Over three visits and two dozen dishes, I found almost nothing on this playful menu to dislike save for a couple of uninspired desserts. If Fischer has any faults, they are an overfondness for pungent cheese as punctuation (Maytag Blue man-ages to throw an otherwise splendid plate of venison loin in cranberry bordelaise sauce out of whack) and a tendency to make a few things too tall and busy (notably a tower of jerk-spiced Sonoma quail stuffed with foie gras–laced corn bread, given a tart pan sauce, and lavished with a Medusa’s-head of spaghetti-squash and sweet-potato strings).
Yet his reasonably priced, mix-and-match, grazer-friendly approach to eating makes Six89 a genuine local scene, not just another celeb hot spot. Carbondale, a ranching and potato-growing center whose main drag gives off a countercultural Bolinas vibe, has greeted Fischer with enthusiasm. Every night, his long zinc bar hosts a wide-ranging parade-o’parkas, and his wonderfully talented wine guy, Bill Bentley, keeps the party going. Bentley has a genius for matching quirky, inexpensive boutique wines with Fischer’s bold food. Rancho Zabaco Sonoma Heritage Vines Zinfandel with chile-glazed shrimp; an edgy French Chablis with seafood; crisp Pinot Bianco from the Alto Adige as a sprightly house white—Bentley’s got it covered. He’s one of the few wine directors I’ve come across whom I would trust to choose for me.
Just another reason to love Six89. On the visual, sensual level, there’s more to recommend it. A 100-year-old Arts and Crafts house makes for a cozy warren of sepia-lit rooms focused on a funny cobbled fireplace. Each table bears a few well-edited sprigs from a cool local florist, plus an amusing fried-eggy votive, and generous serving platters made by a Carbondale ceramicist who goes by the name of Alleghany Meadows. Unlike many of the big-name celebrity-chef–driven restaurants in Aspen, Six89 feels rooted in its place. And so do its lucky customers.
Rustique
216 South Monarch Street
Aspen
(970) 920-2555
Dinner daily. Dinner: main courses,
$12 to $24.
Six89
689 Main Street
Carbondale
(970) 963-6890
Dinner daily. Dinner: main courses, $11 to $18.
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