There are few pairings as unexpected, or as welcome, as Balinese flavors at 8,000 feet. Wayan Aspen, the mountain outpost from Cédric and Ochi Vongerichten, is back for its second summer in downtown Aspen, arriving with a refreshed seasonal menu, the return of happy hour, and a spacious patio made for long al fresco evenings on Cooper Avenue.
The husband-and-wife duo behind the Michelin-recognized Wayan and Ma•dé in New York have built their reputation on a singular blend: Cédric’s refined French technique, honed around the world and under his father Jean-Georges Vongerichten, woven through with the vibrant Indonesian flavors of Ochi’s heritage. The result is a cuisine that feels both precise and deeply personal, and in Aspen, it has found a natural summer home. The Rockies are a beloved destination for the Vongerichten family, and it shows in the warmth of the room.
This season’s menu additions lean generous and shareable. New satays include pink shrimp with dabu dabu sambal and lime, and Colorado lamb with chili kecap manis and acar, a nod to local sourcing through an Indonesian lens. Small plates include soft-shell crab wrapped in lettuce with bean sprouts and chili sauce, and salmon sashimi brightened with ginger-turmeric dressing and sambal mata.
Among the large plates, grilled branzino arrives with fava bean, sambal tomat, and cilantro, while lump crab fried rice gets an alpine inflection with morel mushrooms and pickled pepper. New Wayan signatures include Lombok chicken in a lemongrass-coconut curry with bok choy, and the showstopper of the season: a Balinese pork inspired by babi guling, the iconic suckling pig of Bali, here rendered as slow-roasted pork belly crisped to a black-pepper crust and served with jus and crispy potatoes.
Save room for the finale. A shareable coconut-based soft serve arrives with Indonesian-inspired toppings, including candied peanuts, toasted coconut, and Gula Jawa whipped cream, sweetened with Indonesian coconut sugar for caramel-like, molasses-like depth.
Dinner service begins at 5 pm daily, with summer happy hour running 3 to 5 pm starting June 15. Find Wayan Aspen at 614 E Cooper Ave, in the heart of downtown.
Photo Credit: Shawn O’Connor
Related Posts
