The Little Nell is a foodie and wine lover’s paradise. On a recent trip, we got to sample all of its culinary pleasures and have decided to share them with you.
For dinner, you can’t beat The Nell’s restaurant, Element 47. The restaurant has a decidedly sexy feel to it — leather banquettes and glass cases containing rare wines. The dinner menu is pretty extensive, and we had a hard time narrowing down what we wanted to try. We decided on the deep sea Hawaiian crab cake and the chestnut and mushroom bisque to start. The crab cakes were light and flavorful, and we appreciated it was mostly crab, not filling. The soup was a star, very rich with truffles. Before our starters arrived, we sipped on a delicious glass of Robert Moncuit champagne, which the hotel paired up with Robert to create.
We were lucky enough to have head sommelier Carlton McCoy look after us during our meal. If you go to The Nell, get to know Carlton, because he knows his stuff and is a lot of fun. The Nell has a really advanced wine program, employing 39 sommeliers who are eager to help you pick the perfect wine, whether you are eating at Element 47 or just at the bar. Pro tip: take them up on the offer to help. The sheer number of sommeliers is really impressive in general, let alone for a hotel of The Nell’s size. Better yet, they are super approachable. Note in the picture our lineup of wines!
Next, we ordered the hanger steak with bordelaise sauce and the roasted venison. Both were delicious and served with a glass of red wine, with both of us getting different blends to pair well with our individual meals.
We hardly had room for dessert, but we powered through (and we’re happy we did). I had an assortment of desserts while my friend had the most decadent warm date sticky toffee pudding.
If you’re a VIP, you can get a special invite to The Nell’s speakeasy of sorts, The Red Light Lounge. You have to be guided to the Lounge, which requires walking through the kitchen, down a flight of stairs and through a parking garage, but it’s worth the trek.
This is The Nell’s private cellar and the aforementioned Carlton selects a bunch of bottles to sample in good company while music plays and guests feast on meat and cheese. It’s a chill vibe and the wine is delicious. Don’t forget to ask Carlton for a marker to sign the walls!
The next day, we did some skiing and then promptly ate the calories we burned at The Nell’s apres ski and food spot, Ajax. If you’re skiing on Aspen Mountain, you can literally ski right up to the bar here and sip on mulled wine or their spicy margaritas. (We’re fans of both). They also have a great wine list that we had a fun time sampling. We were physically incapable of stepping foot inside Ajax without ordering their truffle french fries. Just trust me on this one– order them. We all had the quiche and onion soup, both of which were hearty.
We loved the vibe at Ajax and found it really social and casual. No need to make a reservation, just head in from the slopes.
Lastly, there is Chair 9, which is The Nell’s answer to the European apres ski scene. Think champagne, a dj and lots of dancing and you’ve got yourself the set up. The day we were there, they held a vintage ski costume party. You’ll get a mix of people right off the slope to girls decked out in furs.
Don’t forget to check out our Travel Guide to Aspen’s Little Nell!
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