 March 30, 2012 Two New Eateries in Aspen
March 30, 2012
Housed in the former space of Junk (previously D19), Aspen’s newest restaurant and bar, Above the Salt, is like an anti-Junk. Gone are the blue jeans seats, brightly colored balloons, graffiti-covered walls, and outrageous collections of Barbie dolls, bottle tops, and toy cars; the remodeled space is lean, clean, and altogether quieter in its aesthetic. Coordinated wooden floors and industrial tables and chairs are paired with whitewashed brick walls—just about the only pop of color is the deep red prosciutto slicer in the corner.
Above the Salt, Aspen’s fifth restaurant from locals Craig and Samantha Cordts-Pearce, sports an equally safe menu, featuring affordable rustic Italian fare. Think hearty meat dishes—veal scaloppine, flat iron steak, and braised pork shank—alongside pastas, pizzas, meat boards, and a handful of salads, and small plates. The pizza is the standout dish, with three permanent versions and one daily special—tonight’s is spring-themed, topped with asparagus, morel mushrooms, leeks, prosciutto, and taleggio. “The pizzas are neither paper thin, nor crunchy, nor deep dish,” says Executive Chef Geno Gulotta, who believes that he has achieved the perfect balance of “still a little pull, still a little crunch!”
But enough about the restaurant: The reopened Popcorn Wagon, which came part and parcel with the lease, has stolen our hearts with its delicious crepes and gyros. “I remembered Harley Baldwin’s original Wagon in the early ‘90s,” says Gulotta, “and I wanted to bring back these two classic dishes, which were then so well-liked.” The shaved lamb, tzatziki, and tomato gyros have been particularly popular, flying off the griddle between midnight and 2:30AM when the late-night munchies hit the streets. Early birds needn’t be left out—the wagon opens bright and early at 10:30AM.
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