Fireside Lounge, Four Seasons, Vail, CO USA

Ordered at the Fireside Lounge at the Four Seasons in Vail, Colorado.

Dinner at Flame Thursday night, the premiere restaurant of the Four Seasons in Vail, was absolutely incredible. Over the top, really.

Dry aged bison tomahawk steak, buffalo shortrib, Rosen Farms lamb chops, filet mignon, Rocky Mountain elk corn dogs… our table was a meat buffet. This was all followed by a tour of the back kitchen and a dessert-lovers decadent dream meal served by the chef himself, their signature bacon-maple donuts stealing the show. None of us could have eaten any more, and nearly four hours of feasting had left us with an incredible memory that night…

So when hunger for dessert took over the following evening, the Four Seasons was an easy choice to satisfy our cravings; we simply could not resist their bacon maple donuts (who knew “bacon-maple” would taste so much sweeter than “maple bacon”). Sure, something wholesome might have better prepared us for skiing the next day, but an unnecessarily large dose of unhealthiness didn’t stop us from ordering several rounds of donuts.

But donuts were not enough for me.

A mediocre dinner had left me hungry, and while I wanted an injection of sugar, I craved something that would fill me with comfort. On that night, while scanning the menu in the Fireside Lounge, it didn’t take me long to decide the Four Seasons Rustic Grilled Chicken Club Sandwich would do just the trick. I appreciated the list of ingredients, and was intrigued by the “Avon Bakery Miche,” which I assumed was a bread, but decided not to ask until after it arrived… mystery is always intriguing.

I waited with baited breath as we sipped port in front of the fire, sharing stories, laughs, and donuts. The Four Seasons Fireside Lounge provided a fantastic ambiance for the end of our evening, and we were all glad to have ended up there.

I enjoyed this delicious “rustic” chicken club sandwich directly in front of the fireplace; just a lovely setting. It came out after the donuts, and as hard as it was, I was sure to leave room to fully dine on this rustic delight.

The bacon in this club sandwich was stellar, as one would expect, although half of me wondered what this sandwich would be like with the candied maple bacon… “Probably unnecessary, although curiously captivating,” I thought to myself.

The chicken was sliced like turkey breast, however instead of layers, it was cut up and “drizzled” over the ripe and creamy avocado, which hugged the bottom slice of bread. One big leaf of lettuce followed with ripe tomatoes, the produce section of this club sandwich delivered a tasty healthiness that the donuts sitting next to me could never have dreamed of doing.

But that bread – the Avon Bakery Miche, I assumed – was the standout ingredient. Slightly buttery (or was that the herb aioli?!), it was the perfect selection to hold this meal together.

The french fries on the side, although well presented, were nothing special, and I ended up barely touching them. But the donuts I had ordered on the side – they hit the spot (if you couldn’t tell that already!).

This was my first club sandwich at a Four Seasons hotel, and I am sure it won’t be my last (side note: why don’t they have one at the Bristol Lounge at the Four Seasons in Boston?).  The Rustic Club Sandwich was an all-around satisfying meal in itself, and rather than order over-priced food for lunch at Two-Elk Lodge on the mountain, I could see myself taking the Rustic Club Sandwich, wrapped-up nicely, with me up the mountain to enjoy during the mid-day break… but alas, we were not staying here, and this would not be happening.

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