Recent Eats

Some scenes from good eating in Vail, Colorado, earned after hard days of skiing. Given the large group, not all dishes were documented; these encompass primarily things I ordered or tasted.

****

An excellent meal at Sweet Basil. There were few complaints among the very tough crowd and in fact there was much praise for both the food and service. The one minor complaint being the lukewarm temperature of the main courses, but the quality and flavor of the food made for room for forgiveness. But as we ate dinner, there were often moments of silence at the table — just the sound of happy diners.

Caesar Salad

Creamy garlic vinaigrette, organic egg, reggiano parmesan

Jumbo Lump Crab "Mac and Cheese" 

House-made ricotta agnolotti, parmesan brodo, orange, black truffle

This was the first thing my hungry heart gravitated to on the menu and a solid recommendation from waiter sealed the deal. It was an excellent appetizer with a great helping of crabmeat and several agnolotti in a terrific truffle-flavored broth.

Great Northern Cattle Co. Steak Tartare

Brioche, One Hour Egg, Cornichon, Capers, Bagna Cauda

Pan Seared Duck Breast

Foie Gras ravioli, medjool dates, dried pumpkin, wild mushrooms, squash puree.

A colorful, complex dish, but one that didn't feel like it needed any explanation. The dates added just a touch of sweetness atop the heavy flavor of the ravioli. Just perfect all around.

Dark Chocolate Truffle Cake 
  Milk Chocolate Earl Grey Tea Crema, Chocolate Sherbet, Tea Infused Lemons

Goat Cheese Panna Cotta

Port pomegranate consomme, butter tuiles, citrus basil salad, port syrup

A heavier panna cotta but garnished with bright flavors. The basil was an interesting element; the herbal sweetness complemented the fruity sweetness of the other components.

Blood orange sorbet, persimmon sorbet, coffee ice cream.

****

A hearty Italian dinner at Campo de Fiore.

Spaghetti alla Bottarga

Oven-roasted tomatoes and Sardinian bottarga sauteed with garlic, olive oil and red chili 

Rigatoni alla Montanara

Italian sausage cooked in a hearty arrabbiata sauce, finished with pecorino cheese

Tiramisu

****

First night dinner at La Tour. Overall, nearly everything here was too heavy on the salt.

Slow roasted baby beet salad

Granny smith apples, candied walnut, mache, goat cheese, black truffle vinaigrette

Potato crusted Colorado striped bass

Salsify, baby carrots, haricots verts, meyer lemon opal basil vinaigrette

Milk chocolate pot au creme

caramel mousse, saigpu sea salt, chocolate truffles, vanilla bean tuile

Creme brulee flambee

Grand Marnier macerated berries

Trio of parfaits

Meyer lemon meringue; chocolate hazelnut; blueberry yogurt