Breakfast Sandwich
Shamane’s Bake Shoppe, 2825 Wilderness Place, Unit 800, Boulder, shamanesbakeshoppe.com
Shamane’s is one of those places everyone needs to know about but you selfishly want to keep to yourself so there’s not a line out the door every morning. This small bakery/cafe/deli puts out beautiful pastries, fresh and flavorful soups, salads and sandwiches, and stunning desserts. Stop by at breakfast and choose from a menu of breakfast burritos, pasties, filled croissants, muffins and sandwiches. It’s that last one we chose recently — thick-cut Applewood-smoked bacon topped with a farm-fresh fried egg, tomato, avocado, Muenster cheese and homemade Dijon mayo. It’s all served on house-baked, hearty multigrain bread. Look, we could say it’s as good as a breakfast sandwich gets, but you should just go and try it, and all the other great baked goods and meals at Shamane’s. $9.75.
Involtini
Via Perla, 901 Pearl St., Boulder, viaperla.com
Back in the day, before Airbnb and Travelocity, we spent a weekend at a farm stay in the countryside in northwest Italy’s Lombardy region, where we were first introduced to bresaola, air-dried and salted beef. We were pleasantly surprised by its muskiness and rich flavor. If you can’t make it to Italy anytime soon, if ever, check out the happy hour at Via Perla. There’s a plethora of traditional Italian dishes to choose from, with options for wine pairings and more. Based on our previous experience, we chose the involtini — four pieces of succulent bresaola wrapped around pecorino cheese and fresh arugula. Delightful. $4 for four.
Power Greens Bōl
Whole Sol Blend Bar, 1420 Pearl St., Boulder, wholesol.com
Whole Sol Blend Bar sells healthy bowls, toasts, juices and smoothies. The ingredients in each bowl are dairy- and gluten-free, and everything is organic. The integrity of those ingredients comes across in the food, as in the power greens hot “bōl.” Shredded kale is mixed with sauerkraut, two poached eggs, hemp seeds, Dijon dressing and avocado. The kale is slightly bitter, the sauerkraut is punchy and crunchy, the eggs and avocado are delightfully rich and the Dijon dressing ties it all together. $10.
Oktoberfest Ale
Crystal Springs Brewing Co., 604 Main St. and 657 S. Taylor Ave., Louisville,
crystalsprignsbrewing.com
Tis the season for Oktoberfest-style beer in Boulder County, and we appreciate Crystal Springs’ Oktoberfest ale. It’s got all the malt and richness you want from the autumnal brew, but a delightful and subtle zip that perks up the taste buds. It’s also pretty light on the tongue, so you’ll likely get through a can in no time. Prices vary.
