Aspen Peak - Niche Media - Aspen living at its peak
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PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF CP RESTAURANT GROUP (INTERIORS, MUSSELS, BURGER, COCKTAIL); BY ROSS DANIELS (CAVIAR); BY MATT POWER (CORDTS-PEARCE) CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: The vintage décor at Steakhouse No. 316; mussels with chili at Steakhouse No. 316; the Summit Burger at CP Burger; Samantha and Craig Cordts-Pearce; The Monarch's tableside caviar service; The Monarch complements its prime steaks with exquisitely prepared classic cocktails. make a very good Chinese restaurant; it wouldn't make a good rib house. We realized, though, that it would make a beautiful, high-end steakhouse. You have the largest share of restaurants in town with a single owner. Do you see your influence on others in Aspen? We don't really pay attention to what other people do. We just do what we do. I feel like we help to keep the bar high in town, whether we influence other people or not. Describe Aspen's dining scene in three words. Competitive, somewhat predict- able, and well-seasoned. What's the most exciting thing on your menus this winter? We have a lot of menus! The Monarch is offering a whole Dover sole. We have amazing caviar service and a tableside Caesar. Wild Fig has the best fresh pasta program in town, with house-made pastas. And CP Burger is CP Burger. You and Craig both started as servers and bartenders. There's a handful of people who have worked their way up in this town—it's a hard town to make it in. To be able to move here as kids and then make it and raise kids and be successful, it's a harder feat than a lot of people think when trying. It's great to have been able to do that, and hang without having the bankroll behind us. The Wild Fig, 315 E. Hyman Ave., 970-925-5160; Steakhouse No. 316, 316 E. Hopkins Ave., 970-920-1893; The Monarch, 411 S. Monarch St., 970-925-2838; CP Burger, 433 E. Durant Ave., 970-925-3056; cprestaurants.com . SCENE DINE 70 ASPENPEAK-MAGAZINE.COM