Tuna carpaccio with preserved lemon, fennel and harissa (photo by Brad A. Johnson)
Executive chef Rob Zack at Eight K, the beautiful restaurant inside the Viceroy Snowmass, serves some of the best lamb chops and Rocky Mountain trout in the Aspen/Snowmass area. And, holy crap, the tuna carpaccio is amazing. Low-key glamour. Roaring fireplace in the center of the dining room. 130 Wood Rd., Snowmass Village, 970.923.8000
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The patio at Cloud Nine Bistro on Aspen Highlands (photo by Brad A Johnson)
New to Aspen this year is Cloud Nine Bistro, located at 10,740 feet, high atop Aspen Highlands mountain, with stunning views of the Maroon Bells (twin peaks in the Elk Mountains). Ski-in/ski-out from the Cloud Nine lift. Unbuckle your boots and feast on elk ragout with lingonberries and créme fraîche, pheasant sausages wrapped in pancetta, pristine scallops that’ll make you forget for a moment that you’re in the mountains, or some of the biggest Colorado lamb chops you’ll ever see (or taste). But first you’ll want to start with a big pot of fondue. (Chef Andreas Fishbacher is Austrian, natch). Aspen Highlands, Cloud Nine lift, 970-544-3063
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Cowboy ribeye (photo by Brad A. Johnson)
Steakhouse chefs rarely garner much attention from the national press because, generally, if they’re doing things right, they’re not reinventing the wheel. Well, here’s one who deserves to be noticed: rising star chef Kathleen Crook at Aspen’s new Steakhouse 316. And no, she’s not reinventing the wheel, but that’s beside the point. Continue reading
