Aspen 2013-1 & 2: Takah Sushi, as good as ever; The Trecento Quindici Decano, disappointing; and bb's Kitchen, charming chow, princely price.

As is our habit, we arrived on a late plane to Aspen, getting us in in just enough time to get over to Takah Sushi, but were surprised to find we could get in easily (a Saturday night at 9) as opposed to waits or sitting on the stools as in prior years.  We wondered....has the recession finally arrived in Aspen, was the crowd thin due to the horrible weather, or was it just an off-year?  Who knows?

In any case we shared some edamame and a very good white wine from Chile.  Colette liked the gaspacho soup and the Viet Namese spring rolls with shrimp (this year they were pre-rolled, unlike last year; she asked for additional mint to enhance the flavor plus additional peanut sauce).  I enjoyed the sashimi assortment; both mains were Gold Standard.

With no desserts or coffees our bill was $99 before tip.

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As Colette and I looked over the eatAspen website's terrific accounting of new places (or chefs) since we were here a year ago, she said, "Let's eat at a new place."  "That sounds nice" says she about The Trecento Quindici Decano, where the St. Regis has installed yet-another chef with yet another schtick, this time Thomas Riordan and David Viviano cooking "traditional Italian dishes."

We started off with the clams al forno on a huge bed of kale - the clams had a strange taste (? truffle oil spray) but the kale a terrific dressing; then Colette had a dish of Trentte pasta with thickly diced pancetta and a very spicy chili sauce (to my taste not hers), but my cavatelli were soggy and doughy and the homemade sausage and greens sauce merely ordinary.

With a bottle of Chianti and no desserts or coffee, our bill was $86.35 before tip.

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bb's Kitchen is another of our favorites from years gone by, with creative cooking and good service.  After their superb bread "bowls" ? boules, with cherry relish, Colette had the salt & pepper shrimp with kimchi, cilantro and Jasmine rice and I the crispy duck and even crispier duck leg with an Okonomiyaki Japanese veggie pancake and crisp cut cabbage.  First rate all.

With a bottle of Cabernet and no desserts of coffees, our bill was $109.30.  Good price-quality?  Humm.  Good quality, bad price.