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Vail Beaver Creek Restaurant Week makes offseason eats affordable with $20.16 price points

Kim Fuller
Special to the Daily
Jim and Janet Rodgers, of San Diego, sample spirits from 10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirit Co. on Sunday, Sept. 25, at the tasting room in Vail. The couple was trying the infusions, of which they said peach cobbler was their favorite.
Chris Dillmann | cdillmann@vaildaily.com |

Dining deals

Here’s a taste of what some participating restaurants will be offering as their $20.16 specials from Friday, Sept. 30, through Sunday, Oct. 9.

VAIL

10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirit Co. — Two-for-one whiskey flight tasting.

Big Bear Bistro — For breakfast, breakfast burritos for two smothered in pork green chili and two coffees; for lunch, two gourmet sandwiches, chips and souvenir bag to take with you for a picnic; for apres, a bottle of house wine and two crepes.

Blue Moose Pizza Vail — 11 a.m. to close, any 18-inch specialty pizza and a pitcher of Colorado draft or soda; 3 to 5 p.m., $2.16 draft beers and $2.16 specialty slices; Slice Card: Buy a slice card for $20.16, good for 10 slices (valid until Oct. 31; card must be purchased during restaurant week).

Bol — Eaton Ranch burger and beer; all entrees.

Bully Ranch Restaurant — Braised 7X short rib with broccolini and parsnip puree.

Campo de Fiori — Daily pasta or secondi specials.

Chicago Pizza — 12-inch supreme plus two drinks; or 18-inch one topping family size pizza; or two calzones (these specials are also available for delivery).

Elway’s — 6-ounce Alaskan halibut pan seared over fingerling potatoes with a deconstructed chimichurri; or 6-ounce New York strip served with mashed potatoes and Colorado squash topped with a roasted garlic demi.

Flame at the Four Seasons — Signature appetizer block: Two Iberico-wrapped shrimp, with corn fonduta and aleppo emulsion, and two Rocky Mountain elk corn dogs, with smoked tomato ketchup, grainy mustard aioli, four tempura lobster and spicy aioli.

Garfinkels — For dinner, choice of Coors Light, Blue Moon, Colorado Native or soda with house salad, choice of rib eye or New York strip. Served with vegetables and choice of baked potato or rice.

La Tour — For lunch, any one small plate and any one lunch entree; for dinner, all entrees.

Matsuhisa — Bento box: Tuna sashimi salad with Matsuhisa soy dressing, rock shrimp with creamy spicy sauce, four pieces of nigiri and miso soup.

Moe’s Original Bar B Que — Double wide family pack: One pound of meat (pork, chicken or turkey), choice of two pint sides and choice of a bread (four pieces: buns, corn bread or combo of both).

Mountain Standard — King crab leg appetizer for two, or all dinner entrees.

Pepi’s Restaurant — 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., two lunch entrees (limited menu); 5:30 to 10 p.m., all entrees.

The Remedy at the Four Seasons — Remedy double burger, fries, a draft beer and churros.

Root & Flower — Panini and cocktail or glass of wine ($12 value or less).

Sonnenalp Breakfast — Chive and crab benedict topped with hollandaise and served with hash browns.

Sweet Basil — Three-course chef lunch, or all dinner entrees.

Swiss Chalet — Veal saltimbocca with homemade gnocchi, baby spinach, truffle cream sauce and cherry tomatoes.

Terra Bistro — All entrees.

The Fitz at Manor Vail — Colorado venison served with Olathe sweet corn, Strohauer Farms fingerling potatoes, chermoula sauce and asparagus.

Vail Chophouse — Lunch for two, two cheeseburgers and two nonalcoholic beverages; or for dinner, beef tenderloin served with mashed potatoes, foie gras gravy and apricot-glazed carrots, plus daily wine and drink specials.

Yellowbelly — Lunch or dinner for two: Sampling of both types of chicken (rotisserie and fried) and a side.

BEAVER CREEK

8100 Mountainside Bar & Grill at the Park Hyatt — Three-course dinner, with choice of starter, entree and dessert from Restaurant Week menu.

Beaver Creek Chophouse and The C Bar — Lunch for two, two cheeseburgers and two nonalcoholic beverages; or for dinner, beef tenderloin served with mashed potatoes, foie gras gravy and apricot-glazed carrots, plus daily wine and drink specials.

Blue Moose Pizza Beaver Creek — 11 a.m. to close, any 18-inch specialty pizza and a pitcher of Colorado draft or soda; 3 to 5 p.m., $2.16 draft beers and $2.16 specialty slices; Slice Card: Buy a slice card for $20.16, good for 10 slices (valid until Oct. 31; card must be purchased during restaurant week).

The Dusty Boot — Any two burgers, any dinner entrée or a six-draft beer punch card for $20.16 (does not expire until all six beers have been ordered).

Grouse Mountain Grill — Pretzel-crusted Berkshire pork chop served with grilled asparagus, corn cake and sweet orange mustard sauce.

Hooked — Whole Colorado striped bass, or Chef Omakase plate (roll, nigiri, sashimi), or wine flights, or rum punch bowl for two.

The Metropolitan — Any three small plates or any two large plates or any two specialty cocktails; or get a $30 wine dispenser card for $20.16.

Revolution — Four-course tasting menu, or house-cut 7X steak with choice of one side.

Splendido at the Chateau — Choice of entree: Idaho ruby red trout or lamb strip loin; or select red or white bottle of wine for $20.16.

Behind the scenes at local kitchens, chefs are starting to transition through fall and into winter, which means getting the most out of this season’s produce while simultaneously prepping upcoming menu rewrites.

There’s one more big push, however, as crowds of hungry diners are ready to indulge in some more affordable tastings. Vail Beaver Creek Restaurant Week will serve up dining deals for 10 days — spanning through a week and two full weekends, from today through Sunday, Oct. 9.

So what’s the special? It’s $20.16, all around. Deals vary, but they are all based on the price point of the year.



“I think the real perk of Restaurant Week is how it makes the higher-end restaurants more approachable for locals and tourists,” said Samantha Biszantz, co-owner of Root & Flower, in Vail. “It’s a chance to experience a restaurant that normally costs $100 per person for $45.”

Every special is different, so tasters can try to complete a big puzzle of deals, or simply pick a few.

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And there really is no theme beyond $20.16, so you will find everything from whiskey flight two-for-ones to full on, three-course menus.

Chef prep

Brian Ackerman, executive chef and owner of Splendido, is getting ready to temporarily close the restaurant for a remodel on Saturday, Oct. 15. Before the renovations start, Ackerman and his team will welcome diners for Restaurant Week to try a choice of two of their specialty dishes — an Idaho ruby red trout or a lamb strip loin, each for $20.16, or a select bottle of red or white wine for that price. Locals should know Splendido is also extending the special until the restaurant closes for the season in mid-October.

“We want to showcase what we do up here,” Ackerman said. “This lets people come up and experience the restaurant that otherwise may not.”

For anyone who has not dined at an upscale spot such as Splendido, it’s a chance to take advantage of the deals while still experiencing the elegant atmosphere and live piano music that makes it memorable.

Matt Limbaugh, executive chef of Root & Flower, said he would be taking extra time to prep for the busy week. Root & Flower is offering the panini and select cocktail or glass of wine special, which will highlight lingering summer and in-season fall flavors.

“I want to be able to use the end of my summer ingredients, while preparing for people to come in and experience Root & Flower for the first time,” Limbaugh said. “I want to make sure that I’m ready for these guests because it’s the last kick of the season.”

Limbaugh plans to make his green tomato chow-chow to be served alongside the panini special.

“It takes a while to pickle and to develop the flavor, so I want to get those prepped a few days before Restaurant Week starts,” he said, “and make a big enough batch to fit perfectly in the little space that I have to make it through the whole week.”

Taste around town

Vail Beaver Creek Restaurant Week has deals for days, but anyone in town on Saturday, Oct. 1, can check out the thirdannual Top Shelf Harvest in Lionshead from 3 to 6 p.m. It’s a celebration of the senses, with live music, tastings and mixology contests.

“We are thrilled to overlap once again with Top Shelf Harvest,” said Sarah Franke, of Group970 Restaurants. “The event is a great pair for Restaurant Week and provides our guests with a fun afternoon of activity that fits as a perfect lead-in to a great night out in Vail, enjoying the $20.16 restaurant week offers.”

It’s no doubt that drinks will also be flowing for Restaurant Week. The 10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirit Co. in Vail is offering two-for-one flights of its five spirits.

“This is a great way for someone to come in with a friend or as a couple,” said Ian Tulk, manager for 10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirit Co. “They can stop by before or after dinner and sample all five of our spirits and get a nice walk-through of what we do.”

The festivities span two full weekends, so visitors and locals can really get their fill.

“It’s bringing people in that might not usually come in,” Limbaugh said, “which is what Restaurant Week does — it brings in a lot of people who don’t usually eat certain places and gives them a chance to enjoy what’s there.”

Projected menus are subject to change, and the specials generally do not include tax or gratuity, so do the math and plan ahead.

For more information on Vail Beaver Creek Restaurant Week or to view the complete list of $20.16 restaurant specials and lodging offers, visit http://www.diningat altitude.com.


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