Rootstalk Breckenridge, CO

Had an amazing meal here the other night. Beard Mountain winner for best chef this year (Matt Vawter). Did the chef counter seating overlooking the kitchen (4 seats). I would bank on them locking down a * next year and honestly was ** worthy. Staff was great and Megan, their wine person, was a next level story teller for the paired wines; which were all excellent. 7-course tasting + 3 amuse bouche bites, bread course, and petit fours. The quality of the meal and our final bill felt vastly disproportionate, especially considering the area. We paid < $500 for two tastings, a pairing, and gratuity. ~3hrs for the experience.

• tomato consume, dill. ISI(?) whipped egg, caviar

• mille-feuille, mascarpone, summer truffle?? (I completely missed this description)

• hamachi, strawberry consume, koshu, dill, black sesame (the hamachi was unreal)

• fennel panna cotta, pine nut, eggplant

• pork pate, foie, palisade stone fruits, toasted oats

• mascarpone agnolotti, soubise, leek flowers, summer truffle

• chicken mousseline(?), brasicass, pistachio, cherry

• 60-day(?) dry-aged strip, cream corn, carrot, "BBQ" sweetbreads

• strawberry shortcake

Sorry, no bread shots, but 6 of these were "hits" for us. We also saw a scallop dish and a spin on the agnolotti dish on the a la carte menu go out that looked unbelievable. I would happily have supplemented the chicken and our agnolotti dish for those two.