Santo may boast Boulder’s shortest breakfast menu, yet a steady parade of folks rush in and out of Hosea Rosenberg’s New Mexican eatery on weekday mornings.
I know they’re not here for the exceptional Flatirons view from the patio because most walk away with foil-wrapped cylinders and hop on bikes or drive away oblivious to the landscape.
Santo’s morning selections are:
1) Vegetarian breakfast burrito
2) Breakfast burrito with meat
That’s it, except for cookies, coffee drinks, juice and aguas frescas.
Dozens of Boulder County eateries sell ready-to-go breakfast burritos. The prices vary, as does the burrito size and heat level. Honestly, some are just potatoes and eggs garnished with hot sauce and meat.
The Santo breakfast burrito ups the a.m. ante and draws a crowd because of the quality of everything enclosed in a large, thin flour tortilla. There’s an ideal balance of scrambled eggs, crisply fried tater tots, green chile, red chile, cheese and house-cooked beans.
My choice included house-made chorizo sausage and I added a side of real roasted green chile sauce. It had enough spice to wake me up but not so spicy that I couldn’t taste the goodies.
Santo’s sister eatery, Blackbelly Market, offers a wider menu including more types of smoked meats inside the breakfast burritos.
Nobody knows exactly where and when Colorado’s breakfast burrito boom started, but it was somewhere in the late 1970s. Whenever it spawned, the morning entrée is so popular now that it has its own holiday. This year Colorado will celebrate Breakfast Burrito Day on Oct. 8.
Tiki Recipe Flashback from Trader Vic’s
This is a recipe from Trader Vic Book of Food and Drink (1946, Doubleday Books).
Trader Vic’s Punch
1/2 an orange
1/2 a lemon
1 1/4 ounces dark Jamaica Rum (Red Heart or Myers’s)
1 1/4 ounces Puerto Rican rum (Ron Merito or Brugal)
1 slice pineapple
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon orgeat syrup (almond flavoring)
Squeeze orange and lemon; drip in glass; add a handful of shaved ice with the liquor, fruit, and rest of the ingredients; hand-shake and serve unstrained in a 14-ounce stubby glass.
Another Roadfood Attraction: Widespread Pizza
Like most new neighborhoods in the Denver metro area, Lowry is populated primarily by the same old chain restaurant names. I looked for a local spot to meet up with old friends and found Walter’s 303 Pizzeria & Publik House. A pizzeria is only as good as its crust, and Walter’s hand-tossed crust passes the crunchy-but-tender test. We enjoyed it under two pies. The classic margherita crowned with herb-garlic olive oil, basil leaves, Roma tomatoes and mozzarella. The Greek pizza features herb-garlic olive oil, spinach, sun-dried tomato, artichokes, garlic feta and mozzarella.
Walter’s—which is decorated with Widespread Panic posters—also offers deep-dish versions, gluten free and cauliflower crusts and pizza sauce choices include BBQ marinara and herb-garlic olive oil. Top shelf toppings range from Genoa salami to caramelized onions.
The menu at Walter’s 303 also features calzones, lasagna and a substantial chicken marinara sub sandwich.
Culinary Calendar: Peaches and Wine
The inaugural Ned Jazz and Wine Festival in Nederland’s Chipeta Park on Aug. 20 includes live music, vendors, food and tastes from Colorado beverage makers. On the menu are wines from Augustina’s Winery (in Nederland), Alfred Eames Cellars, Jack Rabbit Hill Farm, Mesa Winds Winery and Silver Vines Winery, with spirits from CapRock, Gold Dirt Distillery and Suerte, plus ciders, lemon wines and meads. Festival proceeds benefit programs for Nederland area seniors. nedjazzwine.com … The menu at Lafayette Peach Festival Aug. 20 includes peaches by the pound, peach pie and cobbler from The Huckleberry, plus queso fries, Nepali food and mini donuts.
Send information about local food events, classes, tastings, pairings, farmstands and eatery openings to: [email protected]
