ML - Aspen Peak

2015 - Issue 1 - Summer

Aspen Peak - Niche Media - Aspen living at its peak

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY C2 PHOTOGRAPHY Valley staple: a breakfast sandwich with egg, kale, and ricotta. The Simple Things NEW CARBONDALE EATERY SILO PROVES LESS REALLY IS MORE. BY TESS WEAVER STROKES The back wall of Carbondale's Silo divides the eatery's ever-changing, locally sourced, à la carte offerings into two categories: "breakfast" and "not breakfast." The simple, pub-style menu accommodates what chef and owner Lacy Hughes, 34, can find fresh from purveyors in the Roaring Fork and North Fork Valleys and encour- ages diners to customize their plates to their appetites. Hughes says it was an externship at Press Restaurant in Napa Valley that most inf luenced her seasonal style of cooking, though Hughes also draws from her experi- ence working for Mark Fischer at former Carbondale eatery Six89. "Silo's concept is similar to what he pio- neered in the valley," she says. "Not only sourcing food locally, but also making things in-house"—such as the bread for Silo's "down-home" apple-and-bacon grilled cheese, and the ricotta for its open-faced egg and kale breakfast sandwich. Hughes says that when she opened late last year, the off beat location, a growing industrial area along High- way 133, was an initial concern. But so far, business is exceeding her expectations. With an all-day breakfast menu and espresso bar, Silo caters to both district busi- nesses and a growing number of residents buying contemporary lofts nearby. The intimate space is decorated with nostalgic pieces of Americana, includ- ing mixed media work by local artist Chad Stieg. The patio bar offers dead-on views of Mount Sopris. The location has also wrought a partnership with the Roaring Fork Beer Company two doors down. Hughes and her team run food to the brewery, where patrons can snack on her freshly popped corn cooked in bacon drippings and finished with truff le oil, Parmesan, and crumbled bacon. Silo's Cubano sand- wich features Rock Bottom Ranch pork marinated in the brewery's popular pub ale. A Roaring Fork Beer Company pairing dinner in February combined Kumamoto oysters with a mignonette made with its Freestone extra pale ale, plus a pub ale-poached farm egg on polenta. The collaboration has worked so well that Silo plans to partner with another establishment in town: When the Marble Distilling Company opens its 7,000 -square-foot distillery and luxury hotel on Carbondale's Main Street next year, Silo will provide small plates for its tasting room. More immediate developments include a new summer Sunday brunch, plus a bimonthly Wednesday night supper club featur- ing a four-course prix fixe menu. 1909 Dolores Way, Carbondale, 970-963-1163; facebook.com/silofood AP // classic combo // A MOVIE WITH THAT? Cap off a downvalley date night with Crystal Theatre's old-school flair. Most nights, Crystal Theatre moviegoers can purchase their tickets ($8) and pop- corn ($3) directly from own- ers Bob and Kathy Ezra. If not, it's from a staff member who has most likely been moonlighting at the historic Carbondale theater since its fi rst 35mm projection in 1985. Known for its high- quality fi lms, strong local following, and an ambience unmatched in the megaplex era (think fl ower vases atop the 100-year-old polished wainscoting and a meticu- lously maintained bathroom), the 125-seat Crystal Theatre, which has showings every day of the week, is the Roar- ing Fork Valley's ultimate independent fi lm house experience. The Ezras run each fi lm se- lection for a minimum of one week, but they will keep a title around for as long as it's successful. "It's like a public radio station, with locals hav- ing a stake," says Les Gray, an appraiser in Aspen who frequents the Crystal. "They somehow manage, with one screen, to bring most of the movies I want to see to town." 427 Main St., Carbon- dale, 970-963-0633; crystal theatrecarbondale.com BACK TO BASICS 110 ASPENPEAK-MAGAZINE.COM TASTE Best Eats

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