Colorado restaurant openings are common these days. It seems like every week, another new, exciting concept is ushering in guests for the first time, trying to beat the odds and join the ranks of established staples.

Yet, for Frasca Hospitality Group – which has since its now Michelin-starred Boulder flagship’s opening in 2004, brought five restaurants to the Denver metro area including a Michelin Bib Gourmand for Tavernetta in LoDo – new openings are sparse, heavily planned and brimming with expectation. So, when Tavernetta Vail opened its doors in December, Bobby Stuckey’s award-winning, locally fostered conglomerate was taking a new, albeit calculated risk loaded with firsts.