In Vail, Fall is t he new Wint er. Okay, not really, butVail in the Fall is an entirely different animal. You cango for the spas and resorts, o r fo r a good hike, orjust to see the leaves change. But you should reallygo for all amazing food. Gone are the days o f havingto suck down microwaved ramen cups like a skibum. Vail has a growing restaurant scene that’sgetting serious about good food, and Fall is a greattime to see what the scene is all about — cheaply.Come Winter, Vail will be flooded with hungry skiers,but right now demand is down and so are the prices.

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A few chefs from Vail were kind enough to comedown and host a dinner fo r those o f us stuck inDenver.

Mat suhisa started the night out with some amazing appetizers, like their mousse o f fo ie gras with miso.They also served tartare with a quail egg on top, but the best thing I tried from Matsuhisa has to be their sake.Until I tried Hokusetsu Sake (from Sado Island, Japan), I had never had a sake Ireally liked. This stuff is amazing, clear, refreshing and alcoho lic, with none o f thatmedicinal aftertaste. I could drink a lo t o f this and not even notice. Other peoplemight start to notice the sake dribbling down my chin as I drink from the wrong parto f the little wooden box, but only the “not in my mouth” part o f that would botherme.

For an entree, the chefs at Larkspur Rest aurant decided to elevate the pierogie to gourmet status and theydid a great job. For some reason the pierogie hasn’tgotten nearly as much love as o ther pocket shaped foods(lobster ravio li, crab wontons… hot pockets) but there’sno reason the pierogie shouldn’t get a makeover. Theyserved these tender pierogies with fresh forestmushrooms, topped with juicy steak. The chefs atLarkspur are great at what they do, and seeing them get toexperiment with dishes like this only makes me want tovisit Vail in the Fall even more. Of course the chefs will bein fine form for the busy Winter season, but now is whenthey get to play.

For some reason the pierogie hasn’t gotten nearly as much love as otherpocket shaped foods…

A couple chefs from Sweet Basil came down just to make us a little dessert. Another playful dish, the crispybit o f o live bread on the top really made the choco late mousse and torte under it pop. I’m also a huge fan o fmeringue, so they had me from the start.

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Take a trip down to Vail and try some of these amazing restaurants. Also go ing on now (in their words):

“Family Week”, October 11–17, o ffers a classic family vacation remixed for today, focusing on activitiesfor all ages, including sports, family dining, movie screenings, and “Little Foodies in the Kitchen”cooking classes and parties for kids. Kids learn from Vail’s top chefs how to cook and entertain fortheir friends and family, while gaining tips and education about nutrition, healthy eating habits andnatural and organic ingredients.

“LoveFest Week”, October 8-14, serves up romantic activities for couples including wine and bubblytastings, unforgettable romantic dinners, couples spa experiences, and all- inclusive romantic getawaypackages at Vail’s acclaimed hotels and resorts.

50% off all entrees at Atwater on Gore Creek! Oct 1 through Nov 15.

$30 resort credit and 30% off nightly rate at Vail Cascade Reso rt now through end o f the year, fo rtheir 30th Anniversary Promotion. Rates start at $129.

Geoff Phillips is the Food & Booze desk editor for 303 Magazine. A compulsive foodie, he'sconstantly on the lookout for offerings that are new, fresh and reasonably priced. If he's notat the farmer's market he's probably browsing recipes.

T ag s: budg et, cheap, Fall T ravel, Ho kusetsu Sake, Larkspur Restaurant, Matsuhisa,piero g ie, sake, Sweet Basil, Vail, Vail Cascade Reso rt

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