Element 47 Is the Perfect Post Ski Delight In Aspen
Nestled in the ground floor of The Little Nell Hotel, it’s the best place for lunch or dinner
The Cobb Salad is to.die.for. at The Little Nell’s Element 47 restaurant in Aspen. When I dined there, snow was pouring in, after almost a 10-day hiatus, so the town was abuzz. Close to Ajax Mountain, The Little Nell is in the heart of Aspen. Its modern yet quaint lobby with taupe tones and wood accenting, with stone fireplace is the kind of place you want to park yourself into after a day of skiing or just being outside in the cold.
According to Modern Luxury Aspen Magazine, it’s a hotel where celebrities flock to. Justin Bieber, Kate Hudson and her mom Goldie Hawn, as well as Paris Hilton have all been seen at. As you walk into the lobby and head straight through, you’ll find yourself in Element 47. Masculine in tone with a grey and black palette, you first notice the bar and then the restaurant further back. There’s seating for large groups and just for two.
The first thing I noticed is how kind the staff is. Waiters greeted us as we walked in, and we were presented with the wine and cocktail menu, and food menu as we sat down. Another observation is how casual the restaurant is, typical for Aspen, people were in winter gear from snow attire, to leggings and jackets, with lots of beanies on almost everyone’s head.
Warm homemade bread with butter was presented, and it was the perfect complement to the lavender starter to the Diamond Back cocktail of lunazul blanco tequila, dolin blanc, nonino, lavender, berry, and lime. I began to notice how many tables ordered the Little Nell Cobb salad. Apparently, it’s one of the more popular items and it’s what we opted to get, along with a main the Salmon, which comes with sunchoke purée, braised root vegetables, and brussels sprouts. It’s a mixture of sweet but mostly savory. But, let’s get back to the salad. I was amazed at how tasty it was. Made with chicken, bacon, avocado, tomato, blue cheese and poblano ranch dressing, the latter seems to cover every part of the salad.
There’s also a house special, the Element 47 Tortilla Soup, and Winter Salad that comes with a citrus vinaigrette dressing. And other entrée items include the Shitake Burger, the Winter Grain Bowl, and Veal Schnitzel for those longing for a trip to Vienna. And for dessert you can’t go wrong with the chocolate e chip cookie, the Fudge Brownie, or the Trio of House-Spun Ice Creams and Sorbets.
The restaurant gets its name from the city’s claim to fame: silver. Discovered during the Gilded Age when silver was found, the restaurant pays homage to the precious metal that made the city world renowned.
Open for breakfast from 7-11 AM, lunch from 11 PM – 2:30 PM, and dinner from 6-10 PM. And the bar is open from 11 AM – 11 PM.
Photo Credit: Emma Fishman