I may be a food critic, but that doesn’t mean I love going to new restaurants and tasting new dishes and cuisines. Different is scary, potentially pricey and might taste yucky. I like my favorite dishes at my favorite Boulder restaurants where servers know me and, yes, I even have favorite booths.
Luckily, curiosity and my profession force me — kicking and twitching — out the door to yet another new bakery, cafe, bistro or farmstand. Here are some of the best things I’ve tasted lately at new places in Boulder County.
Stuffed chiles @ Coma Mexican Grill
“Coma” is a conjugation of the Spanish verb comer — “to eat.” I was wicked hungry when I grabbed Saturday brunch at Coma Mexican Grill (4800 Baseline Road, Unit E-105, Boulder), hidden in plain sight in the Meadows Shopping Center. Free fresh corn chips with thick salsa, plus a big side of chunky guacamole, tided me over while checking out weekend breakfast selections like chilaquiles and menudo.
The chile relleno called to me: a lightly fried, house-roasted Anaheim pepper filled with cheese and smothered in meatless green chile sauce. Sidekicks included cheese-topped refried pintos, Mexican rice, lettuce, tomato and warm tortillas.
Coma also offers freshly fried sopapillas, a full bar of margaritas, Mexican beers and tequilas, plus cinnamon-y horchata and Jarritos sodas.
SPAM Musubi and katsu @ L&L Hawaiian BBQ
Having gotten hip to L&L Hawaiian BBQ in Aurora, I made a beeline when Boulder’s shop recently opened (2323 30th St.) dishing the comfy fare I remember. The SPAM and eggs musubi — sizzled meat with seaweed-wrapped rice and sauce — is a great meal by itself if you can overcome your Monty Python misconceptions. The chicken katsu plate covers crispy, schnitzel-like chicken thighs with a mild curry gravy, then pairs it with steamed rice and a mayo-centric macaroni salad. While I was there, devotees streamed in for poke, saimin (ramen), Kalua pork, short ribs, fried shrimp and grilled mahi.
Sourdough loaves @ Daily Grains
From a home kitchen in Lafayette, welcome newcomer Daily Grains is turning out exceptional sourdough loaves using freshly milled heirloom grain. Wife and husband Ashley Overstreet and Paul Bonneville craft exceptional oatmeal raisin cookies, and their crusty, not-too-sweet chocolate cherry sourdough loaf makes outstanding toast. Daily Grains currently sells at the Cure Organic Farm roadside stand on Wednesdays and Saturdays, but the owners expect to break ground soon on a new Lafayette bakery.
Gingerbread @ St. Vrain Cidery
My taste buds were preset for sweet with a side order of spicy heat when I took a sip of St. Vrain Cidery’s (350 Terry St., Unit 130, Longmont) Gingerbread. Instead, the drink offers a semi-sweet, yeasty first taste with ginger, cinnamon and clove emerging, but not overwhelming. A little brown sugar and molasses add earthiness without being syrupy. The final flavor is the essence of the season, no pumpkin required.
Pistachio gelato @ Heaven Creamery
I stumbled on Kiwi International Delights & Coffee in Avon and went in because the name was so odd. It turned out to be a first-class ice cream shop specializing in scratch-made flavors using mostly organic ingredients, with diet-friendly options and excellent coffee drinks. The business has expanded as Heaven Creamery, opening recently at 2525 Arapahoe Ave. I sampled ice creams, gelatos and vegan sorbets using small metal tasting spoons — so superior to plastic. I settled on a spectacular pistachio gelato — naturally light brown instead of artificial green. The moderately sweet, super-creamy treat was infused with tons of nut flavor. For a change of pace, the sweet corn gelato was like a summer picnic — ice cream off the cob. The menu features an astonishing range of flavors including activated charcoal, beers and guanabana.
Coming soon: Genuine hearty Turkish coffee.
Local Food News: Maine Shack Debuts
To the joy of expatriate New Englanders like me, Maine Shack’s Boulder location will finally open Nov. 3 dishing lobster rolls, fried clam bellies and blueberry hand pies at 2010 16th St.
Alice & Rose, the new Alice in Wonderland-themed cafe on the Hill, now serves high tea (and coffee and cocktails and breakfast and more) at 1301 Pennsylvania Ave., Boulder.
The Juicy Seafoodrestaurant has opened at 2341 Clover Basin Drive in Longmont. Nearby, Spitz Mediterranean Restaurant is serving at 1230 S. Hover St.
Plan ahead: Taste of the Town, Nov. 12 at the Dickens Opera House, features 12 Longmont chefs; The Boulder Farmers Market Winter Market is December 2-3 at the Boulder County Fairgrounds (9595 Nelson Road) in Longmont.
Attention keto dieters: Hippo’s Mexican Burgers in Broomfield is offering a free 8-pound burger — but only to diners who can eat the whole thing in one sitting.
Skittles and Wine, Candy Corn with Cheese
According to candystore.com’s data, Reese’s Cups, M&M’s, Hot Tamales, Skittles, Starburst, candy corn and Snickers are among the top 10 most popular Halloween candies in America. The list does not include Milky Way, the lame, bland candy that is apparently the most popular bar in Colorado. Who did they survey? Certainly not kids!
Just because you’re a sophisticated wine drinker, doesn’t mean you don’t also love candy. Brent Karlicek, beverage director at Postino WineCafe, took on the challenge of pairing Halloween favorites with appropriate vintages. For instance, he likes fake-fruity Skittles with Hi-Rise Sauvignon Blanc, a wine he describes as a “fresh, focused and zippy with a hint of lime.” His other pairings include Starburst with Fiore Moscato D’Asti, caramel apples with Holly’s Way chardonnay and Twizzlers (strawberry, not licorice) with Mary Taylor Cabernet Franc.
Meanwhile, this month’s issue of Culture, a cheese magazine, offers tongue-in-cheek candy and cheese pairings including candy corn matched with Mimolette, a creamy, mild soft-ripened cheese which produces “caramel toffee” in your mouth.
Words to Chew On: Sign of the Pie
“The vampire leaned forward, tapping a scimitar claw, and asked: ‘Is that a lion with horns and a pitchfork?’
‘Yep.’
‘Is he carrying a moon on his pitchfork?’
‘No, it’s a pie.’”
— From the novel Magic Bleeds by Ilona Andrews
