-to: Pot stickers.

I miss mom or dad’s: My dad was the selfproclaimed king of ramen and his noodle bowls are really pretty dang good!

Food truck Vail needs: Korean.

DOMINIQUE TAYLOR Photographer Music to cook by: House music.

Burger topping: Avocado, beets and bacon.

Guilty pleasure: Not sure if I feel guilty eating anything, maybe bread but only because so many people tell me how bad gluten is for me.

Wish I had easy access to: Indian.

Latest recipe, trick or ingredient I discovered: Fresh curry spices from South Africa made into elk curry in a crockpot.

Sweet treat: ANZAC biscuits from my country.

Potluck or picnic go-to: Really good sandwiches with curry mayo from Belgium.

I miss mom or dad’s: Roast lamb.

Food truck Vail needs: Indian. (You can never have too much Indian.)

BRENDA HIMELFARB Writer Music to cook by: Bebel/Gilberto; any Portuguese music.

Burger topping: Rarebit.

Guilty pleasure: The Cheesecake Factory’s avocado egg rolls.

Wish I had easy access to: See above.

Latest recipe, trick or ingredient I discovered: Learning how to make my own rarebit.

Potluck or picnic go-to: Sweet and sour meatballs.

Food truck Vail needs: A Sabrett hot dog cart.

ASHLEE BRATTON Writer Music to cook by: Vitamin String Quartet’s version of “We Will Rock You. Burger topping: Mushrooms, Jack cheese, and lots of garlic!

Guilty pleasure: If there’s creme brûlée on the menu, I know I need to save some room for dessert! I just can’t resist.

Latest recipe, trick or ingredient I discovered: I’ve noticed a trend with the chefs adding popcorn to certain dishes, be it caramel corn to a dessert or garlic and truffle corn to an entree.

I like it.

Sweet treat: Anything with chocolate. I’m always up for mud pie.

Potluck or picnic go-to: As long as the picnic basket has wine and a set of glasses, it’s a good day.

I miss mom or dad’s: I have yet to find a place that does spaghetti quite like my mom’s recipe. I love it.

WREN BOVA Editor Guilty pleasure: Jelly beans.

Wish I had easy access to: Fresh Asian herbs and spices.

Latest recipe, trick or ingredient I discovered: Cooking fish on the grill in foil packets.

Sweet treat: Lately, ice cream.

Potluck or picnic go-to: Riviera pasta salad with avocado and basil.

I miss mom or dad’s: Menu planning.

Food truck Vail needs: Bahn mi.

CARLY HOOVER Art Director Music to cook by: Creedence Clearwater Revival on vinyl.

Burger topping: Aioli.

Sweet treat: Northside donuts.

Picnic or potluck go-to: Hummus, pesto and feta layered dip.

I miss mom or dad’s: My mom’s mac & cheese and summer salads.

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DAN TELLEEN

Creating Heirlooms Since 1970

Earings 22k and Saphire

VAIL VILLAGE 970.476.4760

Scallops from the Wolcott Yacht Club are served straight off a board in primal, tasty style.

Octopus from Matsuhisa Vail is a pristine taste of the sea.

Healthy kale makes Tavern on the Gore’s salad substantial.

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FEATURED RESTAURANTS AVON 15 16 17 18

Boxcar Ticino Italian Restaurant Maya Modern Mexican Kitchen Vin48

BEAVER CREEK 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 40

Black Diamond Bistro Grouse Mountain Grill Spago Toscanini Hooked Rocks Modern Grill 8100 Mountainside Bar & Grill Buffalos Blue Moose Pizza Splendido at the Chateau The Osprey Lounge Mirabelle Beaver Creek Chophouse

EDWARDS Café Milano The Gashouse Vista at Arrowhead Mirador and Grouse on the Green 35 Zino Ristorante 31 32 33 34

VAIL 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 27

Tavern on the Square Matsuhisa Vail La Tour Flame at the Four Seasons Vail Chophouse Bistro Fourteen Campo de Fiori Bol The Left Bank Elway’s Vail Vail Ale House Kelly Liken Tavern on the Gore Atwater on Gore Creek Blu’s Restaurant Lord Gore at Manor Vail Pepi’s Restaurant Game Creek Restaurant Blue Moose Pizza

WOLCOTT 54 Wolcott Yacht Club

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BOXCAR 182 AVON RD, SUITE 208 970.470.4121 / BOXCARRESTAURANT.COM

by LAUREN GLENDENNING photos by ANTHONY THORNTON

W

hat’s cool about Boxcar is that you can go in for burgers or you can sit down for several courses of fine-dining quality food, in a setting that somehow manages to walk that perfect line between casual gastropub and upscale bistro.

The menu walks that line perfectly, too, with chef owners Hunter Chamness and Cara Luff finding their ideal concept in an elegant gastropub theme that allows them to showcase their impressive creativity.

The tone is set with a crafty cocktail at the beginning of the meal from bartenders who are imagining things like orangeinfused cognac with coriander syrup and prosecco — a take on the French 75 — called Shark Juice. The Far East features gin, lemongrass syrup, pomegranate liquor, pink peppercorns and mint — the perfect refreshing summer cocktail.

If you think that’s creative, wait until you try what Chamness and Luff are cooking up in the kitchen. They’re turning backyard barbecue classics like deviled eggs into extraordinarily interesting bites

— the deviled eggs trio includes a Caesar egg, a roasted garlic and pork belly egg and an incredible truffle and chive egg.

Regular deviled eggs at the neighborhood block party will never be the same after you’ve tried these.

With their French fine dining backgrounds — they met while cooking in the same kitchen in Seattle — and an imagination for things that aren’t found in other restaurants around the valley, it’s obvious these chefs are the real deal.

Their attention to detail is notable in everything from the rosemary Gougeres, an airy cheese puff filled with a surprisingly light pear and goat cheese mousse, to the distinctive smoked duck and sweetbread sausage that exhibits their technique (it’s made in-house, accented by pickled fennel and a foie gras-huckleberry sauce).

There’s smokiness, fattiness, acidity and texture, all deliciously balanced into a dish that’s not only tasty, but it also looks like a piece of artwork.

Two chef-owners working together creates balance, Chamness says, adding that their philosophies are the same so they’re able to check each other as they play with new recipes.

“We just complement each other’s food,” he says.

It’s obvious they’re not skimping on quality ingredients, but perhaps what’s more appreciated is the fact that they’re not skimping on quality preparation, either — even if it

Apps, $5-$16. Entrees, $16-$28. (Apres menu features $12-$15 sandwiches.) • AMBIANCE Chic gastropub. • SIGNATURE DISH Rosemary gougeres with goat cheese and pear mousse ($6); chicken and chorizo roulade with creamy polenta and mustard cabbage ($24).

PRICE

means a several-day process is required to create one element on a dish.

Take the cured albacore tuna served atop toasted bread with preserved lemon and hearts of palm salad. It’s complex in its simplicity, with flavors that are light and delicate.

Creamy, house-made burrata shows off even more skill, as does an interesting take on chicken noodle soup. The “noodle” is a parsnip agnolotti — the silky pasta dough bursts with a sweet parsnip pop — finished off with a lemongrass consommé.

A chicken and chorizo roulade showcases some of that rustic French knowledge, while the Boxcar bacon cheddar burger illustrates the gastropub theme done right. Ask for beer pairings from the 10 rotating craft beers on tap, too.

As I looked around on a recent sum-

mer evening while in for an early dinner, I saw a table of two nicely dressed couples enjoying a fine bottle of wine, another table with two 20-something guys in jeans and hoodies chowing down on burgers, among a variety of other customers.

The diverse combinations of customers proved that Boxcar is a place for everyone — and, more importantly, it’s a place that not only belongs in the valley, but is also to be welcomed with open arms. • top Boxcar bacon cheddar burger with beef-fat fries, caramelized onion and house veggie relish. above House-made burrata with fava beans, fingerling potatoes and pickled ramps. left Chicken and chorizo roulade over cheesy polenta.

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TICINO ITALIAN RESTAURANT 100 W BEAVER CREEK BLVD / THE LODGE AT AVON 970.748.6792 / TICINORESTAURANTAVON.COM

by KATIE COAKLEY photos by ANTHONY THORNTON

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hough it’s just an ordinary Tuesday night, there’s nothing ordinary about a meal at Ticino.

First is the discovery of the restaurant: tucked into the Avon Center, Ticino may be a bit more difficult to find, but it’s worth the effort. Just take the pedestrian walkway around the building and walk up onto the patio. If the weather is nice, grab a seat outside.

Say hello to Charles Frey, the owner, who is inevitably bustling around, speaking to customers and bantering with the staff. Glancing at the kitchen is first and foremost, with the delectable smell of baking bread and melting cheese wafting from the wood-fire pizza oven. After ordering a glass of red wine that Charles is happy to recommend — when in Rome, after all — start to peruse the menu.

Be forewarned: It’s an almost Herculean task to decide what to order, choosing between wood-fire baked pizza, homemade pasta and the selection of main courses, not to mention the appetizers and salads. While escargot may

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be considered a French dish, it would behoove you to sample Ticino’s escargot, which is a rustic and uncomplicated version featuring the tender gastropods lounging in a bath of butter studded with herbs and spices. To turn up the heat, try the stuffed peppers; the prosciutto wrapped around the jalapeños adds a wonderful smoky flavor to the spicy dish.

“It’s all about fresh, homemade food at a reasonable price,” says Frey.

That’s exactly what you’ll get at Ticino, proving that excellent ingredients combined in just the right way make for an excellent meal. Take the Costolette di Vitello, for example: slow braised veal short ribs in a white wine citrus jus.

The recipe is a collaboration between Frey and his son, who played with the flavors until it was a perfect marriage

PRICE

Apps from $5-$17; entrees $13 - $34 • AMBIANCE Cozy and unpretentious • SIGNATURE DISH Costolette di vitello

between traditional and modern, the citrus adding a tartness that is not usually found in the rich dish.

Don’t worry about delicacy when enjoying this dish, explains Bernardo, who has been working at Ticino almost since it opened. Just make sure you get all of the sauce and the ribs. Advice doesn’t get much better than that.

When dinner is over, make sure that there’s a bit of room left for the homemade panna cotta, which is served in a martini glass topped with a lovely berry sauce, or the traditional tiramisu. Savor the last few bites, and while strains of Puccini soar, and it’s easy to imagine, for a moment, that you’re in Nonna’s kitchen. Charming Frey acts as surrogate padre, providing suggestions and stories while convincing you that no meal is complete without a small sip of homemade limoncello.

It’s useless to argue with family, so go ahead and indulge. It may be just another Tuesday, but there’s no reason that it can’t be special. • top Veal scaloppini in a marsala wine sauce, baked tomato and fettuccini. left Caprese salad with tomato, basil and mozzarella.

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MAYA MODERN MEXICAN KITCHEN 126 RIVERFRONT LANE, WESTIN RIVERFRONT RESORT & SPA / AVON / 970.790.5500 / RICHARDSANDOVAL.COM/MAYABC

by PHIL LINDEMAN photos courtesy MAYA MODERN MEXICAN KITCHEN

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cross Colorado, taquerias are a dime a dozen. No wonder Richard Sandoval, the founding chef of Maya in Avon, calls his flagship restaurant a tequileria.

Yes, you read that right: tequileria, as in a sly play on taqueria, the word whispered by Mexican-food disciples to describe a small, no-frills taco shop known for otherworldly grub. Oddly enough, these hush-hush hotspots attract hordes of faithful foodies to small strip malls or wandering food trucks, but the setting hardly matters. Flavor is the superstar — forget the rest.

Sandoval is a fervent believer in traditional cuisine. The chef was born and raised in Mexico City, and he pulls generously from family recipes to show proper love for childhood staples: guacamole mixed by hand with lime and cilantro, corn tortillas made fresh on a traditional Mexican griddle, known as a comal.

Yet mingling high and low is a tricky proposition. After all, gourmet and taqueria rarely go hand in hand. But there’s a method to Sandoval’s apparent madness.

No matter how satisfying, your neighborhood taqueria doesn’t boast the enticing

complexity — and foodie-approved pedigree — of Maya. The starter menu is teeming with Mexican comfort foods, from ever-popular queso fundido to fresh, hand-breaded chiles rellenos.

Fittingly enough, tacos are wildly popular — the smoked brisket is a staple for happy hour crowds — but to truly sample Sandoval’s love for Mexican fare, try one of four guacamoles. Servers roam from table to table making custom creations with avocados, cilantro and onion, plus offbeat mixings like bacon and tuna tartare.

And guacamole is just the beginning.

The whole menu favors subtle, intricate flavors over mouth-searing bombast, particularly for a dish like slow-roasted pork carnitas. Unlike a tortilla-swaddles burrito, it’s gorgeously plated. The shredded pork shoulder sits on a colorful blossom of blue corn tostadas, while an incredibly smooth avocado puree contrasts strikingly against medium-rare pork tenderloin. The flavors are just as unexpected, thanks to a silky layer of Mexican ricotta and the two succulent, slightly spicy versions of pork.

“We are experimenting with herbs like epazote, which is a strong herb that is native to Southern Mexico, but it seems

PRICE

Apps $8-$18; entrees $13-$36 •••

AMBIANCE

A vibrant, often surprising tour of traditional and modern Mexican cuisine •••

SIGNATURE DISHES

Traditional Mexican mole done three ways (classic poblano, smooth pipian or spicy Amarillo, each given a subtle kick of cocoa) and served with a choice of roasted chicken, beef short ribs, pork carnitas or marinated shrimp

to be growing great in our on-site garden here at The Westin Riverfront,” says chef Radames Febles.

Sandoval’s take on traditional Mexican dishes is second only to the restaurant’s vast, constantly changing selection of tequilas. On the first “official” day of margarita season (aka June 21), the bar boasted 167 different bottles, from stalwarts like Herradura and Cuervo Tradicional to Clas Azul Ultra, an añejo aged in oak barrels to tip the indulgence scales at $250 per shot.

Come summertime, a decent margarita is better than gold (or even a cold Modelo), and Maya’s selection of seven signature margs is the mother lode. The traditional is made from scratch with tequila, lime juice and agave nectar — nothing more, nothing less. It’s a shockingly fresh alternative to most sickly-sweet bar versions, while the Maya with tamarind, citrus and a chile pequin rim finds the perfect balance between sweet and spicy. That said, give it an extra kick with serrano-infused tequila. This is a tequileria, after all. • Trio of fish tacos.

Tableside guacamole topped with ahi tuna. top left

top right

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VIN48 48 E. BEAVER CREEK BLVD. AVON, COLORADO 970.748.WINE / VIN48.COM

by PHIL LINDEMAN photos by DOMINIQUE TAYLOR

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in48 does asparagus justice.

For regulars at the Avon hotspot, this comes as no surprise.

Executive chef Charles Hays has built a stellar reputation by rethinking common, otherwise run-of-the-mill dishes since 2007, and this summer’s asparagus small plate is cut from the same cloth. The jumbo stalks are grilled on the restaurant’s newest plaything — an in-house grill fired with fruitwood from Palisade — then topped by a house-made hollandaise and, to highlight the chef’s waste-not philosophy, a ham vinaigrette crafted from the succulent bones of another dish, the duo of artisanal domestic hams.

Pause. Although small plates (aka tapas) have become something of a foodie fad, Hays knows how to eke unexpected flavors from ordinary sides. He’s a gourmet magician that way: For the asparagus plate, pulling culinary sleight-of-hand with scratch-made sauces and locally sourced fruitwood manages to usurp trends, yet it never comes across as pretentious. It just

makes sense — earthy, delicious sense.

“Real wood always does better than a gas grill, what someone has on their patio,” Hays says. “This summer we’ll use our grill to impart some new and different flavors, and we always like to find the freshest produce Colorado has to offer.”

Grilled veggies aren’t just a staple for backyard chefs — they’re a cornerstone of vin48’s seasonal menu. The robust bucatini primavera features produce bought at the Vail farmers market — think tomatoes to zucchini to whatever Hays happens to find — along with vintage il sinciro olive oil from a Boulder-based importer. At the end of each week, when the kitchen runs out of veggies to fire on the grill, the chef and his team scour the Sunday market for the next batch of mix-and-match ingredients.

This off-the-cuff creativity also gives rise to the restaurant’s other summer plaything, an outdoor garden. Hays imbues his recipes with herbs, kale, lettuce and fava beans grown just steps from the patio, while a brand-new rhubarb patch is perfect for red meats. The chef hasn’t quite decided on a dish, but his mind is already churning through combos — say, lamb paired with strawberry-rhubarb chutney for a daily special.

While the menu at vin48 changes constantly — Hays unveils a completely new set of dishes six or seven times per year — those daily specials have folks returning two, even three times per week. On any given night, the bar and dining room crackle with conversation: co-workers unwinding with happy hour pours, new couples sharing plates on a first date, friends laughing

and gossiping as they decide on bites.

Thanks to a communal atmosphere, the small plate approach is a natural fit for vin48. Of course, vino has a knack for bringing folks together, and the restaurant is one of the Vail area’s most sought-after wine bars. The near-bottomless wine cellar boasts more than 300 bottles, from Napa Valley reds to a $253 bottle of 2011 Etienne Sauzet white Burgundy, all handpicked by wine director Greg Eynon to bolster Hays’ creative kitchen.

Again, if the chef’s twist on asparagus is any indication, vin48 is far from

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pretentious. Rather than cry over spilt champagne — on a bustling Wednesday evening, a diner accidentally knocked her glass moments after it was filled — the server replaced it for free, paired with a smile and well-timed joke.

Hays would be proud. • Bucatini primavera with seasonal veggies, pecoroni romano. top right Collin Baugh, co-owner, picks mint from one of the restaurant’s several gardens. above Mitch’s yogurt cheese with mango jam. top left

PRICE Small plates: $8-16; Large plates: $20-35 Contemporary cuisine • SIGNATURE DISH Smoked pork cheeks

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THE CHARTER AT BEAVER CREEK / 120 OFFERSON RD, AVON / 970.949.1251 / BLACKDIAMONDBISTRO.COM

by KIMBERLY NICOLETTI photos by DOMINIQUE TAYLOR

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lack Diamond Bistro offers fresh, housemade, upscale cuisine in the heart of Beaver Creek — without the surcharge. Located within The Charter, Black Diamond Bistro strikes a unique balance within the niches of bar, hotel and dining menus.

The bistro’s curved, thick granite bar is the perfect place to watch a highdefinition game, set against a large, stone wall decked out with liquor.

The spirits Black Diamond pours include Colorado companies in every category, whether it’s a Breckenridge bourbon, a Woody Creek vodka, a Colorado microbrew or a Palisade wine.

House-infused liquors produce light and fresh summer cocktails, such as the strawberry-elderflower spritzer and the pineapple and vanilla margarita.

The narrow deck provides intimate seating against the backdrop of Beaver Creek’s aspen- and evergreen-laden mountain, and tables inside open to views of the greenery.

Inside, executive chef Dan Kent and his team stand ready to serve up their latest creation: locally sourced, madefrom-scratch pizzas from the bistro’s new pizza oven. Kent uses organic flours, makes his own pesto and sauces, and grows basil on the deck for each pizza. He covers the basics with standards like the Margherita, vegetarian,

Greek and meat, and then gets creative with pizzas like The Texan, piled with braised brisket, cheddar cheese, caramelized onions and barbecue sauce.

Perhaps the best part of the pizzas, beyond the fresh flavors of pestos that have an uncanny way of both popping and blending into the whole, involve the wait time, which is virtually none. The bistro’s new pizza oven bakes pies in about 5 minutes.

Kent also offers gluten-free crusts.

His starters and salads range from beer-battered onion rings and panko-crusted pickle spears to Mediterranean antipasti and summer berry salad with blue cheese, candied pecans and balsamic vinaigrette.

The main entrée menu reads like a fine dining establishment (reflecting Kent’s past), only with prices reflecting more of a bar/bistro. Kent focuses on environmentally friendly sources of food, so he obtains his pork and chicken from free-range, antibioticand hormone-free farms in Colorado and ensures quality salmon by buying verlasso salmon, which the Monterey Bay Aquarium certifies.

To the freshest raw ingredients, he blends his creative flavors, coating the salmon with a coconut green curry sauce characterized by green onions, soy sauce and ginger, which add the

Apps: $5-13; burgers: $10-$12; entrees: $18-$23 New American bistro • SIGNATURE DISH Wild sockeye salmon with a crispy risotto cake, any of the pizzas brimming with fresh ingredients PRICE

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perfect amount of spice and heat — not too much to overpower the dish and just enough to bring a zing to it. He pairs the pork with a creamed corn polenta, which delivers a slightly sweet flavor. Seasonal vegetables accompany the Angus flat iron steak grilled with garlic butter, the pan-seared Colorado half chicken and the housemade potato gnocchi with sautéed mushrooms and tomato consommé.

The “Pub Grub” is hardly that, as Kent serves Asian-style braised pork brisket sliders with napa cabbage slaw and pairs Angus chuck burgers with sweet potato fries, serves his chicken sandwich with sriracha aioli, and sandwiches his classic turkey and ham club between fresh wheat bread from Aspen Baking Co. The desserts at Black Diamond are not only luscious, they’re also a great

value. For $6, your taste buds will melt into the classic vanilla bean crème brûlée or the chocolate chip brioche bread pudding flavored with caramel. And, this summer, Kent debuts a gluten-free Santiago almond cake with strawberries, blackberries and blueberries, topped with whipped cream. This flourless cake is so light and satisfying, it’s hard to believe it’s gluten-free. • Pan seared salmon with coconut risotto cake and coconut curry sauce. left Pizza Margherita with tomatoes, mozzarella and homemade basil pesto. above

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GROUSE MOUNTAIN GRILL 141 SCOTT HILL ROAD / THE PINES LODGE 970.949.0600 / GROUSEMOUNTAINGRILL.COM

by ASHLEE BRATTON photos by ANTHONY THORNTON

Apps $6-$19; Entrees $37-$43 Mountain elegance SIGNATURE DISH Roasted Eagle Springs carrot salad with crispy quinoa; grilled lamb loin with pine nuts, raisins, chickpeas and yogurt.

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ommelier Rob Farrer set down two sparkling glasses of red wine stating tonight was “Italy versus France,” pointing to each separately saying, “this one’s a little bit country, and this one’s a little rock ‘n’ roll.” He was right.

When it comes to pairing the good stuff at Grouse Mountain Grill, always trust your sommelier.

Tucked inside the mountain elegance of The Pines Lodge on the hills of Beaver Creek, the sophistication of the highback riveted leather chairs and oversized wooden beams atop the exposed stone walls frame out the floor-to-ceiling wall of glass doors highlighting the mountain views Beaver Creek is renowned for.

That alone is worth raising a glass.

Just in case you want to do your own work in choosing a wine, reach for the tablet atop each table with an app designed exclusively for the restaurant by the owner’s son — a Cornell graduate — detailing the region, type, variety, and price point of the vino options available.

Notate your favorites to order your desired selection and enjoy the fruits of your recent research over the freshly baked bread prepared by the pastry chef just a half hour before opening. Or for a slight variation, enjoy the red pepper coulee or sweet onion marmalade over the creamy house-made whipped butter instead of the traditional oil and vinegar dippings.

If you’re not quite in the mood for wine, try one of the specialty cocktails specifically selected for the season, concocted to complement the upcoming entrees. For something with a bit of flair, try the Pisco apricot sour with elements of a margarita coming from the Pisco Peruvian liqueur, apricot liqueur, splashes of lemon and lime, and crowned with sliced jalapeños you can smell all the way from your seat. Or for a sweeter variety, order the strawberry lemon te-

quila with hints of fennel bitters and candy lemon syrup. Either sweet or spicy treat will prepare your taste buds for what is about to come.

Three things not to skip this season prepared

by James Beard House invitee, executive chef David Gutowski: The first is enjoying the presentation of the elegantly flavored sweet corn soup highlighting the blue borage flowers set amidst the truffled popcorn and golden liquid, which is poured tableside.

The second is delighting in the striped bass tartare, from Colorado’s own San Luis Valley, seasoned with fresno chiles, grilled avocado, fresh cilantro and Japanese-inspired togarashi spice blend that gives it a uniquely satisfying kick.

Or partake of the Eagle Springs organic carrots with crispy quinoa and North African spices that sets off the blended lemon goat cheese and carrot emulsion.

With two raised beds located right in the EagleVail community gardens, it’s difficult to get ingredients any more local than that. No matter where they come from, chef Gutowski proudly states that whether it’s goat cheese from Jumpin Good Goat Dairy in Buena Vista or Haystack Mountain in Boulder, Grouse staff personally visits each location so they know exactly where ingredients come from and how they’re handled.

The attention to detail is evident even through the last must-have from chef Gutowski; sweet corn angel food cake.

The delectable salted popcorn ice cream atop strawberry foam, corn anglaise and crunchy caramel corn wraps up the

evening as pleasantly as it began.

If it really is “Italy versus France” at Beaver Creek’s Grouse Mountain Grill, you truly can’t go wrong with either one.

Cheers to both. •

top Eagle Springs organic carrots, crispy quinoa and goat cheese. above Sweet corn soup, corn pudding and truffled popcorn.

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Modern fine dining •••

SIGNATURE DISH

Crispy veal wiener schnitzel with warm potato salad and marinated cucumbers; Chinoisstyle Colorado lamb chops.

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he saying goes, “you eat with your eyes first, then your mouth.” In the case of Spago at the Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch, the saying may be amended to “your meal begins with the sense of arrival; then your sense of sight, taste and smell take over.” From the drive up to Bachelor Gulch to disembarking at the porte cochère to the first glimpse of the modern bar, it seemed as every detail was considered, leading up to the main event: the meal.

Being very eager to begin the experience, we arrived slightly before Spago’s 6 p.m. opening, but decided that getting a cocktail at the bar wouldn’t be a hardship. A Dragon’s Fire (a sweet and spicy tequila concoction) and a Xiang Li (“fragrant pear”) in hand, we were soon led to a table that overlooked the mountains. As the sun started to slip behind the mountain, we toasted with a glass of bubbly selected by sommelier Jason Hunter and settled in for the show.

Chef Jared Montarbo has created a menu that celebrates the very best of spring and summer. The corn soup tastes like waiting for summer feels — the black truffle crème fraîche is savory and perches on the crab and corn soup, creating a delicious anticipation before the sweet soup hits your tongue. The Palisade peach salad is like noon on the mountain, all bright and crisp but just a hint of chill from the Ice Wine Vinaigrette. The agnolotti, whose filling changes each season, is stuffed with lobster, mascarpone and Parmesan cheeses and dotted with English peas, fresh and light pillows of pasta.

SPAGO AT THE RITZ-CARLTON, BACHELOR GULCH 0130 DAYBREAK RIDGE / 970.343.1555 / WOLFGANGPUCK.COM

by KATIE COAKLEY photos courtesy RITZ-CARLTON, BACHELOR GULCH

It just continued from there, each course creating layers of texture and flavors that cause my mind to stutter and accurate description leave me.

Chef Montarbo is not a chatty chef; he seems to prefer to let the food speak for his style and passion. As a result, a meal at Spago is one of cuisine carrying on cultured conversation, a murmur of witty banter and deep discussion. As for Chef Montarbo, the best way to get him to open up is to put your evening into his hands and ask for a tasting menu or attend one of the Wine Dinner series. Then you’ll be treated to a slow smile and a look of pure joy because that what he seems to love — a chance to play.

When dessert arrived, it was almost too much to handle, but we managed to find a few nooks and crevices that had not yet been filled. Wolfgang Puck’s signature dessert, the Kaiserschmarren, was the winner in my mind, all fluffy soufflé pancake and sautéed strawberries; a few bites and I felt as if I had been tucked into my bed.

It was an evening to remember.

Dinner at Spago is a show that is constantly changing and evolving, but it’s always a smash hit. •

Chinois-style Colorado lamb chops with seasonal vegetables. left Wolfgang Puck’s signature tuna tartare in sesame-miso cones. above

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Apps from $14-$28; entrees from $35-$62.

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Apps $9-$18; entrees from $14-$42 •••

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Upscale, hearty Italian •••

SIGNATURE DISH

Bolognese pappardelle

TOSCANINI 60 AVONDALE LANE. / BEAVER CREEK PLAZA, BEAVER CREEK 970.754.5590 / TOSCANINIBEAVERCREEK.COM

by ASHLEE BRATTON photos by ANTHONY THORNTON

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he Zamboni circles by one more time, ice glistening in the evening just waiting for skaters to glide onto the rink. It’s just one of the many views from the outdoor patio at Beaver Creek’s Toscanini – all year long! There may be other Italian restaurant options, but none with Italy’s Friuli regional influence blended into the menu coupled with the mountain views of Beaver Creek’s square.

Chef Paul Wade may be new to Toscanini, but he certainly isn’t new to the Colorado Rockies with roots at The Tenth, the Sebastian and Little Nell in Aspen.

When asked what he’s enjoying about designing this new menu, he gives a slight grin and says, “I personally can never go wrong with the ribeye. It’s a staple that can be played with and seems popular no matter what time of year.” The JamesBeard-award-winning chef has made an effort to pull dishes with influences from several regions of Italy, bringing in flavors from the north into this next menu change.

And you certainly will find exciting flavors on the restaurant’s new menu. To begin, go for the goat cheese croquetta salad

or asparagus appetizer layered with gridded egg over grilled crostini, then topped with sabayon sauce, hazelnuts, and toasted basil. Pair it with Prosecco or one of their old world wines, such as the “nonoaky” Antinori Bramito chardonnay, and you’ve got a good start to the evening.

One would be remiss to not try the ricotta gnocchi and shrimp atop a chili infused olive oil spread and coupled with an Italian version of celery root remoulata. Or for the extremely hungry, the 7 ounce rib eye with Fontina Fonduta white sauce is a great choice. Pair that with a glass of Ornellaia’s Sena Nuove red blend.

Then end your meal with the caramel drizzled molted lava chocolate cake paired with pistachio gelato and lavender meringue and playfully partnered with caramel corn on the side for that extra crunch.

And if you can’t make this an evening experience, you can catch this delightful atmosphere and a choice seasonal menu at lunch July through Labor Day. No matter what time of year, Toscanini

top Asparagus, fried egg and sabayon. above Mixed pickled beet salad with goat milk ricotta. left Shrimp scampi with ricotta gnocchi, celery root remoulata.

has always been the perfect spot for dining when you’re heading to a show at the Vilar Center, or if the kids want to run around on the Plaza while parents relax with some great wine and terrific food. And with the addition of Wade, it’s that much better. •

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HOOKED 122 BEAVER CREEK PLACE 970.949.4321 / HOOKEDBC.COM

by MELANIE WONG photos by JUSTIN McCARTY

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tep into Hooked, and you’ll think maybe you’ve walked into a trendy San Francisco holein-the-wall gem instead of a dining hotspot in the heart of Beaver Creek.

Big, black chalkboards mounted above the sushi bar display the day’s unique “Off the Hook” creations, pine beetle kill tables and bar seats allow you to either huddle up with friends or watch the sushi masters at work, and a dark red finish gives the entire place an intimate feel.

However, there’s no doubt that the seafood-and-sushi restaurant is Coloradan at its roots. Owner, chef and

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Vail Valley native Riley Romanin has crafted Hooked into a haven for seafood lovers and sushi aficionados alike, and he offers one of the most unique dining experiences in the Vail Valley.

Start your meal or happy hour off with a Colorado beer or barrel-aged mai tai topped with pineapple foam. Get a selection of the day’s freshest fish on the Pupu Platter, a trio of sashimi choices, or dig into the limeand-spice infused ceviche of the day.

At Hooked, diners can sample fish they’d be hard pressed to find anywhere else in the country. Romanin has a crate of just-caught fish shipped in daily from Japan, where his buyer selects the best of the day’s catch at a fish market.

In the dining room, fishmonger Greg Ioki will present the fish selections to the table, and you can literally point to order.

“We’re firm believers in freshness. We want you to know where the fish came from, and you can see they have clear eyes

PRICE

Apps $6-$20, entrees $15-market price •••

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Lively seafood and sushi joint •••

SIGNATURE DISH

U-Call-It fish of the day, prepared in any style

and red gills. It’s not the nondescript processed supermarket filet,” says Ioki.

From there, you can order from the “You Call It” menu. Once you pick your fish, you can choose from a variety of cooking methods, from grilled to flash fried. One of our favorites is the “gift-wrapped” method, where the fish is wrapped with fruit, coconut and onions in a banana leaf, then steamed at 420 degrees.

One of the most popular methods is the “two-ways” preparation, where part of the fish is cooked to your liking and the other half is made into rolls or sashimi.

It’s a fun experience that keeps the taste buds hopping, but it’s also designed to be sustainable. As Romanin explains, the kinds of fish the restaurant offers aren’t widely eaten outside of Japan,

and therefore not overfished. Also, serving from a whole fish is much more efficient than just cutting out the filet.

“We recently started using a salmon from Chile because it has a sustainability stamp,” says Romanin. “Also when we saw that freshwater eel went on the red list, we started preparing Rocky Mountain Trout in the style of eel. It’s amazing, and you can’t tell the difference.”

Don’t forget the restaurant’s trademark and perennial bestseller, the Crimpster — crab, shrimp and lobster wrapped in BACON. We’ll say no more. Also keep an eye out for Hooked’s Paella on the Patio events, where Romanin will be serving up the classic Spanish rice-and-seafood dish on Saturdays from noon to 8 p.m.

One of the best parts about seafood dining is that fish is light, and you might not be too stuffed for dessert.

Top off dinner with a pudding or shake — we enjoyed the horchata pudding balls served with crispy churros.

Sound different? Pretty much like everything else on the menu, but trust us, you’ll be licking the plate. • 54-ounce sashimi pupu with fresh wasabi, Hooked soy sauce and pickled ginger. left Horchata and churros with Guatemalan chocolate sauce. above

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ROCKS MODERN GRILL 26 AVONDALE LANE / BEAVER CREEK LODGE 970.845.1730 / ROCKSMODERNGRILL.COM

by KIM FULLER

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photos by DOMINIQUE TAYLOR

f there’s one sangria that should fill your libations bucket list this summer, let it be the glass of Blanca that Rocks Modern Grill will serve you al fresco on their patio.

This refreshing cocktail features fresh fruit and muddled mint. Happy Hour runs from 4 to 6 p.m. daily, featuring a rotation of specialty cocktails (like the sangria blanca), $5 glasses of Kessler Collection wine and $4 Colorado draft beer selections.

Everything on the Rocks menu is under $30, but the innovative cuisine brought together by executive chef Justin Kalaluhi and sous chef Andrew Fox gives depth to every dish.

Spoonfuls of tomato gazpacho are smooth and bright, highlighting the same natural acidity as a lively glass of sauvignon blanc. The seasonal and gluten-free soup is topped with shaved jalapeños, cucumbers and cilantro for a slight kick and cool finish.

Coconut milk gives a creamy twist

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to the shrimp ceviche appetizer, also gluten-free, and served with avocado, half-plum tomatoes, lime, cilantro and crispy corn tortilla rounds. Try the very sharable dish with some sips of French rose, hearty enough for seafood but light enough for summer.

“Over the years, I have just gotten more and more fond of roses in the summertime,” shares manger Adam Lewis over exchanges in the restaurant’s private dining room, available by request.

While most of the Kessler hotels and restaurants are located on the East Coast, their staple calamari starter still reaches the west. Lightly breaded and fried, what makes this squid really

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Dinner appetizers: $7 - $18; Dinner mains: $13 - $30.

Casually elegant. • SIGNATURE DISH Flat iron steak with house cut fries, broccolini and trio of sauces.

stand out is the curry-spiced Moroccan aioli, set into the perfect bite with the quick wit and mature age of a reserve California pinot noir.

Kalaluhi’s talents foster far beyond the fry, however, as banquet options at this establishment offer their very own creative cuisine.

“We don’t even have banquet menus,” Lewis explains, “so every time we have a catering event, Justin sits down with the guests and lets them play around with what they want; he builds it from scratch — builds them their dream.”

It’s the same sort of intuitive inspiration that Richard Kessler finds in his wine collection, which is only available on Kessler properties. His Bohemian Collection Red Blend combines the backbone of cabernet sauvignon with merlot, syrah, petite syrah and zinfandel — a silky combination of black pepper and succulent berries.

Try the blend with a prime flat iron steak, served with house cut fries, chili broccolini and a trio of creamy horseradish, red wine demiglaze and jalapeno and onion jam.

Finally, a ramekin of warm Palisade peach cobbler is delectable with vanilla ice cream, pecan streusel and bourbon caramel. Top it off with a glass of Dolce late harvest dessert wine, worth its weight in liquid gold • Shrimp ceviche, avocado, lime, coconut milk.

Seared skuna salmon, quinoa pilaf, summer squash, Palisade peach and corn salsa. top

left

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MOUNTAINSIDE BAR & GRILL 50 WEST THOMAS PLACE / PARK HYATT BEAVER CREEK 970.827.6600 / HYATT.COM/GALLERY/BEAVE8100

by KIM FULLER photos by ELEANOR NESBIT

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wo slabs of halloumi rest directly on the grate of 8100’s wood fire grill. Chef de cuisine Douglas Hudson stands at attention, giving the soft squares their exterior sears.

“It’s a simple apparatus,” explains executive chef Christian Apetz of the expansive grill that stands as a backsplash to the restaurant. “We use white oak out of Glenwood Springs, and it imparts just the most amazing, magical flavors on food.”

Bites of the halloumi are firm and snappy; a dense and salty cheese set on the plate amidst swirls of rosemary-spruce syrup, cured black olives and preserved lemon. While the unripened cheese calls for a crisp and zesty glass of alboriño, prep your taste buds with a Leopold’s Gin Spritz, a refreshing craft cocktail brought to life by the dynamic Colorado spirit.

In the heart of Beaver Creek, 8100 is the bread and butter of what Apetz does best — comfort and refined cuisine in company with unwavering hospitality.

“We want this place to be a family environment,” Apetz says, reflecting on moments when his own daughter runs happily through the nearby kitchen with dough in her hands. “A place where anyone can come and relax and feel at home.”

Let sommelier Dan Walsh give you even more reason to unwind as he pours his choice wines alongside every dish. Local goat cheese on the mizuna salad is silky and bright with its strawberry and Marcona almond contemporaries, nothing short of summer with a glass of Rhone Valley rose.

Fired up on the grill next are heirloom tomatoes, pureed for a rustic summer soup, served with a Taleggio tuile and topped with a fresh herb flower.

The kitchen really shows off its mountain sophistication with a braised Colorado lamb dish, served over house-

PRICE

Lunch dishes $13-$23; Dinner appetizers $12-$16; Dinner mains $30-$48 •••

AMBIANCE

Mountain sophisticated •••

SIGNATURE DISH

Dry-aged NY strip with parmesan grits, baby turnips and shaved asparagus

made pappardelle, Grana Paddano and seasonal mushrooms.

The Shetland Island organic salmon is a standout, too — dry aged in house, the fish falls right away from the fork, silky and tender over black rice, shishito peppers, red beet puree and finished with a lemon-horseradish mascarpone.

Leave room for more? Just say “s’more” and you’ll get your very own dessert kit to take outside to the cozy fire pit at the base of Beaver Creek mountain.

Roast your marshmallow with the same patience as the setting summer sun — fire in the sky just like the warmth and vibrant orange at the tip of your stick. • Organic salmon with black rice, shishito peppers, red beet puree and lemon-horseradish mascarpone. top right Diver scallops with compressed pineapple, pickled red onio and avocado-nori mousse. above Bison short rib with heirloom radish, black garlic mayo and pea tendrils. top left

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BUFFALOS AT THE RITZ-CARLTON, BACHELOR GULCH 0130 DAYBREAK RIDGE 970.748.6200 RITZCARLTON.COM/EN/ PROPERTIES/BACHELORGULCH

by PHIL LINDEMAN photos courtesy RITZ-CARLTON, BACHELOR GULCH

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hen the flannel-clad host at Buffalos offers you a seat on the patio, take it.

That’s not quite a juicy insider’s tip — a sun-drenched deck is almost mandatory in the mountains — but the tree-lined patio at Buffalos in the Ritz-Carlton is ever-so-subtly different than the norm. Take the outdoor décor: On a blustery summer evening, stands of aspen and pine trees fend off Mother Nature’s tantrums, while the lush, impossibly green hills of nearby Bachelor Gulch outshine a Thomas Cole print.

This is dining, au naturel, no tiki bars or fine art required.

And that different-yet-familiar vibe isn’t confined to the Buffalos patio. It’s a calling card for every inch of the 2-year-old bar/ restaurant/hangout, found just steps from the lower terminal of Bachelor Gulch Express. When restaurant manager Chris Ciana wanted to rethink the original space as a laid-back alternative to Spago — a restaurant known for breaking the $50-per-plate mark — he knew Buffalos should live up to its namesake: simple and hearty, yet wild enough to turn heads.

It begins with your first sip of a seasonal cocktail. Like nearly everything on the menu, the draughts and spirits are born and bred in Colorado: Montanya Rum from Crested Butte adds a mountain-fresh kick to the cherry-lime mojito, and Spirit Hound Gin from Lyons pairs

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well with a cucumber-dill garnish in the crisp Tee to Green Gin and Tonic. Whiskey lovers will be pleasantly surprised by the not-too-sweet Peach Smash, a straightforward concoction of mint, lemon, sugar and peach whiskey from Denver’s Leopold Bros. It’s dangerously drinkable.

In the kitchen, executive sous chef Steven Sterritt shares the hometown mentality. His dishes feature as many local ingredients as possible, from organic produce to sustainably sourced meats, and he works a dash of unpredictability into the market-fresh theme. The summery corn chowder is a fitting showcase for Olathe sweet corn, but a touch of poached crab makes it a server favorite.

And while the starter menu doesn’t shy away from staples — mussels, corn bread, Brussels sprouts — they’re elegantly balanced, like truffle fries seasoned just right to please kids, not to mention parents weary of fast food.

The main courses are a carnivore’s dream, featuring burgers, filet mignon, a roasted half-chicken and fresh trout, along with greens like the hearty kale salad. But even something as downhome as a bison burger is surprising.

The burger is thick and rich, just as expected, until Sterritt makes it memorable with pickled jalapeños, Montereyjack cheese and a house-made barbecue sauce.

Then there are Marcos Tacos. They seem like the trendy street-vendor variety, but they’re the definition

PRICE

Breakfast $13-$30, Lunch $13-$24, Dinner $24-$55 •••

AMBIANCE

Casual atmosphere with scrumptious Colorado cuisine •••

SIGNATURE DISH

Bison ribeye and bison chili

of traditional, modeled after a recipe from an owner’s grandmother. The three corn tortillas are generously filled with top sirloin, chopped bacon, white onion and cilantro — that’s all — then served on a wooden pallet with a trio of fresh-made salsas, including creamy jalapeño-cilantro and spicy tomato.

Now, back to the patio. The dessert menu is scrumptious — offerings like huckleberry cheesecake and a playful-yet-decadent s’mores cup come as shareable bites or individual plates — but if the wild and familiar are still calling, head to the nearby fire pit at 8 p.m. for free s’mores. Such old-school delights pair perfectly with the Colorado sunset. • Pan-seared trout wtih Israeli couscous.

Grilled bone-in bison ribeye with crispy onions and house-made steak sauce. left Mixed local greens with bison steak. top

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Après specials $4-$6, all-day starters $5-$10, all-day entrees $11-$23 •••

76 AVONDALE LANE, BEAVER CREEK PLAZA 970.845.8666 675 LIONSHEAD PLACE, LIONSHEAD / 970.476.8666 BLUEMOOSEPIZZA.COM

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Fun and lively pizzeria •••

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Pizza, pizza and more pizza Try the Buffalo Wing Pizza with diced chicken, buffalo wing sauce and cheddar and mozzarella cheese

by KATIE COAKLEY photos by DOMINIQUE TAYLOR

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he white butcher paper and cup of crayons call to me when I take my seat at Blue Moose Pizza. While I know that it was probably provided for the younger guests that flock to the restaurant, I can’t resist sketching a small stick figure waving hello, the extent of my artistic ability.

But that’s the bliss of being in Blue Moose: You can come as you are with only one requirement — come hungry.

The restaurant is perfect for families, with plenty of kid-friendly pizza options and plenty of room in the adjacent Vail Square for the little ones to burn off any extra energy before dinner. But it’s also ideal for adults, with a great selection of Colorado craft beers, happy hour specials and grown-up pizza choices, too.

After ordering a Screaming Eagle ESB from Eagle-based Bonfire Brewing (one of five Colorado beers on tap — and they have another six available in bottles), I surveyed the menu. It’s almost impossible to turn down wings, especially when I caught a whiff of spicy goodness coming from the table beside me. Served with “buffalo chips,” the wings were perfectly cooked with a well-balanced burn that made me thankful for the beer. The buffalo chips, hand-cut rounds of potatoes dusted with “buffalo” seasoning, are impossible to stop eating. The sauce from the wings seeps into the chips and makes them even spicier, but the crispness remains. They are impossible to resist.

The menu includes salads,

sandwiches, calzones and Italian entrees, but I quickly breeze over those offerings and focus on the pizza. Blue Moose has three different types of crust — original, whole wheat and gluten-free — and I decide, for the sake of investigation of course, to try them all.

As it’s possible to order just a slice and choose your crust; this is a much more manageable-formy-stomach option.

While it’s possible to create your own pizza with any myriad toppings, it’s the specialty pizzas that catch my eye. The Salad Pizzas are new, so I pick a slice of Mediterranean pizza on whole wheat.

It’s light and flavorful, the artichokes and pesto hummus pairing beautifully with the “salad” of spinach and tomatoes tossed in a vinaigrette that rests on top. The gluten-free crust intrigued me, as I’m a pizza purist, and I was pleasantly surprised by the light, crispy texture paired with the cowboy pizza — it was just as tasty as the other crust options.

Though there are many reasons to return to Blue Moose Pizza, one compelling reason is the Happy Hour special from 3 –5 p.m.: an order of three “pizza sliders” oozing with cheesy buffalo sauce goodness for $4, a flight of Colorado beers for $4, or both for $6.

Winner, winner — pizza dinner. •

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Mediterranean pizza on whole wheat crust.

Moose Wings with Moscow Mule.

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SPLENDIDO AT THE CHATEAU 17 CHATEAU LANE, BEAVER CREEK 970.845.8808 / SPLENDIDOBEAVERCREEK.COM

by TRACI J. MACNAMARA photos by DOMINIQUE TAYLOR

First courses: $14-24; Main courses: $32-46 AMBIANCE Rustic American fine dining SIGNATURE DISH Wood oven roasted Colorado rack of lamb PRICE

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ometimes where you sit in a restaurant can be as memorable as what you eat while you’re there.

And during the summer at Beaver Creek’s Splendido at the Chateau, you’ll have several unforgettable options: an outdoor deck offering fresh mountain air, a dining room table within earshot of the piano bar, or a seat by the enviable open-theater kitchen. But even when it’s as hot outside as it is in the Splendido kitchen, you’ll still be able to choose from an array of cool and fresh summertime flavors.

“We stock up on fresh produce each Saturday at the Edwards farmers market,” says executive chef David Walford, “And we also work with a longtime local forager who brings us the best wild mushrooms, greens and herbs he can find in the area.” In this way, the Splendido menu integrates what’s fresh and seasonal, giving this world-class restaurant plenty of local flavor.

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HEARTY, RUSTIC AND REFINED To pique your palate, begin with the Hiramasa crudo, which adds zesty lemon, dill and capers to morsels of this yellowtail kingfish for a flavor-popping first course that pairs well with a glass of Prosecco. Thinly sliced cucumber and radish add a bit of crunch to the dish that’s artfully arranged.

For another taste-teaser before you order a main course, go for the wood-roasted artichoke and lobster salad. With a smoky flavor that comes from the wood oven glowing towards the back of the kitchen, the roasted artichokes stand out from this hearty salad’s other ingredients, which include buttery lumps of lobster, frisée and baby greens. The whole plate is drizzled with a bacon-anchovy vinaigrette and dotted

Hiramasa crudo.

Lobster salad. bottom Chocolate and lemon souffle. top

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with tomato-lobster mayonnaise.

When Walford took on the challenge of opening Splendido in 1994, the wood oven in the kitchen had only been used to cook pizzas. But as he began experimenting, Splendido’s “hearty and rustic — but refined — style of cooking” was born. As Walford moves with the restaurant into its 20th year, he’s still gets excited about finding new ways to wow his guests.

A standout among Splendido’s impressive array of main dishes is the dry-aged buffalo strip loin, which is served with an aligot potato purée that’s as rich and creamy as a cheese fondue.

The Berkshire pork tenderloin and crisp belly arrives with a similar decadent flair, dripping in a sweet and tangy apricot caramel sauce.

For a sweet summer’s eve ending, choose something light and fluffy, like the dessert soufflé that comes in two varieties: chocolate or lemon-huckleberry.

Both will be as remarkable as your visit to Splendido, whether you sit outside, or near the piano or where you can watch it all unfold in David Walford’s kitchen. •

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10 ELK TRACK ROAD BEAVER CREEK, COLORADO 970.754.7400 OSPREYATBEAVERCREEK. ROCKRESORTS.COM/DINING

by KATIE COAKLEY photos by DOMINIQUE TAYLOR

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on’t be surprised if, when hiking or biking on Beaver Creek Mountain this summer, you’re overcome with a craving for barbecue. It just means that the backyard smoking grill is fired up at the Osprey, wafting the smell of smoked bacon and Colorado lamb sausage over the breeze.

“We really wanted to create a concept to enhance the Beaver Creek summertime experience,” explains David Sanchez, Food & Beverage Director and Executive Chef at The Osprey.

“This summer, Chair 12, the Strawberry Park lift, will be the main access to the mountain. It’s a great opportunity for us to offer a wonderful dining option at the

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THE OSPREY LOUNGE

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base of the chairlift.”

A new concept for The Osprey at Beaver Creek, the smoking grill will be the inspiration for—and the provider of— the menu for the restaurant.

“The menu is going to feature different grilled and smoked items, like a 14-hour smoked beef brisket, pulled pork, smoked Colorado lamb sausage and our own smoked bacon,” explains Sanchez. “We’re also looking at items like a cold smoked trout salad and we’re making our own lox. Most of the main items on the menu will be done in the grill and smoker.”

Open throughout the daytime from lunchtime onward, the backyard barbecue will be offering traditional lunch items like sandwiches, wraps, salads and other entrées. The same menu will be offered indoors in case of a less-than-perfect weather day, allowing guests to still enjoy “smoking gourmet grilled goods,” says Sanchez.

In the evening, the barbecue will still remain the inspiration and source of the menu, but with a twist. Keeping with the tapas style that is part of the Osprey’s culinary reputation, the restaurant will offer small plates that are easy to share and savor.

“We’re taking the smoked and grilled meats that we used for lunchtime but will do something more upscale and gourmet for the evening,” says Sanchez.

“We will be able to do some different things that are playful, but more intriguing. We might create something like a smoked trout fondue, or use the brisket for a bruschetta.”

In addition to the grill and smoker, the Osprey also utilizes ingredients that are grown in its garden, such as herbs and some vegetables.

“For example, if we have choke cherries,

PRICE

Share plates $7-$15; big plates: $27-$35 •••

AMBIANCE

Intimately casual •••

SIGNATURE DISH

14-hour smoked beef brisket and other smoked and grilled items

we’ll use them to create our own original sauces, say a chokecherry sage barbecue sauce,” Sanchez says.

Utilizing the ideals of farm to table cooking is important to Sanchez: He uses the term “estate cooking,” alluding to the term “estate grown” in the wine world.

“Whatever we can grow or source locally, we incorporate it into our menu,” he says.

Though the menu will change according to the season and in regards to what ingredients are in season, the overarching theme of the Osprey’s menu will be infused with rich outdoor flavors that will perfectly reflect the beauty of its Beaver Creek setting. • Strawberry avocado salad with goat cheese and candied cashews. left Chef David Sanchez intends to use the smoker all summer long. above

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PRICE

$12-$160; entrees $29-$48 •••

AMBIANCE

Romantic farmhouse with gourmet fare •••

SIGNATURE DISH

North Sea Dover sole “meunière”

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ake a splash of European charisma, a dash of comfortable charm and a heaping spoonful of delectable and you’ll have the recipe for Mirabelle restaurant.

Located just beyond the gates into Beaver Creek, Mirabelle’s historic building is believed to be the first home in Beaver Creek. The restaurant retains its homey and welcoming feel but the cuisine is fully five-star. Led by Belgian Master Chef Daniel Joly, Mirabelle focuses on fresh ingredients and classic dishes.

For the summer, the recipes reflect the season with smaller entrees that are satisfying but not overwhelming in size. Sit on the back deck and the light chatter of the creek in the background heightens the experience. Pick a few options to start and be sure to share — it’s all about the sampling possibilities.

Consider the grilled shrimp brochette, which is an illustration of Joly’s culinary perspective. Comprised of perfectly grilled shrimp that are infused with smoky goodness and just a hint of salt, they are excellent on their own.

However, paired with a Thai coconut curry reduction, its sweet and silky texture playing beautifully with the spice on the shrimp, the familiar barbecue fare is taken to an unexpected level.

It’s this reinvention of familiar ingredients that makes a trip to Mirabelle memorable. Chef Joly changes the menu several times during the year, adjusting flavors to fit the season. He’s also constantly gathering inspiration, from events like the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen to places like the grocery store.

Yes, the grocery store.

“I’ll go to Food & Wine in Aspen, in South Beach, to mingle in the big city,” Joly says. “I want to see what they’re

MIRABELLE AT BEAVER CREEK 55 VILLAGE ROAD / BEAVER CREEK / 970.949.7728 / MIRABELLE1.COM

by KATIE COAKLEY photos by ELEANOR NESBIT

doing, pairing and matching. You don’t copy it, but you twist it. Even at the grocery store, I’m always on the hunt.”

Inspiration can come from many quarters, but the fundamental allure of Mirabelle remains. Though the main ingredients are recurring — rack of lamb, duck, foie gras — the presentation and execution is always new and interesting.

The duck is a prime example.

Layered over a sweet potato puree and a soy-honey reduction, the duck is perfectly seasoned and succulent, holding court on the plate with the other ingredients as flattering courtiers.

“You have the flair and service of a high-end restaurant, but the unfussy taste of great ingredients and flawless execution,” explains Joly. “It’s a place you come again and again and are still pleasantly surprised.”

One thing that remains constant is the Dover sole, a signature item on Joly’s menu.

“I tried to take it off a few times and, ahh!” he says. “People kept asking me where it was. So I put it back on. It will stay there.” • Roasted duck breast, caramelized peach, leek purée and soy-honey reduction. right Colorado rack of lamb, vegetable casserole and garden rosemary potato gratin. above

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429 EDWARDS ACCESS ROAD,A208 970.926.4455 / CAFEMILANOCO.COM

by CARAMIE SCHNELL photos by ELEANOR NESBIT

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Bulleit 10 Year Bourbon — while you peruse the menu. Consider the crab-stuffed avocado, new for the summer menu, to start. A half avocado is overflowing with jumbo lump crabmeat and finished with a zippy lemon vinaigrette.

Or spring for the beet salad: Thin slices of the bright root veggie are topped with creamy Gorgonzola, crunchy, spiced pecans and peppery arugula.

The orange marmalade vinaigrette is a nice surprise that ties the classic ingredients together nicely.

In general, the dishes are light and fresh for summer. Pan-seared scallops are paired with lobster and rock shrimp ravioli and grilled asparagus, finished with a drizzle of lemon butter sauce.

A fillet of Rocky Mountain trout is served atop creamy Israeli couscous

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CAFÉ MILANO afé Milano is the cozy Italian eatery in Edwards that might not pop into your head when you think about go-to dinner spots.

But one bite of the Salsiccia dish — homemade gnocchi surrounded by big hunks of spicy Italian sausage, sweet roasted tomatoes and caramelized cippolini onions — and you won’t make that mistake again. The topselling dish has been on the menu for 4 years, and will likely “never leave,” according to restaurant owner Peter Skarupa. The sweetness of the onions and tomatoes is a great foil to the spicy sausage, while the tender gnocchi nuggets are irresistible.

“When people order it, I just know they’re going to have a good experience,” Skarupa says.

But we’ve gotten ahead of ourselves.

Café Milano is a quiet spot to enjoy a leisurely, romantic dinner. Sip on a Manhattan — there’s an extensive whiskey selection, ranging from Jeremiah’s Sweet Tea Bourbon to

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with roasted tomatoes and corn that lends a sweetness to the dish that makes it hard to leave even a bite behind. A roasted red pepper coulis and a mound of wilted green spinach brighten both the look and flavor of the dish.

The Edwards restaurant is a popular spot for breakfast and lunch. There’s an extensive breakfast menu, with all the classic options, including six Benedicts to choose from and biscuits and gravy so good it makes pregnant women swoon. And at lunch, the Philly

cheesesteak is made with traditional Philadelphia-baked Amoroso rolls and you can even get it “wit wiz” style — with Cheez Whiz and onions.

Dine al fresco and you can enjoy a game of horseshoes or cornhole while you wait for your food. • House-made hot Italian sausage, potato gnocchi, roasted Romas and cipollini onions. below Shaved beets, arugula, orange marmalade and spiced pecans.

above

PRICE

Dinner: Apps $6 to $15, Entrees: $16 to $26; Lunch: Entrees: $8 to $16, most items are $11.

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AMBIANCE

Intimate Italian joint •••

SIGNATURE DISH

Salsiccia (homemade gnocchi with spicy Italian sausage, roasted tomatoes and cippolini onions)

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THE GASHOUSE 34185 U.S. 6, EDWARDS 970.926.3613 / GASHOUSE-RESTAURANT.COM

by ASHLEE BRATTON photos by ANTHONY THORNTON

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troll through the large wooden gate past the overflowing petunia baskets and blue umbrellas on the outside patio and there’s a good chance you might be able to find your state’s license plate nailed to the log wall.

For those with an adventurous spirit, there’s plenty of game on the walls and a wide, wide selection of wild game on the menu. Welcome to The Gashouse.

One does not need to take more than a few steps inside to know that there would be some tales to tell if these walls could talk. The restaurant itself may have 33 years of history, but the antique pumps in the back room reflect the historical roots honoring the building’s history as a gas station, general store, and post office dating all the way back to the 1930s. Each one of the trophy heads has a tale behind it — some bigger than others. Just ask co-owner Andy Guy, and be prepared for a whopper or two.

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Pick your favorite critter and chances are it just might be on the menu. Chances are even higher that whatever you select is locally raised and processed in-house, such as the buffalo raised near Rabbit Ears Pass neighboring Kremmling, Colorado.

Start with one of the specials on the oversized chalkboard greeting you when you walk in, or dive straight in with the grilled game sampler featuring buffalo ribs, elk tenderloin, venison chop or grilled quail.

Begin with the lightly smoked buffalo carpaccio, sliced paper thin, with arugula crostini, or take a chance on one of the game sausages. Pick the Gashouse specialty, “jackalope” sausage with dried

cherries and habanero peppers and you just might be the one-in-ten lucky winner with the ridiculously hot one.

Stopping by for The Gashouse happy hour to enjoy 30 percent off of all appetizers and drinks? With over seven pages of cocktail options and martinis named “Black Tie Affair,” “Cappuccino,” and “PBJ,” what could go wrong? The wine list is big and leaves nothing to be desired. Enjoy a bottle of Hindsight, Sterling Vineyard or Silver Oak paired with an order of their Maryland jumbo lump crab cakes made with premium blue crab and served with spicy aioli. The recipe is straight from co-owner Connie Irons’ family, and the cakes are so delicious that your happy hour will be even happier.

Whether you choose the bone-in venison rack with blackberry demi-glace, buffalo tenderloin with masala cream sauce, or elk tenderloin with a side of twice-baked potato, there is no excuse to leave hungryhungry, especially with desserts like the Kentucky cookie pie served à la mode with crushed pecans, or fresh-baked warm apple pie made from real apples — no canned filling here.

“The diversity of the menu speaks for itself,” according to owner Andy Guy. So go ahead, go buck wild at The Gashouse.

Really, go for the buck. Or quail, or elk, or ribs, or lobster tail, or buffalo, or… • Ultimate mixed grill with grilled quail, 4-ounce elk tenderloin, bone in venison chop and game sausage. left Seafood combo with lobster tail, crab cake and Cajun shrimp. above

PRICE

Apps $4-$19; Entrees $19-$47 •••

AMBIANCE

Rustic Colorado mountains •••

SIGNATURE DISH

Mixed game grill

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by LAUREN GLENDENNING photos by DOMINIQUE TAYLOR and JUSTIN McCARTY

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he stunning views are the first thing you notice at the aptly named Vista at Arrowhead, and it only gets better from there.

There’s something very comforting about this restaurant — maybe it’s the husband-wife duo that runs, it or perhaps it’s the soothing sound of Micky Poage live on the piano.

The gorgeous panoramic view of the golf course set against a mountain backdrop certainly doesn’t hurt, either.

With Janine Glennon greeting customers at the entrance, and her husband Michael responsible for the creativity coming out of the kitchen, you feel like you’re eating dinner in the dining room at their home. Janine walks around from table to table throughout the evening checking on guests. She

Apps, $10-$18 Entrees, $27-$46 • AMBIANCE Country club elegance.

SIGNATURE DISH PEI mussels with tomato, capers, garlic, lemon and white wine; pan-seared Alaskan halibut with sweet corn polenta and an orange basil butter sauce PRICE

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opens wine, suggests the best dishes on the menu that evening and just sets an overall warm and friendly tone.

Ask her for recommendations and she’s likely to lead you to some of the menu’s standout dishes, like the house-made ricotta and mushroom agnolotti. The silky pasta is filled with fresh mushrooms and ricotta, decadent on its own, but the accents on the plate send this dish over the top — more fresh crimini mushrooms, fresh peas, onion, micro greens and shaved pecorinoromano cheese. It’s tempting to just order a couple of these starters as an entrée and call it a night, but there are so many other exciting dishes not to miss.

TUSCAN HOSPITALITY With a Tuscan grill theme, Vista offers a lot of rustic dishes with northern Italian flare. Italian-style tapas, such as assorted salumi and cheeses or house

meatballs with tomato “gravy” are a great way to unwind while trying to decide on entrees. The cocktail menu also has Italian-inspired drinks like the lemon-basil or lemoncello martinis, and there’s an excellent wine list.

Lighter starters include the baby kale salad with spiced quinoa served with Marcona almonds, cucumber and hibiscus vinaigrette. It also comes with Peruvian “sweety bell peppers,” which are smaller than a cherry tomato and taste sort of like a chili pepper-tomato hybrid. Janine says they ate them at a restaurant in Denver once and tracked down a supplier who could deliver them to Vista.

With ample “from the sea” and “from the land” options, Vista’s menu truly has something for everyone. Panseared Alaskan halibut is a summer hit, seared to a gorgeous crisp on the outside with flaky, fresh halibut that

melts apart on the inside. A luscious orange-basil butter sauce tops it off alongside sweet, creamy corn polenta.

Or opt for the manly shredded beef short rib with mushroom ravioli and Chianti beef jus. Just be sure to save room for desserts — the portions at Vista are more than friendly — because Michael tries to outdo his dinner menu with dessert

indulgences like lemon semifreddo and creamy cheesecake topped with fresh blueberries. It’s the perfectly sweet ending to a lovely meal. • top Pan seared Alaskan halibut with roasted asparagus, sweet corn polenta and orange butter sauce. above Grilled asparagus radish slaw, toasted walnuts and maytag blue cheese.

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VISTA AT ARROWHEAD

676 SAWATCH DRIVE / ARROWHEAD, EDWARDS 970.926.2111 / VISTA-ARROWHEAD.COM

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MIRADOR The views are what first catch my glance, great sweeping vistas that are visible from almost every corner of the dining room. Then the menu stops my glance and I find myself intrigued by unanticipated options in a classic menu.

I look around, wondering into what sort of Wonderland I’ve wandered.

Chef Collin Smelser joined the team at Mirador, located at the Lodge and Spa at Cordillera, less than a year ago, but he’s been putting his mark on the menu and on guests’ taste buds.

Make no mistake — those searching for the classic options like prime rib or salmon will not be disappointed — Chef Smelser knows how to keep his clientele happy. But before deciding on something safe, take a closer look and discover Smelser’s additions, dishes like marrowbone with parsley caper and preserved lemon salad or chicken and waffles: a bacon cheddar waffle served with collard greens and a honey Tabasco butter.

“Yes, those are mine,” Smelser admits with a smile. “I try to slip those kinds of things in.”

But Smelser is putting his mark on established dishes, too. The pan-roasted duck breasts are served with duck confit farro risotto, roasted patty pan squash and a cherry ginger jus. Instead of the usual Arborio rice, the farro adds a toothsome texture to the mix; the duck confit just furthers the savory goodness of the duck medallions. But it’s the ginger in the jus keeps me taking “just one more bite,” with the slight spiciness that marries so well with the cherries. Overall, it’s dark and woodsy and the culinary manifestation of a Currier and Ives print.

Keep an eye out for other unusual collaborations on the menu, like the duck poutine, a new twist on a classic Canadian dish. Or try the crab and artichoke pizza. Crab on pizza? Absolutely.

“I’m from Baltimore,” explains Smelser.

“I thought, why not put crab on a pizza.

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GROUSE ON THE GREEN & MIRADOR AT CORDILLERA 2205 CORDILLERA WAY / LODGE & SPA AT CORDILLERA / 970.926.2200 / CORDILLERALODGE.COM

by KATIE COAKLEY photos by DOMINIQUE TAYLOR

You can put anything on a pizza.”

The result? A decadent pie with huge chunks of rich crab meat that’s balanced with the artichoke hearts and light white sauce. That pizza alone is worth a visit.

But then you sample the blackened lamb “lollichops,” or the sesame-seared salmon with shrimp fried rice and an incredibly complex unagi-based sauce. Each bite had me torn between savoring and scarfing.

“People seem to think that we’re

really far away,” says Smelser. “We’re not — it’s only 30 minutes from Vail.”

GROUSE ON THE GREEN There are certain elements that must be present in an Irish pub. Guinness on tap? Check. Cozy booths and a cheerful fireplace? Check. Hearty and satisfying comfort food like fish and chips and Shepard’s pie? Check.

Expansive views of the Continental Divide and rolling golf greens? Bonus.

Grouse on the Green is an authentic Irish pub, brought stone by stone from Eire to rest in Cordillera. And, while the views are different from what was seen in the homeland, the warmth and cheer is just as authentic as the architecture.

Chef Smelser is keeping an eye on the accurate in the Grouse with items like Scottish eggs and

chips and curry on the menu.

Pick a perch on the bar and order the Grouse nachos to start. With homemade, thick-cut “crisps” (chips are actually fries in Ireland), bacon and Gorgonzola cream sauce, these nachos are one part tangy, one part smoky and all parts delicious.

Take a friend or make one quickly as it’s a big portion for one but a shame to waste.

Or pack an appetite and order the Rueben, with house-made corned beef, thick cut marbled rye and tangy sauerkraut.

Grouse on the Green has a different special almost every night. Take Fido and enjoy Pets and Pints on Sunday evenings. • above Sesame seared salmon with shrimp fried rice, truffleyaki miso butter. left Irish nachos with bacon and gorgonzola cheese sauce.

Grouse on the Green: appetizers from $6 - $14; entrees from $10 (sandwiches) - $23. Mirador at Cordillera. Appetizers $5 – 12; entrees $25.

Three courses for $39. • AMBIANCE Grouse: casual pub; Mirador: familyfriendly upscale fare. • SIGNATURE DISH Crab and artichoke pizza, duck breast with duck confit faro risotto PRICE

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27 MAIN STREET / RIVERWALK, EDWARDS 970.926.0777 / ZINORISTORANTE.COM

by ASHLEE BRATTON photos by ANTHONY THORNTON

Apps $11-15; pizzas $15-18; entrees $25-36 • AMBIANCE Warm and festive contemporary Italian cuisine • SIGNATURE DISH House-made burrata, roasted mussels, funghi pizza and pappardelle with veal meatballs PRICE

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bocce ball rolls by and you can hear shouts of excitement ring through the summer air. Yep, no doubt about it, you’re at Zino Ristorante, at Riverwalk in Edwards.

Stepping in to this mod Italian establishment with oversized Carpano artwork — whether for lunch or dinner — is a welcoming and enjoyable affair. The riverside outdoor patio with signature party lights sets the stage for the bocce court lined with pines in the background, blending the clean lines of the modern Italian décor with the beauty of the Vail Valley. The little patch of blooming columbines reminds you you’re still in the Rockies. Co-owner and executive chef Nick Haley proudly states, while smiling, “You can’t go wrong with our outdoor patio and bocce court…I even had my wedding reception here.”

Another bocce ball rolls by.

You will be perfectly happy starting off with one of their antipasti apps, such as the fresh burrata with house made ricotta and heirloom tomatoes over a bread and basil spread. Ask your server and he may even tell you a fun fact about the establishment — for instance, that pastry chef Molly Harrison makes all the bread for Sweet Basil, Mountain Standard and Dish.

Or that the wood-fired pizzas are baked with 100-percent Palisade peach wood and the dough is imported from Napoli.

Pair a glass of bubbly Prosecco with the Zino raviolo (that’s singular for ravioli)—a delectably oversized take filled with Maine lobster, Mascarpone, fennel, tarragon and hen’s egg situated in a light brown butter sauce for an authentic Italian starter. Or go for one of their signature drinks…with names like The Cougar with orange bitters, Rye Baby with George Dickel Rye, or the Basil Bloody Mary — and you might want to join the bocce ball players sooner rather than later.

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The trio of co-owners make a habit of visiting Italy on a regular basis, bringing back new ideas and fresh flavors to share. Chef Haley recently returned from one of these excursions and grinned as he hinted that they have “some fun ideas coming this way.” One of the examples of this is the newly concocted tuna dish rolling out this summer, and “fun” just doesn’t do it justice. Using a technique called “involtini,” the freshly acquired tuna is stuffed with crab, lemon capers, aioli and served with a chickpea puree and pickled garlic. Pair it with a glass of Banfi chianti classico or one of the 108 bottles from the “Vino at Zino” wine selection and you can chime in with the table of eight in their golf gear as they open another bottle and yell out, “Salute!”

End your meal with an adult version of tiramisu laced with espresso rum and orancello, or try the lemon ricotta torta with raspberries topped with a sea salt chocolate cookie, and candied pistachios.

Then, be prepared to sit back and smile.

And if limoncello is your thing, raise a toast with the neon golden liquid and enjoy the atmosphere as yet another bocce ball rolls by. “Salute,” indeed. •

top Pizza with peaches, prosciutto di Parma, gorgonzola, ricotta, aged balsamic vinegar and fig preserves. right House-made burrata with heirloom tomatoes, pesto and toasted bread. below Seared ahi tuna and crab involtini, chickpea puree and watermelon radishes.

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avern on the Square complements the Old World ambiance of The Arrabelle at Vail Square, with its upscale cuisine, served in an alpine tavern environment.

Inside, wide arched ceilings anchored by hefty columns welcome diners into a multitude of experiences: Gather with a group of friends in a booth overlooking the square; grab a table and catch a game on high-definition screens; or sip a cask-aged Bulleit muddled with orange, cherry and bitters at the bar and gaze at vertically-rising aspen groves.

Outside, umbrella-covered tables dot the large patio, adjacent to the Eagle Bahn gondola, which glides above green mountain runs.

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MEMORIES FULL OF FLAVOR Tavern on the Square is the place memories are made, not only because of its ambiance, but even more so for its fresh, made-from-scratch cuisine.

Executive Chef Douglas Dodd focuses on Rocky Mountain inspired cuisine, “but that doesn’t mean we can’t deviate from that and have some fun,” he says, adding he likes to create menus that add “something interesting and relevant, and then I put my own twist on it.”

Case in point: his grilled elk quesadillas with pico de gallo and jalapeño Jack cheese. Dodd also transforms brussel sprouts from vegetables to tasty appetizers with chorizo and manchengo cheese.

While Dodd offers basics like sweet potato fries and chicken wings, he also presents such starters as chicken fried quail with cornbread waffles; Baja fish tacos with spicy aioli and slaw; voodoo shrimp and grits with a mango-red chili

TAVERN ON THE SQUARE 675 LIONSHEAD PLACE / ARRABELLE, LIONSHEAD / 970.754.7704

by KIMBERLY NICOLETTI photos by MARLA MERIDITH

sauce and Andouille sausage; and artisan goat and cow cheeses from Larkspur, Longmont and Fort Collins, paired with baby greens, homemade granola crackers and a sweet mountain honeycomb.

Though his summer fare is lighter, his chili and classic French onion soup are so popular, he keeps them on the menu year-round, and then adds a chicken meatball soup and a variety of salads. His Southwest chopp’d salad packs a flavorful kick with avocado, corn, black beans, tortillas, cotija cheese and chipotle-ranch dressing, while the summer mountain vegetable salad is fresh and light, with asparagus, zucchini, corn, avocado, tomatoes, mushrooms and baby lettuce.

Then, he turns to entrees to create masterpieces out of steaks, jerk chicken, chokecherry short ribs, pork tenderloin, salmon and halibut.

His tender bone-in veal jagerschnitzel surrounded with a bacon-mushroom gravy and heirloom tomatoes makes mouths water, while his pan-seared Skuna Bay salmon with mushroom agnolotti brings a soft, sweet taste to the palate. And, when it comes to pasta, he fashions veal into jumbo meatballs and adds shrimp and scallops to cannelloni.

SIGNATURE DISHES

Signature dishes: Baja fish tacos, grilled elk quesadilla, bone-in veal jagerschnitzel, soy-charred rare ahi tuna steak •••

AMBIANCE

Upscale alpine tavern •••

SPECIAL THIS SUMMER

Thursday nights, July 3 through Aug. 28, Tavern on the Square becomes the site of the official after party of Jazz @ Vail Square with live music and La Marca Prosecco drink specials from 6-8 p.m.

He also offers a gluten-free penne.

Pastry chef Christine Clancy infuses the Tavern with innovative desserts, in huge portions. Her Guinness Smore’s feature a Guinness brownie with a graham cracker crust, marshmallows, chocolate syrup and vanilla ice cream. She also creates fig goat cheese cake, lemon pudding and just about the best house-made sorbets and ice creams — served by the pint — including: mango, chocolate raspberry, toasted marshmallow, maple bacon and rosemary honey.

And, of course, a tavern wouldn’t be renowned without a wide variety of wine, beer and cocktails. The Tavern features “the Handle,” a hard-to-obtain summer beer that constantly changes, as well as huge selection of Colorado ales, pale ales, lagers and IPAs. The Tavern hand-makes its Bloody Mary mixtures and cask-ages bourbon for a crisper flavor. So whether you’re in the mood for a martini, a margarita, a merlot or a milk stout, the tavern has it, ready to pour. • Ahi tuna poke with ponzu and wonton chips. top right Variety of house-made ice creams and sorbets in assorted flavors from red velvet ice cream to chocolate raspberry sorbet. top left

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141 EAST MEADOW DRIVE / SOLARIS 970.476.6628 / MASTUHISAVAIL.COM

by LAUREN GLENDENNING photos by DOMINIQUE TAYLOR

PRICE Apps, $10-$42 (soup and tempura options from $3-$20). Entrees, $32-$42 • AMBIANCE Mountain elegant • SIGNATURE DISH Broiled black cod with miso, $32; New Style sashimi; King crab tempura

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obu Matsuhisa views his flagship Matsuhisa restaurants — there are just six in the world — as nearer and dearer to his heart than his more prolific Nobu restaurants.

That’s why, when you dine at Matsuhisa Vail, you feel like he could be the one back in the kitchen personally preparing his signature broiled black cod with miso for your table.

Successful cooking comes from the heart, Nobu Matsuhisa believes. In his personal message to his guests posted on the Matsuhisa Vail website, he talks of communicating his heart — or kokoro, in Japanese — through every dish he makes.

The grand dining room boasts some of the best views of Vail Mountain in town, but you might forget to notice once imaginative dishes like his Peruvian style octopus — thinly sliced and topped with soy sea salt, yuzu juice, achiote chili paste and cilantro — start making their way to your table.

Nobu Matsuhisa has a global empire of restaurants and hotels, but his Vail dining room feels special. Peruvian-influenced

Japanese cuisine is the star, a fusion that has propelled Matsuhisa to worldwide chef stardom and success.

The menu is extensive, and while Matsuhisa certainly features a lot of sashimi and sushi on the menu, the menu reaches far outside of that realm into stimulating Latin-Asian territory.

Ingredients are king at Matsuhisa.

Manager Jordan Harrill describes the products used as the best in the world.

And he would know because Matsuhisa often calls his staff excited about new inspiration he found for a dish while visiting another country. He’ll call and get it added to the menu right away, and then he’ll call again a week later to see how customers liked it.

“At 62 years old, he’s one of the most progressive chefs, still, on the planet,” Harrill says. “He cares so much. He’s so passionate about not just the food, but the experience, and that’s really important in order to survive in such a competitive world like this.”

Matsuhisa doesn’t just merely survive, though; he’s a culinary force. Perhaps

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the genius in most of his dishes is in the simplicity. He lets the top quality ingredients do the talking while he merely adds to the conversation with flavors that complement rather than mask or overpower.

He’ll take a delicate piece of toro, the lusciously fatty tuna belly, and accent it with a touch of yuzu citrus, garlic and jalepeno. Or he’ll find a way to take a beautiful piece of king crab and fry it in a tempura batter so light that you somehow forget you’re eating food that’s fried.

And just when you’re thinking Matsuhisa’s menu is a novella of oceanic perfection, you’re practically blind-sided by succulent lamb chops with a rich Peruvian pepper dipping sauce or “new style” beef sashimi, which is seared by pouring hot sesame oil and olive oil over thinly-sliced beef that has been seasoned with citrus, garlic, ginger and scallions, among other flavors (new style sashimi is also available as scallops, salmon or white fish).

The only real problem with dining

at Matsuhisa is the decision-making process. The menu is so enticing and exciting that it’s hard to choose what to order. But not to worry, that’s what the Omakase tasting menu is for. Sit back and enjoy the view while the chef sends out the best dishes of the night.

Put your trust in Nobu Matsuhisa’s heartfelt creations and you won’t leave disappointed, or hungry. • Lobster salad.

Scallop on miso brussel sprouts. left New Style salmon sashimi with fresh shaved truffle. top

above

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LA TOUR 122 E. MEADOW DR. / 970.476.4403 / LATOUR-VAIL.COM

by KIM FULLER photos by DOMINIQUE TAYLOR

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here are three ingredients that La Tour chef-owner Paul Ferzacca wants foodies to pay attention to this summer: truffles, corn and watercress. Summer staples, no doubt, but the longtime Vail chef is inviting guests to try what he calls “one of his newest trilogies” as a new masterpiece on his menu.

The dish features halibut — a filet’s soft layers held between the savory, sweet and earthy angles of each edgy flavor in Ferzacca’s trifecta.

Wine director and sommelier Derek Reijmer pours a white burgundy to add a classic splash alongside the chef’s more contemporary canvas.

“The menu is based on French technique,” Reijmer explains, “but the food doesn’t really scream French at all.”

So what does it scream? Hamachi sashimi with Mas de Daumas rose frizzant, to start, and white BBQ sauce oysters with Veuve Clicquot, to follow … oui, oui.

Classic or modern, every piece of art has a place. Beyond the edible craftsmanship that has made La Tour one of Vail’s most well known culinary establishments, the dining room is adorned with warm painted works, luminescent blown glass forms, and every table stands adorned with one of Harold Linke’s palm-sized romantic sculptures.

To stroll past La Tour’s patio without being enticed by a bistro seat for lunch or a flute of bubbles for brunch is impossible for most, but it’s the start of a love story that would turn tragic if not pursued.

Lunch small plates and appetizers: $5 - $17; Lunch mains: $14 - $17; Dinner appetizers: $12 - $17; Dinner entrees: $20 - $45 AMBIANCE Intimate French bistro • SIGNATURE DISH Halibut with watercress coulis, Olathe corn and black truffles PRICE

This summer’s new watermelon salad with a luscious mass of burrata is as bold and bright as the season, popping with pickled onion and black sea salt, and savory sweet from shaved apple, rosemary croutons, olive oil and balsamic. Step aside, caprese.

Ferzacca’s parmesan crusted Colorado lamb rack chop is a symphony of flavors, delicate to the blade and nothing short of intoxicating to taste.

A glass of Artadi tempranillo plays the harmony with smooth tannins and fruit, while rhythms of Israeli cous cous with almond mint pesto direct the dance.

Slide into dessert with a trio tasting, perfect for sharing. Risen tea cakes, little Madeleines, come covered in powdered sugar and a side of lemon curd for dipping. Try a little Tokaji with them and the mini creme brulee. Chocolate truffles melt on the tongue with every sip of 20-year tawny. Ferzacca is right … good things do come in threes. • Alaska halibut with creamed sweet corn and watercress coulis. left Compressed watermelon with burrata cheese. above

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FLAME AT THE FOUR SEASONS 1 VAIL ROAD / 970.477.8650 / FLAMERESTAURANTVAIL.COM

by LAUREN GLENDENNING photos by ANTHONY THORNTON

F

lame just might be the most fun fine dining experience in the valley. No stuffiness here — just amazing food, a cozy atmosphere and, well, amazing food.

This might be the Four Seasons, but it’s still the Rocky Mountains, which is why executive chef Jason Harrison’s culinary artistry often takes a nofrills approach to elaborate dishes.

He’ll tell you his prawns cocktail dish is his take on classic shrimp cocktail, so you imagine a martini glass with shrimp and cocktail sauce. Instead, you get a gorgeous plate of New Caledonia prawns — heads and all — with avocado puree, fresh grapefruit, green apple, pepitas and micro cilantro. The flavors are clean and fresh, and nothing like an old-school shrimp cocktail (thankfully).

This first course dish reminds you that you’re not eating dinner in a steakhouse doing the same old traditional steakhouse fare. At Flame, you’re eating something special.

Harrison has built a reputation in town

with whimsical dishes like his famous Rocky Mountain Elk “Corn Dogs” — that’s right, corn dogs at the Four Seasons. He wasn’t sure they’d be a hit with the clientele at first, but now he’d probably face a revolution if he took them off the menu.

Not everything is playful, but everything is thoughtful. There’s not a single ingredient on any plate that doesn’t have a purpose. Even the few obligatory steakhouse dishes he offers — such as lobster bisque — are reborn with new flavors. He uses coconut milk, lemongrass and Kaffir lime in the bisque, energizing it with Thai flavors that make it so much more interesting than a standard sherry bisque. It’s fantastic.

And while beef and game are kings at Flame, Harrison lightens things up on his summer menu. A summer meal at Flame can actually be guilt-free.

His silky-smooth spring watermelonjalepeño gazpacho is the perfect bowl of summer. Sometime around mid-July when Palisade peaches are harvested, he’ll transition to a peach gazpacho with Marcona almonds and young mint grown right outside in the Four Seasons’ spa garden. Ask beverage director/sommelier Steven Teaver to pair it with the perfect

white or his latest craft cocktail.

For those with a more handy appetite, don’t worry — the summer menu has plenty of meaty options like a Wagyu New York Strip, cooked to a juicy medium rare and so tender you can cut it with the side of your fork, or bison, filet mignon, Berkshire pork and lamb. And the sauces — oh the sauces!

A sampling of all six comes out with any meat dish. My personal favorites are the Charleston truffle, the blackberry bourbon and the yuzu smooth. And there’s not enough space on this page to describe how incredible each and every one of the a la carte side dishes — there are about a dozen to choose from — are, especially the Kim Chi Brussels sprouts.

New to the summer menu is a braised rabbit with Colorado porcini mushroom ragout and house-made — there’s not

much that isn’t house-made — ricotta.

And of course the burger bar will be rocking all summer long, a reservations-only experience in which you can build your own killer burgers as you dine right in the kitchen (24-hour-advance notice required).

Perhaps the most exciting part of Flame this summer, though, are the weekly barbecues out by the Four Seasons pool every Thursday from 4-6:30 p.m. The first one will feature a wild game menu that Harrison can’t wait to cook and you can’t wait to attend. • 16-ounce bone-in dry-aged ribeye and Caladonia sweet shrimp. top right Lobster bisque with lemongrass, Kaffir lime and red curry. above Slow-braised pork cheek with fava beans and cauliflower puree. top left

Apps: $12 - $18; Entrees, $32 - $50. • AMBIANCE Mountain elegant, sophisticated yet cozy. • SIGNATURE DISH Meat is king, but summer standouts include Palisade peach gazpacho, slow-braised Heritage pork cheeks and a braised rabbit.

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PRICE

Lunch $11-$23 Après plates $10-$18 Dinner apps $12-$17 Dinner entrees $27-$59 •••

AMBIANCE

Casual, comfortable and inviting •••

SIGNATURE DISH

16-ounce bone-in ribeye with sautéed crimini mushrooms

VAIL CHOPHOUSE & BEAVER CREEK CHOPHOUSE BASE OF THE GONDOLA, LIONSHEAD / 970.477.0555 / VAILCHOPHOUSE.COM BASE OF CENTENNIAL LIFT, BEAVER CREEK / 970.845.0555 / BEAVERCREEKCHOPHOUSE.COM

by KIM FULLER photos by DOMINIQUE TAYLOR

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rom a window seat at the Vail Chophouse, early June’s rising full moon is as magical as the twinkle lights falling in waves from the roof of the Eagle Bahn Gondola.

The wonder finds its way to our table while figures of hospitality and an actual magician make their smooth rounds, eventually settling upon us like the soft light that is still illuminating the Lionshead slopes. The summer beauty is in the simplicity, and the food follows suit.

“Our goal is to serve great steaks to everybody,” shares executive chef Benjamin LaPrade.

Try the turf, but don’t forget about the surf. The restaurant always has fresh seafood flown in, offering the cold seafood tower with a full spread of salt water fare that will feed up to four, and a seafood stack that’s made for two. Freshly shucked oysters stand beside a cluster of crab legs, lobster and mussels, along with an avocado and blue crab cocktail and succulent shrimp ceviche.

Point Reyes blue cheese crumbles dust the surface of the summer salad greens, dried apricots, red onions, spiced nuts and cucumber pieces — a nice starter alone or alongside more decadent appetizers of warm danish brie, slow roasted lamb short ribs or the elk jalepeno cheddar sausage plate.

While active days lead to full, well deserved appetites, LaPrade says the Chophouse patio is a also great place to stop before hitting the hill.

“Most people are going out to mountain bike or snowboard after lunch here, so they don’t want something big and heavy,” LaPrade explains. “We offer the grains and greens salad during the daytime, made with farrow, baby kale, apricots and oranges, which is another refreshing salad that’s full of protein but doesn’t over-fill you because it’s light.”

The pan seared Colorado bass entree is flaky and flavorful, served over a bed of quinoa, with sauteed kale lollipops and a heirloom tomato gastrique.

“We try to hit all different aspects, so that way instead of just meat and potatoes at your traditional steakhouse, we change the starches to other things so that people have the option to eat

with health in mind,” shares LaPrade.

Just don’t miss out on the meat. Steak styles are plentiful, and a more curious choice will lead pork lovers to a robust rack of wild boar. The four bone-in pieces are dense and flavorful, held in a bed of savory bacon brussel sprouts.

If you have room for dessert, homemade key lime pie with a pour of Dolche from Far Niente tops off the evening sweetly, leaving a little magic in your mouth to linger from dinner into dreamland. • top Wild boar with kale lollipops. above Smoked salmon with accoutrements, including diced hardboiled eggs, onions, tomatoes and capers.

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etween the trio of 14-foot mountain peaks Bistro Fourteen overlooks from its base location at the top of Eagle Bahn Gondola, and the excitement Vail’s adjacent Adventure Ridge creates, Bistro Fourteen sous chef Webster Lee has his work cut out for him to maintain his guests’ attention.

Of course, he and pastry chef Anne Armstrong never disappoint; they aim to not only please, but also to surprise.

“I try to have some items you wouldn’t expect, and some items you would,” he says about his cuisine.

He keeps his summer menu light and fresh with healthy options like salads and fresh fish specials but also adds favorites for the many Southern visitors he receives, with dishes like fried chicken. Then he blends in a couple of innovative menu items, such as pork belly steamers with cucumber slaw, Asian barbecue sauce, and Chinese-steamed buns. He also adds a bit of Asian and Cajun to his Rocky Mountain trout, complementing it with a cornmeal Cajun crust, tropical fruit vinaigrette, forbidden black, sticky rice and grilled baby bok choy.

He sticks to fresh and housemade food, taking the time to grind his own brisket for burgers, making them juicier and more flavorful. In addition to sourcing fresh ingredients and making cuisine from scratch, he smokes his own turkey and uses fresh sourdough bread from the Avon Bakery for his turkey club sandwiches.

This year, he has added a pork chop from Salmon Creek, a Colorado company, which he pairs with plum sauce and a pork belly stir-fry.

Though he changes Bistro Fourteen’s menu seasonally, he maintains popular offerings, like his sweet and spicy seared tuna, served with sushi rice and miso slaw, complete with carrots, cabbage, red peppers and sprouts tossed with a miso vinaigrette.

Bistro Fourteen also consistently offers the family favorite kids’ threecourse, $10 meal, which begins with carrots or grapes, features main entrees like a cheeseburger, grilled chicken tenders, pizza, or barbecue chicken, and ends with a brownie sundae.

Lunch and dinner entrees also

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by KIMBERLY NICOLETTI photos by DOMINIQUE TAYLOR and courtesy VAIL RESORTS

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PRICE

Apps $9-$14, entrees $17-$32 •••

AMBIANCE

Casual dining with great food •••

SIGNATURE DISH

Bistro burger and two-bite desserts.

include a glazed Colorado rack of lamb, spicy lobster linguine, Rocky Mountain trout, pasta and burgers.

Armstrong rounds out the Bistro Fourteen experience with petite desserts housemade with fresh, local produce. Her goal: to achieve the balance of sweet and tart, and rich and creamy, within two bites.

Her mix-and-match trios, and one-order wonders, include rhubarb and strawberry filled blintzes with homemade strawberry buttermilk ice cream; toasted marshmallow ice cream sandwiches with candied Marcona almonds; fresh berry cobbler with apricot ice cream; and a rich chocolate and peanut butter tart with peanut butter and jelly ice cream. In addition to an assortment of sorbets, gluten-free options also include chocolate and cherry cheesecake.

Outside Bistro Fourteen, a fire pit beckons guests to relax and watch the sunset as they enjoy a drink or a light bite from the starter menu, which ranges from buffalo nachos to wild mushroom risotto, steamed mussels or crab dip.

The bar offers a full selection of beers, wines and cocktails, making Bistro Fourteen the perfect place to relax in a casual alpine setting.

Bistro Fourteen is open seven days a week for lunch and Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays for dinner. • top Sesame crusted ahi tuna with soy saki beurre blanc, wasabi aioli, sticky rice and pickled ginger. right Bistro burger with freshly ground angus brisket, white cheddar, red onion marmalade and hand-cut fries.

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CAMPO DE FIORI 100 EAST MEADOW DRIVE / 970. 476.8994 / CAMPODEFIORI.NET

by JOHN LACONTE photos by ANTHONY THORNTON

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imone Reatti likes his food simple, with a strong flavor. The Campo de Fiori chef hails from Cortina d’Ampezzo in Northern Italy, but now calls Vail home.

“In Italy, we have the mountain, we have the ocean, we have islands, we have 21 different regions and a half million recipes,” he says. “The climate dictates the food. In the mountain we eat (pasta and gnocci), in the south they eat more tomato, eggplant, olives and veggies.”

Reatti tries to give guests the whole picture of Italian cuisine at Campo, but if he gets hungry while he’s working, he says he’s likely to go for a northern meal: the pappardelle with porcini mushrooms and Italian sausage. The pappardelle pasta is made in house

from scratch, the mushrooms are from Italy and the sausage is made by Polidori sausage in Denver.

“I’m from the mountains, so I love mushrooms and sausage,” he says.

“But I love anything with a strong flavor.”

Among the strongest of flavors you find on Campo’s menu is another one of Reatti’s favorites, the “Prosciutto e Pere” or “Prosciutto e Melone,” which is, simply, a few slices of prosciutto ham and a few pieces of Tuscan melon or D’Anjou pears and gorgonzola sauce. The prosciutto itself is a delicacy, not to mention the flavor explosion that occurs when coupled with the perfectly ripe fruit.

“The prosciutto comes from Italy,” says Reatti. “We have a type we use for cooking, but with this prosciutto it would be a disgrace if I put it in the pan and cooked it.”

Another simple, flavorful delight at

Campo is the Antipasto Mediterraneo, which – along with the hand-painted walls adorning the dining room – will make you feel like you’re in Italy.

“It’s salami, Marcona almonds, Parmesan cheese, balsamic onions, olives, artichokes hearts and oven-roasted tomatoes,” says Reatti. “In Italy, if you’re not really hungry, this is something the owner of the bar would bring you with a drink after work, just to mingle a little bit before you go home.”

But in addition to Reatti’s favorites, Campo has a strong following of regular clientele who have helped determine what you can expect to find on the menu.

“We’ve tried to take some items off the menu just to change it a little, but then our regulars will come back and

request that item, so we put it back on,” says general manager Mira Hozzova. “One thing that always amazes me how consistent out kitchen keeps these items, they look identical every time they come out.”

Reatti says that’s definitely a deliberate effort from the kitchen.

“In the restaurant, consistent cooking is good cooking,” he says.

But outside of the restaurant, says Reatti, “No matter what, the best cooking is always your mama’s cooking.” • Frutti di mare alla griglia, a marinated grilled seafood salad. top right Ravioli funghi, mushroomstuffed ravioli in a light cream sauce. bottom right Antipasto Mediterraneo with cured meats, cheese and olives. top left

Apps $9 - $18; entrees $19-$37 • AMBIANCE Hand-painted walls surround lively crowds • SIGNATURE DISH Pappardelle Boscaiola – Fresh pappardelle, porcini mushrooms and Italian sausage

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141 EAST MEADOW DRIVE SOLARIS / VAIL 970.476.5300 / BOLVAIL.COM

by JOHN LACONTE photos by ANTHONY THORNTON

T

he story of Bol’s hamburgers begins generations ago in Squaw Creek, near modern day Edwards.

The Eaton clan — family of Earl Eaton, who would help found Vail Mountain in the 1960s — homesteads in the area, and lays claim to land there. Earl learns of the sport of skiing on homemade planks, at night, down old logging routes. Then he meets Pete Seibert at the Red Onion bar in Aspen and the two find and found Vail Mountain.

Fast forward a few generations. To avoid exorbitant taxes and keep their land from being developed, the Eatons deem their land in Edwards as agricultural and begin raising cattle on it.

Today, Mike Eaton carries on the tradition, and has chosen Bol as the major recipient of his beef.

“We’re the only people in the world who are able to buy beef from Eaton Ranch and use it in a restaurant,” says executive chef Julian Smith.

It’s fitting that Smith shares the surname of Hannibal from the A-Team, because Hannibal’s famous quote

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“Give me a minute, I’m good. Give me a week, I’m great. Give me six months, I’m unbeatable,” is also true for Julian.

He whips up delicious meals in minutes.

With a few weeks to think over his menu, he’ll come up with great additions. And with years to cultivate relationships, he’s unbeatable. If you haven’t been into Bol recently, you absolutely must try what Smith’s been working on.

“Now that we’ve been working with Eaton Ranch a few years, we’ve gotten good at the process — how long to grass feed, who’s the best butcher, what cuts

of meat do we use, what cuts of meat do we grind, what type of cattle does best, etcetera,” says Smith.

The result is a hamburger that won’t leave your thoughts for as long as you live.

But it doesn’t end with Eaton Ranch beef for Smith. For example, foodies often complain there’s no place to get Indian food in Vail.

Not true.

Smith just added Indian lamb stew to his menu, with coconut green curry, English peas, basmati rice and flatbread, it’s a gourmet delight in every bite.

Have you ever had a slice of gourmet pizza with an egg on top?

Have you ever had a slice of gourmet pizza with a perfectly cooked blue Araucana egg on top? Like the Eaton Ranch burger, the pizza with Araucana egg may just ruin regular pizza for you forever.

But not to be outdone by the kitchen, the drinks at Bol make Vail’s bowling alley a destination in itself.

This summer, Bol is presenting a series of specialty gin drinks to capture the atmosphere of summer in the Rockies.

“The drinks are based off the botanicals that

PRICE

Apps $8-$18; entrees $15-$33 •••

AMBIANCE

Cool, cool, cool — from the J. Cotter design artwork on the tables to the flat screens above the bar •••

SIGNATURE DISH

Anything from Eaton Ranch — from the hamburger to the ribeye

each gin is distilled with,” says bar manager Tacy Rowland. “We’re bringing in all these exciting gins, and in the summer people are on vacation, so why not try something new?”

Indeed, even if you’ve been to Bol before, stopping by this summer will give you an opportunity to try something new from both the bar and the kitchen. • top Ahi tuna tartare with avocado and sesame seeds. left Summer harvest gnocchi with chantrelles, porcini, asparagus, pistachios, sweet potato, shaved fennel and salsa verde.

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THE LEFT BANK 183 GORE CREEK DRIVE / SITZMARK LODGE, VAIL 970.476.3696 / LEFTBANKVAIL.COM

by KIMBERLY NICOLETTI photos by KIMBERLY GAVIN

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he Left Bank has been one of Vail’s renowned restaurants for more than 40 years, and this summer, it debuts its new look and feel, while still maintaining executive chef Jean-Michel Chelain’s classic cuisine and his wife.

The Chelains have blended a contemporary tone into the former vintage French country restaurant. A new floor-to-ceiling glass wine cellar graces the dining room, allowing guests to view about a thousand bottles of The Left Bank’s impressive wine list, which runs nine pages long and is comprised of up to 85 percent of French wines.

The renovated bar area now accommodates more people, with ocean-blue lounge seating and tables surrounding the sleek, black bar top expanding the lounge area, Chelain intends to make French cuisine more accessible to people.

“We try to make everybody comfortable, because when they see French cuisine, they’re a little scared of it,” Chelain says, explaining that the bar menu allows people to eat more quickly and casually, as opposed to dining for a couple hours in the main restaurant.

Chelain transforms typical bar menu items into works of art. Rather than serving messy chicken wings, he debones them

and fashions meaty lollipops.

He tops his freshly made mini pizzas with truffles or salmon and peppers. He serves his filet sliders on homemade buns with béarnaise sauce. His fresh scallops come with sweet potatoes, and he serves his homemade lobster bisque in an espresso cup.

Dessert in the bar area spoils guests with chocolate espresso mousse, caramelized apples on a fresh pastry puff, a chocolate cookie ice cream sandwich and a chocolate soufflé.

The bar opens at 4 p.m. to accommodate patrons of Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival, The Vail International Dance Festival and other Ford Amphitheater events, and house Rosé glasses of wine are just $5 with a bar menu purchase.

However, the ultimate Left Bank experience takes place with a leisurely four-course meal, or a la carte selections, in the dining room.

The courses begin with a choice of pan-seared sea scallops served with braised endive and goat cheese; raw, seasoned salmon; thinly sliced beef tenderloin; or tomatoes layered with fresh buffalo mozzarella. A light, fruity salad follows.

Chelain changes his menu three to four times throughout the summer, but signa-

ture entrees include a Colorado rack of lamb produced especially for Left Bank for its superior tenderness and flavor. Other specialties include sea bass cooked in a lemony butter chive sauce; tiger shrimp flambéed in Cognac and served in a lobster broth; baked chicken breast stuffed with ratatouille in a tarragon and shallot sauce; pepper steak; and pork tenderloin roasted with Colorado peaches and pearl onions.

“We buy the best food from the market, and we respect that product; it should taste like that product — veal should taste like veal, apple pie should taste like apples with a dash of cinnamon, not cinnamon pie,” Chelain says. “What we’re doing is reinventing (traditional French cooking, taking) the same ingredients and mixing it with different spices.

“You want to bring it to a different level, or maybe break it down, adding a little twist to it without killing it. The thing you’re eating, you want to flavor, to match, but you want to taste the crab, the veal, the beef; it’s one of the most difficult things to do.”

Chelain’s French upbringing and culinary training established high personal standards and expectations, which he continues to meet with every serving. It’s this dedication to consistency and excellence that contributes to Left Bank’s long-standing distinction. • Dessert tray with creme brûlée.

Lobster bisque. above left Spinach salad with raspberries. above right The Left Bank has an extensive wine collection. top left

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Apps from $4-15; entrees $45- $52. • AMBIANCE Contemporary French country • SIGNATURE DISHES Bouillabaisse de crustacés au fenouil; steak au poivre blanc

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174 EAST GORE CREEK DRIVE LODGE AT VAIL, VAIL 970.754.7818 / ELWAYS.COM/VAIL

by BRENDA HIMELFARB photos by DOMINIQUE TAYLOR

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rendy and simply stated elegance is the best way to describe Elway’s, the restaurant named after former quarterback and current general manager and vice president of the Denver Broncos.

If you want a truly great steakhouse experience in a perfect setting, do not stop at GO, do not collect $200 — just head straight to the Lodge at Vail and take the lobby steps up to the restaurant.

Its trendy bar, gorgeous patio and inside atrium that overlooks the hotel’s colorful garden creates the perfect setting for a truly delicious meal.

To begin — do not eschew appetizers before digging into one the restaurant’s impeccable cut, lovingly cooked steaks — as you will miss out on some mouthwatering treats, particularly the grilled artichoke, with garlic aioli, drawn butter and lemon, which is to-die-for! Although, the tuna tartare and Dungeness crabcakes are a close second. All of the salads are farm-to-table fresh; the kale salad with golden raisins and toasted almonds topped with Parmesan vinaigrette is particularly tasty. And you can’t go wrong with the roasted corn and chicken chowder or the Soup of the Moment, which is always a yummy surprise!

Elway’s selection of meats is king with an array of prime hand-cut steaks including filets, strips, bone-in-filet, bone-in rib-eye (rich, beautifully marbled) — and, if you’d like, add a Maine lobster tail or, as the menu reads, “Steak &Cake,” (crabcake). Then, toppings like Maytag bleu cheese butter, over easy duck egg, caramelized sweet onion or Elway’s Oscar Style, to name a few, can be added. What’s more, Elway’s special rub produces an explosion of flavor that is memorably ambrosial. The “fresh catch” is always a local Colorado stream fish, served with sundried tomato risotto, sugar snap peas and lemon

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PRICE

Starters from $14-$21; entrees from $29-$59 •••

AMBIANCE

Loud and lively •••

SIGNATURE DISH

Lamb chop fondue

vinaigrette. And, you can’t go wrong with any of the sides (each serving at least two) but the Yukon Gold mashies, the sautéed asparagus and broccoli and the mac ‘n cheese are favorites.

Looking for something smaller? Many regulars — adults, as well as kids — are wild about Elway’s Famous Smash Burgers — 9 ounces of tender beef, literally smashed, grilled and served on a brioche bun with a side of fries.

WINE AND SWEETNESS Additionally, Elway’s fabulous selection of wine has been carefully chosen

by Jim Lay, sommelier extraordinaire, who recently spent two months in South America researching new tastes to add to the restaurant’s list of almost 700 wines. In fact, Elway’s received Wine Spectator’s “Award of Excellence” for 2013, so you can be sure that any wine that Lay suggests is sure to please even the most discriminating palate.

Ready for dessert? Well, there’s the Classic Ding Dong, the Seriously Chocolate Cake, Signature Cheesecake — New York-style, either strawberry or turtle — baked cookies and ice cream. But, the piece de resistance has to be the Scoop

and a Shot — a scoop of ice cream with a choice of liqueur including Godiva’s milk or white chocolate, Trader Vic’s macadamia and Frangelico’s hazelnut.

Essentially, Elway’s is what a fine restaurant should be: trendy, chic and scrumptious. And a fabulous dining experience, to boot. •

Lambchop fondue 22-ounce bone-in ribeye with Maytag bleu cheese butter and sauteed sugar snap peas.

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Apps $7-$14, Entrees $12-$19 •••

AMBIANCE

Ambiance Warm, comfortable and friendly •••

SIGNATURE DISH

Rattlesnakes — the Vail Ale House bacon-wrapped jalapeño

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he tunes are cranking as we step inside to take our place at one of the round riveted leather booths to hunker down for the best view of any of the 14 televisions showcasing the game. The two pool tables are taken, maybe we’ll hold out for the Foosball table instead.

The two little boys currently rocking the table look like they’re having a good time and might take awhile.

The oversized black and white historic photograph of what looks like mountain miners in overalls “cheersing” each other sets off the exposed stone walls quarried from Telluride highlighting the high-top tables made of 150-year-old hardwood sporting mason jar décor. The renovations turning the former Sandbar into the now stylishly comfortable Vail Ale House has paid off.

The upgrades to the nitrogen cooler that houses their wide selection of Colorado beers and 20-plus taps have also paid off. In fact, that’s why we we’re here.

Should we start with a pint of Avery White Rascal, a Bonfire Tent Pole, or a Left Hand Milk Stout? Choices, choices. Being one of six alehouses in its restaurant family, but the only one based in Colorado, it’s easy to see the mountain influence and beer-friendly atmosphere that differentiates the Vail Ale House from their other five California restaurants. Fittingly, it has been touted as “West Coast cool meets Alpine chill.” Look closely and you’ll see hints all around of the mining roots Colorado’s known for reflected throughout the décor and menu.

As part of its tribute to its roots, the restaurant brought back its famous Mahi Mahi grilled or Baja-style fish tacos, one of its most popular items

VAIL ALE HOUSE

by ASHLEE BRATTON photos by ANTHONY THORNTON

from days gone by. The cast iron skillet, full of a blend of creamy black beans and corn topped with goat cheese, is a nice addition to the satisfying entrée.

If fish is what you crave, definitely choose the blackened Scottish salmon in basil cream sauce, partnered with grit cakes and mixed greens.

Or for lighter fare, try the summer salad, sporting generous portions of strawberries and blueberries topped with toasted almonds, cucumbers sprinkles of goat cheese and citrus vinaigrette. This goes nicely with a pint of Summer Shandy or chai-spiced Sah’tea Ale — highly recommended.

The pasta duo will have your taste buds choosing between half-portions of the basil cream option or the spicy marinara served with chicken. And, watch out, the spicy marinara is just that — spicy. Be prepared for a little kick.

Not quite ready to go, we made room for the mouthwatering bread pudding and vanilla ice cream, polished off just in time for our turn at the Foosball table.

Vail Ale House in West Vail… a fun way to spend some time soaking up the Rocky Mountains. • Pasta Duo with basil cream, left, and spicy marinara, right. right Mixed greens with cucumber, goat cheese, strawberries and blueberries with a citrus vinaigrette. above

2161 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD / WEST VAIL 970.476.4314 / VAILALEHOUSE.COM

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Upscale and intimate •••

SIGNATURE DISH

by KRISTA DRISCOLL photos by ANTHONY THORNTON

Colorado lamb loin, with preserved lemon marinated kale, black olive oil, sorrel and thyme gremolata, castelvetrano olives and hasselback fingerling potatoes

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dynamic expression of time and place.

Start your meal with an aperitif, such as the Dolin Blanc Vermouth, which Campbell describes as “not dry, not rouge, but somewhere in between.”

Served on the rocks, it’s the perfect way to whet your appetite for a first course of asparagus: tender spears that have been grilled, poached and shaved and plated with First Snow goat cheese, bacon lardons, sourdough croutons, tangy watercress and a house-made bacon vinaigrette.

The second-course standout is the vibrant new chilled English pea soup, with house-made ricotta curds, ricotta whey

“snow,” olive oil confit strawberries and shaved radishes. A glass of 2011 St. Urbans-Hof “Kabinett” Riesling elevates the sweetness of the strawberries, and the acidity of the wine pairs perfectly with the bitter slices of radish. Or savor the harissa-grilled baby octopus with merguez sausage, grilled fennel and white bean salad and lemon-harissa vinaigrette accented with parsley and fennel puree.

The simple, strong flavors and spicy African elements marry well with the 2012 Domaine Sigalas Assyrtiko, a Greek white with great body and minerality.

Campbell breaks out the red for the main-course Colorado lamb loin, accompanied by preserved lemon-marinated kale, black olive oil and sorrel and thyme gremolata, with castelventrano olives and fingerling potatoes.

The subtle gaminess of the dish demands the attention of the 100 percent tempranillo 2009 Emilio Moro “Malleolus” Ribera del Duero, with touches of oak and earth.

A rich, minted milk chocolate mousse with mint ice cream and crystalized mint leaves or rhubarb and berry profiteroles with chardonnay ice cream bring a sweet ending to the meal. •

top English pea soup with house-made rocotta curds, ricotta whey “snow,” confit strawberries and shaved radishes. above Berry profiterole with chardonnay ice cream. left Colorado lamb loin with kale and fingerling hasselback potatoes.

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First course, second course and entrée for $74 prixe fixe — starters, dessert and a la carte pricing also available

12 VAIL ROAD GATEWAY BUILDING, VAIL 970.479.0175 / KELLYLIKEN.COM

hen sommelier Jeremy Campbell returned to Vail last year from Portland, Oregon, he had a number of job prospects in the valley, and it wasn’t his intention to return to his original post at Restaurant Kelly Liken. The culinary world in Vail is wide and distinguished, after all, and he was looking to explore new territory. But when the opportunity to return to his former digs presented itself, he just couldn’t pass it up.

You see, Restaurant Kelly Liken isn’t just a job, or even a career; it’s more like a family, working together to create a dining experience that’s intimate and inventive. The feeling of mutual respect among the staff gives a positive charge to the atmosphere that starts when development coordinator Sarah John greets you at the door and lingers long after the last delectable bite of dessert. And the intensely seasonal nature of the menu — unabashedly American, with Colorado flavors through and through — makes it a

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by KIM FULLER photos by DOMINIQUE TAYLOR

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sunny happy hour in Vail is well spent on Tavern on the Gore’s creekside patio. Live music dances over every table and onto the creek promenade every day except Sunday from 3 to 6 p.m. (weather permitting), and even when the clouds do roll though, the sky still holds their silver linings.

“It’s pretty nice out here,” says general manager John McKenzie during the sunset on a crisp June evening. “The patio definitely just has something about it.”

Settle right in with a signature margarita, glass of bubbly or one of the tavern’s long list of Colorado craft beers.

“We try to do as much local, Colorado product here as we can,” McKenzie says of the extensive brew list and beyond. “All our meats are Colorado ‘never-ever,’ which means local meat with no animal byproducts and no hormones, ever.”

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Apps: $8-$13; Mains: $12-$30 • AMBIANCE Neighborhood pub with a view • SIGNATURE DISH The Tavern Burger

Fresh oysters, flown in from the East Coast, fill the raw bar with three or four varieties at a time. These gems are tasty and slide down easily at two dollars a piece.

“I don’t think everybody should have to be a millionaire to enjoy Vail,” he shares. “So it’s more affordable here.”

The restaurant’s classic mozzarella and tomato bruschetta highlights the summer season, while the spinach pear salad is nourishing and savory — served with brie cheese and bacon, and topped with Colorado brandy-soaked grilled pears.

Try The Tavern Burger with a bison patty for a contemporary twist on a true taste of Colorado. Piled high, this is so much more than a sandwich, topped with smoked gouda, sautéed onions and mushrooms, banana peppers, spicy slaw bacon and fried tomatoes. Wash it down with a bottle of Colorado Native and you’re on your way to being a local.

The half rack of ribs, served St. Louis-style with house made BBQ sauce, french fries and coleslaw, is finger licking good. A glass of pinot noir stands up nicely to the rack … just keep your moist towel within reach.

Guests will be content on game day, too, as nearly every table inside has its own personal flat screen. Locals and visitors will feel at home at the neighborhood bar, and larger parties can also enjoy a private back room overlooking Gore Creek.

“I want people to feel welcome and comfortable,” McKenzie says.

While the sun sets, the river rages and your team plays on, all you have to do is sit back, relax and enjoy. • top

Seared scallops and cherries.

Hunter chicken with roasted veggies.

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223 GORE CREEK DRIVE 970.476.2828 / TAVERNONTHEGORE.COM

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ATWATER ON GORE CREEK 1300 WESTHAVEN DRIVE / VAIL CASCADE RESORT & SPA 970.479.7014 / VAILCASCADE.COM/ATWATER

by KRISTA DRISCOLL photos by ELEANOR NESBIT

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n the culinary industry, change is inevitable, whether it’s the ebb and flow of business in a resort area, the rotation of produce as the seasons pass or the constant influx of new faces, both in the kitchen and in service roles. Atwater on Gore Creek in the Vail Cascade Resort has experienced all of these evolutions in its recent history, but a core staff has allowed the restaurant to thrive.

“With change comes opportunity,” says Chris Bates, executive sous chef. “We have a solid base of experienced professionals who are energetic and passionate.”

Compared with the rush of the Vail winter, summer brings the culinary team more time to play, allowing it to build a lot of seasonality into the menu, said Atwater chef Adam Smith. As a result,

Atwater is constantly updating its offerings with things that will come and go, like fresh, cold soups.

“We can stay true to our seasonal nature, stay more locally sourced,” Smith said.

A glance at the menu reveals a huge amount of variety, especially in the area of proteins. Choose from sandwiches featuring salmon, lamb, sirloin, buffalo or beets or the eye-popping turkey burger. Light and just right for summer, the burger is draped with a fresh, colorful array of alfalfa sprouts, lettuce, tomato and sweet red onion, accented with avocado spread and beer-mustard dijonaise and topped with bacon.

Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, all of Atwater’s menus allow the kitchen a lot of flexibility to be mindful of food allergies.

“Ninety percent of it is built to be gluten-free,” Smith says of the dinner

menu. “The possibility is there. We pay attention to how people are eating. These aren’t trends, they’re lifestyles, and there’s such a wide variety of lifestyles that we try to keep in mind with every dish.”

This is evident in the large plate selections, which range from Scottish salmon to crispy pork shank to black bean cake.

Try the free-range half chicken on a bed of bok choy, accented with pepperonata, Serrano chili and chimichuri sauce. The accompanying corn tamale adds texture and a bit of sweetness to bring together the other flavors in the dish. If red meat is your passion, don’t miss the Colorado Kobe 7X steak. This ultra-premium, all-natural Colorado beef is fork tender

and arrives with beefsteak tomato, asparagus spears and bleu cheese fritters, little bits of fried bleu cheese that add a bit of crunch to the decadent plate.

Round out the evening with a dark, malty after-dinner beer from Atwater’s extensive draft and bottle list or tart cherry pie on house-made piecrust, a homespun, not-too-sweet comfort food, with or without pistachio ice cream. • Colorado Kobe 7X steak with house steak sauce, bleu cheese fritter, baby arugula, beef steak tomato. top right Free range half chicken with corn tamale, bok choy, pepperonata, serrano chili, red chimichuri sauce. top left

PRICE Breakfast: Buffet from $12 (child) to $18.95 (full adult); a la carte items $12-$18; Lunch and dinner: Sandwiches $14-$18; entrees $22-$54 AMBIANCE Casual fine dining • SIGNATURE DISH Colorado Kobe 7X steak, with house steak sauce, beefsteak tomato, asparagus spears and bleu cheese fritters

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PRICE

Breakfast: Entrees $6.25-$12.25; Dinner: Apps $7.50$11.95; entrees $9.95-$24.95 •••

AMBIANCE

Rustic alpine with stunning views •••

SIGNATURE DISH

Roasted acorn squash stuffed with portobello mushroom, garlic, basil, onion, tomato and quinoa filling; served warm and topped with arugula salad and red pepper wine sauce

BLU’S RESTAURANT 4695 VAIL RACQUET CLUB DRIVE / VAIL 970.476.3113 / BLUSRESTAURANT.COM

by KRISTA DRISCOLL photos by KRISTIN ANDERSON

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J Armstrong, owner of Blu’s Restaurant in East Vail, approaches his menu in the same way he approaches a bottle of wine: without pretentiousness, allowing the diner to ultimately determine what tastes good and what has value.

“What’s historically wrong with wine has been this ridiculous sense of what’s good and what’s not so good and that somehow people aren’t qualified to determine that,” he says. “People are disenfranchised by all the hoopla.”

Armstrong said wine is meant to be enjoyed without the fear that you’ve spent too much money and without the concern that you are drinking the “right” wine based on someone else’s estimation.

“I’d like to apply that to the whole restaurant experience,” he says.

“You know whether you’ve enjoyed something or not as a consumer.”

Since moving Blu’s to East Vail two years ago, Armstrong has endeavored to create a neighborhood restaurant,

a place customers feel comfortable returning. The restaurant aims for quality and value, without any particular thematic goal to the menu, giving diners options that range in price and an ambiance that is welcoming, with unobstructed, rustic views of the valley.

“The intent is and has been historically to be eclectic, to offer choice at a reasonable price,” Armstrong says. “It would be my endgame that when people walked away from Blu’s, what they got for what they paid is perceived as value.”

To this end, chef Pete Millette has created a menu with a mix of signature entrees and new, seasonal treats, including a summer pizza featuring roasted veggies and portobello mushrooms with a balsamic reduction and an appealing ceviche that met with rave reviews at the Vail Farmers Market. Millette has also added a shrimp and crab etouffee, a Cajun-Creole dish that substitutes crab for the traditional crawfish.

The summer menu retains Blu’s

award-winning pork green chili, savory meatloaf and gypsy schnitzel with potato gnocchi, as well as the customer-favorite roasted squash, a dish Armstrong said is satisfying both to vegans and meat-eaters.

“It’s vegetarian, gluten free, vegan,” he says. “It’s acorn squash with portobello mushrooms, garlic, basil, quinoa, and we serve it with an arugula salad. It’s been very popular with people who are of that dietary ilk, but surprisingly much broader based than that.”

Armstrong stressed that Blu’s location in East Vail is a departure from the crowds and bustle

of Vail’s city center but not so far away as to be a burdensome trek.

“The beauty of where we live, to me, has always been, since I first experienced this, is this kind of Western hospitality, unconcerned with what you bring to the equation as far as pedigree,” he said. “I want a place that’s welcoming and feels like where we live.” • top Provencal fish stew with roasted sea bass and mussels in a tomato, red pepper and saffron broth. above Chile relleno with goat cheese, pine nuts and currants.

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AT MANOR VAIL

595 VAIL VALLEY DRIVE, MANOR VAIL / 970.476.4959

by KATIE COAKLEY photos by ERIC BERGGREN

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he passion and creativity of chef de cuisine Eric Berggren is clearly evident at Lord Gore, located at Manor Vail Lodge. And his passion for the food — as well as his exacting standards —comes through in each offering. “We’re using local and organic seasonal ingredients,” says Berggren. “We’re letting those ingredients speak for themselves.”

If the ingredients are doing the talking, the resulting dishes are a culinary Cirque du Soleil show: surprising and unexpected, beautifully presented and, ultimately, overwhelmingly successful.

The salads are the first act. A caprese, complete with traditional mozzarella, heirloom tomatoes and homemade pesto is elevated with the addition of faro, which adds a wonderful nutty heartiness. The crab salad, a simple combination of crab meat, jicama and shaved radish and celery, is placed over homemade mango jelly. The result is a playful riff on texture, ranging from crunchy and crisp to soft and succulent.

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PRICE

Apps $8-$18, entrees $22-$42 •••

AMBIANCE

Mountain elegance •••

SIGNATURE DISH

Corvina sea bass with warm lentil salad and fresh herbs and red wine demi glace.

Flat iron steak with a lobster hash and tarragon cream sauce.

Berggren eagerly describes the different courses, grinning with delight as he reveals a hidden gem in the dish.

The shrimp and grits, that has become almost a staple on many menus, has a unique flavor due to the crawfish butter which melts like a savory stream over the creamy grits, the spiced shrimp and crispy pancetta balancing the sweetness.

For the main act, Corvina sea bass is

perched on a warm lentil salad with “broken” heirloom tomato vinaigrette. The fish is perfectly cooked and the vinaigrette, which adds a bright acid tang to the dish, cuts cleanly through the hearty lentils. It’s as if a trapeze artist crashed the gymnasts’ floor routine, but everyone ended up flying together.

The encore, dessert, is a reiteration of the whimsy and unanticipated nature of the earlier courses. Homemade fig Newtons are stacked next to a dollop of homemade whipped cream and a mason jar filled with chocolate cookie crumbs, lemon curd and a melted marshmallow topping. These childhood friends are dressed up in new clothes and are looking mighty spiffy.

“I worked in southern California and we had a saying there,” Berggren explains.

“Let the main actor be the main actor and let the supporting actors be supporting.”

In this performance, Berggren has his casting spot-on. The main ingredients are indeed the stars, but the supporting players are just as talented, if sometimes a bit quirky. But that’s the show at Lord Gore — and it’s one that shouldn’t be missed. • Corvina sea bass with warm lentil salad, fresh herbs, red wine demi glace and heirloom tomato salad. left Crab and mango salad with jumbo lump crab, mango espelette gelee and tarragon lemon crème. above

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Apps $12-17, lunch $12-18 and dinner $20-38 •••

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Traditional Austrian, patio dining •••

SIGNATURE DISH

Wienerschnitzel

PEPI’S BAR & RESTAURANT 231 EAST GORE CREEK / 970.476.5626 / PEPIS.COM

by MELANIE WONG photos by DOMINIQUE TAYLOR

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here are few experiences less “Vail” than dining on Pepi’s sunny deck in the heart of Vail Village. The classic Vail establishment celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, making it just one year younger than the town itself.

Pepi and Sheika Gramshammer, two of the town’s most storied residents, own the establishment. You might be lucky enough to be greeted by Pepi himself (an Austrian ski racing legend), or dine next to Pepi and Sheika on the patio.

On a sunny day, bask on the deck catching afternoon rays while people watching and sipping one of Pepi’s famous Bloody Marys. It’s a popular stop for apres, offered through the summer months, when you can kick back with a German beer, a bratwurst and listen to some live music.

Dining at Pepi’s is a chance to try

authentic Austrian and German fare.

There are tried and true classics, such as the wienerschnitzel. The breaded veal cutlet is the favorite dish for owner Pepi, who says, “The wienerschnitzel is the best. Everybody likes it, even the kids.”

We liked the jager schnitzel, prepared in a similar fashion to the wienerschnitzel but served with a creamy wild mushroom sauce.

Then there are newer creations from chef Helmut Kaschitz, including lighter summer dishes such as the spice-crusted tuna sashimi salad.

Thick, decadent slabs of tuna are perfect dipped in spicy Thai dressing.

“I think our beet salad is going to be a big hit,” says Kaschitz. “We try to get away from the heavy dishes. People want something light and easy.”

Summer is also the time for the chefs to hit the local farmers market scouring the stalls for the freshest produce to craft the side dishes.

That said, if you’re looking to dig into a succulent cut of meat, Pepi’s won’t

disappoint.

The caribou cutlet is another classic, featuring a juicy cut smothered with rosemary jus and complemented by a baked pear filled with juniper berry jam.

Kaschitz takes great pride in his sauces, and this one will have you mopping up every last drop with a crusty piece of bread.

If there’s any place to save room for dessert, it’s Pepi’s. We recommend the apple strudel, a pie-like creation served with a generous scoop of ice cream and berry-streaked cream sauce.

“Some dishes like this, you just can’t take off the menu,” says Kaschitz. •

top Tuna sashimi with snowpeas and spicy wasabi dipping sauce. left Oven roasted caribou cutlet with grilled polenta, braised red cabbage and herb demi glaze.

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RESTAURANT

GAME CREEK BOWL, VAIL MOUNTAIN ACCESSIBLE VIA SHUTTLE FROM EAGLES NEST 970.754.4275 / VAIL.COM

by KIMBERLY NICOLETTI photos courtesy VAIL RESORTS

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iding up a gondola to alpine-lodge dining is a unique experience, but gliding up Vail Mountain’s natural grass-covered runs on a warm night is even more remarkable — and this is how an evening at Game Creek Restaurant begins.

From the top of Eagle Bahn Gondola, a comfortable van ushers guests to the Swiss chalet inspired Game Creek Restaurant, located in one of

Vail’s renowned bowls. Green valleys, hills and peaks surround the deck, where guests can enjoy cocktails and an extensive appetizer menu from 5:30-7 p.m. Or, arrive on horseback, partaking in a “four course by horse” complete dining experience.

While executive chef Collin Meyer describes Game Creek’s atmosphere as “refined, yet casual and laid-back,” it’s the “refined” characteristic Meyer

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leans toward when creating cuisine.

“We do everything traditionally,” he says. “First of all, it’s all about starting from scratch. Everything we do, we start with raw ingredients and end up with finished (dishes featuring) locally sourced products and flavors from around the world.”

One look at the appetizers signals the trans-world cuisine to come. Deck apps offer an array of flavorful dishes, from Berkshire pork belly with Vietnamese caramel, apple and achara to heirloom tomatoes matched with French feta, watermelon, basil and lambrusco vinaigrette; wagyu, a tender beef with Okinawa yam, xo sauce, chive and maldon salt; and artisan cheeses with truffle honey, a baguette and fig jam.

Within the dining room, guests indulge in a three-, four- or five-course prix fixe menu. The five-course menu highlights some of the chef’s favorite dishes, such as the wagyu; sea bass; hazelnut beets with Valdeón cheese, hearts of palm and fruit; elk with hominy grits and forest mushrooms; and a cherry lemon cream tart.

His latest twist on sea bass dusts the fish with fumet and pairs it with mussels, tomato, fennel, dry vermouth, rouille and focaccia.

Three- and four-course meals feature savory salmon, scallops, duck, beef and lamb, with shrimp, pork belly, wild mushrooms and cobia acting as starters, and salads and soups including arugula mixed with pecans,

pears and goat cheese; summer vegetables; and sweet corn bisque.

Meyer employs traditional French cooking methods, which emphasize fresh ingredients, and then “puts a little accent on things” by playing with flavors inspired from various regions of the world. He spices his lamb with cumin, sumac, kumquat yoghurt and more, while his housemade tofu - which not many restaurants can claim — smacks of coconut, lemongrass, macadamia nut and shallot.

“It’s upscale cuisine in a laid-back, comfortable atmosphere,” Meyer says.

And, summer is perhaps the best time to visit Game Creek because the quality cuisine and ambiance remains the same, but the price decreases. While the prix fixe menu begins at $89 in the winter for three courses, it begins at $70 in the summer.

Of course, the discount is just the icing on the cake. With a house sommelier offering artistic wine pairings, a full bar available both in the dining room and on the deck, Meyer’s upscale cuisine, and the stunning views from the deck or tables lining windows illuminating the alpine environment, Game Creek redefines restaurants.

“It’s a dining experience as opposed to just dinner,” Meyer says, “from the ride up the gondola to hanging out by the fire to watching the sunset.” • top Located near Game Creek bowl, diners can opt to arrive for dinner via horseback ride if they prefer. left Rack of lamb with accoutrements.

Appetizers: $15; Three or four and five-course prix fixe menus, with wine pairings available for an additional charge: $70-$105 AMBIANCE Regal mountain lodge • SIGNATURE DISHES Sea bass with fumet, mussels, tomato, fennel, dry vermouth, rouille, focaccia, and duck with apricot, beluga lentil, pasilla, apple radicchio and jalapeño cornbread PRICE

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WOLCOTT YACHT CLUB 27190 HWY 6 IN WOLCOTT 970.926.1390 / WOLCOTTYACHTCLUB.COM

by KIM FULLER photos by DOMINIQUE TAYLOR

R

ound the meandering I-70 westbound corner out of Edwards and you’ll drive through where high country meets sky country. Wolcott sits just outside of the main valley populous, opening up the scenery to expansive farmland and a rolling horizon.

Jan-Marie Jouflas has roots in Wolcott four generations deep, and the Wolcott Yacht Club on her family’s riverside land keeps the soul rich with a sense of community and a taste of innovative cuisine.

Just steps from the restaurant’s multi-level stone terrace is the restaurant’s garden, tended by two full-time green thumbs to bring the ultimate farmto-table experience into fruition.

Chef Michael Joersz says the menu and the restaurant’s style is “ever-evolv-

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ing,” but it always highlights what’s timely and fresh.

“The menu is a combination of a lot of different styles,” explains chef Michael Joersz. “But I definitely like seasonal, and I definitely like eclectic ingredients.”

SIGNATURE SUMMERTIME Hand-crafted cocktails are served in mason jars, offering down-home nostalgia to guests right off the boat. Try the signature huckleberry-infused vodka drink, a summer sipper made with berry puree and homemade mint lemonade.

A creative draft and bottled beer list includes domestic session staples, as

well as Goose Island’s Sophie, a Belgian-style farmhouse favorite, and other craft brews including Stone IPA and Avery White Rascal.

Small plates are where the Yacht Club really shines. Try a few to share, like the crispy Brussels that are full of flavor — not oil — and the peppered duck confit tostados with salsa verde, avocado, charred corn, cotija cheese and Cajun cracklins (seasoned pork rinds).

But nothing says summer like watermelon … and basil … and corn. Joersz’s presentation for the chili honey-glazed shrimp and watermelon salad is as good as farmland with an oceanfront view.

Olathe sweet corn and juicy pieces of watermelon fill a mason jar topped with shrimp skewers. The dish is light and refreshing, not to mention a beautiful and edible centerpiece to share.

Every yacht club — even the landlocked — needs good seafood. Try the fish and chips, made from Alaskan cod and served with capered tartar, funky slaw and thick-cut fries, or the truffled scallops entree with Yukon potatoes, English pea puree and sage brown butter.

Live music on Friday evenings and during Sunday brunch gives guests a reason to raise a jar at the cantina-style bar — a quaint watering hole surrounded by hanging twinkle bulbs and blooming botanicals. Complete your meal with a Moscow mule, or for an even sweeter ending, try the three-layer ice cream cake or fresh berry tiramisu. • Smoked river trout dip with rosemary and horseradish. above A sample of the freshest seafood available flown in daily with locally sourced fresh produce. left Chili honey glazed shrimp with watermelon salad and a Be My Huckleberry cocktail. top

PRICE

Lunch shared plates: $9 - $13; Lunch mains - $9 - $15; Dinner small and shared plates: $4 $13; Dinner mains: $19 - $28 •••

AMBIANCE

Community tavern and terrace •••

SIGNATURE DISH

Fish and chips

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TIMELESS Local eateries add nostalgia to your meal

BY K I M FU L L ER • PH OTO G R A PH Y BY A N T H O N Y T H O R N TO N

Restaurants aren’t just about the food. Dining rooms set the stage for the whole experience, and being located smack in the middle of the mountains is an ongoing and recurring theme. Stop by any of these dining establishments and take a cruise down Eagle County’s collective memory lane.

PEPI’S BAR, VAIL This winter, the Hotel-Gasthof Gramshammer will be celebrating its 50th anniversary, and its history lives on the walls.

The intimate bar serves Bavarian brews and famous French onion soup, and is accessed from Pepi’s Restaurant, Bridge Street and the hotel’s lobby. The walls feature rows upon rows of photos of those who have been significant to Vail and to the Gramshammers themselves.

“All the pictures on the walls are of either celebrities who have come through Vail over the years, or

THE RED LION, VAIL people who have been great friends of the family,” explains Scott “Mac” McDonald, Pepi’s Bar manager.

Pepi and Sheika Gramshammer, the founders of the establishment, were close with the late President Ford and his family, as well as several other well known names who at one time came to visit Vail frequently, like Arnold Schwarzenegger.

McDonald said Sheika has said she will be adding some new photos and taking some others down, as there is no space left on the wall for the stories of new generations.

This apres staple was built in 1962, the same year Vail opened as a ski resort.

The restaurant, located on the top of Bridge Street, opened in February of 1963.

Manager Angela Werner says the Red Lion’s walls hold photos that show how the town used to look.

“We have tons of old photos all over the inside of the building,” shares Werner. “The images span the history of Vail — not just the Red Lion.”

The restaurant and bar’s hearty mountain pub fare is not the only thing that has kept locals and visitors coming back for over 50 years. Live music and

weekly bingo nights are elements of entertainment that keep a tradition alive for many.

“We have people who come in here all the time and say ‘I came here when I was in college,’ or ‘we used to bring our kids here,’ or ‘we met at the Red Lion and now we’re married,’” Werner says. “We have people that come year after year after year, and this place is an institution for them.

TURNTABLE RESTAURANT, MINTURN » With a motto, “you can’t have small town character without small town characters,” the Turntable will give you a taste of mountain local.

The building was once used to turn railroad cars around, hence the name of the establishment, and it became a restaurant and hotel in the ‘70s.

“It was a place for the railroaders to stop and eat and stay before moving onto their next destination,” explains kitchen manager Judy Trujillo.

Try Boo’s Burrito, named after Boo Williams who owned the Williams Cafe across the street, where Magustos is now. Summer is the perfect season to try ice cream or a shake from the Turntable soda foundation.

The diner has old railroad collections like lanterns and coffee mugs, Denver Bronco memorabilia from the owner, Darla Goodell, a five-foot tall Elvis and a Marylyn locked in a showcase, and even a photo of the founder of Minturn, Robert Bowne Minturn, Jr.

“It’s an accidental collection that just happened with people coming through over the years.”

THE MINTURN SALOON, MINTURN The Minturn Saloon building, on the north end of the small mountain town west of Vail, dates back to 1901. Current co-owner Andy Kaufman says that throughout its existence, the space has been used as a bar, restaurant, gambling joint, pool hall and boxing hall, among other things.

“We realized when we got in here that we had been handed this very historic place,” shares Kaufman. “We feel it is important to preserve that history.”

Kaufman says when he and business partner Steve Campbell bought The Minturn Saloon in 1986, a lot of memorabilia was already there. “The other half has come out during our tenure,” he says.

So what will you see in the saloon when you sip your post-hike beer alongside bites of fish tacos? Signed baseballs and commemorative sports jerseys, photos of local celebrities and national ones, film posters and a John Wayne collection, a letter from Tom Brokaw and autographs from ski racers.

“It’s an accidental collection that just happened with people coming through over the years,” Kaufman says. “Virtually everything on the walls has a story to it.”

Minturn sits in the front yard of the Holy Cross Wilderness and is the perfect place to stop after a day of recreation for a house margarita with homemade chips and salsa.

“I think the Saloon and Minturn offers such a wonderful comparison to the resort experience that people get in Vail and Beaver Creek,” Kaufman explains.

“This is a taste of real Colorado.”

BOXCAR RESTAURANT, AVON One of valley’s newest restaurants is also paying some homage to the area’s heritage. Boxcar is named after the memory of the local railroad, an appropriate nod, since the restaurant rests right beside the once-used tracks.

Boxcar has a number of black-and-white railroad photos on its walls, all acquired from the Denver Public Library.

“The reason we picked the pictures is that our designers thought it would be a good way to relate to the area with Boxcar,” says cochef/owner Hunter Chamness with business partner Cara Luff. “It’s something unique and ties us in with the whole state of Colorado.”

THE GASHOUSE, EDWARDS Chamness says that originally, there was no real way to transport agriculture to or from Avon, and the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad was able to create a connection with other areas of the state. This not only put Avon on the map, but also allowed the town to begin to prosper.

“The DRGR was able to help Avon serve as the center of the surrounding agricultural community,” Chamness explains.

While some of the decor is classic, the cuisine is definitely contemporary.

Don’t miss the roasted cauliflower snack with black garlic and lemon gremolata to get a taste of the restaurant’s refined comfort food.

The Gashouse was originally just that, a gashouse filling station, beginning in the mid-1930s. In the ‘70s it was a gas station, garage and country store, and it was converted into a restaurant in 1983.

The restaurant swtarted as a casual hamburger joint and is now a premier yet casual place to try traditional as well as unique wild game and seafood dishes. Get a few things to share, like the buffalo carpaccio and the baked wasabi honey crusted oysters.

There are over 100 animal mounts in the building, along with photographs of early homesteaders, old wooden ski and snowshoe equipment, rows and rows of past ski passes, old tools, license plates and an actual antique gas pump out front.

“You’re going to get a little bit of the early history of the valley,” explains owner Andy Guy about The Gashouse dining experience. “You’ll get to see some of the local wildlife, although it’s mounted on the walls, and we’ve been around for so long, so we get a lot of the valley characters in here.” •

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LOCAL HOMEBREWERS HAVE DISCOVERED A WHOLE WORLD BEYOND BEER by traci j. macnamara

hen Beth Reed and Bit Hood got tired of driving all the way to Denver to gather supplies for their homebrew projects, they simply decided to open their own store. After writing a business plan and crunching some numbers, Reed and Hood opened Wine or Wort in Gypsum in 2012, and it remains the only homebrew specialty supply store between Denver and Grand Junction.

But since its beginnings, Wine or Wort has been more than a place to buy homebrew supplies. It’s also become like a home to other inspired homebrewers who have found a place where they can share ideas while purchasing the necessary ingredients and equipment.

And recently, Wine or Wort opened a bar counter within its store, where brewers and non-brewers alike can stop in and try craft beers served on tap and in bottles, or have a taste of the latest homebrew that’s chilling in the kegerator.

Nearby, another brewer has also found the perfect place to call home.

High Country Kombucha brews its probiotic fermented tea beverages in

what sales manager Shane Dickman calls “Egypt,” or the area between Eagle and Gypsum, near Costco and the Eagle County Airport. This area happens to be the prefect place to brew kombucha because clean mountain air and a local spring add to the success of High Country Kombucha’s final product, which is distributed nationally.

The term “homebrew” no longer simply applies to beer, and several locals have inspiring stories to share about how they’ve explored the boundaries of the homebrew movement.

These crafty brewers might make you want to try out their creations or get inspired to make your own.

CHOCOLATE ORANGE PORT

Brewer: Anthony Brovelli, Gypsum local Homebrew enthusiast Anthony Brovelli began brewing beer in his Gypsum home a few months after Wine or Wort opened. He’d been curious about brewing beer, and when the store opened nearby, he started going in simply to ask questions, at first. But then he invested in the equipment and ingredients he needed to brew his own beer, and a new hobby was born.

Brovelli’s curiosity led him to discover that he could make a few equipment alternations and try out winemaking.

For his first attempt, Brovelli purchased a chocolate orange port kit from Wine or Wort because he knew that kits help make ingredient selection easier for beginners. Port is a sweet wine that’s usually sipped as an after-dinner drink, and Brovelli had another incentive to try it out: his girlfriend likes wine.

Filtered water is the only ingredient that needs to be added to wine and port kits, which contain all of the necessary ingredients for making the final product. The juice that comes in a kit

is a concentrate, but once winemakers become more experienced, they can begin experimenting with local or seasonal fruit, such as chokecherries.

Winemaking kits also include step-by-step instructions that make it easy to follow the process, which can take about six weeks. After combining ingredients according to the instructions in the kit, the port goes through a two-step fermentation process, and then it’s transferred to bottles to age. Wine and port kits can range in price from $50 to $150, and the initial equipment investment can cost between $150 and $200. A port kit like the one Brovelli used made the equivalent of 15 bottles of wine.

“It’s always fun to cork something,” said Brovelli of the process. “It felt official to do that final step in making something that could, in theory, last forever.” Brovelli and his girlfriend both liked the flavor of the port, and they also found that they had a fun gift to share with others.

v a i l d a i l y

KOMBUCHA

Brewer: High Country Kombucha, brewed and bottled in Gypsum, Colorado The High Country Kombucha team knows what it’s like to see a small home-brewing project go big.

Really big. Sales manager Shane Dickman describes kombucha as a “refreshing beverage that’s bubbly and tangy,” and the drink is known to stimulate digestive health.

High Country Kombucha’s founders Ed Rothbauer and Steve Dickman, brother of Shane Dickman, began brewing kombucha in their kitchen in 2003.

Rothbauer discovered the beverage while he was recovering from paralysis that resulted from an accidental fall.

He’d heard about kombucha’s potential healing properties, so he decided to give it a try. Later, when Rothbauer and Dickman were roommates, they began brewing kombucha to share with family and friends. Soon, local community members became interested, and now High Country Kombucha can be purchased from stores in all 50 states.

As Shane Dickman explains, the kombucha brewing process essentially begins with what’s called a mother culture, or a SCOBY, a Symbiotic Colony Of Bacteria and Yeast. This little live culture kick starts the kombucha-brew-

ing process when it’s introduced into a base of sweet black tea brewed in purified spring water. Through an aerobic fermentation process, the mother culture converts sugars and tannins in the tea into beneficial organic acids and digestive flora (a.k.a. probiotics).

The fermentation time depends upon the batch size and other factors, but the process can take about 10 days.

Brewers test the pH to know when it’s ready, and then the mother culture is filtered out. Functional flavorings are added after the beverage is strained, and the result is a low-sugar, acidic tea.

“Kombucha offers one of the few ways to deliver raw probiotics to the digestive system,” says Shane Dickman. “Drinking it is like sipping a dose of live probiotics straight from Mother Nature.” If you’re curious about making your own kombucha, you should know that each bottle contains the materials for making a mother culture. And High Country Kombucha also sells its SCOBY through online suppliers, so it’s possible for you, too, to brew kombucha in your kitchen. Otherwise, let the High Country Kombucha team do it for you, and enjoy the fruits of their labor.

MOZZARELLA CHEESE

Brewer and cheesemaker: Bit Hood, Wine or Wort co-owner After Bit Hood opened Wine or Wort with Beth Reed, she became interested in expanding her skills to making cheese, which offered the perfect complement to the wine that she was already making.

“My first cheesemaking attempt was a total flop,” Hood says, “I didn’t measure the ingredients correctly and ended up with a gooey mess.” She didn’t have anyone to teach her how to correct the mistake, so she vowed to teach others how to make cheese once she figured it out herself. Since then, Hood has taught classes along with Reed at Walking Mountains Science Center in Avon, and the pair currently offers wine and cheesemaking classes in the Wine or Wort store on the second Friday evening of each month.

Cheesemaking beginners will likely find that making mozzarella cheese from a cheesemaking kit is no more difficult than baking brownies from a box. The entire process takes about 45 minutes, and the kits come with all of the ingredients needed except

milk, which can either be store-bought homogenized milk or farm-fresh.

“Once you’ve mastered the kit, then you can branch out and make it from scratch or try different varieties,” says Hood. She suggests making a soft cheese and experimenting with different additions such as fresh herbs, crushed red pepper, or cracked pepper and garlic wasabi. While hard cheeses are more complicated to make, the process can be rewarding, and Wine or Wort is stocked with ingredients, books and other resources to help out the aspiring cheesemaker.

While brewing beer at home remains an adventurous undertaking, homebrewers and DIY enthusiasts continue to explore exciting new realms of brewing, fermenting, and even distilling within their homes. There’s a sense of accomplishment in crafting a product that’s homemade, and the process also often results in desirable byproducts such as community, joy, and something special to share, whether or not those outcomes are intended.

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There are 1,000 varieties of cherries in the U.S., though only 10 are grown commercially.

Salmon migrate up to 4,000 miles from the ocean to freshwater areas to spawn.

Carrots GREEN GODDESS DRESSING

were once considered bad weeds.

was created at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco in 1915 to honor George Arliss who was appearing in the play, The Green Goddess.

BLACK-EYED PEA = COW PEA = TONKIN PEA = JERUSALEM PEA = MARBLE PEA

CORN STOOD TRIAL FOR MURDER IN THE SOUTH.

The optical lens was named after the lentil because of its similarity of shape.

Herbs de Provence is a general terms used for herbs typical of Provence, France. There is no standard combination.

“Work is the curse of the drinking classes.” Oscar Wilde

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