Creativity at the French Alpine Bistro
by: S.W. Kirch
A greenhouse built for two on a Dutch canal? A zip-line delivered picnic basket for patrons, who are patiently waiting in a Swedish meadow? What do these two scenarios have to do with one of your favorite Aspen, Colorado restaurants, the French Alpine Bistro-Crêperie du Village? They’re both examples of the creativity and ingenuity that are highlighted when restaurants think outside the traditional four-walled box.
Now, it’s been our turn to get the brains storming, as we have been excitedly and diligently planning our “Auf Wiedersehen”, until we see each other again, while strictly adhering to state and local public health guidelines. Some of our many new options now include having your meal delivered (details to follow, soon!), letting our French Executive Chef Eric Francou cater your at-home event (complete with all the trappings of a true French-alpine experience), picking up your own picnic delicies, or, if you’d rather, it’s even possible to rent out the entire restaurant at pandemic prices.
For starters, however, on May 15th, we’ll be taking our first step in the right direction of reopening by offering a delicious “To-Go” menu that includes our famous Fondue, with directions for reheating at home, and some of our classic Crêpes, as well as our incredible “Bistro Burger” (also available with a GF bun), just to name a few. All options can be expertly paired with our selection of specialty European wines. Of course, don’t forget to add to the fun with any of our custom cocktails, as well! Until further notice from the office of the governor, all Colorado restaurants are currently allowed to sell alcoholic beverages for pick-up - as long as they are sold in containers that can be resealed. Take a peek at the entire menu for yourself, here.
Of course, foremost on everyone’s mind nowadays, is health and safety while venturing back into normalcy. Please, rest assured that while our hygiene standards were already higher than average well before the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve been adding several other precautions to our daily checklists, as mandated by the state of Colorado, including limiting the number of (mask-wearing only, please) patrons waiting for curbside, and having disposable menus available, as well as systematic, routine sanitation of all surfaces.
Once you’ve decided which dishes and drinks you’ve missed the most, your order can be placed daily between 12:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m., via ordering from the website, by calling ahead (970) 925-1566, or by stopping-by in-person at our brand-new, sidewalk bar, where you can sip your favorite beverage at one of the outdoor seating areas, while your to-go order is being prepared. Standard forms of payment are accepted, as well as contactless forms such as Apple Pay. All our servers will not only be wearing the mandatory masks, but will also be supplied with latex gloves, as well as access to sanitizer stations throughout the restaurant.
In the meantime, know that while we will not be asking you to dine in mini-greenhouses, nor shipping your dinner down a wire, we are, now more than ever, keenly aware of the need for comfort and connection – in any form – but especially while partaking in a shared meal. One concrete way to add more ambience to this situation is by letting us text you our Spotify music playlists, so you can more closely recreate the Crêperie experience from the cozy surroundings of your own home. Also, remember that delivery and catering services are also an option. We’ll creatively work with you in discovering the best way to not only deliver/prepare food, but with it - as much of our famous French charm (which caters to all the senses) as possible. Check out our Instagram, website, and Facebook to be kept in the loop… Auf Wiedersehen!
