St. Louis-style Pork Ribs
Georgia Boys BBQ, 250 Third Ave., Longmont, georgiaboys.com
Well, the secret’s out of the bag on Georgia Boys. It’s been that way for a while. Their expansion into a bigger spot in Longmont, and an even bigger location in Frederick indicates as much. But one thing that can happen when a restaurant gets too big for its britches is that the quality of the food goes down. We’re happy to report that’s not the case at Georgia Boys, where they’re slinging barbecue as good as ever. We opted for the ribs on a recent trip (and, oh hell, some pulled pork, smoked turkey, mac and cheese, and cornbread). The bark on the ribs is jet black, smoky-tasting and crispy. The meat is abundant — you won’t be gnawing on bone just to get a bite (unless you want to). And it’s just so tender. Prices vary.
Reviver
bartaco, 1048 Pearl St., Boulder, bartaco.com
With the heat of summer comes the occasion to drink refreshing gin cocktails in the shade. We are a picky cocktail bunch, always looking for something fresh, but not too sweet; different, but not over the top. The reviver at Boulder’s bartaco is the perfect combination of refreshing summer fruit flavors and the juniper of Martin Miller’s gin. The only sweetness comes from the mango nectar, while the lime juice adds the tart finish. Cucumber and mint garnish the drink, adding the slightest hint of garden flavor. The cocktail pairs perfectly with any of bartaco’s street tacos — especially the mojo pork carnitas. $10.
Butter Pecan Cookie Sandwich
Insomnia Cookies, 1203 13th St., Unit 2, Boulder, insomniacookies.com
As the name indicates, if you’re up at 2:30 a.m. and you need a cookie sandwich, there’s one place to go: Insomnia Cookies. The list of offereings is simple, but genius: cookies, ice cream, and ice cream cookie sandwiches. We tried a sandwich with butter pecan ice cream mashed between two double chocolate chunk cookies. The ice cream was uber-creamy and rich-tasting (you know, buttery), and the cookies were soft, yet able to keep the sandwich from becoming a big, sloppy mess. $5.90.
Thai Chicken Sandwich
Half Fast Subs, 1215 13th St., Boulder, halffastsubs.com
One of the best things about Half Fast Subs is how big their menu is without feeling like they’d just switched out lettuce or added mayo and gave a sandwich a whole new name. There are dozens of unique, bold and inviting sandwich creations on their menu, including the Thai chicken sandwich. It’s like a comfort-food take on the banh mi. Sliced chicken breast, romaine, carrots, sprouts, crispy noodles and spicy Thai peanut sauce all come together to create an inviting mixture of texture and flavor. Served on Half Fast’s perfect crispy-on-the-outside, chewy-on-the-inside hoagie roll, it’s one of many to try. $7.19.
