WYLD

PHOTO COURTESY OF EAT | BY LINDA GUERRETTE

By Kim Fuller Published in EAT Magazine

Get ready to go WYLD. The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch has unleashed a fresh and inspired restaurant concept this season in a beautifully renovated space. Locally sourced alpine dining is a perfect culinary muse for Executive Chef Benjamin Christopher and his staff, as they feature artisanal ingredients and products from across Colorado.

The renovation opened up the space significantly. A wall of windows framing the ski slopes is no longer hidden by thick shutters and now let the outside shine in. Stunning graphic prints by Colorado landscape photographer John Fielder invigorate the intimate yet lively dining room, and that energy flows right through the impressively redone horseshoe bar and into the great room.

WYLD opened after an extensive remodel.

As the property’s prized living room, this fireside lounge now offers the WYLD bar menu, so guests can stay comfy on overstuffed sofas or sit at one of the new walnut community tables for an après ski cocktail or a casual bite to eat in the evening. Try the Big Fat Toasted Grilled Cheese, made with three decadent cheeses and served with a creamy bowl of all-star tomato soup.

Before your meal in the WYLD dining room, take a moment to enjoy the couches and fireplace that catch a clear view of magic in motion coming out of the open kitchen. The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, so you may find yourself relaxing here more often than not on any day that you’re lucky enough to be at The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch.

The 16-ounce elk rack.

For dinner, don’t hold back. Foie gras with roasted pears and frisee is silky and rich alongside a crisp glass of Riesling, and the salt-roasted spiral beet salad is a unique rendition that showcases the hearty minerality of the beets, brought to life even more beautifully with every sip of Chablis.

Many of the must-try dishes are in the “alpine classics” section of the menu, featuring a heritage of soul-hugging food born in the rugged mountains of Europe. The bison schnitzel is a Colorado nod to the Austrian specialty — the crispy fried crust on the buffalo meat plays nicely with the slightly sweet taste of a gruner veltliner.

WYLD brings in some surf with its turf, too. The seared Atlantic salmon with beluga lentils and smoked ham is a lighter dish that brings to life a lot of full flavor.

But what really feels like home is a glass of red and the 16-ounce elk rack — a dish that proudly showcases Colorado’s best wild game. Try it with a fully loaded WYLD stuffed potato or a side of charred Brussels.

To finish, make a wild move you won’t regret with a glass of sauterne and an order of the sticky toffee monkey bread, served warm and topped with bourbon orange ice cream. •

Price
Starters and sides:
$10-$36;
Mains: $30-$85
•••
Ambiance
Alpine, refined
•••
Signature Dish
16-ounce elk rack with a side of charred Brussels sprouts