Archive for the ‘Restaurants’ Category
Beef brisket is one of the toughest cuts of meat around. In the right hands, it’s rendered fork-tender and full of flavor. Of course, it takes several hours to get that way, but Front Range Barbeque has both the touch and the time to get the right results.
The restaurant, in a modified bungalow in Old Colorado City, has several small, crowded rooms and a large outdoor dining area. The latter is enclosed and heated for year-round seating. It’s a comfortable setting for live music. Front Range is homey, busy and is a place to make friends with the people at nearby tables – because these are such cramped quarters. Servers maneuver through the small maze of diners, and everyone keeps their elbows close.
Once the food arrives, it’s easy to forget the jam-packed conditions and enjoy the meal. Besides the fall-apart-beef, Front Range knows how to do sides. The baked beans are thick with molasses and bits of shredded pork. Coleslaw is creamy, but not excessively so. The platters also feature mini-cornbread muffins and thinly-sliced onion rings.
The cooked-to-perfection meat takes center stage with its charred coat. It’s served dry, but three sauces, made in-house, provide the opportunity to enhance the taste. There’s Original Tangy, Sweet n’ Spicy, Mustard Wine. The latter is an unusual combination of Dijon mustard and white wine. It complemented the French fries better than it did the meat. The tangy has too much vinegar, while the sweet and spicy is just the right yin-yang combination.
Front Range Barbeque
Almost-Four Plates
2330 W. Colorado Ave.
Colorado Springs, CO
I almost hate to admit it, but strip malls hide some pretty good places to eat. Small and unassuming, Yolanda’s Tacos is a good example. With little to attract attention from the surrounding, hectic commercial scene of Arapahoe Road in south Denver, Yolanda’s appears to be the kind of place that thrives on word-of-mouth disclosures; the colorful, order-at-the-counter eatery was packed.
True to its name, Yolanda’s offers a large variety of tacos, as well as daily specials that include enchiladas, chile rellenos or taco salad. If it were called Yolanda’s Chile Rellenos, that might have been what I ordered. Instead, I chose the Tacos Barbacoa, shredded seasoned beef concealed by mounds of shredded lettuce and cheese. Half the amount of lettuce would have still been too much. Nonetheless, the beef was worth wading through the greens. It was tender and flavorful, as if it had simmered for hours, if not days, in a vinegar-based, chile-infused marinade. The medium-spiced salsa was the perfect accompaniment. Since the fillings were wrapped in soft corn tortillas, it was superfluous to have tortilla chips on the plate. The upside was that the chips were great for using up all of the salsa.
Among the types of tacos available are the pedestrian ground beef and chicken. The more intriguing offerings include Mahi Mahi, Blue Crab, Shrimp, Carnitas, shredded pork, steak and vegetarian. Burritos, nachos, taco salads and tostadas round out the regular menu items.
Yolanda’s Tacos has two other locations; it bodes well that they’re also in strip malls.
Yolanda’s Tacos
Three-and-a-half Plates
9612 E. Arapahoe Rd.
Greenwood Village, Colo.
I was in the mood for something special – most likely inspired by the biography of Julia Child I’m reading. Whatever the reason, we landed at La Baguette French Bistro. I’ve written before about La Baguette, known for its French Onion Soup and crusty bread, but the Bistro, while sharing a similar name, is a different family altogether.
This comfortable, unpretentious restaurant has an impressive dinner menu. Yes, French Onion Soup is an available starter, but we opted to begin with the Tomate, Avocado, Mozzarella Salate. It’s an upgraded version of a Caprese Salad; thanks not only to the addition of the avocado, but also the orange-infused olive oil.
The evening special was Salmon Tips in a cream sauce served over quinoa with green beans almondine, which my husband ordered. It’s hard to go wrong with a cream sauce on anything, and the salmon was no disappointment. However, this was one meal where I did not suffer from entrée envy. I was unabashedly smug with my choice of Veal a la Normandie topped with a cream sauce made with applejack brandy, mushrooms and apples. The apples added just the right amount of texture to balance the earthy flavor of the mushrooms. This was a lick-your-plate-clean meal.
An inordinate amount of attention has been paid to the décor with a French village motif. Lighting is dim, the service considerate, but the owners really need to say au revoir to the canned classic rock and roll music coming through the speakers.
La Baguette French Bistro
Four Plates
4440 N. Chestnut St.
Colorado Springs, CO
Spice of Life is always one of those reliable go-to places. Well, almost always. Breakfast and lunch standards have been part of the Spice landscape for (20) years. In truth, the food is more than standard, especially considering the small cooking/prep area behind the counter.
This is a popular Manitou Springs hangout. It’s the spot to meet friends, have a cup of coffee or pick up a gourmet food item, including spices. Recently, a beer and wine license was acquired and tapas appeared on the menu. Unfortunately, the tapas fall into the average category.
By definition, tapas are small plates. Although they’ve been around for years, it seems there’s a tapas bandwagon that has recently come into favor in the Colorado Springs area. Without taking anything away from the Spice guys (Michael and Doug) or their establishment, snacks are a more honest description for much of the Tapas menu. Handfuls of olives, cheese, slices of baguette and roasted peppers fall short of a well-rounded tapas identity. Of course, if we had ordered the Caprese Sandwich or Chicken Skewers, something that involved cooking or more preparation, I’d have less to quibble about.
Nonetheless, the appetizers were tasty: a large variety of olives, a tangy caponatta, and a creamy Roule – in this case made with sheep’s milk and rolled in herbs. I’ve always been pleased with the granola pancakes and sandwichs (especially the Vegetarian Delight), I’ll stick to those. Although, when enjoying a glass of wine, it is nice to have a little nosh.
Spice of Life
Three Plates
727 Manitou Ave.
Manitou Springs, CO.
Most Italian restaurants go in for overkill in the dining room: red-checkered table cloths, Chianti bottles coated in streaming tears of wax, accordion music playing in the background. At Bella Panini, however, the emphasis on all things Italian takes place in the kitchen – where it should.
The friends who introduced us to Bella warned us that on a Friday night we’d be in for a lengthy wait to get a table. Somehow, we timed our arrival just right and were seated immediately. Although our companions are regulars, we all received a warm welcome.
The restaurant features an impressive beer and wine menu, but it’s the food that commands your attention. An array of pastas and Paninis are available, as are soups and salads. The thin crust pizza was tempting, but I was more attracted to the Stuffed Pasta Roll and the nightly fish special: Sea Bass Topped with Etouffee over a bed of Linguini.
The pasta roll is stuffed with sausage, spinach and mushrooms covered with a sun dried tomato pesto sauce. It’s lasagna gone round. The fish was equally creative. Who would think of Etoufee in a place called Bella Panini? The classic Louisiana stew made with shrimp and crawfish was just piquant enough to make sure I was awake to enjoy it. The mild, flakey sea bass was the perfect neutralizer.
The one nod to the décor is in the subtle murals evocative of rural Italy. That’s easy enough to dine with. Mangiare!
Bella Panini
Four-and-a-Half Plates
4 Highway 105
Palmer Lake, Colo
My friend, Esteban, knows food. He reads about it, talks about it, cooks it (exceptionally well), and, of course, enjoys eating it. When it came time to celebrate his recent birthday he knew just where he wanted to share a meal: Tapateria. This unassuming little restaurant serves, not surprisingly, tapas, or little plates, which are big on variety and flavors.
Placemats with photos of the tapas serve as the menus. A couple of chalkboards feature additional items, including drink specials and desserts. The laminated placemats are the least classy aspect in the place. Nonetheless, it’s hard to keep eyes averted. Each menu item is numbered and falls into one of four categories: Bocadas (snacks), Verduras (vegetarian), Mariscos (seafood) and Carne (meats).
We started with the Pan con Tomate, thick toasted bread slathered with a fresh tomato paste. Because this was reminiscent of Spain, Esteban requested adding Serrano. This air-cured, Spanish national ham was sliced paper thin and deliciously salty. We also ordered the Chorizo-stuffed Mushrooms. Both dishes featured distinct flavors in little bites, however, the mushrooms were disappointingly small. We also ordered the Tuna Carpaccio Salad. Four thin slices of fresh tuna atop a bed of spinach, with capers, cherry tomatoes, sliced red onions, red peppers and diced cucumbers drizzled with a creamy, tangy dressing. It was great way to end our lunch.
The meal was deliberately slow paced, and we could have easily extended our stay. When we finally left it was to enjoy a walk in the cool fall weather — so could we still talk about food.
Tapateria
Four Plates
2607 W. Colorado Ave.
Colorado Springs, CO
Although the window into the kitchen of Trinity Brewing Company is small, diners can almost see food being prepared. On the other hand, larger windows provide spacious views of the brew master at work. Brew pubs shouldn’t get a pass on food just because beer is their primary focus. Fortunately, Trinity appears to agree – even if the observation point is restricted.
Of course, we ordered beer. I was in the mood to sample the pumpkin saison, but it was only being sold in much larger quantities than we cared to consume. We settled for the Flo, the in-house I.P.A. Trinity brews its beer on premises, but also features around 35 different “guest beers” on tap.
I ordered the Soul Gouda Soup and Forest Salad of organic spinach, red onions, walnuts and mushrooms with a tangy Tahini-lemon dressing. The soup arrived at the table looking like a bowl of peanut butter topped with pretzel pieces and green onions. It’s the kind of thing most five-year-olds would push aside and refuse to taste. My palate is far removed from that kind of disdain, and while I agree it didn’t look very appetizing the soup was decadently rich, creamy and full of flavor. The buttery, smoky gouda was augmented by the Soul Horkey Ale.
My husband’s Balsamic Chicken Wrap was good but messy. We shared an order of Belgian Fries. These twice-fried potato sticks are served in a paper cone and come with a choice of sauces. The homemade Ketchup was a good pick.
Trinity Brewing Company
Three-and-a-half Plates
1466 Garden of the Gods Rd.
Colorado Springs, CO
The Handy Market is just that: conveniently located and, despite its compact size, well-stocked with fresh produce, an impressive meat counter and a decent selection of wine and beer. And there’s the Saturday barbecue.
Every Saturday the industrial grills are loaded with a variety of meats cooked to fork-tender perfection. The aroma alone is hypnotizing. People stand in line – often a block long – to order ribs, chicken and tri-tip, but the bonus is the aroma emanating from the ballooning smoke of the grills.
A Santa Maria-like style is used: meats are cooked over a hot, hot bed of slow burning fuel, such as mesquite. Tri-tip is a lean roast with one fatty side from which the juices flow into the meat during the cooking process.
A recent visit to LA netted a trip to the Handy Market. We arrived later in the afternoon and the line was only about ten people deep. A wipe board identifies the meats, and orders are placed at the window of a trailer. The grills are set up next to it in the market’s parking lot. We ordered the trip-tip and chicken. With just the right amount of salty, smoky flavors, and optional tangy sauce, the Tri-tip is the meat of choice.
Grilled corn and salads, ordered at the meat counter, are offered. Once the meats, which are sold by the pound, are wrapped in heavy duty foil there’s the option of having them slathered in a thick, rich barbecue sauce. Go for it.
The Handy Market
Four-and-a-half Plates
2514 W. Magnolia Blvd.
Burbank, Calif.
Father Greg Boyle is a rock star in Los Angeles. His status is a reflection of his strong faith; it’s not based on short-lived trends or fickle fashion. He’s revered for his efforts – actions which give more than lip service – to helping former gang members contribute positively to society. He started Homeboy Industries whose slogan is “Jobs Not Jails,” in 1988. Homeboy offers a range of services from tattoo removal to education, from counseling to career placement, and boasts several social enterprises, including the Homegirl Café, that put people to work.
The Café is run primarily by women with former gang affiliations or who have lived in dangerous domestic violence situations. The Café, as with the other enterprises, gives people a chance to learn conventional social skills while becoming economically independent.
In LA it’s possible everyone who ventures into the Café knows the story. Although it’s a good one, the fresh, enticing food is the real reason to stop by. Sure, it’s a great cause, but this is far from a charity case. All the women work hard, know the food and serve it with pride. It helps that much of the 100 percent organic produce is grown in Homeboy mini-farms.
Most of the menu items have a Latino flair. Chilaquiles combine fresh corn tortilla chips covered in a green salsa that relies more on flavor than fire. It’s topped with crema fresca and crumbly cotija cheese, and red onions. They’re breakfast super nachos, a great way to jump start the morning. There are a few alternatives to the mostly-spicey entrees, including Blueberry Multi-grain and Quinoa Pancakes. These taste as healthy as they sound, but the refreshing burst of blueberries in almost every bite makes them seem decadent.
Homegirl Café
Four Plates
130 W. Bruno St.
Los Angeles, CA
Breakfast and lunch served Monday through Saturday
I was tempted to revisit Giampietro’s when my husband and I recently returned to Breckenridge, but I knew we should venture some place new. Good call because we discovered Relish. We dined al fresco on a not-quite-chilly-not-at-all-warm evening where we enjoyed exceptional food and superior service.
Relish features an extensive wine list and a menu heavy on choices with unusual flavor profiles. I love avocados, but it never occurred to me to fry one; I had to try this appetizer served with duck confit, honey-glazed shredded carrots and chimichurri sauce. The avocado was lightly coated with panko before it was pan-fried. The result was a crunchy shell with a creamy interior. The other ingredients complemented one another surprisingly well.
To me, the sign of a good menu is when there are several entrees that sound appealing. At Relish there were at least four I found intriguing, but, with some direction from our server, I went with the Almond-crusted Opah served with miniature squash, wild rice with corn and split pea all embellished with a refreshing, creamy lemon sauce. The fish was flakey, subtle and a perfect match for the sauce. My husband ordered the Porcini-crusted sea scallops served with crispy raviolis filled with mushroom and ricotta. They looked like large wontons, and were clumsy to eat yet fascinating – although I only got one bite.
Our server was knowledgeable without being condescending. She was friendly but not effusive; she enhanced the meal, which is an art.
Relish
Four-and-a-half Plates
137 S. Main St.
Breckenridge, CO
The Blue Page Special 