Crave Kitchen
231 Harris St., Basalt. (970) 927-2837. www.cravekitchen.com .Seats: 91.Cuisine: comfort food.Specialties: skewers of prosciutto-wrapped fontina-, almond- and Cabrales-stuffed dates with pancetta; warm spinach salad with crisp duck confit, poached pears, blue cheese and sherry-bacon vinaigrette; scampi with pearled couscous-vegetable risotto; grilled rainbow trout.Main courses: $14-$36.Chef-owners: Todd Schlossberg and Rob Zack.
Cuvée Bistro
305 Gold Rivers Court, Basalt. (970) 927-4000. www.cuveebistro.com .Seats: 120.Cuisine: global eclectic.Specialties: wild-mushroom cakes over an avocado pesto and roasted red-pepper coulis; mahogany roasted duck with port and cherry sauce; pistachio-crusted chicken breast over asparagus succotash with roasted red-pepper butter; ancho citrus-crusted halibut over grilled scallion potato cake and poblano honey-butter sauce.Main courses: $17-$21.Chef and co-owner: Mitch Levy.Co-owner: Krystal Levy.
Ella
348 Main St., Carbondale. (970) 704-0377. www.ellacarbondale.com .Seats: 63.Cuisine: Provincial-New American.Specialties: petite lamb chops with goat cheese and spinach ravioli and Marsala fig juice; salad with warm bacon vinaigrette, frisée, apples, pecans and blue cheese; lobster—baked, stuffed knuckle and claw hash with herb-broiled tail.Main courses: $18-$38.Chef and co-owner: Ian Kipp.Co-owner: Jessie Kipp.
Smoke
241 Harris St., Basalt. (970) 927-5158. www.smokemodernbbq.com .Seats: 70.Cuisine: barbecue and Southern comfort food.Specialties: bacon-wrapped shrimp with spicy Jack cheese sauce; pork spare ribs smoked over Colorado hardwoods, served dry-rubbed or sauced; smoked beef brisket; filet mignon wrapped in applewood-smoked bacon and served with baked potato.Main courses: $12-$29.Chef-owner: Jamie Theriot.
Tempranillo
165 Midland Ave., Basalt. (970) 927-3342. www.tempranillorestaurant.com .Cuisine: Spanish and Italian.Seats: 120.Specialties: fried calamari tapas; four-cheese-and-pear pasta purses in light walnut-tomato cream pesto; chicken breast rolled with jamon Serrano, spinach, raisins, apples and pine nuts; filet mignon with shaved manchego, arugula and mashed potatoes with truffle oil.Main courses: $16-$35.Chef and co-owner: Javier Gonzalez-Bringaz.Co-owner: Laura Maine Gonzalez-Bringaz.
