Syzygy (closed)

Outstanding meal all around. Lobster Fennel appetizer wonderful, sea bass special, and lobster crab entrees were perfect. Dustin is definitely a superb server, make sure you ask for him along with his special martinis. The entire experience first class. Sue specially enjoyed the lobster crab entree. Banna pie with crystalized banana was a great way to end the meal. Enjoyed meeting Chef Keith the master of the meal.

Last year, we'd eaten well, at Gasp!, the Bar, or at least with the bar menu; because: Dirty Secret One: they will serve you from both bar and reggular menus, and Dirty Secret Two: they have real tables and chairs in the bar, you need not throw your back out on a bar-stool. But first a little bo-bo; aka an amuse gueule of a veluote of corn with crab meat and chives - WOW! Colette and I both wanted/desired/considered the fried oysters with heirloom baby tomatoes (huh?) (she loved, I thought nah); then she had mini-tacos with sauteed shrimp and veggies (she liked them; me, OK; but fish tacos in San Diego are supremely better); and I had the 8 oz Colorado rib-eye beef cooked bleu as ordered but with the dreaded truffle spray-oil and the dreaded truffle spray-oiled veggies spoiling the wonderful teeny/tiny onions, etc. I'd asked for sliced toms instead of mashies and got both; good service, indeed, wonderful wait-folk. With Aspen's best tap water (Syzygy had special bottles for it, how about that Fuji?), no coffees and the cheapest bottle of red wine listed ("the last bottle," we were told, for the second time this day, in the same building, hummmm) = $76.35 before tip.

We ate at Syzygy Restaurant in Aspen for the 3rd time this winter. The three of us sat at the bar and split a bottle of Spanish wine. We decided to order a number of plates to split between us. All the food was excellent and beautifully presented. Some of the dishes we had were the butternut squash soup, the rock shrimp, the lobster risotto, and the bibb lettuce salad. The service was excellent! We ate too much of course, but it was worth it.

Syzygy has recently opened in it's new location down the stairs tucked between Elevation and Ute City restaurants on Hopkins Ave. The interior is a suave design from the red glow of crystal wine racks to the textured walls of tile and velvet creating both a calming and intriguing atmosphere. We sat at the bar and started in on a Grey Goose on the rocks. Knowing a friend in the back of the house, we let the kitchen call the shots from there on. What a way to go. We were completely knocked out by the food. The entirety of which consisted of an amuse bouche of cauliflower foam w/ chives, nicoise olive & red pepper arancini w/ basil arugula pesto, chive crusted gnocchi alla romana with vadovvan spiced cauliflower and golden raisin gastrique, a minimalist sculptured salad of roasted vegetable salad, cheese spatzele, mushroom Ravioli w/ roasted onion tortellini al fricasie of baby vegetable. Finished off with a hot brownie with vanilla ice cream and caramel and a beautiful port wine. The service was great and the food was outstanding. Our experience at the new Syzygy was top notch.

Syzygy used to be our favorite restaurant in Aspen. In their new location they have fallen flat. On our first visit this year we found the tables so close together and the room so noisy that we had to ask to be moved to a quieter location. The food preparation and the service were not up to the quality that we had come to expect at the old location. The menu, although pricey, was not as elegant as last year. There are good restaurants in Aspen and we feel that Syzygy in its new location has some catching up to do.

Of all restaurants visted in Aspen, Syzygy would be my first recommendation. Syzygy is not an inexpensive place to eat (this is Aspen, after all), but well worth the extra dollar. To begin with, the service is friendly - formal, but friendly and competent. The wine list is quite spectacular, offering a wide array of domestic as well as international goodies. Dishes seem prepared with choice ingredients, fresh, complex, creative. The creamy Wild Mushroom Soup was a winner, so were the Elk Tenderloins prepared to order. The chef takes his time, you should reserve plenty yourself to indulge. The atmosphere in the restaurant is enhanced by nightly live jazz performances, try to reserve a table in the extra room near the stage if you enjoy such entertainment. Overall an upscale place to dine well, enjoy a drink or two, and great live music. Highly recommended.