Grand Hyatt Vail greets guests with an off-the-beaten-path taste of Vail. I’ve always enjoyed the property, and, as a local, I appreciate the “getaway” feeling it gives while still being conveniently close. Increasingly, this hotel just west of the main Vail and Lionshead villages is becoming its own dining destination.
With Makoto Vail now open in Grand Hyatt Vail and serving up Japanese cuisine, the hotel’s mainstay restaurant, Gessner Steakhouse, now has a little more freedom to play with its offerings. Executive sous chef Eric Friedman has integrated southwest flavor and ingredients to spice up the Gessner menu.
“After leaving South Carolina, I spent time in Phoenix, Arizona, which is where I developed my love for dried chilis and a more controlled smoky heat,” shares Friedman. “Sauces like moles, rancheros and salsa verdes with their complex flavors, versatility and rich tradition inspired and excited me.”
The restaurant originally opened in 2019 and was named after Swiss historian Conrad Gessner, so it has fittingly always been themed with the mountain lifestyle in mind. While chef Friedman has kept the steakhouse menu approachable and alpine-inspired, he has also brought in some fresh flare — think salsas, tamales, guajillo chili aioli, peach chimayo jam, corn chowder and chili relleno ravioli — a medley of ingredients and dishes that highlight Colorado’s connection to the southwest.
“Too often in hotels, I think we try to cater and have a little bit of something for everyone on the menu and the restaurant doesn’t have an identity, you know just the typical three-meal boring restaurant,” says Friedman. “I believe now we have a direction and are creating a solid foundation that we can build on and continue to evolve. We source high-quality ingredients that are as local as possible and let them shine.”
This summer’s menu offers wide variety, from classics like a Colorado wedge salad to savory entrees like pan seared scallops with yellow cheddar grits, warm shredded brussel sprouts and chipotle caramel buerre blanc.
A full “From the Grill” section of the menu has a range of beef cuts like a 21-day dry aged bone-in New York, along with a Colorado lamb rack, smoked half chicken, bison striploin and a whole roasted striped bass for two. Add on a lobster tail, tiger shrimp or foie gras, along with a flight of sauces and a couple sides to get the full steakhouse experience at Gessner.
Leave some room for dessert, although it’s a hard choice between berry cobbler cheesecake, peach mousse on pistachio streusel, or orange and elderflower creme brûlée.
I always like to linger a little longer after dinner at Grand Hyatt Vail and settle in to the spacious Fireside Lounge overlooking Gore Creek. Time it well and there might be live music to top off the evening just right.