Chili Verde Burrito
Coma Mexican Grill, 4800 Baseline Road, Unit E-105, Boulder, comamexgrill.com
The latest addition to the shopping plaza on Baseline and Foothills is Coma Mexican Grill — a casual joint with a big menu and bigger flavors. Enchiladas, gorditas, tacos, burritos, all-day breakfast and so much more are there for the ordering. We opted for the chili verde burrito — a massive wrap of pork green chili, cheese, beans, guacamole, tomatoes and sour cream. The heat level is just right (though feel free to add the in-house hot sauce for big spice), and it’ll fill you up for the day for under 10 bucks. $9.99.
Stop-Go Quesadilla
Darleen’z Dillaz, Mobile, Boulder County, darleenzdillaz.com
Quesadillas were in need of an innovation, and Darleen’z Dillaz took on the task. The food truck whips up a menu of unique, tasty quesadillas, including the Stop-Go. It’s made of tender braised pork, jalapeño, roasted sweet corn, caramelized onions, asadero cheese, and topped with a chipotle-lime aioli. The flavor is huge, and what’s remarkable is how the quesadilla is truly packed with ingredients, yet doesn’t get flimsy or fall apart. A great handheld, indeed. $11.
40th Anniversary Ale
Boulder Beer, 2880 Wilderness Place, Boulder, boulderbeer.com
Boulder Beer celebrated its 40th anniversary last month, and in concert with the festivities, the esteemed brewery released its 40th Anniversary Ale — a strong golden ale that lives up to the moment. Brewed with Simcoe, Tettnang, Denali and Eldorado hops, the 9% ABV ale has a bright citrus backbone. But atop that foundation there’s the zip of pineapple, which was added in the brewing process; a mellow oakiness, from fresh oak chips that were added during fermentation; and, still, a refreshing dryness from Champagne yeast. Find it in bombers at your local liquor store or stop by Boulder Beer and ask for a taste. Prices vary.
Black Bottom Cupcake
Spruce Confections, Downtown: 767 Pearl St., Boulder; Uptown: 4684 Broadway, Boulder, spruceconfections.com
Spruce makes everything — everything — from scratch. It’s hard to find that these days, even in some local coffee shops. Spruce’s light and delicate take on the Black Bottom Cupcake highlights this eatery’s attention to detail. Black Bottom Cupcakes usually place a dollop of cream cheese filling inside a cocoon of dark chocolate cake batter — no frosting necessary. Spruce makes an extremely light version of this crowd-pleasing baked good that reads more like a muffin than a cupcake, with semi-sweet chocolate chips swirled throughout. No heavy cream cheese filling here, just fluffy and moist cake, with a touch of sweetness. This is the perfect mid-afternoon pick-me-up, best enjoyed outside with a bit of a sun and a freshly brewed cup of coffee. $3.50.
