Banderillas
Dagabi Cucina, 3970 Broadway, Suite 101, Boulder,
dagabicucina.com
Few things are more synonymous with summer than shish kebobs. Meat chunks and vegetables roasted on a stick over a flaming grill just taste better in warm weather it seems. Seeing as our daily average temps are still lingering in the 80s, now’s a good time to get your fill of the skewered treat at Dagabi Cucina. The tapa comes with chorizo, pepper and onion, char-grilled to blackened perfection. The chorizo is spicy hot, and also robustly flavored with red and black spices. Its texture is fatty, tender and crispy on the edges. The vegetables add the necessary crunch to each bite, while the grill brings out the concentrated brightness and fruitiness of the peppers and onions. $7.
Nashville Hot Chicken
The Post Brewing Co., 105 W. Emma St., Lafayette, and 1258 S. Hover Road, Longmont; postbrewing.com
Nashville Hot Chicken took over the world last year. It’s a surprise it took so long, given our collective appetite for fried stuff and chicken, and the dish’s long-standing popularity and abundance in the South. Nevertheless, we’re glad it went national, and The Post, which is opening a Boulder outpost downtown to complement its Longmont and Lafayette locations (there’s one in Denver too), does the style well. Extra crispy (and gluten-free) fried chicken is bathed in a spicy vinegar sauce and served alongside some sopping and spicy pickles. The meat on the inside is, like the original Post chicken, tender and delicious. But the combination of a well-browned crust and electric sauce is dynamite on the tongue. $15.
Philly Cheesesteak
D’Angelo’s Deli, 3325 28th St., Suite 1, Boulder,
dangelosdeli.com
Everyone has an opinion on the Philly Cheesesteak. It’s got to be this way or that, with provolone or cheese wiz, peppers and/or onions, hoagie or Kaiser roll, from this place or that… You can argue about the variations forever. But the parsing of particulars kind of ruins what should be a simple pleasure in life: a greasy meat and cheese parade, wherein your mouth and belly are the guests of honor. D’Angelo’s, straight out of Philadelphia (lest you forget it, there’s photos of Eagles players and Rocky on the wall, and the sandwiches are named after greater Philly-area institutions), does homage to its motherland’s main dish. Hot, tender beef is mixed in with choice of cheese (provolone here), and heaped, with peppers and onions, on a soft, chewy hoagie roll. $11.50.
Roasted Poblano Tamale
Los Dos Bros food truck, Mobile, Boulder County, losdosbrosfoodtruck.com
Los Dos Bros is a popular food truck. It’s no wonder, either —their take on Mexican street food is classic, fresh and without frills. Opting for the special of the day, we tried the roasted poblano and grilled chicken tamales. The filling was tender and simply spiced, allowing the natural flavor of the poblano peppers and chicken to star. The dough wrapped around the filling was pillowy and slightly sweet, providing a foundation like a firm mattress for the innards. Fresh hot sauce was the only condiment needed on the piping hot treat. $3.
