I’d been posting events about Stoke & Rye restaurant in our What’s In Good Taste roundups for a while because they kept fitting our criteria of really standing out. But I hadn’t actually visited yet. Stoke & Rye, by Chef Richard Sandoval, is located just a few minutes from Vail, inside the Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa in Avon. I’ve long-loved the Latin and Mexican cuisine of Chef Sandoval’s restaurants, from Tamayo to Toro and really miss Zengo and La Sandia (in Northfield). I was especially intrigued by Stoke & Rye though because this is Chef Sandoval’s first American concept in Colorado. I got the opportunity to ask Chef about this and will share his response below. But first, a little about what my husband and I experienced when we went.
We perused the beer and wine menu but went straight to the cocktails because I think the way a restaurant executes their cocktails says a lot about them. Options included the sophisticated Garden of Edan with Empress Gin 1908, crème de violet, St. Germain, lemon and lavender; and Blushing Hour with Buffalo Trace bourbon, blackberry, lemon, angostura bitters, ginger simple, rosemary foam; to nods to Sandoval’s Latin culture with Escobar’s Island with Culce Vida añejo, crème de violette, pineapple, lime and ginger beer. But two drinks caught my eye in particular because they are smoked tableside. Angels Over the City has Angels Envy Bourbon, sweet vermouth and angostura bitters. But the Copper & Oak was my choice with Oak & Edan Bourbon, angostura bitters and orange flower water. The method for smoking was a unique one, less cumbersome than the traditional domes or glass boxes, but no less dramatic. It was a delicious cocktail and the orange flower water made all the difference. Cocktails range from $15-$20. See the smoking and unveiling below.
We started off with a bang with the beyond-impressive Seafood Tower served on two tiers. Presented dramatically with a pour-over of water to activate dry ice billows, this beauty has oysters, lobster tails, shrimp, black mussels, mignonette, tiny bottles of tabasco and cocktail sauce ($192). A financial commitment to be sure, it could easily be your main dish plus a salad to share with another person or a substantial appetizer to share with three or four people.
Other appetizer options from the To Share menu included Smoked Oysters, Beef Carpaccio, and the Colorado Fondue with an alpine cheese blend. To that, you have the option of charcuterie, pork belly or garlic shrimp “enhancements.” The folks at the table next to us did the charcuterie with the fondue and it all looked good and gooey.
Our server recommended we get the Housemade Rolls with rosemary and sea salt and maple-butter ($8) because it’s a nice accompaniment to the Tower. She was right but they were perfectly wonderful on their own, sweet and savory with a pretty presentation. Grandma’s rolls never looked quite that tantalizing.
From the Starter menu we ordered and split the Wedge Salad with baby gem lettuce, crispy bacon, cherry tomato, six-minute egg and poblano blue cheese dressing ($16). I love a good Wedge Salad but this one was so much better than the usual. For one thing, you weren’t working around a tasteless iceberg core. The jammy egg and poblano dressing blended together and the combination of textures and flavors was delicious. This would be the salad I’d recommend ordering with that Seafood Tower and calling it good – real good.
Also on the Starter menu were Wild Mushroom Ravioli, Grilled Octopus and Burrata Salad. The latter was really tempting with the addition of cantaloupe, prosciutto and candied nut brittle.
Moving onto the Specialties menu, I had already planned in my mind to have the Cast Iron Chicken because you can’t beat great roast chicken. And I’m sure this would have been great but it didn’t include the dark meat which I’m a big fan of, so I skipped it in favor of Pan Seared Scallops primarily because the description read “sautéed spring peas, smoked pork belly, d’anjou pear and beurre blanc ($46). How were they going to incorporate the pear? I was curious enough to find out and ordered it. I was totally impressed to see large “curls” of slightly firm pear presented like the ribbony remnants from a freshly-sharpened pencil. See what I mean, below. It was an added bonus to the flavor and crisp outside/buttery inside of the scallops themselves. This dish is a real winner.
My husband has fond memories of his mother making Trout Almondine when he was akid so whenever he sees trout on a menu, he orders it. The fact that the Local Farm Trout had shaved fennel and trout caviar, along with zucchini, avocado puree and lemon bourbon aioli ($34) sold him all the more. He thought the dish was excellent and the pop of orange color (visually and in the mouth) was a nice surprise.
On this same section of the menu is Rib Eye-Bison Burger, and Impossible Burger, and Cacio e Pepe, prepared with bacon and black pepper IN a big Grana Padano wheel. Heck, between a smoking cocktail, smoking seafood tower and made-in-a-wheel-of-cheese pasta dish, you could plan an entire evening of tableside showy-ness!
On the From the Grill menu, there’s Yellow Fin Tuna, Colorado Lamb Chops, and various forms of beef including a 52 oz Tomahawk flamed with moonshine whiskey, tableside! What is it with these people and smoke and flame?!
There are Sides available including Truffle Fries, Grilled Asparagus and Pork Belly Mac & Cheese ranging from $13-$18. We chose the Romanesco Cauliflower because, along with the white variety we’re used to, Romanesco is such a pretty variety of the veggie with its green peaks. It’s oven-roasted, on a bed of cashew nut aioli with chimichurri ($16).
Dessert options included a Berry Pavlova, sorbets and ice creams and Smoked Chocolate Mason Jar with chocolate ganache, brownie crumbs, cacao nib and salted caramel ice cream which is smoked back in the kitchen – no show there! We decided to share the Hazelnut Cheese Cake with praline, Chantilly cream and chocolate ($15). Coated in a nubby chocolate shell, it looked more like an ice cream bar sans stick when it arrived. But a quick break of the shell and spoon-swipe through and we could see the cheesecake-i-ness of it all. Yum! It’s totally worth stuffing completely stuffing yourself for.
My husband mentioned to me, somewhere along our culinary journey that night, that even though this was American cuisine, the tell-tale signs of what we love about Chef Richard Sandoval’s restaurants was still very present – attention to color, texture, not overly-fussy combinations of ingredients or preparation, and a richness of flavor.
When I asked Chef Sandoval what made him pivot (yes, I used that word) from his usual Latin and Mexican cuisine in favor of an American restaurant (including a calmer, paler design aesthetic in the restaurant itself), here’s what he said:
“I felt the desire to explore beyond my signature Mexican and Latin concepts and delve into the rich culinary landscape of American cuisine. Avon has always captivated me by its breathtaking beauty and unique flavors. It was an opportunity to celebrate locality and showcase the diverse bounty of Colorado. Creating Stoke & Rye allowed me to pay homage to the incredible ingredients sourced from this stunning region, while infusing my own creative twists and techniques inspired by my heritage. It was a chance to embrace a new challenge, push the boundaries of my culinary expertise, and create an experience that would resonate with both locals and visitors alike.”
With such a rich personal and professional history with Mexican and Latin cuisines and restaurants, I wanted to know what challenges and opportunities Stoke & Rye presented to him in terms of envisioning dishes.
“Venturing into an American concept in Avon presented both exciting opportunities and unique challenges. The region’s distinct alpine rocky mountain identity offered a wealth of indigenous ingredients and flavors that I could incorporate into the dishes, allowing me to connect with the local community on a deeper level. The challenge lay in blending these native elements with my own culinary background seamlessly. I needed to strike a delicate balance between honoring the authenticity of the local produce and infusing it with my own touch. It was crucial to find creative ways to highlight the best of Colorado’s bounty while delivering a dining experience that was innovative and unexpected. Stoke & Rye allowed me to explore and adapt my cooking techniques, experiment with local ingredients, and ultimately present dishes that celebrated the essence of the Rocky Mountains while adding my own unique flair.”
Stoke & Rye is located inside the Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa in Avon. You can get complimentary valet parking or validated self-park at the Resort. Learn more about Stoke & Rye on their website.
-Story and photos by Courtney Drake-McDonough, Publisher and Managing Editor for InGoodTasteDenver.com.
Please note, as is common, to help facilitate this article, we were hosted for our visit but as is always the case, that does not sway our opinions and observations which we offer up to our readers, honest and true, so that they can go and decide for themselves.
Comments are closed.