Madras Yellow Curry Bowl
Flower Child, 2580 Arapahoe Ave., Unit 110, Boulder, iamaflowerchild.com
Flower Child delivers a menu focused on freshness, which caters to vegans, vegetarians, Paleo dieters, non-gluteners and the otherwise dietary-restricted. Of course, dietary restrictions are not a requisite for enjoying Flower Child’s salads, bowls, wraps and more, as we experienced with the Madras Yellow Curry Bowl. Bright cilantro and jalapeno balance a creamy, thick, turmeric-forward yellow curry, with heirloom carrots, green beans, broccoli, brown rice and grilled chicken going along for the ride. $9.95.
La Famosa Torta Cubana
Cilantro Mexican Restaurant, 3980 Broadway, Unit 104, Boulder, cilantro-mexican-restaurant.business.site
North Boulder’s newest restaurant is a small Mexican shop, Cilantro, that serves a classic menu of tacos, gorditas, tortas and more. We couldn’t resist trying La Famosa Torta Cubana after reading its ingredients — chorizo, thin and breaded pork, ham, hot dog, queso Oaxaca (like mozzarella), American cheese, onion, tomato, avocado, lettuce and chipotle salsa. It sounds like too much, but it’s not. It’s an indulgence, sure, but it all comes together in the way a muffuletta or Italian sub does. Kudos to the roll for keeping it all together. $9.99.
Lobster Roll
Maine Event food truck, Mobile, Boulder County, themaineeventfoodtruck.com
The Maine Event food truck delivers lobster rolls, clam chowder and other delicacies along the Front Range. We caught them at Rayback Collective one recent evening and ordered up a lobster roll — succulent lobster meat, mayonnaise, lemon and diced celery on the classic lobster roll bun. $18.
Basil Jalapeno Chicken
China Gourmet, 1345 Dry Creek Drive Unit A, Longmont, and 3970 N. Broadway, Boulder, chinagourmetmenu.com
China Gourmet has a long menu of both classic and innovative Chinese dishes. Its list of “Shanghai Specials” includes delicious and unique options like cold salty duck, eggplant hot pot with pork, kung pao squid and basil jalapeno chicken. It’s that last dish we opted for on a recent visit — it’s a deeply umami and comforting mixture of flavor and texture, with crunchy onions and peppers combined with salty and savory chicken and bright, fresh jalapenos. $11.95.
