Eatery Update: December 2010

OPEN, CLOSED & COMING SOON

The founding chef at Boulder’s Sushi Tora recently opened Sushi Leo at 2315 Clover Basin Dr. in Longmont. Meanwhile, Yurihana Sushi Bar and Pan-Asian Cuisine is dishing everything from firecracker rolls to garlic pork at 6525 Gunpark Drive in Gunbarrel. And in-between Japanese food fans are offering kudos for Sachi Sushi at 7980 Niwot Road inside the Niwot Market. …Theo Adley—alumnus of the Flagstaff House, Frasca, the Little Nell and Radda has opened the The Pinyon at 1710 Pearl St.  …On the Hill in Boulder, La’au’s Taco Shop is open at 1335 Broadway and Gurkhas on the Hill is serving at 1310 College Ave. …Chef Steven Redzikowski’s Oak is open at 1400 Pearl St., former site of 14th Street Bar & Grill. …Karz Drive-In is open at the former Sonic site, 50 Waneka Parkway in Lafayette. …Bayleaf market has moved to 1222 Pearl St. (near the new Penzey’s Spice store) adding imported and local food to its selection of European goods. …Coming soon: Jim Cohen’s Empire Pizza, 2525 Arapahoe Ave., and Pizzeria Locale, 1730 Pearl St. …Due to open in January:  Backcountry Pizza and Tap House, 2319 Arapahoe Ave. in the former Dolan’s/Pelican Pete’s space. …Longmont’s Cold Stone Creamery has added a Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory within its current space at 551 S. Hover St.

FOOD NEWS

Boulder’s organic/free trade Conscious Coffees was recently awarded Roast Magazine’s Micro Roaster of the Year. …Oskar Blues Brewery’s Mama’s Little Yella Pils received a gold medal rating from the Beverage Testing Institute. …The 2009 Petite Sirah from Bookcliff Vineyards took home a win at the recent 2010 Jefferson Cup competition. …The Rib House will be featured on the Travel Channel in January.
Check listings.
 
IN THE MENU

Among the best things I’ve tasted in the past month include: Pho with rare steak and meatballs at Pho Duy, 6600 W. 120th Ave., Broomfield; chicken-fried steak with white gravy, mashers, warm white buns and butter, and a slice of blueberry pie at the Double Tree restaurant, 701 Vasquez St., Platteville; soft chile rellenos and a green chile tamale smothered with green chile at Mi Tierra, 7605 Grandview Ave, Arvada;  warm-from-the-oven pizza dough roll stuffed with salami, provolone, coppa and pepperoni with a pepper and olive relish and a side of creamy polenta at Lucky Pie, 637 Front St., Louisville; and a fluffy spinach, bacon and cheese omelet with Hollandaise sauce at Le Peep, 2525 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder.
 
CULINARY CALENDAR

The best local home foodcrafters will offer their wares for a donation at the second Taste of Place market Dec. 11 at Niwot’s Left Hand Grange. Treats include marshmallows, sourdough bread, apple butter, hemp dog treats, hand-roasted espresso beans, candy wreaths and more. Details: therootsellers.com. …Mark DeNittis of Il Mondo Vecchio salumi company teaches a class in making fresh sausage Feb. 24 at the Culinary School of the Rockies. Info: culinaryschoolrockies.com.
…Chef Cheyne Keith teaches a culinary arts boot camp for home cooks March 30–April 20 at Southern Hills Middle School. Southern Sun, Walnut and Avery breweries host a series of guided tasting classes Feb. 24–March 10. Details: bvsd.org/lll.

…John Lehndorff talks about food on Radio Nibbles, 8:25am Thursdays on KGNU (88.5 FM Boulder, 1390 AM Denver, kgnu.org). …Send info about local restaurants and food events to: [email protected].
 
FOOD WORDS

“Pie is the American synonym of prosperity, and its varying contents the calendar of the changing seasons. Pie is the food of the heroic. No pie-eating people can ever be permanently vanquished.”
—From the New York Times, 1902

“Food and people. What’s more beautiful than that? Bringing incredible people together and conflicting people together. I’m as romantic as I’m sounding. I think the table is a brilliant thing.” —Chef Jamie Oliver, 2010