Making the Rounds with Helen Benefield Billings
View from the Broadmoor to Cheyenne Mountain, with fog.
Sept 22nd, 2017 | By Helen Benefield Billings
Elegant and savvy, with a contemporary flair and the most dramatic chandeliers and lighting imaginable, are just a few of the first impressions I had when entering the Summit Restaurant at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs last July. This Adam Tihany-designed space gives off a decidedly modern vibe that is an unexpected but most welcome departure from the classic grandeur of The Broadmoor Hotel itself.
Summit offers a dazzling blend of French bistro and American favorites, and the cuisine is highlighted by the freshest offerings from local and regional producers, as well as from the resort’s very own Broadmoor Farms.
The summer menu was a delight. Particularly eye-popping was the Angry Trout entrée that is well known far and wide for its distinctive presentation. A whole trout is presented with the head still intact and twisted around to put the fish’s tail in its mouth. It was wildly different and perfectly prepared.
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- Interior view of the Summit restaurant.
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- Iberico ham and summer melon salad with Black Mission figs.
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- Summit Lounge’s revolving wine tower.
Their creative and ever-evolving menu of handcrafted cocktails, along with the extensive global wine list, impressed us. In the adjacent Summit Lounge, a revolving wine tower is sure to catch your attention, as do the friendly, well trained bar staff. We enjoyed conversing with mixologist Christopher, who was eager to share with us the scoop or back-story on a number of cocktails and microbrews at Summit, along with his extensive travel and experiences so far in the hospitality beverage industry. So refreshing!
The Broadmoor is a stunning Forbes Five-Star resort property with so much history. It also happens to be the sister property to The Cloister Hotel on Sea Island, Georgia, which was the site of IMI Agency and in the Mix magazine’s revered B4 Summit in 2012 and 2015.
Sparkling Summit
(This has been on the menu since day one, with seasonal variations.)
- ¾ oz 30-year Sherry
- ½ oz Cherry Heering
- ¾ oz cranberry juice
- Top with Prosecco
Stir flat ingredients with ice; strain into champagne flute and top with Prosecco. Garnish with flamed orange peel.
