The Penrose Room: Colorado’s Pièce de Résistance

Penrose Sculpture

To me, any connection between France and Colorado captures my attention tenfold. I’m passionate about both and you can tell from reading this blog that the gallic land and the Rocky Mountain state often serve as points of reference in my stories. I love the contrasts in the striking natural and manmade beauty between the two and I especially delight in showing that rich cultural and gastronomic offerings can be enjoyed both in the Old World and in the rugged corners of the American West. When the two come together, it’s truly magnifique!

The Broadmoor

A fine example of a perfect marriage of French savoir faire and American tradition may currently be experienced at the Penrose Room, the premiere restaurant of The Broadmoor, located in Colorado Springs, Colorado. For over ninety years this Grande Dame of the Rockies has distinguished itself as one of the finest resorts in the world and just this past year its top restaurant achieved five-star, five-diamond status. The Penrose Room now enjoys the distinction of the only Forbes Travel Guide (formerly Mobile Travel Guide) five-star restaurant in Colorado. Now that’s what I call putting Colorado on the map, at least in terms of food and wine. Only about twenty restaurants claim this standing in the U.S. including Charlie Trotter’s, Le Bernardin and The Inn at Little Washington, to name a few.

It should come as no surprise that the man behind this success is French, another great talent from across the pond that has learned how to respond to an increasingly discerning American diner and the demands that go with a big job at a big resort. Zee man is Bertrand Bouquin, Executive Chef of Penrose Room as well as Summit, another one of The Broadmoor’s fine restaurants.

Chef Bertrand Bouquin at Home in Colorado

I first met Bertrand a few years ago and was instantly impressed with his enthusiasm and dynamisme, an energy that he clearly brings to the dining experience at the Penrose Room where tradition and innovation reign supreme. Tableside service for the preparation of such classics as Caesar salad, Dover sole, cherries jubilee and other beloved dishes is still carried out with great elegance and skill. But you’ll also delight in an inventive cuisine that often showcases fine regional products accented with favorite French flavors. I was thrilled, for example, with my Tenderloin of Colorado Lamb, a rouleaux of succulent meat enhanced with wonderful saveurs of Provence. My hunny Steve, with whom I was lucky enough to share such a memorable feast, regaled in a Fresh Water Striped Bass with Morels.

From amuse bouche to the vanilla tuile that accompanied our dessert, we were utterly enchanted by our evening here. For me, experiencing a restaurant of this caliber is always part gastronomic adventure, part Broadway show. Yes, the entertainment value of such a memorable meal counts a lot, even—or should I say, especially—when the service is totally unobtrusive as is the case at the Penrose Room. I remember every detail from the little pillow propped up behind my back from the moment I sat down to the china being expeditiously removed from the heavy, gold damask tablecloth after the completion of each course. Everyone seemed to be in high spirits as I looked around the room. Truly ebullient. And how could you not? A jazz trio and vocalist kept the mood light and bubbly, just enough so that you couldn’t possibly take this temple of haute cuisine too seriously.

Steve and I held off until that delightful pause between main course and dessert before approaching the large dance floor that clearly has brought so much joy to peoples’ lives in this midnight blue dining room over the years. Once unleashed, however, we were thrilled to swing and sway beneath the immense crystal chandelier to the tunes of Norah Jones, Eric Clapton and Van Morrison before regaining our place at our table. Truly a scene from a movie, I thought. And it wasn’t an old, fuddy-duddy one either. From the pictures of the Penrose Room I saw ahead of time, I was fearful of the ambiance being a little too stiff and formal for our taste. Yet that was truly not the case.

Perfectly Penrose

I may be biased but I couldn’t help thinking that much of the attraction of this renowned restaurant could be attributed to a distinctive French flair. A certain panache, perhaps that same special something that pushed the Penrose Room into such an elite five-star group. I thought this as I witnessed the sun setting over the magnificent peaks of the Rocky Mountains way out beyond the dramatic decor of this grand dining room. Yes, of course, there’s an undeniable Colorado flavor as well.

Go to Wining and Dining in the Rockies to read more about Chef Bertrand Bouquin.