Keystone Restaurants

The Alpenglow Stube has been on my radar screen for several years, but quite frankly out of my price range. This AAA Four Star rated restaurant is also determined by Zagat to be Colorado's seventh top dining experience.

You begin your dining adventure by taking two gondolas to the top of the mountain. The trip takes about 40 minutes and can be mighty cold on a December night. Diners bypass the skier line (Keystone has extensive night skiing) and are given blankets prior to stepping aboard their gondola. If one can get past the cold, the views as you are whisked up the mountain are stunning.

It's hardly surprising to find that the restaurant, at 11,666 ft. elevation, is the highest fine dining establishment in North America. Stepping inside, one is immediately greeted by a hostess dressed in Bavarian garb and offered the opportunity to give up your shoes in exchange for a pair of fur-lined slippers. (It is a decidedly bazaar sensation to walk through the very nice restaurant in slippers!)

Favorite Dish: Diners choose between two menus; the six course pris fixe menu, with wonderful creative selections, or the "Degaustation" (French for tasting) menu, allowing the Chef to send seven courses of his/her choice selections to your table. Last week I chose from the menu, while my dining partner, a self-described "foodie" opted for the Degaustation menu.

I made selections from a slate of 5 or 6 choices for four of the courses. The starter, a platter of several spreads and tasties with pumpernickle toast triangles was garnished by a decorative salt sculpture of a duck in flight. A pallet clearing sorbet of passion fruit was also predetermined by the chef (my friend had prickly pair sorbet). My favorite was the ragout of blue crab (which I almost skipped for the butternut squash tart, or the squab) but my lamb entree was equally delicious. I only managed a couple of bites of my Viennese Sacher Torte, before donning my own shoes, coat, hat, and gloves to head back down the mountain.

Alpenglow Stube is a pricey alternative with the menu at $85 and the Degaustation Menu at $95. Watch for occasional 2 for 1 coupons in the local newspapers.

Update: I returned to the Alpenglow again last night with VT memeber JohnGayton. Check out his Keystone pages for a thorough review of the experience. Net, net bottom line, I think we both agree the Ski Tip Lodge is a much better dining experience.

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This is good food and no doubt about that, but..................hmmmmm............and here's the buts: Food can be technically good and there was no problems here with the technical aspects of the cooking AND there were some superb flavours in the various dishes that myself and my companion enjoyed..........but...................hmmmmmmmmmmmm?

Something just wasn't right, the ambience was wrong to start, although all of the staff were friendly and helpful, but there seemed to be a forcedness about the whole affair - professional people doing a professional job both from the back kitchen to the the servers, but that was that, a pro job without any enthusiasm for making the sales, without any personal pride in what they were doing.

I was somewhat surprised that on ordering coffee, whilst still eating dessert, the check arrived almost simultaneously! Personally, if I'm spending this sort of money, the last thing I expect is to be rushed - no offer of a digestif!!!!

Favorite Dish: As I have said, there was absolutely nothing wrong with the food and Katherine raved about the "Blue Crab Ragout". My char-grilled prawn and scallop combo was excellent as was the Yak tenderloin. The meal was interspersed by a couple of unexpected amuse-guilles, but those were pretty superfluous, tasty though they were.

Ask me if I will go again and the answer will be no.

The cable car ride was quite interesting though even though it was dark!

We recently discovered Pizza 101, which delivers all year long for no charge. I haven't even seen a menu but upon calling the restaurant place a pizza order to my specification. The large pepperoni and mushroom arrived hot and excellent tasting in about 45 minutes. We also ordered a side of buffalo wings that were nicely spicey.

I think I like the pizza here most of all I've tried in Keystone

Now that I'm a local, I am a big fan of supporting the small business owner. It can be a real struggle to operate a business in a resort that is not part of the resort. Papa's opened about 18 months ago, and has been doing a great job of meeting customers' needs.

The restaurant offers great pizzas and sandwiches as well as the regular spectrum of appetizers. I'm a fan of the Hot Wings.

Favorite Dish: During the winter and summer seasons Papa's will deliver. This is a great way to go on that first night in town when I haven't had a chance to shop yet.

What else would you call a Bar and Grill that overlooks the 5 acre ice skating lake? Recently christened, Zambonis, this used to be Ida Belles and served up Mexican Food. Today the fare is more bar and grill food; spicy buffalo wings, nachos, potato skins, poppers, sandwiches and burgers. Decent prices and ultra casual atmosphere, flat screened TVs dot the walls and show sports events.

Patio seating available.

Favorite Dish: I enjoy sitting by the fire place and window, watching the more industrious ice skaters while I sip a hot alcoholic beverage (a long menu of speciaties is available) and munch on hot wings.

Paisano's has recently been taken over by Vail Resorts and now provides a lower price alternative for family dining, without sacrificing taste or quality.

Patio dining available.

Favorite Dish: I've eaten at Paisano's sevaral times and there are a number of great pasta and salad alternatives. On a recent visit I tried the Italian burger, a tasty and generous beef patty served on foccacia bread with provolone cheese and maranara sauce. Chips and pasta salad accompany sandwiches and burgers. Another favorite is the portobello on focccia.

My lunch with Irish Coffee and tip was $15.

Keystone Resort has no shortage of great restaurants and the Big Horn Steakhouse has traditionally been the one we choose for our first night in town. With the flight and shuttle ride taking a few hours, it's a pretty safe bet that we skipped lunch and we have saved our calories for some of the pleasures that await us at the Big Horn.

Located downstairs in the Lodge, the Big Horn has wonderfully comfortable booths and friendly accommodating service. The menu is varied, and while steak and prime rib are the featured items I have had some wonderful seafood, excellently prepared. My favorite was a herb crusted sea bass that literally melted in my mouth. All meals include trips to the salad and soup bar, and it would be easy to eat one's fill on that alone. There is also a very good choice of wines by the glass. Eat your fill because you will need the strength for whatever adventures are in store for you on your vacation in Keystone.

Favorite Dish: The Big Horn has the best salad bar in Keystone.

You're decidedly happy when the attendant by the Gondola hands you a blanket for your ride from 9,400 feet to 11,600 feet. And then you walk across a mountain top to board the next gondola which whisks you to the next mountain top. It's all part of the adventure of dining at der Fondue Chessel.

The big cavernous log and stone room has a definite Bavarian Beer Hall feel. Guests are seated at long plank tables and the roving Polka Band plays lively tunes to accompany your meal. Select a main item from the menu and then be prepared for a long evening of feasting and fun. You'll start with a delicious cheese fondue into which you can dip bread, apples and asparagus spears. Caesar salad comes next and then the instructions for how to manage the Raclette process. A platter of main dish items as well as assorted cheeses to melt on the little wooden paddles and drizzle over roasted potatoes or bread. Grill your shrimp, chicken, steak, scallops, sausages, or other choice of items on the grill and dip in an assortments of sauces.

When you think you can't eat anymore, out comes the grand finale; a huge pot of chocolate fondue in which to dip bananas, cookies, cake, apples, strawberries..... Yikes!

Favorite Dish: Naturally it's the chocolate fondue which grabs the attention of my daughters and myself. I'm told that Bavarians never have chocolate fondue and think it odd. There are places in Switzerland that have added it to their menus to appease American travelers. Smart move, I say!