After highlighting several notable places for groups to gather after a day spent in meetings or on the slopes in our winter issue, a new après ski destination has popped up in Vail. The Gambit Bar in Vail Village is opening at The Sebastian – Vail on Dec. 22. The Gambit Bar is focused on celebrating crafted classics with a modern interpretation in both taste and presentation.
Design highlights include plush velvet seating, soft lighting, aged brass fixtures, a fireplace, and a green marble bar with a leather base. “The Gambit Bar marries the classic with the contemporary, tipping its hat to the luxury of decades past from the 1920s to the 1940s and 1950s,” says John D’Angelo, general manager of The Sebastian – Vail.
Bold Drink Menu
The cocktail selection was designed by Miami-based Unfiltered Hospitality to fit into the bar’s location. For example, the Shiffrin 75, named for Vail’s world champion skier Mikaela Shiffrin, is a twist on the post-war French 75. The Shiffrin 75 trades the original gin base for cognac and incorporates lingonberry gastrique, fresh lemon, and a splash of cava on top.
Or seek out the “Mascara Azul con Zorro” sculpture by surrealist Leonora Carrington in the upper lobby of The Sebastian and then order the Carrington Club. The cocktail is a riff on a decades-old classic cocktail and features the addition of a rice paper art homage that floats atop and dissipates into the vodka, tequila, and egg white sour masterpiece with salted blackberries, a hint of citrus, and Pasubio Vino Amaro.
Among the hot options for warming up on a snowy day are the Valley Hot Chocolate and 10th Mountain Cider created by head mixologist Garret Cosgrove that features house-spiced rum and ginger-infused sorghum syrup. Attendees who prefer mocktails, wine, and beer also are in luck at this a new après ski destination in Vail.
Tastes & Tunes
Chef Kevin Erving has created a menu of shareables and heartier bites. For example, meeting planners can order a selection for the table that might include whipped ricotta topped with mint and chili-infused honey and served with spiced pita; Hatch chili cheddar fries topped with chorizo and scallions; and smoked gouda and dill mac and cheese. For more filling options, there are paninis, truffle grilled cheese, prime rib French dip, Wagyu beef burger, and wood-fired pizzas with house-made bison pepperoni.
Après ski at The Gambit Bar also highlights Vail Valley musicians seven days a week. After the après fun concludes, house jazz music will feature classics from the Rat Pack and Michael Bublé to Miles Davis and Ella Fitzgerald.
The Sebastian – Vail has more than 8,500 square feet of meeting and event space along with 84 guest rooms, seven residential suites, and the 36-villa Private Residence Club.
