Chocolate Croissant
Breadworks Bakery and Cafe, 2644 Broadway, Boulder, 303-444-5667
If croissants were cars, Breadworks’ take on the pastry would be a Land Rover — hulking, powerful and sure to get your stomach where it needs to go. Their behemoth of a croissant is packed with a choice of chocolate or ham and cheese. In the chocolate variety, a dark chocolate tapenade is folded into the dough, spread evenly throughout to ensure sweetness on every bite. $4.
Pork Belly Buns
Uncle, 2215 W. 32nd Ave., Denver. uncleramen.com
Don’t be dissuaded by the wait at Uncle. There’s a reason people line up every night of the week (closed Sundays) to eat their hearty bowls of heaping ramen. But we’d be remiss if we didn’t also mention the savory steamed buns that make a delectable starter. Soft, airy steamed buns are filled with melt-in-your-mouth pork belly meat. Ample and fragrant hoisin sauce provides a combination of sweet and salty, while cucumbers add just a bit of crunch. And for the month of January, $1 from every order goes to the The Rocky Mountain Chapter of Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation. $9 for two.
Prime Rib and Provolone Sandwich
Snarf’s Sandwiches, several locations in Boulder County, eatsnarfs.com
The folks at Snarf’s have taken over the Boulder County sandwich industry. But it’s no wonder a new shop, or a Snarfbuger, seems to pop up somewhere every month — their sandwiches, salads and burgers are packed thick, consistent and made fast. On their “premium” menu, there exists such fare as corned beef, rotisserie chicken and eggplant parm, but a shining star is the prime rib and provolone. The prime rib at Snarf’s is tender, juicy and imbued with the deep, wonderful taste of medium-rare cow. The Snarf’s standard bun — crusty on the outside, chewy on the inside — is an ideal vessel for the mound of meat, cheese, lettuce, tomato, mustard and mayo. $9.20.
Rocky Mountain Roll
Mr. Sake Sushi and Grill, 1387 E. South Boulder Road, Louisville, mrsakesushigrill.com
We don’t know who Mr. Sake is, but we like his sushi. The specialty rolls at Louisville’s Mr. Sake Sushi and Grill are unique, well-crafted and fresh. Their Rocky Mountain roll includes spicy yellowtail, spicy salmon, shrimp tempura, crab shreds (kani) and avocado. It’s hard to imagine how they crammed all that into one roll, but it tastes so good it doesn’t matter. The tempura adds pleasant crunch, the crab and avocado sweetness, the yellowtail and salmon a bit of heat and savoriness. Take out or eat in Mr. Sake’s cozy dining room. $13.95.
