Restaurant Reviews
Creation Story
Creativity is paramount in the coffee game. Hell, creativity is the coffee game. Now, the folks at Folger’s would have you believe it’s about ease, and the hipsters downtown would have you believe it’s all about Bunsen burners and science bottles. But at its core, ...
Where in the world?
There’s something about the term “international” that makes it a sort of red flag when judging a restaurant by its menu cover. It’s understandable prejudice on one hand — jack-ofall-trades, master of none, bringing to mind half-assed buffets and ubiquitous houses of ...
Sun Rose Cafe does things Texas-sized
There I was, sandwiched in between some of my worst restaurant pet peeves (parents at the next table encouraging their child to stop screaming by encouraging it to watch a video on a laptop, and the dull ambiance killing roar of an overly loud refrigeration unit) ...
Recreating a childhood Asian treat
Noodles were always an integral part of my family’s Friday night dinners in Oakland Chinatown. Sometimes these restaurant repasts featured thick ribbons of chow fun rice noodles topped with slices of flank steak seasoned with salty black beans and hot mustard. If we ...
Cheaper than a plane ticket to Japan
Melita and David Issa know a good Izakaya. An Izakaya is best translated as a tavern, or in the case of Izakaya Amu, a classy looking sake bar. In Japan, this is the place to go after work to drink, smoke, eat and drink some more. In Boulder, Amu is the place to ...
Mumtaz Mediterranean Food elevates street fare
In four street food dishes, Mumtaz cultivated unique flavor and elevated the routine to the exceptional.
The first dish was a lamb and beef gyro...
Peep this
It would be a lie to call Le Peep “Boulder’s best kept secret.” For one, the diner is a chain with dozens of locations, and it’s been in Boulder for 30 years or so. The chain has been around even longer. Then there’s the fact that it’s got a reasonable level of ...
Following the recipe
From the outside, Vina Pho & Grill has that anonymous, unappealing look so many non- Pearl Street located Boulder restaurants have: a plain tan box with a sign of some sort. It is the khaki of architecture...
An escape to Paris
Clear winter days often put me in a Paris frame of mind. This time of year, cold, crisp air, leafless trees and wintry light give the French capital a monochromatic yet nostalgic quality. For me, this romantic appearance evokes the black and white photography of ...
Real ramen rocks at Bento Zanmai
Rmen gets a bad rap in the United States, especially since most of us are only familiar with the instant dime-a-pack variety, weighted down with a surplus of salt and MSG. This is too bad, as authentic ramen has about as much resemblance to the starving student ...
Red Rock Coffeehouse checks a lot of boxes
While recently promoting her latest book, Patti Smith detoured and talked about her love of cafes, an affinity that started in the ’60s.
“Back then,...
Deck snacks at the Rex
For over a hundred years, the building housing The Louisville Rex has provided Main Street with entertainment of one kind or another...

















