It's 5Pm in Keystone, Colorado. Your family has returned to the condo, after a hard day on the slopes. As you sit by the fire sipping cocoa, you hear a grumbling sound. It starts on one side of the room, and continues around the circle. What's that sound? Then, you understand. Like the plant in the Little Shop of Horrors, everyone's stomach is saying, Feed me! I'm hungry!
So where should you eat? Fortunately, you will have many tempting choices. Keystone is home to Colorado Mountain College's Culinary Institute. For three years, the top students apprentice under the strict tutelage of the world's best chefs. This demanding program produces some of the best chefs in Summit County, so you can be assured a good meal wherever you go. Let's start with the place where Keystone history began.
The Ski Tip Lodge
Back in 1941, Max Dercum, for whom Dercum Mountain is named, purchased a place called the Black Ranch, which was once a stagecoach stop. In 1949, the name was changed to the Ski Tip Lodge, and by 1967, Dercum's dream of a full service ski resort were realized. The name "Ski Tip Lodge" is based on the once popular practice of using the tips of vintage skis for door handles. Today, the rotating menu at the Ski Tip Lodge receives the highest accolades form its guests. Written up by Denver's 5280 as Colorado's Most Romantic Getaway, the Ski Tip Lodge tends to attract couples. That said, it's probably not the best place to pick up girls.
The Keystone Ranch
Back in the 1930s, a romantic man by the name of Howard Reynolds built a ranch house for his fiance, Bernadine Smith. Today, this restored log home is called Keystone Ranch Restaurant. It was originally built as a cattle ranch and lettuce farm. Until 1977, it was a working ranch, which delighted locals with its succulent veal, crisp lettuce and fresh dairy products. The Keystone Ranch has been the proud recipient of the AAA Four Diamond Award and the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. The elaborate sis-course meal continually scores high on the Zagat Survey. Since the Keystone Ranch is located near the Keystone Golf Course, its elk with wild mushrooms and other Rocky Mountain specialties tend to attract the golfing crowd. Interpret this as you will.
Alpenglow Stube
Are you one of those people who get high on good food? If so, you will surely enjoy Alpenglow Stube. At an altitude of 11,444 feet, this keystone North Peak restaurant is the highest in the country. If you thought that the lunches at Aspen of Deer Valley were elegant, you have never been to Alpenglow Stube. Unlike any ski resort restaurant, when you enter Alpenglow Stube, you get to trade in your ski boots for a pair of comfortable slippers. After all, how can you enjoy a great meal if your feet are killing you?
Your feast begins with a choice of two different soups. Then, head to the gourmet buffet, where you'll find a tempting array of salads, homemade breads and gourmet cheeses. Don't eat too much. You'll want to leave room for the main dish and desert. On Sundays, Alpenglow Stube features a delicious brunch. A mimosa is included with your brunch. However, please drink and ski responsibly. Since Alpenglow Stube's prices are as steep as its surrounding slopes, it is not popular with the local duct tape crowd. That said, it is definitely worth a one-time splurge.
Der Fondue Chessel
The elegance of Alpenglow Stube means that it might not be the best place for kids. Fortunately, that does not mean that they have to be deprived of the "take-the-gondola-to-dinner" experience. The Bavarian party atmosphere of Der Fondue Chessel makes it an appropriate dining venue for kids and adults. However, it is not ideal for kids with behavioral problems. It takes two gondolas to get to the restaurant. If you are going for dinner, you will be cold, but no worries. Keystone generously supplies you with some blankets. They might have the same texture as a Brillo pad, but they are blankets just the same. After enduring endless whines of when are we gonna' be there?" or endless choruses of 100 bottles of beer on the wall, you will reach Der Fondue Chessel, where the Bavarian musicians will serenade with choruses of Roll Out the Barrel." Sit by the fire and drink your booze-spiked hot chocolate.
Then, proceed to the banquet hall, where the real fun begins. Each table has what the Denver Post describes as your personal Fon-Dude or Fod-Dudette. With the chirpiness of a ski instructor teaching a wedge turn, these delightful guys and dolls teach you how to grill your choice of two meats and vegetables. Yes, for $50 a person, you get to grill your own food! Once it's done, you can dip it into a scrumptious variety of sauces. It's quite a messy experience, but it's a whole lot of fun!
Keystone Food Festival
In early September, you can sample the best selections of Keystone's restaurants, as well as some sinfully delicious chocolate, at the Taste of Keystone Festival. Call 970-468-1898 for details. Keystone is living proof that resort food need not be awful- As long as you are willing to pay the price!
This guide to the luxurious tastes of Keystone was brought to you by Lisa Marie Mercer.