Start with the smoked swordfish dip with Fresno chiles and root vegetable chips. Move on to grilled Berkshire pork tenderloin carnitas with squash puree, Brussels sprouts and chipotle almonds, pickled onion and blood orange mojo, doused in veal jus. Finish off with lemongrass panna cotta with grilled pineapple sorbet and yuzu pinenut tart. Oh, and don’t forget a refreshing, zingy cucumber/melon mojito.
Dining at Beaver Creek’s Cima, uber-chef Richard Sandoval’s newest entry into hotel dining, is NOT your usual Mexican eatery experience. Then again, Richard Sandoval does not do usual, ordinary or typical.
Richard Sandoval Restaurants is a leading international restaurant group with outlets in five U.S. states and three other countries (Mexico, Dubai and Qatar.) Mexico born-and-raised, Culinary Institute of America-trained Sandoval has won acclaim for his innovative cuisine in a wide variety of food publications, as well as in such general interest outlets as The New York Times and New York Magazine. He has partnered with people such as opera star Placido Domingo (New York City’s Pompano) and consistently teases, titillates and delights palates with his inventive, even playful cuisine.
In November of 2011, Cima was added to the impressive repertoire of Sandoval restaurants in Colorado. Cima (meaning ‘peak or summit’ in Spanish) is housed in the sumptuous Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa at Beaver Creek. Other Sandoval restaurants in Colorado include Zengo, La Sandia and Tamayo restaurants in Denver, and Venga Venga in Snowmass Village.
Specializing in contemporary twists on Latin-inspired cuisine with other global influences, Sandoval drew upon the Vail Valley’s active lifestyle when designing menus for Cima. The menus are rich in fresh produce, sustainable seafood, locally raised meats and locally made products – pleasing the environmentally conscious Colorado mountain populace and tourist base, as well as complementing the Westin, which is the first Silver LEED-certified hotel in the state, demonstrating its commitment to environmental awareness.
Cima took over the space previously occupied by Restaurant Avondale. The 140-seat restaurant was extensively redecorated, using stone, wood, granite and glass in its modern design by Peter Guzy. Its 70-seat outdoor terrace features several fire pits, a full-service bar and panoramic views of the Eagle River and Beaver Creek Mountain.
Located in the heart of the Vail Valley at the base of Beaver Creek Mountain, The Westin Riverfront was recently ranked #2 in the “150 Top Resorts, Mainland U.S.” by Condé Nast Traveler in its 2011 Readers’ Choice Awards. The AAA Four Diamond resort features 230 appointed guest residences – ranging from studio suites to three-bedroom condominiums – and is connected to Beaver Creek’s ski terrain via the Riverfront Express Gondola.
Amenities at the dog-friendly resort include a ski valet, on-site ski and snowboard rentals, a Westin Kids Club, the state-of-the-art Athletic Club at The Westin, a year-round outdoor pool and three riverside hot tubs. Spa Anjali offers an extensive menu of treatments focusing on healing mountain traditions.
If You Go
Cima is located inside the Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa, at 126 Riverfront Lane, Avon, CO 81620-5720. To contact the hotel for more information, call 970.790.6000 or you can visit their website www.westinriverfrontbeavercreek.com to learn more.
Hours:
Lunch 11:30am – 2:30pm
Après Ski 2:30pm – 6:00pm
Dinner 5:30pm – 10:00pm
Sunday Brunch 7:30am – 2:00pm
Irene Middleman Thomas is an award-winning writer for many local, national and international publications and websites, and loves exploring her home state of Colorado with her family.
Photos By Brian Klingbail