For two nights a week, The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch departs from its regular menus at Buffalos and WYLD to host a pop-up dinner series featuring Chinese and Italian cuisine.
On Thursday nights, Buffalos gastropub is transformed into a Chinese restaurant, complete with décor to add a Chinese aesthetic and the aromas to match. On Sunday nights, WYLD, which has been honored with a second Michelin Guide Recommended distinction in Colorado's Michelin Guide and Wine Spectator's Best of Awards Excellence list, turns into an Italian ristorante where you can share a "nonna" (grandmother in Italian) family-style meal with old school Italian red sauce taking center stage.
"Hosting these pop-up dinners and featuring different types of cuisine allows us to showcase our talented chefs and their backgrounds," said Jean Alexander, director of sales and marketing at The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch. "It also allows guest of the hotel to have a variety of places to go during their stay. Between WYLD, our sushi restaurant, Sakaba, Buffalos and the two nights of pop-up dinners on Thursdays and Sundays, this provides sophisticated dining options."
The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch executive chef Jasper Schneider is spearheading the Italian dinner nights.
"The whole idea is to gather with your family on Sunday nights for some comfort food, just like what grandma would make," Schneider said. "So, we came up with a nostalgic, old-school Italian red sauce four-course pre-fixe menu at WYLD."
Come hungry; the portions are generous, and you'll want to try it all. The Italian pop-up menu starts with zuppa (soup) and insalate (salad) with tomato soup made from Colorado tomatoes. The salad is a little gem Caesar with cracked black pepper and parmesan cheese grated so fine they call it parmesan "snow."
The next course brings on the macaroni with rigatoni paired with Calabrian peppers and pappardelle with bolognese. The third course features carni with chicken parmesan, meatballs, and if you so desire, a 16-ounce veal chop can be added on for an additional cost. This course is also served with contorni, or side dishes, of eggplant and broccoli rabe. Save room for dessert, which is a chocolate hazelnut cake.
Dan Hanrahan of Edwards heard of these pop-up dining experiences and brought a group up to WYLD a few weeks ago.
"The food was excellent and dining outdoors on a beautiful Colorado evening was a treat," Hanrahan said. "The pop-up dinners are a nice change of pace and serving it family style was a fun way to share it with our group. I would definitely return and recommend it to others."
The Chinese dinners were shaped by the help of The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch's executive sous chef Lambert Chiang, a native of China whose parents once owned a Chinese restaurant and ran it for 30 years. It was this exposure that prompted Chiang to study culinary arts and pursue a career as a professional chef.
"As I explore other Asian cuisines, I see connections and shared elements that resonate with the flavors and techniques I grew up with. I've always had a curiosity about the diverse cultures and cuisines within Asia. During family gatherings and celebrations, we often enjoy a mix of Chinese and other Asian dishes. This experience has fostered an appreciation for the diverse and delicious flavors that span the entire Pan-Asian spectrum," Chiang said.
Chiang came to The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch nine months ago after being at the Ritz-Carlton in Doha, Qatar.
"Over the past few months, I realized that the valley was missing a truly good Chinese restaurant. So, I decided to host a pop-up to share authentic flavors with our patrons -- crafted using the best produce and ingredients available."
The menu is a collection of Chiang's past experiences with Pan-Asian flavors. Although Chiang lived for many years in India, Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, and Doha, he traveled extensively and studied cuisine in Thailand, Cambodia, Japan and more locations.
The menu is served family style, just like the Italian pop-up dinner and you start with nori rice crackers and sesame wontons with a choice of a sweet chili dip and hot sauce. Up next are the char siu pork gua bao. Char siu is a traditional Cantonese style of barbecue.
"We marinate the pork belly in the barbecue sauce that we make in-house with hoisin and five-spice powder. We marinate it for over two days before we put it in the oven," Chiang said. This course also includes a shrimp wonton with crunchy Sichuan chili sauce. The salad is served with local heirloom tomatoes and a soy sauce and sesame dressing.
"When you think of Chinese menus, they are not very big on salads. But as Asian cuisine has become very international now, we have to also adapt to what the customer needs," Chiang said.
The main course steals the show with Kung Pao chicken, black pepper beef filet, crispy shrimp served with stir-fried green beans and fried rice. If you want to go big, order the Peking roast duck. Do note that the Peking duck is a supplementary item that costs extra and you need to indicate if you want the Peking duck at the same time you make your reservation due to the multi-day process it takes to prepare it.
"Peking duck is very traditional to China. I mean, I would say it's a national dish of China. So here we do it very traditionally," Chiang said. "I've served several Chinese guests that have come for the pop-up and they've loved it."
For dessert, Chiang has created a rice pudding made with the coconut milk, a local cherry compote and vanilla ice cream.
These pop-up dinners are not paired specifically with drinks, but ask your server or sommelier for recommendations. Italian food is known to go with wine, so go out of your comfort zone and use the pop-up dinners as an educational experience to pair the courses with something new.
As for the Chinese pop-up dinner, you may be surprised at some of the pairings. For starters, go with a gin cocktail made with tea. For wine, a French Gewurztraminer like a 2015 Trimbach helps balance all of the various flavors of the complicated meal. And you can never go wrong with pairing beer and Pan-Asian food. Ask for a Tivoli Mountain Squeeze Juicy IPA that brings a bright citrus character to this unique meal.
"We've had a great response so far with many guests and locals coming back again and bringing family and friends to this dining experience," Alexander said.
It you want to try these international pop-up dinners for yourself, act fast. The Chinese pop-up dinners in Buffalos on Thursdays only go until Aug. 28. The Italian pop-up dinners in WYLD on Sundays go until Sept. 7. The price is $98 per person and reservations are recommended. Contact RCBGdining@rtizcarlton.com, call 970-343-1066 or go to OpenTable.com.