Restaurant Reviews

A sign outside Boulder’s Il Pastaio sums up the experience at this eatery, as it features the famed Leaning Tower of Pisa juxtaposed against the mountainous backdrop of the Flatirons. Assuming this graphic isn’t intended to serve as a vivid reminder of the power of...

A friend recently analogized that Boulder is to Longmont as Manhattan is to Brooklyn. From a dining standpoint, there’s more than a grain of truth in this analogy. Boulder, like Manhattan, has more than its fair share of press-worthy, high-buck eateries whose prices ...

A recent Twitter conversation with my fitness nut of an ex-boss: Me: “Do you even eat ice cream? I thought Crossfit makes you cut fun out of your diet altogether.” Her: “I Crossfit so that I can eat and drink whatever I want. Paleo was no fun...

One sip of chai too many, and colleague Carin plunged into a caffeine-fueled burst of manic energy where she was seemingly channeling the obsessive Carrie Matheson from Homeland (or as I like to call it, “My So-Called War on Terrorism”). She was bouncing off the ...

It had been a while since I poked my head into Mateo, noteworthy for its fine charcuterie and cheese-laden happy hour and accessible South of France cuisine. Warm, sunny days evoke recollections of tooling around Provence’s gorgeous lavender-scented landscapes. As a ...

Thai Avenue Rice and Noodles presents a textbook case of truth in advertising. First of all, it serves Thai food, notably rice and noodles. Secondly, it’s located on Boulder’s College Avenue. This straightforward naming scheme carries over to the no-frills experience...

A recent experience at a national chain sandwich shop in Lusk, Wyo., made me realize why sandwiches aren’t often my first meal choice. My sandwich wasn’t terrible, it’s just that this comestible was strictly functional, with little artistry or care involved in its ...

The most enjoyable meals aren’t just about the food — they’re also about the company, and in some instances, a sense of common purpose. Such is the case with Boulder’s Bácaro Venetian Taverna’s combination Sunday bike ride, lunch and fundraiser. The ride is a ...

Not to disparage the noble roach coach, but for many budding restaurateurs, the food truck is mostly a vehicle (pun intended) to open a sit-down storefront, offering them a low-cost way to vend and market their chow. But like so many things, more dream the dream than...

One of downtown San Francisco’s busiest lunch spots is Sushirrito, whose menu you should be able to ballpark from the name. Like the Wu-Tang Clan, its forearm-sized sushi rolls ain’t nothing to mess with...

Back in the ’80s, before microbreweries and tap rooms had entered the public consciousness, my parents and underage self took a tour of Washington’s now-defunct Olympia brewery. While I recollect that the bar at the end of the tour was an ornate carved wood affair, ...

College buddy Jeff recently paid a visit, and I figured a dose of semi-rural Colorado hospitality would be a welcome respite from his usual routine as a Vegas casino executive. To meet my friend’s need, my venue of choice was Hygiene’s Crane Hollow Café...