Top 25 Dishes

Bacon Wrapped Hotdogs – Marco’s, Longmont

The sound of sizzle hits you before the  smell induces a craving comatose. Marco’s might be a colorful dive on an unsuspecting street, but its food is just as surprising and fulfilling as pulling your car over and indulging in one of their bacon-wrapped hotdogs. Think of snapping into crisp, smoky bacon through a moist bun as the savory juices flow out of a perfectly cooked hotdog—crunchy and tender and just $3. For those high maintenance folks who still want more, pick your toppings from a buffet of freshly cut onions, tomatoes and as much chili and cheese as you can stomach. The guys that work there won’t judge as you pile it on or feign surprise as you wax poetic about their street fare. But  be mindful: While the food is money, Marco’s only takes cash.

Mr. Pesto – Backcountry, Nederland

This spot in Nederland has food as good as its beers on tap and the tunes that soundtrack your perfect slice of pizza. We like the Mr. Pesto and here’s why: They put chunks of crispy fried chicken on every slice. ‘Nuff said. But add that to the house-made pesto and sprinkle of Kalamata olives, Roma tomatoes and mozzarella on crispy thin pizza dough (also available gluten-free), and this dish is a home run hit. Fold a slice in half and you’ve got a sandwich worthy of being called a manwich, and not in the Sloppy Joes sense (unless you consider the mess you’ll make fitting the thing into your mouth). Be forewarned: this one takes two hands to handle, and it’s as ecclectic as Backcountry’s atmosphere. So enjoy. And, please, if you happen to lick the plate, go ahead and leave out the part that YS sent you. I did.

Chicken Marsala – (503) Cafe, Lafayette

Complex: Not so good when describing the guy you’re on a first date with—great when describing the dish making said first date tolerable. This is how I discovered the miracle worker that is the Chicken Marsala at (503) Cafe, where tender, pan-seared chicken rests atop a bed of pillowy risotto. Easily the best I’ve ever had, that risotto is creamy and buttery with just a bit of bite, and each mouthful is accented with the pungent  piquance of truffle oil. A mushroom Marsala wine reduction is drizzled atop the entire thing, and crispy fried prosciutto peppers the dish with texture. So at the risk of sounding dramatic—not so good when describing the girl you’re on a first date with—one bite will have you seeing stars. Or at the very least, potential.

Paella de la Casa – Cafe Aion, Boulder

The most important part of any paella is the soccarat. Spanish for crust, it’s the reward at the bottom of Paella where the rice, absorbed in stock and bathing in tomatoes, is thick, slightly crunchy and just a little bit chewy. Nobody does paella better than Cafe Aion, and their crust adds that bit of texture that will have you digging in for more.  Starting with saffron rice and adding stock to beef up the flavor, spicy Linguica sausage gives this dish a kiss of garlic. Couple that with the braised chicken and swollen mussels and you have a meal that doesn’t dissappoint. Best to try this dish on Wednesdays during their “Paella and a bottle of wine night.” It’s under $50, and you’ll be happy for the leftovers.

Pho – Black Pepper, Boulder

From Ho Chi Minh city to Ha Noi, I’ve tasted Vietnamese pho in the country where they pronounce its name right (it’s fuh, fools!). I’ve also searched high and low in Colorado to find a decent bowl of the rice noodle dish where the broth is the perfect amount of salty and sweet. Drum role please. It’s at Black Pepper. How can I tell? The slices of beef are still slightly pink upon arrival, the broth is just a touch sweet, the rice noodles have a healthy bite and everything you need to spice it right is on the table: crunchy sprouts, Thai basil, lime and housin and fish sauce. In Southeast Asia, it’s important to represent all tastes in one dish for balance: sweet, salty, bitter, sour. Go slow, tasting as you add ingredients and sauces, but at Black Pepper, you can’t go wrong.