Aspen's Cafe

My girlfriend and I ate breakfast at the Aspen Cafe (only because we were staying at the Radisson).  We passed on the $9 all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet, which looked a little tired.  It did have a decent selection, if you don't mind eating it luke warm: oatmeal, eggs, bacon, hash browns, pastries, fruit and yogurt.

I ordered the vegetarian scramble which was decent - it was mostly fried potatoes, covered with cheddar cheese, peppers, onions and two scrambled eggs.  My girlfriend ordered blueberry pancakes, which were average - made with a fair number of blueberries, no real maple syrup available, and a rather large portion.

They serve Starbucks coffee exclusively which is nice if you are a coffee snob like myself.  For atmosphere, think a cross between IHOP and Denny's.

We ordered room service one night - veggie pasta & a tuna melt.  The pasta was al dente with fresh veggies and not bad with a little parm.  The tuna was a little soggy, but the fries were crispy.

Overall, not bad for a hotel restaurant.  You can get the same quality food anywhere, do don't make a separate trip with your friends to impress them with your knowledge of obscure hotel restaurants in Aurora.

Think Denny's, but slower, with a worse atmosphere. I was snowed in at the Radisson, and Aspens was dinner by default. The appetizer sampler is the best thing on the menu. Order the New York strip only if you're desperate for steak. And avoid the French onion soup like the plague --- saltier than the buffalo wings!

The following morning, I went for lunch, a little before noon. The salad bar isn't bad, and the seafood fettuccine was edible. It just took forever to get the food. Fortunately, I beat the rush --- about a hundred people who rolled in within a five minute window. Apparently some job fair was being hosted at the hotel...

Bottom line: eat here if there is absolutely no other alternative -- hours are 6am to 10pm. (There are free hotel shuttles that will ferry you around within a five mile radius.) If you must, be prepared for a long wait.

P.S. The drinks come from the hotel bar, and they're very, very weak. I would definitely not recommend the bloody mary's.