In Hollywood, Petit Trois is a couple dozen seats and a bar you fight for. In Aspen, it gets a fireplace and mountain views from the rooftop. The restaurant, French for “little three,” opened last December inside MOLLIE, marking chef Ludo Lefebvre’s second Colorado restaurant since Denver’s Chez Maggy in 2022. Ludo trained in some of France’s top kitchens before moving to Los Angeles in 1996, and Aspen wasn’t a hard sell; he’d visited for years and liked the pace.
“I am obsessed with cowboys and Western aesthetics and tried to implement that into Petit Trois in Aspen,” he says. Much of the menu carries over from L.A., headlined by the big mec, a cheeseburger with bordelaise and special sauce. “It’s pretty decadent,” Ludo says. “Definitely a knife-and-fork burger.” Aspen’s version adds a twist: no foie gras is allowed in California, so the kitchen folds it into the bordelaise—an Aspen-only upgrade.
The wine list, from sommeliers Dustin Wilson and Sabato Sagaria of The Little Nell, runs about 100 bottles, with 80 percent under $150, a rarity in a town where wine lists rarely apologize. The pear, the bar’s French 75 answer, swaps in pear eau-de-vie and a house bay leaf cordial for something lighter than most menus bother with. Food & beverage manager Pietro Schiano Lomoriello walks us through what makes it work.
Ask the Beverage Manager
Pietro Schiano Lomoriello
A French 75, reconsidered: “The pear is our take on the French 75. Our former bar director in Los Angeles was an incredible creative force who loved to put a spin on classic cocktails. It’s a hit here in L.A., and we’re happy that Aspen is responding similarly.”
Not just a fall drink: “This cocktail is featured year-round and welcomed in all seasons. It’s super bright and refreshing while having that rich pear note to round it out.”
Where it sits on the menu: “Our cocktail menu is built with balance in mind. It’s best paired with our signature trout almondine or pasta dishes! As a lighter option, it’s also a great way to start your dining experience.”
On substituting the pear eau-de-vie: “It is not impossible to find. We would recommend not substituting it because it is integral to the drink’s fruit and spirit-forward base.”
Pear Cocktail
Ingredients
- 3/4 oz. London dry gin
- 1/4 oz. Clear Creek Pear Brandy
- 1 oz. bay leaf cordial
- Bordelet Poire cider (to top)
Bay Leaf Cordial
- 500 ml. bay leaf simple syrup (recipe below)
- 500 ml. acidified bay leaf tea (recipe below)
Bay Leaf Simple Syrup
- 500 g. cane sugar
- 500 g. hot water
- 10 bay leaves (torn)
- 3 g. Foam Magic
- 1 g. salt
Acidified Bay Leaf Tea
- 500 g. hot water
- 10 bay leaves (torn)
- 30 g. citric acid powder
Directions
- Add the gin, pear brandy, and bay leaf cordial to a shaker tin and shake until well chilled.
- Strain into a coupe glass and top with cider.
Bay Leaf Cordial
- Combine the bay leaf simple syrup and acidified bay leaf tea.
- Seal and store in the refrigerator.
Bay Leaf Simple Syrup
- Combine all ingredients into a non-reactive container and mix until the salt and Foam Magic dissolve.
- Let steep for 20 minutes, then remove the bay leaves.
- Seal and refrigerate.
Acidified Bay Leaf Tea
- Combine all ingredients into a non-reactive container and mix until the citric acid dissolves.
- Let steep for 20 minutes, then remove the bay leaves.
- Seal and refrigerate.
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