Top 25 Dishes

Chicken Gumbo – The Corner Bar, Boulder

It was a dark and snowy night when I stumbled, half frozen, into the Corner Bar, looking to come in out of the cold, when the chicken gumbo caught my eye. I’m rarely a gumbo fan. Most have too many competing flavors for my taste, a little too schizophrenic, trying to be too many things at once. But the fried okra lured me in; after all, I am nothing if not a sucker for fried okra.  Made rich and thick by a dark roux, this is more a stew than anything akin to a soup. The chicken and Andouille sausage build the substantial flavor while a host of aromatics—onions, peppers, garlic, celery—deepen it. Not too spicy, not too mild, warm and hearty, and topped with my coveted fried okra instead of more traditionally cooked in. It was just what I needed to warm the cockles of my cold, cold heart to the idea of gumbo.

Asparagus Salad – Harold’s, Longmont

The adage that we eat first with our eyes is true, and when the visual senses are treated as well as the palate, you know you’re in for a treat. A gorgeously composed plate of crisp-cooked asparagus and shaved Serrano ham creates a platform for the delicate orb of a perfectly poached egg, drizzled in a light balsamic vinaigrette accessorized with blue cheese-dusted popcorn—ripped right from the foodie trend forecasts for 2013. This salad—if you can really even call it a salad—is worth the trip alone to Harold’s for the classic flavor pairings of ham and eggs, eggs and asparagus, asparagus and balsamic vinegar, presented in an entirely new and entirely beautiful way.  A little hipster? Totally. But I’m willing to wear a fedora and skinny jeans for hip food this good.

Red Cheese Enchiladas – Antonio’s, Longmont

You’ll be seeing the world through red chile-colored glasses once you taste these simple—and simply divine—bundles of cheesy bliss. Hailing from Taos, the people behind Antonio’s know authentic New Mexican cuisine, and they’ve created the red chile of my dreams: spicy without burning your eyebrows off, full of chile flavor without a hint of the inherent bitterness that ruined so many chiles for me before, and a complexity that makes you want to keep eating long after you should have stopped. Doused liberally over fresh corn tortillas and sharp cheddar cheese, these aren’t haute cuisine, but rather comfort food of the first order. I’ve spent years searching for red chile like this—in Santa Fe, in Colorado—and I’ve never found one I like better, not even my own. If you’ve been put off by red chile before, this is worth a second look; if you’re already a devotee, you’ve found Mecca.

Tandoori Lamb Chops – Taste of India, Longmont

I’ve long been a fan of Taste of India, specifically their chicken tikka masala. When you’ve got a favorite dish at a restaurant, it makes it so hard to try anything else. Luckily, our publisher persuaded me to set aside my beloved chicken tikka masala in favor of the tandoori lamb chops, and I will forever be grateful that she did. Five or six gorgeous lamb rib chops—meaty lollipops—arrive on a bed of sizzling onions and peppers, fajita-style. The meat is impossibly tender, melting in your mouth, having been tenderized and flavorized in that impeccably delicious marinade of yogurt, onions and spices before being cooked in the high heat of the tandoori oven. The only problem with this dish is that now I’m torn; my heart is divided between my first love, the tikka masala, and my new passion for these lamb chops. What will I do? Order both. There’s room in my heart for two.

Shrimp and Grits – Oak at Fourteenth, Boulder

Imagine having the gall to be invited to lunch with two of the best beef producers in the West, and then not ordering the (excellent) burger at Oak. Only a truly special dish could have swayed me under such circumstances, and yet, I’m thankful. This is soul food, not so much because it’s authentically Southern, but because it’s good for your soul. Shrimp and grits is one of those dishes that’s enjoying a Renaissance right now, hitting its trendy moment in history, but this version is definitely worthy of the hype. Giant, sweet and tender royal red Key West shrimp sit, pink and perfect, atop a creamy bed of Anson Mills grits and pleasantly spicy Tabasco soffrito, under a dusting of cilantro. The entire dish sings for lunch, but might be heaven sent at brunch after a night of a little too much overindulgence.  Order it with an egg. This is the sort of dish that warms your belly and your heart. When I passed the plate, the beef guys didn’t seem to mind.