Aspen has fancier and certainly more expensive places to dine, but Blue Maize stands tall amid the town’s admirable collection of culinary palaces. With a cool bar, tasty sangria and wicked good margs served by the eminent Oliver Sharpe, saddling up for drinks is reason enough to visit Blue Maize. But then you’d miss the real party. Creative juices flow in the kitchen, and everything, from the sauces to the entrees, reflects free-flowing artistry. Jalapeño and shrimp poppers served with a sweet chili jam. Oh, yeah. Grilled Brie and mango quesadilla with a yogurt sauce. Bring it. Roasted poblano Caesar. Sizzling fajitas, including a vegetable fajita dish capable of swaying the most ardent carnivores. Not pure Mexican and not Southwest, but a tangy, fresh mix has established Blue Maize as a mainstay in Aspen’s ever-changing landscape of eateries.
Get there — 308 S. Hunter St.
