Cubano
Blackbelly, 1606 Conestoga St., Boulder, blackbelly.com
You probably already know that Blackbelly creates excellent food by sourcing excellent local produce, meat and grains. This is how Chef Hosea Rosenberg can take something as simple as a Cubano sandwich and turn it into something extravagant. Blackbelly’s grownup version of a ham and cheese sandwich comes to the table on a glistening, slightly crunchy, slightly chewy Cubano roll. Thinly sliced ham is layered between Swiss cheese, with crisp house-made pickles adding just the right amount of crunch and zest. $12.
Steak and Egg Burrito
La Choza, 4457 Broadway and 1203 13th St., Boulder,lachozaboulder.com
Whether you find them in North Boulder, on the Hill or at their pop-up truck location off 47th Street in East Boulder, you know you’re going to get delicious, authentic, fresh Mexican fare at La Choza. Their tacos, quesadillas, burritos, tortas and more are always massively portioned and filled with your choice of delicious meats or veggies. We chose from their sizeable breakfast burrito menu recently, picking out the steak and eggs. The steak was tender and flavorful, potatoes and cheese filled the rest of the burrito out, and the tortilla was perfectly pressed and lightly charred. And you can’t beat the price, either. $3.50.
Chicken Makhni
Curry ‘N’ Kebob, 3050 28th St., Boulder, currynkebob.com
Curry ‘N’ Kebob makes comfort food, simple as that. You may have never had some of their dishes from North India and Bangladesh, but it sure feels cozy and familiar to dig into their curries, tandoori dishes, vegetarian/vegan fare and, of course, their irresistible naan. We opted for the chicken makhni on a recent trip. It’s a curry similar to masala — cream (or coconut milk) and tomato sauce with spices, garlic and ginger — except the makhni gets a savory pick-me-up with the addition of tender chicken thighs, the most flavorful part of the bird. The curry is thick with shredded tandoori-grilled thighs, and the spice is just right. $12.
Andouille Sausage and Prawns
Beatrice and Woodsley, 38 S. Broadway, Denver, beatriceandwoodsley.com
After seeing the Dior show at the Denver Art Museum, it seemed like a fancy meal was in order, so we headed down Broadway to the charming Beatrice and Woodsley. Designed to look like a rustic mountain cabin, Beatrice and Woodsley serves classic dishes with modern flare, like their andouille sausage and prawns. Grilled with fresh corn and tender herb dumplings, plump prawns and spicy sausage are covered in soothing, earthy hiuitlacoche (whee-tla-KO-cheh) madeira sauce. Filling, comforting and just a bit messy. $27.
