Gina B.

If you are willing to walk for your dinner, you'll be hard pressed to find a more rewarding -- and unique --dining experience than the one Solitude Mountain Resort offers at the Yurt. Hidden away in the lower elevations at Solitude, it is not surprising if you haven't heard of the yurt dining experience. An observant rider may catch a glimpse of the round, tent-like structure while riding the Sunrise chair, but other than that, this restuarant- though I hesitate to call it that as the dining area is intimately limited to 22- is strategically located to create a solitary mountain experience. After roughly a mile of snowshoeing in through a tight wooded trail, we were greeted with a warm glow at the yurt. Inside, a wood stove humming with pots, pans, skillets took center stage. Chef Abby Carlson smiles as she prepared the ingredients of the first course. We seated ourselves and were quickly served refreshments of water (for me) and uncorked bottles of wine which others sipped while our guide proceeded to tell us the history and purpose of yurts in their native land of Mongolia. Our first course, a pureed cauliflower soup, took the chill off our bones and put us at ease for the rest of the evening. Tart diced apples topped the soup and cut through the creaminess of the cauliflower, giving it a refreshing taste. Seared crabcakes with avocado were next, reminding me of a surf side eatery back home in Florida. The crisp sear and the smooth avocados melded into a heavenly combination. Not a bite was left. Our third course, the salad, was anything but standard: triple cream brie was served atop toasted bread alongside a roasted pear and baby greens salad with a freshly made vinaigrette. The brie delighted with a rich, buttery flavor. Not one to be overcome by salads, I had to hold myself back from stealing bites from my neighbor after my plate was clear. The highlight of the meal served as our fourth course. Our eyes opened wide when we were presented with a plate filled with a rustic meal of sauteed mushrooms and spinach, mashed potatoes and tender beef topped with au jus. Do not be surprised at the simplicity of the ingredients- the skill and selection of quality ingredients provided flavors that were unmatched by similar fare elsewhere. Lastly, an oh-so-slightly sweet custard topped with a spicy-sweet chutney finished the evening. Wine glasses continued to be refreshed throughout the evening, adding to the increasing boisterousness of the group as we bantered with our neighbors, pausing to give a generous applause to the chef as she took her leave into the wintry night. I have never experienced such tempting flavors prepared in such a primitive way. Chef Abby worked alone over a stove powered by wood, yet successfully brought together flavors which complemented the alpine environment with her own creative twist. From the first step towards the yurt to the last snowshoe removed, dining at Solitude's Yurt was a true experience that no foodie or outdoor adventurer should miss.