When Ana and Guillermo Reyes noticed a guest quietly crying in the dining room, they approached with concern. The explanation stopped them in their tracks.

“He said the beans tasted like his mother’s,” Ana recalled.

This moment captures the soul of Hacienda San Raphael – food that doesn’t just satisfy hunger, it stirs memories.

After spending a long afternoon with the Reyeses at their Longmont restaurant, I found myself flooded with similar emotion. Impeccably fresh Latin dishes are only part of the experience. What lingers long after the meal is an unmistakable warmth and a sense of family woven into every corner of the space.

Ana and Guillermo treat every guest like kin. The passionate husband-and-wife team poured their hearts into creating a homey, colorful sanctuary inspired by their Mexican heritage and travels across Central and South America.

“The menu is ‘Cocina Latina,’ not just Mexican,” Ana explained. “There are dishes from Argentina, Cuba, Colombia, and Venezuela. We tried homemade mom and grandma recipes in a lot of hard-to-reach places.”

Hacienda San Raphael quietly opened in an unassuming stretch of Longmont’s Main Street in June. The interior is whimsical, bright, and lovingly handmade. Ana and Guillermo personally curated every piece of furniture and oversaw every detail – with a little help from their young children.

“Our kids said, ‘Mommy, this is the worst summer ever,’” Ana laughed. “They were helping us paint the tables and chairs.”

Both Ana and Guillermo grew up in Monterrey, Mexico. Ana is a schoolteacher, and Guillermo comes from a strong background in hospitality. The couple met in Miami before relocating to Colorado’s Front Range. Guillermo, a University of Colorado graduate, felt a natural pull to the area.

After watching her husband tirelessly manage every aspect of multiple restaurants, Ana encouraged Guillermo to channel his skillset into opening something of their own.

“If I could describe this restaurant in one word, it would be ‘unique,’” Guillermo said.

He and Ana were introduced to Chef Victor Colunga through family ties. Colunga previously worked in two Michelin-starred restaurants in Mexico before relocating to the United States. Despite his impressive pedigree, he avoids comparisons to past accolades. When Guillermo approached him about the project, Colunga immediately embraced the vision: high-quality, soulful cooking that reflects the depth and diversity of Latin American cuisine.

Chef Victor Colunga

Drawing inspiration from his own travels and multicultural culinary experience, Colunga incorporates a fusion element into the menu, yielding mouthwatering results. One of the chef’s personal favorites, Ají de Camarones, is a Latin and Italian-influenced dish featuring spaghetti tossed in a tangy, creamy ají amarillo sauce topped with perfectly grilled shrimp, peppers, onions, and parmesan.

Deep respect and thoughtful collaboration between Colugna and the Reyeses is apparent. During my time at Hacienda San Raphael, I was truly blown away by every plate.

The Cachapa Venezolana de Queso y Ribeye showcases a corn pancake layered with mozzarella and tender ribeye, served with crisp fried yucca – an homage to travels in Venezuela.

The Tostones Rellenos, inspired by Colombia, present golden plantain cups filled with juicy shredded beef.

Familiar Mexican favorites such as tacos, enchiladas, and chile rellenos are all made from scratch – never frozen. “People love our Mexican food because all 

of our salsas are freshly made. Even our margaritas do not have sweet-and-sour mix. We try to do everything fresh and in the moment,” said Guillermo.

Not to mention, Colugna’s “postres” deserve special recognition. The seasonal flan and arroz con leche are fine-dining-caliber desserts.

The drink menu includes margaritas, mojitos, micheladas, martinis, a variety of original cocktails, beer, wine, and spirits. Ana generously prepared me a selection of well-balanced beverages behind the bar she built with her husband.

When scouting a location for the restaurant, ample parking was non-negotiable. The Reyeses immediately fell in love with 1935 Main Street. In addition to being a centrally located spot that offers ease and accessibility, the space itself sparked Ana’s imagination. “I saw the large windows and imagined guests coming in for a homemade meal while watching the snow fall outside,” she said.

Ana and Guillermo Reyes are deeply grateful for the community’s support. “Our customers have been so patient and kind from the beginning. We built this restaurant to offer high-quality food. As parents, we know how hard it can be to cook at home or find healthy, homemade meals out,” said Ana.

At its core, Hacienda San Raphael is rooted in community, quality, and genuine hospitality.

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The post Off Menu: Hacienda San Raphael appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

If you really want to understand the heart of Kalita Grill, don’t start in the dining room—start in the grocery aisles. One of the owners, Armen Madoyan, earnestly said that they grocery shop for their own food. He wants to see, smell and touch the ingredients to determine if they are worthy of his guests. He’s inspecting tomatoes the way a jeweler inspects diamonds, rejecting anything that doesn’t meet his unspoken standard. This is a man who refuses to outsource the heartbeat of his food. “I like to buy everything myself,” he told me, and you believe him instantly. 

Kalita Grill is a family story, but not in the sentimental, scripted way restaurants like to market themselves. It’s a story shaped by detours, stubbornness, and faith. Years ago, Armen packed up his life in Boulder and moved to Seattle, working alongside his wife Tanya’s uncle at his Greek restaurant. Armen left his job behind and stepped fully into kitchen life—learning not just technique, but the rhythm of the business: the rush, the stress, the relentlessness, the joy.

The plan was for the family to join him in Seattle. But kids have a way of redirecting adult plans, and theirs wanted to stay in Colorado. So they did. Giving up the dream of their own restaurant wasn’t an option. “Believing we could do it—that was the biggest challenge,” Tanya told me. Boulder’s restaurant density didn’t make things easier with over 450 restaurants at the time. But Boulder welcomed them. And now Lafayette, barely a month into housing their newest location, has practically embraced them as family. “Everyone walks in and says, ‘Welcome to Lafayette,’” Tanya said, smiling. “And you can tell they mean it. It’s beautiful.”

Greek and Armenian cooking share a lot of DNA, but the Madoyans will tell you there’s nothing more powerful than an Armenian kitchen. Food, for them, is memory and inheritance. And those memories don’t just come from the women in the family. Armen’s father still hand-rolls every dolma the restaurant serves and makes the baklava by hand. That detail lands with weight. Dolma rolling is meditative, repetitive, and deeply personal: leaf by leaf, pinch by pinch, the kind of old-world precision that can’t be taught in a YouTube video. And baklava? Forty precise layers of phyllo, butter brushed delicately between each sheet, walnuts folded in with practiced instinct, finished with a syrup recipe guarded like a family secret. When you take a bite, it tastes like time. Like intention. Like someone’s life woven into a dessert.

Their food philosophy comes from a culture where you learn by watching, then helping, then inheriting responsibility and the ladle—an honored position for the matriarch. Tables in Tanya’s childhood home were set with fine china and silver even for everyday meals. Holidays were etiquette classes disguised as feasts. “I like beautiful things,” said Tanya. “It’s important to me, since you eat with your eyes first. Everything that is plated must be beautiful.” That instinct pulses through everything at Kalita. Their soups—lentil and avgolemono—are made every morning from scratch, no shortcuts, no giant vats simmering for days. The gyro meat is sliced, marinated, and seasoned in-house. Their Greek vendors (and both Tanya and Armen emphasize this: very Greek) deliver fresh pita, olives, feta, and phyllo every week. 

But tradition alone doesn’t keep a restaurant alive in Colorado. “Americans prefer things softer,” Armen says with a light shrug. Less intense spice. More lettuce. “Greek salad doesn’t traditionally have lettuce,” he told me, and laughed. “Americans love lettuce.” Kalita strikes a delicate balance—staying loyal to its roots while meeting people where they are. It’s not compromise; it’s hospitality. 

Speaking of hospitality: Armen and Tanya don’t treat diners like customers. “These are my guests,” Tanya insisted. And she means it. On a recent Tuesday night, Armen walked around the dining room offering warm, homemade cookies to everyone—just because. As a testament to their hospitality after only a few weeks in Lafayette, they already have regulars who come in twice a week. That’s not marketing. That’s Armenian hospitality: you feed people until they feel like family, and then you feed them more.

When it was time to eat, Armen emerged from the kitchen with plate after plate, beaming with joy in sharing his passion with others. I started with the Veggie Combo Plate which was an artfully arranged sampling of all the classics—Spanikopita, veggie dolma, falafel, hummus and baba ghanoush served with warm, delicious pita. The flavors were vibrant and fresh, a testament to the care Armen puts into selecting only the most perfect ingredients. The gyro meat is rich and cooked perfectly, thinly sliced as you want it to be. Broomfield resident Andy Williams, grabbed an entire order of just the meat to go. “Snacking meat,” he called it. The lamb, chicken and pork didn’t disappoint. The Kalita fries have a sauce on them that is so good they sell it. “I could eat this on anything,” added Williams. 

But the hero—the meat dolma. The flavor of the meat reflects generations of tradition. “No two grandmas make dolma the same, and this is our family’s recipe,” said Tanya. 

“If our food told one story,” Tanya said, “it would be clean, healthy, homemade. Love and effort in every dish.”

And she’s right. Because at Kalita Grill, you don’t just taste the food—you taste the hands that rolled, chopped, sliced, marinated, layered, and fussed over it. You taste the grocery aisles, the Seattle apprenticeship, grandma’s recipes, the father still rolling dolmas, and the brave decision to start again in a town that wasn’t waiting for them but welcomed them anyway.

And yes—you absolutely taste the dolma. Which, in my case, might have been love at first bite.

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The post Kalita Grill: Hand-Rolled, Home-Made, Heartfelt appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Stella’s Cucina is a stunner — one of the best things to happen to Boulder since the legalization of cannabis. Speaking of the beloved botanical: when Stella Spanu and her husband, Jason Fibel, first envisioned Stella’s Cucina, their goal was to create something the world had never seen — a safe, sophisticated space where guests could enjoy marijuana alongside exquisite Italian cuisine.

The concept began with a marriage of art and science. Spanu, who grew up between Manhattan and Rome, comes from a family deeply rooted in the art world and the restaurant scene of Sardinia. Fibel, whose background lies in plant science, fell in love with food through Spanu’s lifelong passion for Italian gastronomy.

In 2019, the visionary duo purchased the building that formerly housed Walnut Brewery and enlisted architect Miguel Quismondo to design an Art Deco–inspired interior. Together, they outfitted the restaurant with a hospital-grade filtration system, sleek leather booths with built-in outlets for smoking devices, and even a subtle cannabis-leaf stenciled wall — among other thoughtful touches. However, when the city of Boulder opted out of legislation permitting cannabis consumption in hospitality venues, Spanu and Fibel pivoted to full-scale Italian in 2023.

Upon entering, Stella’s Cucina feels like a luxe speakeasy. The discreet entrance opens to an experience that’s impossible to forget. “A lot of heart and passion went into this place,” said Fibel, noting how every detail was designed to transport guests far beyond Boulder. In addition to superb sound and lighting, a regal navy-and-gold color palette, gleaming central bar, and softly curved interiors harmoniously create an atmosphere that is as immersive as it is elegant. “This is not just a place to get dinner,” Fibel explained. “It’s an experience.”

The hyper-seasonal Italian menu showcases handmade pastas, vibrant salads, gorgeous vegetables, perfectly executed proteins, and decadent desserts — each a crave-worthy work of art. Insalata a la Mano is a refined interpretation of a classic Caesar, featuring romaine hearts, white anchovy, three-year-aged Parmigiano Reggiano, house-made cesare foam, and golden croutons. Pasta highlights include Spaghetti al Pomodoro — house-made spaghetti tossed with Stella’s family recipe pomodoro, garlic-infused olive oil, and fresh basil — and Fusilloni al Ragù d’Agnello, with Colorado lamb, white ragù, fried artichokes, and mint. For those seeking something heartier, the Brasato al Barolo is a melt-in-your-mouth revelation: red wine–braised short rib with caramelized baby fennel, smoked potato purée, and a silky demi-glace.

While cannabis remains off the menu, Stella’s invites guests to get a little weird with its inventive bar program. Sip a glass from the robust wine list, a revitalizing non-alcoholic bubbly, or a signature cocktail like the Mia Marmellata — a blend of apricot and sage purée, dark rye whiskey, apricot liqueur, Amaro Nonino, and lemon. Craving a twist on a classic? Try the Negroni Giallo, featuring thyme-infused Marconi gin, Suze, Contratto vermouth, Tosti Vermouth Riserva, and yellow Chartreuse.

Zero-proof cocktails receive special attention as well. The Phony Spumoni channels the essence of the beloved dessert with Giffard Aperitif, grapefruit juice, simple syrup, lime, and Fever Tree soda water. For something crisp and invigorating, the Cetriolo Spritz combines cucumber, basil, lemon, Fever Tree tonic, and Thompson & Scott ‘Noughty’ N/A sparkling chardonnay.

Although Stella’s never became the cannabis-centric concept originally imagined, Spanu and Fibel have created something equally remarkable — a sanctuary for the senses. Live music fills the space five nights a week, from sultry jazz to vibrant DJ sets. On Fridays and Saturdays, Stella’s transforms into a chic late-night lounge, complete with a state-of-the-art sound system and a limited menu of late-night fare.

If the promise of fabulous food, exceptional drinks, and a stunning atmosphere isn’t enough to draw you in, Stella’s Cucina has also earned a coveted place in the Michelin Guide.

“There is nothing we want more than to be a part of this community in Boulder for many years to come,” says Fibel.

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More than a hotdog stand, these Dogs are Gourmet

Fat and juicy, this sausage is one you’ll want to sit down for.
Rocket Dogs, the newest addition to the Tilt! Pinball and The Louisville Underground family, boasts not only gourmet and creative hot dogs, but also a smattering of sandwiches, salads, and appetizers. Just like its older sibling establishments, Rocket Dogs has been deeply embedded in the Louisville community since its conception.

“If you come down and get a dog,” says Steve Long, founder and longtime Louisville resident, “most of the employees you interact with live here; the meat comes from one of the Louisville sausage companies, the beer is local. We aimed to be so ingrained in the community that you can’t separate Louisville from us.”

For Long, being a part of the community is more than just buying local products; his businesses can be seen as sponsors for local school fundraisers, nonprofits, and city events. Long knows his community, and he knows his clients. “I have gotten to watch so many kids grow up; they start coming in [to Tilt!] when they are just yay-high, “he gestures about three feet tall, “and now many are graduating from college.” This is what drives him to keep creating spaces.

Long’s sense of community can be seen in his perfect pairing: the Sonoran Dog, a  Top Rope Mexican Lager from The Post, and a game of Rocky and Bullwinkle Pinball. He explains, “It is inspired by the bacon-wrapped hot dogs sold in the Sonoran Desert of Mexico and Arizona. It’s smothered in pinto beans and pico de gallo, it’s not the kind of hot dog you just pick up and eat; you need a fork to really dive in.” These hot dogs remind him of time spent south of Colorado, enjoying different cultures and people, a kind of one-world society he’s brought to this small town.

If Long represents community, then his business partner, Mark Oberholzer, showcases the fun. His light and jovial nature shines bright immediately, and it’s essentially how he got involved in the business. “When Steve [Long] started Tilt!, he was the only one running it. I was a big pinball guy growing up, so I was there all the time.” Oberholzer goes on to explain that over time, he and Steve became good friends: “I would be playing a game late, Steve would want to go home, so he would give me the keys to lock up.”

As time went on, Long started to burn out running the pinball arcade alone and decided to close down. But Oberholzer wasn’t going to let that happen. “We bought in and moved the business to where it is now.”

It’s this teamwork that made Rocket Dogs possible. Oberholzer’s charismatic joy filters through to all employees, making them excited to show up day in and day out.

His perfect pairing? The Fancy Pants Hot Dog with a Crystal Springs Blood Orange Kölsch and a game of Addams Family pinball. “It’s a prosciutto-wrapped dog topped with whipped goat cheese, fig jam, a honey drizzle, and some arugula, so I can tell my wife I ate some greens.”

The last piece of this trifecta is creativity. Enter Chef Ben Keisler, the mastermind behind the deluxe menu. Keisler grew up in the restaurant industry, with his grandparents running The Old Louisville Inn, now 740 Front Street. “I grew up in the back of the restaurant and learned to really love cooking. I moved to Boulder to go to culinary school and have been cooking at various restaurants around town since.” While the newest addition to the trio, Keisler, expresses the same enthusiasm for the establishment as his counterparts, “I jumped when this opportunity came up. It was great food, really fun, and great vibes.”

Keisler’s love for his menu is shown in his perfect pairing, where he couldn’t pick just one entrée. For him, it’s a toss-up between the Sticky Thai Chicken Sandwich or the Seattle Dog, paired with a Crystal Springs Orange Kölsch, and a game of cornhole on the shop’s front patio. “The sandwich is tossed in Thai sticky sauce that we make in-house, caramelizing the garlic, ginger, green onions, then adding a whole bunch of Asian sauces.” He goes on to say that it’s served with spicy peppers and red onions, all presented on a choice of brioche or gluten-free bun.

To find your own perfect pairing, you can either enjoy Rocket Dogs at their storefront or order from next door at Tilt! Pinball, Louisville Underground, or Crystal Springs Brewing.

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At T/aco, the patio doubles as Peter Waters’ front porch—where the tacos are hot, the weather’s warmer, and every lunch feels like a neighborhood reunion hosted by the homecoming king himself. T/aco isn’t trying to be trendy. No neon taco signs, no culinary circus acts—just scratch-made food and the familiar hum of regulars returning. After a long, easy lunch with Waters, it’s clear that T/aco is built on quiet loyalty, handmade tortillas, and the kind of unshakable team that tells you everything you need to know about the guy running the show.

Let’s clear up the name: it’s pronounced “tee-aco,” not taco. Waters’ original partners—who he’s since bought out—also owned H-Burger, and T/aco felt like a natural next step in the alphabet. The name still sparks plenty of confusion, but as Waters says, call it whatever you want—as long as you’re showing up hungry.

“It’s all about people,” he said, not as a pitch but as a principle. “If you don’t understand that, nothing else you do will last.”

You can see it on the plate—house-made tortillas from masa ground right in the restaurant, slightly nutty and warm, kissed with char.

But the real story starts in the kitchen, where three women—Esmerelda, Martha, and Maria—have been the backbone since day one. Thirteen years in the same space, shoulder to shoulder, grinding masa, flipping tortillas, filling tacos with the kind of precision and pride that can’t be faked. 

“They are the heart,” Waters said. “They care in a way you can’t train. They make this place what it is and it’s my job to get out of their way.”

These women aren’t background noise. They are the rhythm of the place—steady, soulful, essential. They work with quiet intensity and deep camaraderie, moving like parts of a single machine. Waters isn’t just their boss; he’s their partner. And that harmony is why T/aco works.

Waters didn’t grow up in restaurants. His background was in tech and sales—pitch decks, performance goals, endless flights. But the call of food, of people, of building something tangible, kept pulling at him. So when the chance to open a taqueria came along in 2012, he jumped.

“I didn’t know how to do anything,” he laughed. “But I knew how I wanted people to feel when they came in, so I figured it out and built a good team.”

That instinct—that hospitality is about care, not polish—has guided him ever since. It’s why customers return week after week.

There’s even a secret menu, hidden in plain sight. On a salt shaker or tucked on the wall, a small QR code leads you to rotating specials: upscale, playful dishes that let the kitchen stretch its creativity. “It’s fun,” Waters said. “It’s a way for the kitchen to play, and for our guests to feel like they’re in on something special.”

A typical meal at T/aco includes three tacos. For meat lovers, don’t miss the pork belly—braised low and slow for eight hours until the fat melts away—or the carnitas, a tender, flavorful option inspired by a recipe from Big Star in Chicago. For a standout vegetarian pick, try the nopales. Many guests skip it out of cactus skepticism, but with a texture similar to cooked green beans and a punchy spice blend, it’s a sleeper hit you’ll be glad you didn’t miss.

Drinks get the same attention, especially the Waters Marg—a refreshing, non-alcoholic blend of soda water, lime juice, pineapple juice, and habanero syrup. It’s so popular, Waters is working on canning it.

“The pandemic could’ve crushed all of this,” Waters said, gesturing around him. They bottled cocktails, sold burritos out of a walk-up window, and partnered with charities to feed frontline workers and teachers. The community donated to charities, the team cooked, and the restaurant gave back. They survived by doing what they do best: taking care of people.

Back at the bar, it’s Friday night. The place is alive. Waters is pouring mezcal, greeting guests like old friends. The music’s vibing, the tortillas warm.

And in the kitchen, three women are doing what they’ve done for over a decade—feeding people, not just with food, but with care.

At T/aco, everything begins with heart. The rest—flavors, drinks, secret menus, merch—is just the good stuff that follows.

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The post Off Menu: The Craft, the Crew, and the Community Behind T/aco appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Tucked away on the West End of Boulder’s Pearl Street Mall, C Bar is a world where hot dogs, caviar, and clever libations live in harmony.

This alluring new cocktail lounge is the latest venture from Half Eaten Cookie Hospitality, the dynamic restaurant group behind Oak at Fourteenth, Corrida, Brider, Bellota, and C Burger.

Big city inspiration is evident throughout the undeniably sexy space. Deep jewel tones, walnut accents, mid-century modern furnishings, and delicate glassware were meticulously curated to create an inviting atmosphere that is distinctly different for downtown Boulder.

 C Bar is the first cocktail bar concept by Bryan Dayton, one of Boulder’s most prolific restaurateurs. “It’s a place I want to hang out,” said Dayton, who spent two years quietly bringing the project to fruition. Prior to developing his diverse portfolio of restaurants, Dayton worked as a bartender for most of his career. He cut his teeth bartending at Pearl Street’s since-closed Juanita’s Mexican Restaurant before spending five years running the bar program at Frasca Food and Wine. In 2011, the cocktail connoisseur notably won Bombay Sapphire’s Most Inspired Bartender competition, landing him on the cover of GQ Magazine’s ‘Men of the Year’ issue. All this to say, the man knows a thing or two about the art of preparing a well-made drink.

One element that sets C Bar apart from Boulder’s existing lineup of watering holes is the emphasis on exceptional food. That’s right – patrons can pair their cocktail with more than olives and nuts. However, olives and nuts are certainly on the menu. Chef and Partner, Samuel McCandless, described his menu as “a simple, elegant, classic interpretation of bar food that isn’t boring.” C Bar’s shrimp cocktail, with tiger shrimp, red yuzu kosho cocktail sauce, and horseradish, could easily go head-to-head with a certain neighboring seafood mecca.

McCandless also serves as the Executive Chef and Partner of Corrida, a Spanish-inspired steakhouse, and C Burger, a fast-casual burger concept.

On a fateful day in 2021, McCandless was walking to work at the now-closed Supermoon (Formerly Arcana) on Walnut Street, when Dayton asked if he would be interested in setting up a tasting. The timing was right for McCandless, who took the helm of Corrida’s kitchen in the fall of 2021. McCandless was a part of the opening team for Frasca over two decades ago, where Dayton joined shortly after. The pair remained acquaintances throughout the evolution of their careers until a chance encounter ultimately led to a fruitful partnership.

Between McCandless’s culinary expertise and Dayton’s extensive bar background, the team is fluent in beef and booze. In addition to their restaurant partnerships, Dayton and McCandless are co-proprietors of Corrida Cattle Company (CCC), a distributor of high-quality, 100% regeneratively raised beef. The private label beef company uses a ‘whole animal’ approach, committed to “making the world a better place,” through sustainability, transparency, and regenerative practices. 

Unsurprisingly, C Bar’s burger is damn good. Featuring two 3 oz. CCC beef patties with beef tallow bordelaise triple-cream brie, crispy onions, and beef garum aioli, this standout menu item is the epitome of decadence.

In many ways, the dazzling drinking destination is a collaborative effort. The first page of C Bar’s menu reads, “A BD and DB collab,” referring to Bryan Dayton and Diego Baud. Dayton and Baud also met while working at Frasca.

The cocktail menu is 50% BD and 50% DB. Grand Som, with green Chartreuse, cucumber, and pineapple Peychaud’s bitters, is a BD original. Queen’s Elixer, with añejo tequila, lapsang, hibiscus, and egg white, is all DB.

While master mixologist Diego Baud currently oversees the bar program at P41 Bar & Coctelarium in Barcelona’s 5-star Hotel Arts, his influence has helped bring this Boulder concept to life.

For Dayton and McCandless, Boulder is not only their longtime home but also a community they cherish. After decades of gathering inspiration from cocktail bars around the globe, they are proud to bring what Dayton called “a super unique product with its own personality for our little town.” McCandless described C Bar as “upscale without being unapproachable.” When asked what their individual go-to “meals” would be at C Bar, Dayton went with caviar and chips, the West Side Dog, parmesan and truffle fries, and soft serve vanilla ice cream with caramel flakes. For McCandless? The tartare, Mikan Buri Crudo, and a fried chicken sandwich with 15 grams of Sturia Vintage caviar.

Despite the obvious frills, C Bar is a place to party. Sumptuous sophistication, straight up, with a twist. This not only describes the signature martini with a custom dirty mix and an optional side of caviar. The overall vibe is soft, sexy, sophisticated, and, most importantly, a lot of fun. Guests can expect live music on Friday nights. Down the line, there will be guest bartenders and interactive “Liquid Journey” cocktail classes with Diego Baud. As Dayton is currently working to expand the non-alcoholic beverage menu, spirit-free sippers can enjoy The Daisy Day N/A, with Ritual, orange, Pathfinder, and lime, as well as a ‘NOgroni’ and N/A Margarita. There is truly something for everyone. Dayton’s goal? “Have some fun in downtown Boulder and get after it.”

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The post Off Menu: C Bar appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

LONGMONT, Colo. — “I was born into it,” says Chef Jeremy McGrath, calm and unassuming, without a hint of bravado. It’s not a line rehearsed for effect—just a simple truth shaped by heat, repetition, and time. His father was a chef. McGrath grew up not so much in a home as in a kitchen, raised by timing and trial, honed by mistakes and discipline. From the beginning, it was clear: nothing would be handed to him. “He bought me a cookbook and said, ‘Read it. I’ll help, but do it on your own—see what you get.’” 

So he did. But he wasn’t memorizing recipes—he was following instinct. Learning by doing, failing, tasting. Listening more to silence than to instruction. “A lot of it was on me,” explains McGrath. At first, he was just trying to follow his father’s path. But over time, imitation gave way to ambition. 

“Life was always a competition. I wanted to beat it—but I kept moving forward.” Eventually, the torch passed—not ceremonially, but with a quiet nod. Explains McGrath, “When I was in my 20s, he said, ‘Yeah, you got me there.’” 

McGrath didn’t arrive here by climbing a single ladder. He took the long way—through the hard brunch shifts and deep fryer burns of Gainesville, Florida, deep in college football country. “The place I worked was packed on Saturdays—everyone getting brunch before the game.”He learned speed. Survival. The unglamorous kind of hustle that makes or breaks cooks. But New York changed everything. 

He states, “when I got to New York and worked for David Chang, it shifted my whole focus. Suddenly I thought—‘Oh, I can actually do something here.’” New York demanded more than effort—it demanded obsession. “In Florida, you do your eight hours and you’re done. In New York? You come early. You prep. You don’t clock in. You just get it done.” 

Even after service, the work kept going. McGrath recounts, “Clean. Prep for the next day. Write your list on the train home. It was nonstop.” Not glamorous. But formative. Today, McGrath is executive chef at Duets in Longmont. And the question he’s asking isn’t what can I make?—but what does this place need from me? 

His answer is deliberate, grounded. “We lean into French technique when it makes sense… but I don’t believe food has to fit in a box.” His style is rooted in structure but open in spirit. One night it’s delicate ravioli. Another, wings braised in Coca-Cola. The only rule: make it cohesive, and make it good. “It’s about finding combinations that feel right—for everyone.” There’s no ego here. Just curiosity, and momentum. He says, “we’re always trying to do something.” 

McGrath has worn every hat in a kitchen—line cook, sous, chef de cuisine, and executive. Now, he balances vision with logistics. Art with operations. “One side is: does this feel right, creatively? The other side is: does it make sense?” It’s a constant tension. But he’s not alone. “The team manages itself well. That gives me space to look ahead—to plan specials, build things,” he says with here’s gratitude in his voice, and trust. 

The irony of being a chef is that you cook for people you rarely meet. McGrath has spent years in the back, anonymous. But that hasn’t dulled his need for connection. “The hardest part is connecting with guests. I’m not naturally forward-facing. I let the food speak.” Still, he’s reaching for something deeper—connection from farm to kitchen to table. “How do I connect my farmers to the people eating this food?”

That seed was planted at River and Woods in Boulder, where he met the growers behind his ingredients. But the system isn’t easy. “It’s backwards. I pay the same prices at the farmers market that I’d pay wholesale. It should be cheaper to buy direct.” He’s not moralizing—just naming a broken system. And he’s not done asking hard questions. 

“My end goal? Get good, local food to people at prices they can afford—and make sure farmers get paid.” McGrath isn’t just chasing flavor—he’s chasing what food used to mean. “I want to get back to when eating was something we did to connect with each other.” He’s seen it done differently—in Taiwan, at his wife’s family table.  He dreams, “there’s a lazy Susan in the middle. We’re all passing dishes around. Talking. It’s an experience.” 

That’s the spirit he wants to bring to Duets. Not just food, but presence. “I haven’t done it yet… but I want to create family-style dinners. Meals that bring people back together.” It’s not just a culinary goal—it’s an emotional one. Some dishes stick. For McGrath, it’s the tuna tataki—a plate he ate every day for two years at a now-closed New York restaurant. “Never get tired of it. That dish became part of me.” 

It’s on the menu at Duets now. Not as a flex—but as a memory. A marker. “I wanted people to see what I loved.”  Jeremy McGrath isn’t chasing attention. He’s not selling spectacle. His fire burns quieter than that. He cooks with purpose, with questions, with the hope that someone out there is listening. “I let the food speak for itself.” And if you’re paying attention—it does. 

The post The Drive Behind Duets | Off Menu appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Not many Americans take time to think about their food as a whole, let alone the environmental consequences of wasteful eating. Chef Ryan Taylor, however, has the future in mind, not just with sustainable eating, but also in how he treats his employees and patrons.

“A Modern American Meatery,” we find Hickory & Ash in the Broomfield Arista area. This diverse, whimsical, and creative restaurant fosters a family-oriented culture. Executive Chef Ryan not only shares what he has learned from 22 years of falling in love with cooking, but also what makes a great chef tick. He details how he stays inspired when facing burnout while  also offering wisdom on how to push against rush culture; Deeply emphasizing the importance of regenerative farming: “The earth is not re-growing itself.”

Head Chef Ryan Taylor

More than 80 billion land animals are slaughtered every year for human consumption. While erradicating consumption is impossible, there are sustainable solutions. Chef Ryan explained, “We didn’t set out to be a steak house, but it was more or less of us calling ourselves a modern American meatery focusing on the whole animal. We try to be as sustainable as possible, using any ground scraps in the meatballs or sausages, and then any good trim goes into tartar.” From braised short ribs, Chef Ryan’s favorite, to beautifully crafted vegetarian dishes, Hickory & Ash offers a diverse and unique menu.

It is important to Chef Ryan that Hickory & Ash feels comfortable and welcoming, not stuffy. “We want people to feel comfortable. I think the hard part about being called a higher-end restaurant is that we still want to maintain a casual atmosphere. You can come in wearing flip flops and shorts, but still be able to have a nice meal.” The formalities are not important; he believes that the food and the inviting atmosphere of the restaurant are the most important aspects. Chef Ryan’s goal is to make classics with a spin on flavor. Combinations you would never expect!

Chef Ryan began his culinary career in rebellion, following his father’s advice to avoid the industry. He says the moment that sparked it all was… duck liver. Yup, you heard it right. Ryan said, ‘When I was 12 or 13 and this may sound pretentious, but I tried foie gras for the first time. It was so cool, and I was like I’ve never had this kind of protein before and it just snowballed into what else could I do with this, and me wanting to go into the industry.”

For many creatives, it is easy to burn out and lose motivation. Chef Ryan shares how he keeps going: “For me, traveling, getting out of the kitchen, trying something new, eating out, going to a new city, stuff like that kind of sparks this inspiration in you again. You have to stay relevant with what other people are doing, too.” After living in Spain, Chef Ryan often revisits the flavors and fondly looks back at his memories for rich inspiration. At the end of the day, the most important thing to Chef Ryan is the people.

Many chefs have a different definition of what makes a great dish, but Chef Ryan’s answer just might be the best one. He said, “Respecting your staff, feeding off of each other’s creativity. Making it a team thing, not like this is my food and we’re doing it my way, but building that camaraderie, throwing around ideas, and everyone feeling comfortable about it.” Chef Ryan mentioned that all of the staff at Hickory & Ash are like family. He said, “I’m always on the line with these guys cooking and cleaning. I think if you show that you really care about the people who work hard for you, it makes a big difference in the food. We have a great crew right now, they are all a part of my family.” Walking in the door of Hickory & Ash, you can surely feel the warmth of this family-driven business. Creating a sense as though you had just walked into a close friend’s home, knowing you will eat well, feel valued, laugh, and make joy-filled memories.

Being a young cook in the industry can be incredibly challenging, especially in this day and age, where rush culture is all the rage. Chef Ryan offered wisdom on how to handle that pressure and succeed. He said, “So if I could teach anyone anything, be patient, put your head down, work hard, and people will notice. You don’t have to push people out of the way to get to the top; it will eventually come to you. I have seen young people rush to the top, and it was too soon; then, all of a sudden, it burns them out, and they crumble. You might as well learn everything you can on someone else’s dime before you start your own thing.”

Chef Ryan’s greatest mission as a chef is to foster and guide the next generation of cooks, leading them in a positive direction. He expands, “I think that some of it has gotten skewed by social media and television shows like The Bear. I think they are painting a very bad outlook of how much anguish and hardship there is. Some of our chefs are brand new and just graduated from Escoffier, so for me, it’s just being a good leader and taking out the drama, bullsh*t, yelling, and that you don’t have to run a kitchen like that. You can still respect the people, and we can learn together and bounce ideas off each other. That’s me personally in my position.”

Furthermore, Chef Ryan says that as a chef, he holds a tremendous responsibility to the earth. He said, “The world is not regrowing itself, so you have to support these people who are doing regenerative farming. You can tell the difference in these vegetables and meats; they don’t need to be pumped full of all this garbage. Highlighting this to people and showing that there can be more to just a carrot is a huge responsibility.” Regenerative farming not only produces delicious produce but also fosters ethical living conditions for animals. Animals are given abundant room to graze, which removes the use of chemicals and antibiotics. These animals have an overall healthier, happier existence on this earth. Conventional farming treats animals with contempt, miserably squeezing them in cages side by side, too tight to breathe. All the while they are pumped with carcinogens, chemicals, and antibiotics. At Hickory & Ash we can see how to support regenerative farming, and the earth can heal once we take active steps in the right direction. 

The post A rising modern meatery | Off Menu appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Sugarbeet’s name is an homage to Longmont’s history where the Great Western Sugar Factory was an anchor of the local economy from 1903 until when the factory closed in 1977. The restaurant is nestled in a cozy corner close to the old depot on the train tracks that served as Longmont’s lifeblood. As a restaurant with a focus on fresh, seasonal and local ingredients, it’s fitting that Sugarbeet has such a deep connection to Longmont’s history

Ari Kara and Ben Wheelon, partners in business, purchased the restaurant eight years ago. Sugarbeet is a perennial favorite in Yellow Scene Magazine’s Best of the West competition and hasn’t let up in adhering to the ever-evolving farm-to-table concept they have mastered with Sugarbeet. The quality hasn’t diminished as they haven’t relented on their attention to the little details, including the adorable salt crocks on the table complete with miniature antique spoons. Kara quickly ticked off the keys to their success. “Our focus remains the same. Scratch kitchen. Customer first. Fresh and local ingredients. No gimmicks.”

Right at opening on a Thursday at 4 pm, an eclectic blend of guests began to steadily pour into the restaurant. A table for six of well-heeled sexagenarians were greeted with a familiar and warm welcome from Kara who was pulling duty as host for the evening. He hopped into host mode throughout the interview offering the same genuine smile to newcomers and regular patrons. Wheelon sprang into action as the guests were seated as he worked behind the bar. “We pitch in to do what needs to be done: mop a floor, wash dishes, whatever is needed,” said Kara.

Running a successful business hasn’t come without its challenges — the same faced by many business owners in a post COVID world. They each commented that labor is always an issue and costs have gone up significantly with overhead in the price of rent, food, labor, everything. To compensate for that, Kara and Wheelon have found themselves even more hands on than they expected to be eight years into owning their business. As experienced business owners, though, they are used to adapting to keep up with the changes.

In fact, change is constant at Sugarbeet. Crafting a creative menu comes with many intricate steps and considerations. Wheelon described the process of menu ideation where they get to have fun and be creative. “We start with an idea and then look at how we will source the ingredients, balancing cost and local availability,” said Wheelon adding that careful thought is put into every aspect of the dish including how efficiently it can be plated. No detail is left unplanned to deliver the best possible experience to the customers. Now imagine doing that four times per year. That’s what Kara and Wheelon clearly love about their business. When discussing the process of menu creation, their entire demeanor changed, voices became more excited and smiles broadened their faces.

Their passion for food extends to cooking at home. Wheelon’s dog, Coach Steve, who sadly passed a week before our interview, was the center of attention at family pizza night. Wheelon suggests a classic preparation of mission olives, mushrooms, and manchego cheese served with a gorgeous greek salad. Like many of the best chefs and restaurateurs, Kara took his inspiration from his mom and grandmother and loves to feed his friends Greek classics from his childhood like moussaka and stuffed peppers served with some daily fresh made bread.

As for the food, holy moly, buckle up and be ready for an adventure. Devin Nolan, who has worked for Sugarbeet for seven years, said that this particular menu is one of his favorites ever. “Just about every table has a Sea Bass on order and the Bistro Steak is also a favorite,” said Nolan. The current menu includes a tempting and creative variety of beginnings including Potato Croquettas that felt weightless in my mouth as I crunched into the most delicate puff of manchego cheese flavored potato.

Salads include a classic greek salad, which Kara said belongs on every menu. The roasted beets with Chevre panna cotta was served with a frisée, sunflower seeds, pickled shallots and a pink peppercorn vinaigrette. The panna cotta was velvety smooth and had the depth of flavor you expect from a quality cheese. A whimsical touch was the beet carved into the shape of a sugarbeet as a tip of the hat to the name of the restaurant.

The mains have eight solid choices including a gorgeous risotto, quail, and a rack of lamb. The Verlasso Salmon, which this Pacific Northwest girl absolutely needed to try, was cooked to perfection and served with a celeriac puree that I could eat daily, fingerling potatoes and garnished with a perfect pepper relish.

With a dining room capacity of 65, and this being a popular hotspot, you will want to book a reservation, especially if you want to eat early. “We often are packed with every seat filled and then no reservations after 7:15 PM. Longmont is an early town,” said Wheelon. 

The post Off Menu with Sugarbeet appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

In an old grocery store with a car wash attached in Old Town Erie, Stacy’s Kitchen has quickly become a beloved destination for hearty sandwiches, fresh-baked pies, sweet treats, and a warm, welcoming atmosphere. For owner Stacy Gustafson, this isn’t just a business; it’s the culmination of a lifelong passion, a deep connection to food, and a desire to bring quality food to her hometown.

Stacy’s journey into the world of food started long before the doors of her sandwich shop ever opened. It traces back to her childhood in Virginia, where she spent summers with her grandmother on a 16-acre patch of land. “I remember baking pies with her when I was just nine years old,” Stacy recalled, her voice lilting with nostalgia. “There wasn’t anything else to do. She taught me how to make the best, simplest pie crust. That was my first real connection to food.”

Fast forward to the early 2010s, when Stacy began to entertain the idea of opening a diner. “I was raising my girls and doing childcare at the time, but I knew I could do this,” she said. She put together a business plan, but a divorce and several life changes made her question whether she could manage it all. But a supportive friend, Ronda Grassi, kept encouraging her. “Ronda wouldn’t let me quit. She kept saying, ‘You can do this,'” Stacy remembered with a smile. In 2022, an unexpected opportunity emerged when the previous owner of a local shop decided to close. Stacy signed a lease in December 2022, and by March 3, 2023 — on her birthday — Stacy’s Kitchen opened its doors.

“Why Erie?” is a question Stacy gets asked often. She answered simply: “I live here, and I love Old Town. It reminds me of the small town where I grew up in New Jersey.” The decision to open Stacy’s Kitchen in Erie was about more than just location — it was about creating a sense of community. “I wanted my business to be in the same town where I raise my girls. I wanted to serve food I believe in, and be a part of the fabric of this town.”

Stacy’s Kitchen has quickly become a favorite stop for both locals and visitors. “I think we stand out because we offer simple, affordable food,” Stacy said. “There are a lot of fancy, sit-down places in Erie, but we’re here to provide something different — good food at a good price.” Whether it’s a fresh, hand-cut sandwich or a slice of homemade pie, Stacy’s Kitchen prides itself on quality and simplicity.

For Stacy, crafting a great sandwich is all about fresh ingredients and a commitment to quality. “You can’t have a great sandwich without good bread, freshly sliced meats, and fresh vegetables,” she explained. “We buy veggies fresh every day — nothing stale, nothing pre-packaged.” Stacy’s sandwiches have earned a loyal following, with favorites like the toasted Italian, Reuben, and egg salad sandwich regularly flying off the counter.

When she steps into the kitchen each morning, Stacy is filled with excitement. “I work in the quiet and the dark, say good morning to my shop, and then I get started.” There’s no rush, no pressure — just the joy of doing what she loves every day. Her approach to food is simple: “Just make it good. That’s my philosophy. If I wouldn’t eat it myself, I won’t serve it.”

While Stacy’s Kitchen has enjoyed much success, it hasn’t been without challenges. One of the hardest lessons, she admits, is learning to never over-order ingredients. “That’s a real challenge in this business,” she said. Despite the ups and downs, Stacy has never doubted her decision to open Stacy’s Kitchen. “I’ve never had a moment where I thought this wasn’t going to work. This is what I’ve always wanted to do,” she said with conviction. “I love what I do, and I love the people I work with.”

What truly sets Stacy’s Kitchen apart is the emotional connection Stacy shares with her customers. “It’s not just about the food — it’s about the relationships,” she explained. “One of my regulars, I call him the ‘Apple Pie Man,’ has been coming in since we opened. He is in his late 70s battling cancer and asked her to promise something: “He said, ‘If you don’t see me for a while, look at the sky, wave, and I’ll wave back.’ It was such a special moment,” Stacy reflected, tears welling in her eyes. “He’s still doing well, and we’re still happy to see him every week.”

Looking ahead, Stacy has big plans for Stacy’s Kitchen. “I’d love to acquire the entire space and open up more seating with garage doors,” she said. “I’d love to offer dinner a few times a week and expand the menu, but for now, I’m limited by the space I have.”

For Stacy, running a bakery and sandwich shop isn’t just a job — it’s a life’s work. It’s about food, yes, but it’s also about connection, community, and creating a place where people can feel at home. Stacy’s Kitchen offers more than a meal — It offers a taste of something much deeper: the warmth of a place that feels like home.

The post Off Menu with Stacy’s Kitchen appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

It all started with a pair of shoes and a mother’s love. Sitting with Rene Cervantes, Jr., you can see the prideful smile glance across his face as he recalls how his parents, Rene and Maria Cervantes, began their American dream. “My mom wanted to buy me a new pair of shoes for my first birthday,” said Cervantes. With money tight for this young loving family, every morning Rene and Maria made breakfast burritos together before they went to work. Maria suggested Rene take some to work to sell to fellow stonemasons and from there a family business and dream were born. Rene sold the burritos for $1 a piece on the honor system because asking for money was awkward. Maria and Rene were able to not only buy a pair of shoes for their son from that small act of love — the Cervantes family now owns five restaurants across Northern Colorado and an entertainment venue in Denver specializing in Mexican music events.

There is room for celebrations both large and small. Whether it’s hosting a rehearsal dinner or a small intimate birthday, La Mariposa provides the extra touches to make the day special. Guests celebrating their birthdays are serenaded and served dessert topped with a sparkler candle. The entire location, dripping with thoughtfully-sourced natural materials produced by local artisans, shows great attention to detail. “We took all our ideas into a big mixing pot and this is what we created,” Cervantes Jr. proudly stated.

Cervantes Jr. credits a lot of their success to the community that has supported them over the years, following them as they opened new locations and remodeled old ones. He shared the story of one of their regulars who jumped in to help Maria and Rene get their first liquor license when a language barrier was tough to overcome. Another early supporter was a banker named Jim at Valley Bank who consistently believed in the Cervantes family and gave them chances to continue to succeed. “We created this space for them. They shared in our excitement as we succeeded,” he said.

“The changes began with revamping our menu. We wanted to add more authentic Mexican dishes and more seafood,” said Cervantes Jr. “We’ve done away with the mariachi music and bright colors.” La Mariposa has kept the traditional Tex-Mex favorites with smothered burritos, enchiladas and other standby favorites. They have also added some new options including traditional molcajetes which are hearty dishes served in hot stone bowls overflowing with fresh seafood, slow-braised pork or juicy strips of sirloin and chicken. All of their dishes are accompanied by their sauces. “Everything is made fresh daily. We even grind our own spices in our kitchen,” said Cervantes Jr.

Moving beyond the traditional old school Tex Mex offerings, explore one of the ten different fajita creations including Al Pastor Fajitas which incorporate the popular street taco flavor to a new preparation. The most popular item on the menu is the Birria Tacos. The Cervantes family wanted to introduce this love letter to Mexico. The dish takes 13 hours to prepare, with slowly braised beef as the hero of the plate. The fat from braising the beef is skimmed off the top and then used to fry the tortilla, further embedding the spices and flavors of the beef into the dish. Served with a consomme or spicy red dipping sauce, it’s easy to see how this has quickly become the best-selling item on the lunch and dinner menu. La Mariposa is also open for breakfast starting at 8 am and offers brunch on Sundays with live omelet and waffle stations, posole, tamales, chimichangas, and a fruit bar. “The whole experience is very fun and interactive,” said Cervantes Jr. Breakfast items include many sweet and savory options including Tres Leches pancakes, hearty platillos, a variety of benedicts, breakfast tacos, and burritos.

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The post Off Menu with La Mariposa appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Food has been drawing communities together for centuries, weaving a tapestry of cultural identity, laughter and connection. Often described as a sort of “social lubricant,” food isn’t just nourishment, it’s a way of life. This reality is one of the many driving factors behind the kitchen walls of El Rincón.

The traditional Argentinian-style restaurant specializes in empanadas, offering everything from the classic steak, onion, and bell pepper option to a parmesan cheese empanada. Guy Fierialso visited the location last year, and popularized a favorite dish of owner and founder Christian Saber’s: La Milanesa Napolitana. The thinly sliced steak comes breaded, and topped with tomato sauce and mozzarella while paying homage to a Buenos Aires classic. Although the dish’s name seems to indicate that it might have roots in Italy, it was invented in Argentina in the 1940s, and it sustains the perfect combination of crunch, seasoning, and gooey cheese.

Saber was born in the same place as the Milanesa Napolitana, but his curiosity brought him to Colorado‘s mountains, where he eventually met his wife, Colorado-local, Karly.

Saber tells Yellow Scene,  “On Sundays I cook for the whole family and friends. During the week I cook for people in Boulder and people who decide to come to our restaurant. I cook breakfast for our kids. At night we get together at the table and we are around food.” Food is the connective tissue in most of Saber’s social circles. Now he’s the father of three boys and the mastermind behind El Rincón.

And he gets just as much satisfaction out of creating community in Boulder as he does at home “I love to see the happy faces coming out of the restaurant. That’s one of the most important things,” says Saber. He added that many of his staff members have also been with him since the day the restaurant opened, 13 years ago.

One quality that sets El Rincón apart from other restaurants is its traditional take on food. The Argentinian diet is meat-heavy. In fact, Argentinians eat more beef than any other country in the world. As a result, classic dishes like asado (a barbeque-style slab of meat that’s often served at large gatherings), la milanesa, and empanadas can be found in El Rincón.

Saber explains, “The supplies we have here are very similar to the ones we have in Argentina,” which makes it fairly easy for him to curate the most authentic dishes. What’s more is that he emphasizes quality ingredients, “We do use, for example, natural ingredients. No hormones. Organic. I don’t put a sign that says that but I care about cooking with good ingredients. It’s not for marketing, it’s just for a way of life,” he adds.

After 13 years of living and breathing all things restaurant related, it’d be easy to assume that Saber might grow tired of the same dishes, but such an assumption would be wrong, “I eat at the restaurant all the time. It’s been 13 years. I still love empanadas. I love all of them. I don’t get tired. They make me feel great. It’s a healthy dish. I could eat this every day.”. 

Although Saber spent many of his early years laboring in the kitchen, his duties have since become more complicated, “I’m not in the kitchen all the time,” he says. “More than anything I’ll develop recipes and work with the quality of our recipes and the quality of our ingredients.”

As for he and his family, they don’t have any immediate plans to return to Argentina, but they hope to continue to bring a piece of Argentina to Boulder — an endeavor that’s evident from the decor and color that can be found within the restaurant, “Inside here, there’s Argentina music, food, smells, and soccer.” He points at a picture of a colorful string of buildings on the wall and added that the style of the restaurant mimics that of La Boca — a port town that’s full of immigrants in Argentina. He explained that immigrants would paint their houses the color of whichever paint they could find. This resulted in one of the most colorful streets in Argentina, and El Rincón mimics this character on its interior.

Another thing that sets El Rincón apart from other restaurants is the environment, “Everyone feels comfortable and welcome here,” says Saber. “It doesn’t matter if you’re dressed in a certain way or talking in a certain language. I think that they feel very welcome. I’ve been hearing this for years.”

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The post Off Menu with El Rincón Argentino appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Creativity is an essential but overlooked component of delicious food. While many chefs develop a culinary equation that results in a dish that falls into a classic category, others like Gemini’s Chef Brian Pierce take the cooking process a step further to push culinary standards by adding nuance to food.

Pierce began dabbling with cuisine in college using a blend of curiosity and guidance from his mom to master a handful of dishes. But it wasn’t until he moved to New York City that he began taking his calling seriously. It was there where he gleaned inspiration from the cultural diversity.

“I spent a lot of time going to farmers markets. I would also go to ChinaTown and buy dried shrimp, sweet potato leaves, and dried mushrooms that we used in integral ways. We went to a Spanish store in SOHO because it was right there,” explained Pierce. The food diversity was a key component to his culinary development. It was also in New York where his understanding of farms became integral to how he thought about food.

Eventually he landed in Estela — an iconic modern American eatery that’s under the creative supervision of Chef Ignacio Mattos. Then he began working for Andrew Tarlow for five years, a man he describes as the “Alice Waters of Brooklyn.”

“Andrew Tarlow owns several different concepts in Brooklyn and Manhattan. I worked at Marlow and Sons, Romans, and Reynard (which is now closed),” explains Pierce. He credits Tarlow for ushering in a new era of Brooklyn food. Borgo, Tarlow’s newest restaurant, even received a Michelin star shortly after opening, demonstrating the standards under which Pierce worked for many years.

Although New York molded Pierce into the chef he is today, he eventually made a homecoming in 2017. In 2021, Gemini opened its doors for the first time, taking a contemporary spin to traditional Spanish dishes and tapas to captivate the palate of Pearl Street passersby. Busy even at 12:00 on a Monday afternoon, Gemini’s menu features classic dishes like seafood paella with lobster stock, PEI mussels, and chorizo for a hearty, delicious meal. But the menu’s tapas are more prone to shift with the seasons and to garner attention with their flavors.

“The change keeps me engaged and people in the community engaged,” he says.

He adds, “I think the creativity in appetizers is more playful. Restaurants can take more risks there. I think that’s where the underlying excitement came from.”

Beginning on Valentines day, Pierce is ushering in a new change to the restaurant as well. Gemini will begin featuring a number of menu items from a raw bar like oysters, and some type of crude fish. Despite a common assumption that claims Colorado’s land-locked location make seafood an uncommon and unsafe delicacy, Pierce explains that Denver is actually a travel-hub that’s a convenient stop over for food from both the east and the west coast. As a result, a raw bar like Gemini’s may feature some of the best seafood in the nation.

As Gemini continues to captivate foodies across Boulder, Pierce added another project to his culinary empire: a new restaurant called High Country, which is located right next to Gemini and brings a laid back atmosphere with elevated dishes like the vaquera flank steak and poached salmon and appetizers like cast iron cornbread.

Both restaurants are operated by Chef Pierce, managing partner Michael Mehiel, pastry chef Catherine Neckes, and Elizabeth Neckes. High Country opened its doors for the first time in April of 2024, and it continues to carve its space out amongst Pearl Street’s classic restaurants. With decades of combined culinary experience, Pierce, Mehiel, and the Neckes sisters are bringing new and unique flavors to Boulder. 

The post Off Menu with Gemini Boulder appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Food authenticity isn’t just a matter of mixing the right ingredients together to create a culinary masterpiece. It’s all in the technique, which Aloy Thai (“delicious Thai”) aptly demonstrates meal after meal. The flick of the wrist at the proper time, the right amount of water to create the ideal noodle consistency, and the right temperature are just a few components that go into making some of Boulder’s best Thai food. Another vital component is the 55 years of culinary experience that Sorawee “Momma Kim” Makapadungsuk brings to the table.

Makapadungsuk grew up in Bangkok with her 10 siblings, and countless cousins. As the third oldest, the responsibility of cooking typically fell to her. At the vibrant age of 10, she walked to the market twice a day to retrieve the freshest ingredients for her concoctions. Arisa Bode, Makapadungsuk’s 41-year-old daughter, explained that there were always, “at least like 30 people in the house at all times,” and her mom was the one who fed everyone. This is the same intensity that Makapadungsuk and Bode bring to Aloy Thai’s three locations today.

Boulder’s Aloy Thai is the mothership location. It’s an unassuming restaurant that’s tucked into the corner of a complex at the intersection of Arapahoe and 28th street. If you’re not looking for it, you could blink and pass it without a thought. Yet the interior of the building is a buzzing city with fragrant smells wafting across the space.

The original Aloy Thai opened its doors to patrons in 2006 – the same year that Makapadungsuk moved to America. After spending most of her life behind a stove, Makapadungsuk spends her days teaching and demonstrating those top-secret techniques that contribute to her restaurant’s success.

Som Tum (Papaya Salad)

Bode explains that the most popular dishes in the restaurant are what you might expect: Pad Thai and Drunken Noodles. But there’s something on the menu that she’s been eating regularly since she was a child that rages on the palate: Som Tum (Papaya Salad). As a girl, Bode picked the chilis out of the salad as a pre-meal snack, making her mom giggle at her child’s love of spicy food. The dish is made with green papaya, carrot, tomato, and peanuts and doused in a spicy lime dressing. Light, refreshing, and as spicy as the patron decides, the salad is a prime example of the restaurant’s delicate and intentional cuisine.

While Aloy Thai takes a traditional approach to Thai food, the family business has also grown to include locations in Capitol Hill and Ball Park, and another one is expected to pop up in Englewood in 2025, with each spot featuring its own character. The Ball Park modern Thai eatery is, “mixed up with Korean, mixed up with Japanese, mixed up with Chinese [influences],” explains Bode. Like much of the contemporary food that travelers find in Bangkok, the restaurant takes inspiration from multiple cultures, and the menu rotates.

Aloy Thai’s Boulder location

The Capitol Hill location provides more of a light-eatery experience, allowing diners to grab and go as they please, which is a response to the cultural food shift that’s taken place since COVID-19. Aloy Thai is finding that more and more people want to bring takeout home where clients can relax. Today, 60% of business flows through third parties like DoorDash and Uber Eats, while 40% remains in house. It’s the same shift that’s contributing to changes in server pay in places like Chicago.

The mothership Aloy Thai takes a more traditional approach to Thai food. Bode explains that authentic Thai is a little bit different from the classic recipes that many of us envision. “I think it’s curry. Curry,curry, and stir-fry.”

Since moving to Boulder to assist her mom with the restaurant in 2006, Bode has come to love all kinds of international food, but her mother stays loyal to her roots. She says, “I only love Thai food.” And retaining that authenticity that sets Aloy Thai apart from other restaurants is a process. Bode and her mother work diligently to monitor the food chain, ensuring that their restaurant only provides the best ingredients. This is not only because they take pride in their dishes, but Bode says it’s also because they eat at their own restaurant all the time. The result is a diverse range of dishes that you might find on the streets of Thailand.

Drunken Noodles

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The post Off Menu with Aloy Thai appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

In an unassuming strip mall, nestled among a nail salon, a math tutoring center, and a handful of other businesses, you’ll find a restaurant looking to bring Broomfield and the surrounding area elevated dishes. But not just of any cuisine. Cuisine from India and Nepal.

The name might look familiar. After all, the husband-wife-duo Suman KC and Sonali Sapkota KC bought the existing restaurant, serving similar dishes, and kept the name.

“I wanted to keep it because, in Nepali, Durbar means palace,” said Suman KC. Which is quite fitting, considering the duo’s goal is to elevate the Indian and Nepalese dishes offered in Colorado.

Opened in March of 2023, this isn’t the couple’s first foray into the restaurant game. They also owned restaurants back in Nepal before moving to the United States in 2016. Once they arrived, Suman KC worked in restaurants around Colorado for a couple of years. But all the while he and his wife were planning and dreaming of opening their own location one day.

Well, on March 11 in 2023, that dream came true and Durbar opened its doors to the public— with a ribbon cutting attended by both the mayor of Broomfield and Boulder.

Now, “We’re promoting Nepalese and Indian food every day,” said Suman KC.

Why the combination?

“I have always loved to cook,” said Suman KC. “And there are just so many flavors in Nepalese food that I love. And, of course, the country neighbors India. And both regions have similar ingredients, spiciness, and flavors in their dishes. So they were easy meals to cook and combine.” As for the location, “I didn’t see a lot of Indian and Nepalese fine dining in the area and I wanted to bring more elevated cuisine to Broomfield,” said Suman KC. When it comes to customer favorites, he calls out the Chicken Tikka Masala; Saag Paneer, which is made with spinach and homemade cottage cheese; and Chicken Vindaloo, made with kashmiri chiles, turmeric, cinnamon, and a whole host of other spices. And for those who might be a tad cautious around spiciness, don’t worry. You can order your food on a hotness scale of one–five.

Of course, running a restaurant is not without its challenges, notes Suman KC. One must manage staffers, keep the customers happy, and, naturally, cook the same dishes with such consistency that one knows what to expect. All that, and tack on the fact that the restaurant is only just over a year old, and running one these days is certainly not an easy task. But when talking about the dishes he offers, you can hear the smile in his voice. Plus, running Durbar Nepalese and Indian Bistro is truly a team effort—a family affair, if you will.

“The reason I have found success,” said Suman KC, “is because I have my wife beside me, helping me through everything for the entire time.”

The post Off Menu with The Restaurant Bringing Colorado Elevated Indian and Nepalese Cuisine appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Chef Yong Chen peers over the shoulders of his fellow cooks at work, scrutinizing and approving, then moves down the line to his own station to continue mixing his dough. As head chef at Nana’s Dim Sum and Dumplings in Boulder, he believes the perfect dumpling is about a commitment to exactness. Achieving the perfect texture for the wrapper requires using the precise ratio of water to flour every time. Even the amount of time spent mixing the dough is crucial, so much so the chefs set a timer for each batch.

“The process of making the dough, mixing the water and the flour — it’s always the same ratio that we’re using,” he explained. “How long we need to mix all these — there’s math involved in all of it.”

After filling the wrappings, they go into the steamer, where cooking time becomes equally essential down to the second. “If we take it out too early, then it will be undercooked. If we let it steam for too long, then the meat will be dry,” Chef Chen said.

Walking into Nana’s, diners can immediately see this philosophy in action. The restaurant’s layout stretches deep into the building in an alleyway-like fashion, with the kitchen on one side and tables on the other. Guests can see down the line of chefs working at their delicate art: rolling and shaping dumpling wrappers, filling dumplings, steaming dim sum in large stacked bamboo steamers, pan-frying, monitoring dough rising times, and preparing scratch-made sauces and seasonings.

The challenge of dim sum is maintaining a high standard while working with urgency. The rhythm of the meal is vital, and the efficiency that the cooks have honed to serve large groups carries over seamlessly into this fast-casual setting. It’s quality craftsmanship at pace.

A map of Southern China.Image by: Croquant, licensed under CC A3U.

Chef Chen learned to cook in his home province of Fujian in southern China, where he attended culinary school. Fujian neighbors Guangdong, the province considered the birthplace of dim sum. His first job was at Zhen Xing restaurant in Fujian, where he perfected traditional Chinese dishes.

When asked how Nana’s differs from other typical Chinese restaurants in the U.S., Chef Chen emphasized his respect for the subtlety and quality of ingredients. “We pursue more of a natural taste over the other Chinese restaurants. A lot of [the other’s] stuff is deep fried and overly seasoned, too salty, or too spicy,” he said.

Boulder’s Nana’s is one of three restaurant chain locations, which started in Denver. The first Nana’s opened as an experiment to see how Coloradans would embrace traditional Chinese dim sum. It became a success almost immediately. The Boulder location opened in December 2023 and was the second in the chain, followed by a third in Aurora in March 2024.

This rapid expansion was part of a plan by a group of owner-chefs, including Chen, who spent years perfecting their menu and philosophy. Now, they are implementing their great dumpling vision in the Boulder location and beyond. Everyone involved embraced the calculated risk, bolstered by their confidence in the quality of their food. Chen believes that as long as they continue to make great dim sum, people will recognize it with their taste buds.

Yellow Scene asked Chef Chen what advice he would give aspiring dim sum chefs in America. He chuckled before answering that hard work and stick-to-itiveness are the most important qualities. You need to improve your craft throughout life constantly.

He said, “It mostly comes down to your own determination and willingness to learn, so you can keep improving.”

Staying true to his culinary background has not always been easy, and maintaining authenticity in a new cultural landscape can feel like an uphill battle. Yet, he and the other owners of Nana’s have managed to do just that, and Boulder’s diners are better off for it.

The post Off Menu with Yong Chen of Nana’s Dim Sum and Dumplings appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Longmont is about to experience a new callback to the kind of mid-century diners road trippers of the past loved. A new gathering space — part restaurant, part bar, part event space, and part time machine — is coming to Prospect in the next few weeks. Johnson’s Station is the reenvisioning of a 1950s-era service stop that fed hungry travelers mentioned by Jack Kerouac in “On the Road.” Chef Steve Queen is excited. With good reason.

The restaurant is housed in an intriguing building — a service station, which was moved from Longmont’s Main Street to the Prospect neighborhood. It sat for years behind fencing until it was financially redeveloped. Now, it’s been revitalized and Queen gets to lead the menu development and kitchen teams that will take diners back in time.

Queen plans to marry key parts of what’s important to him in cooking, with elevated versions of what 1950s travelers might have expected to be passed across a diner service window. Burgers. Hot dogs and hot chicken. Ice cream Cocktails. Smoked pork sandwiches. Classic Americana fare.

This kind of food feels fairly expected, but Queen has plans to elevate it. “I’ll never throw ingredients into something for the sake of throwing thirty things there. I’m very forward and when I describe something I’m cooking, you’re going to taste what I’m describing. An orange, a carrot, ginger sauce will taste like those things, in that order. It’s stripping away filler and distractions. I like things flavorful. Reduced down.” To further illustrate his point, he talked about how he makes hot chicken. Marinated in buttermilk and then made with both butter and lard, it’s spicy with a crust that’s present but not overwhelming. It is also about texture. It just also happens to be gluten-free.

Aspects of the Johnson’s Station environment play to Queen’s personality as well. The space calls back to some of his most formative years in high school, where he not only discovered he appreciated cooking through a class, he also discovered he liked photography and architecture. “The exposure to it is what makes the difference. There’s so much that you’re not exposed to in high school as far as careers. The things that stuck with me the most from those days are those things that were hands on and used in real life, long term.”

Of all the things he was fortunate to try in school, cooking ultimately stuck with him. He went to Johnson and Wales in Florida, then worked at a series of restaurants including in places owned by his parents. Like a lot of other people, he came to Colorado for the mountains. But, unlike a lot of people, he cooked in Cherry Creek. Then he worked for River and Woods owned by the same group, Working Title, that owns Johnsons Station.

Throughout his journey, there wasn’t one person that was his mentor but he said he felt that it was to his advantage. He focused on purely developing his own techniques based on his instinct. What was consistent was how he pushed himself to learn more. His philosophy about restaurants is that there’s always more to learn. Culinary professionals should be looking deep into techniques, ingredients, and how to do things better. There’s always something to know, or know more deeply.

And now it appears his next learning chapter is in Longmont, in an Americana-road trip fueled (pun intended) preserved service station.  One can only imagine the rabbit holes of learning and creation he has going forward into the future, to diners’ benefit.

The post Off Menu with Steve Queen of Johnson’s Station appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

On a warm, though partly cloudy day, I walked into the counter-service location situated just off Highway 287 and south of the Kaiser Permanente campus to meet with chef and owner of Off Campus Cafe, Mariano Rodriguez. I noted the cozy café atmosphere and cleanliness of the dining room. While much of the menu centers on standard American breakfast and lunch fare, the Yucatán options and specials are particularly appealing.

I settled into a booth seat and before long Chef Rodriguez brought out a veritable smorgasbord of food to sample. The colors of his coconut shrimp salad were striking, and the mango dressing was delicious. He presented an achiote marinated chicken tamale, wrapped in banana leaves rather than corn husk, smothered in salsa verde, and topped with gooey cheese. The fluffy masa was cooked melt-in-your-mouth perfectly, and the chicken was tender and juicy.

Perhaps my personal favorite was the panuchos. A specialty of Yucatán where the handmade tortillas are stuffed with refried black beans and topped with the same fantastic chicken, tomato, lettuce, pickled jalapeño, avocado, and pickled red onion. The black beans inside the tortilla took the tacos up a notch and gave an inexplicably savory flavor to the dish. Chef Rodriguez’s wife, Norma, helps in the kitchen and makes a delightful habanero salsa for those who want a little extra kick.

The tortillas and beans being made in house is unique, but most unique is that Chef Rodriguez’s brother makes the achiote condiment in Mexico and sends it to him here. When asked why, Chef Rodriguez said, “I tried to make it here, but the annatto seeds are totally different.” His response showed that terroir applies to more than just wine and that it matters where the food is grown too.

We spoke about what inspired Chef Rodriguez to begin his cooking career. He said, “My mom used to make grilled chicken, and right off the grill, it was really good.” He continued, “I’ve been cooking since I was 16 or 17, and I would help my mom a lot.” He attended culinary school in Merida and Cancún and worked in Mexico before coming to the U.S.

Chef Rodriguez talked about how he likes to mix things up and offer specials. He told me a story about how the cafe has semi-regular guests, two of whom are a mother and her young daughter who enjoy going to Off Campus Cafe because there’s always something different to eat. He said he made them sushi rolls, one of which was a twist on his Baja chicken sandwich. He said, “I like to play with food and make something different.”

The heartfelt stories he shared about his guests gave a personal touch to the family-owned and operated eatery. He spoke about an older couple who finally succeeded at bringing their friend to Off Campus Cafe and made a regular customer out of him as well. Another guest had plans to visit Yucatán about a month after his visit to the restaurant. Chef Rodriguez said, “I was kind of joking with him, but I told him my brother lives in my hometown. If you visited him, he would give you a tour.” The guest returned to the restaurant some time later and showed Chef Rodriguez a picture with his brother, having taken him up on the offer of a tour.

Another personal touch that Chef Rodriguez brings to the restaurant is that he does all the shopping, rather than ordering from a purveyor. “I like to go buy it because I can pick what I want, what I like, and what I see is good.”

The care, love, and personal touch that Chef Rodriguez brings to Off Campus Cafe can be seen and tasted in his food. “One thing that really inspires me to cook is my family. We like to eat almost anything.” He brings a taste of his home with tamales, panuchos, and more. When he wants to switch things up, he’ll create a special dish. He gets to know his clientele and provides service that reflects the family atmosphere of the restaurant.

The post Off Menu with Mariano Rodriguez appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Main Street in Longmont was bustling with people on a sunny Saturday as I made my way through the throngs to Teocalli Cocina. The blue and white color scheme and the traditional Mexican geometric pattern on the wall produced a modern aesthetic that noded to the rich cultural history of Mexico. Executive Chef Julio Gaspar who oversees all three locations has been spending most of his time in Longmont since opening two months ago.

We settled in a cozy booth to chat and before long Chef Gaspar went to retrieve a gorgeous plate of shrimp ceviche and a basket of tortilla chips. The color palate of the dish was surprisingly vibrant and whetted my appetite, giving proof to the adage that we eat with our eyes first. The shrimp mixture sat atop a mango habanero sauce drizzled with chile oil that had just the right amount of heat, it was garnished with sliced radishes and beautifully fanned avocado.

A myriad of flavors and textures danced in my mouth. It had the perfect balance between the sweetness of the mango, the acidity from lime, and the gentle warmth from the chiles. He told me about the process for their ceviche which varies just slightly from the traditional lime marinade where the acidity of the citrus cooks the shrimp. He said, “For me, it’s a weird texture. So, what we do is plunge the shrimp in lime and hot water for five seconds, then we finish the cooking in the lime.” Having sampled ceviche from all over, I can say that this was the best iteration I’ve ever had the pleasure of eating.

Teocalli’s Unique take on a Banana Split

Chef Gaspar then brought me the banana split, another beautiful dish of banana brûlée, strawberry ice cream, dulce de leche, — garnished with a peanut and sesame seed brittle called palanquetas — a traditional candy from his hometown in Oaxaca. It is a popular dessert, and he said, “Last week we sold sixty pounds of bananas, and it’s one banana per dish.” On tasting it, it’s not surprising that it’s so popular. The palanquetas lend a slightly savory note to the dessert that truly completes the balance of flavors and textures.

Teocalli Cocina’s full bar is equally enticing, and I’ll have to return soon for a cocktail, beer, or Mezcal. Chef Gaspar informed me of their great selection of small batch tequilas and Mezcal, he said, “We just got a new one that has guava and it’s a little sweet, for people who are just starting to get into Mezcal.” Additionally, they have a Mexican Lager that 4 Noses Brewing produces exclusively for the restaurant.

When I asked him how he got the bug for cooking he told me, “My mom used to have a restaurant in Mexico, and she said, ‘You need to help.’” He shared with me his vast experience, that he cooked in Mexico, New York, California, Denver, and more. It was clear from our conversation that his passion, and love of Oaxaca, drive and inspire him. He told me about his favorite food memories, “we have a Mole that we fly the chiles from Oaxaca, it’s a lot of work, but it’s just beautiful. We have a lot of seafood too.”

Longmont is a town on the rise, and we spoke about why he chose it. Chef Gaspar said, “We wanted to look outside of Denver, and we like the town.” He shared with me the plan for the next year to turn the lower level of the building into a speakeasy. “I feel like Longmont needs something like that.” Indeed, Teocalli Cocina’s chic and modern vibe fits right in on Main Street.

As our conversation reached its conclusion, I noted the influx of diners coming in for lunch, particularly for the patio. I wondered to myself how many would order the ceviche, as it felt like the perfect dish for a summer Saturday afternoon on the patio. Longmont is fortunate to have the third location of Teocalli Cocina. Chef Gaspar truly presents his culture, and passion with every dish.

The post Off Menu with Julio Gaspar appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

There are a few things I miss since moving from the Northeast to Colorado. The list includes family, friends, and perhaps — the thing I miss most of all, delis — specifically deli sandwiches. But then I was introduced to Curtis Park Deli.

Photo by Kristen Richard

In 2018, Dash Harrison teamed up with Michael Reif and became a founding partner of Curtis Park Deli. But Harrison took a bit of a winding road to get there. After graduating from Oklahoma State University in 2003, he moved to Colorado and started working at Nick-N-Willy’s Pizza.

“I worked at their corporate restaurant for a while,” said Harrison. “Then I moved into the franchising office. But I have always had a culinary background. My dad went to the Culinary Institute and owned a few restaurants when I was growing up.” He eventually moved to working in website design and development. But after a few years, “I wanted to get back into food,” he said, leading him to partner with Reif, whose original business partner now resides in New Zealand.

“I kind of stumbled back into food,” Harrison said with a smile. “But it was nice to come full circle from where I started my career in Colorado back in 2003.”

Today, Curtis Park Deli has three locations: two in Denver and one in Boulder. The stores all have nine core offerings, like the American and Italian subs, but there are some differences on the menu depending on the location.

“It’s a simple menu,” said Harrison. “But it still allows us to be creative.”

The two things that stay the same no matter which one you go to? All the subs are served cold — not toasted. And they strive to support the locals.

Photo by Kristen Richard

“We’ve put a huge emphasis on trying to find smaller local purveyors,” said Harrison. “If we are expecting people to support us as a small local business, it’s hypocritical for us to not do the same in return. It might make the food a bit more expensive. But that’s okay because it’s a better product overall.”

Indeed, according to Harrison, they use local produce when they can. And they forgo Pepsi and Coke for an assortment of drinks from Rocky Mountain Soda Co., Upstart Kombucha, and other local spots. Additionally, if you need a pick-me-up, they serve coffee from Denver’s Kaladi Coffee Roasters and Boxcar Coffee Roasters. And rather than Lay’s for that all important sub side, you’ll find options from Denver Chip Co. and more.

“You also won’t see us going out and buying things like large tubs of mayonnaise,” said Harrison. “We make all our sauces in-house like our garlic aioli, pesto, mustard, red wine vinegar, Thousand Island dressing, and hummus.”

Like the regional differences in the menu, there are going to be local favorites. In Boulder, for instance, the beef sandwich is particularly popular, Harrison noted.

Then there’s the Curtis, which Harrison describes as a “play on a Reuben.” On the sub, you’ll find corned beef from a local purveyor, their homemade Thousand Island dressing, Swiss cheese, and perhaps the pièce de résistance? The sauerkraut.

“Our sauerkraut is probably the best I’ve ever had,” said Harrison. “It’s from Vibrant Veggies in Denver. The owner puts a little bit of extra caraway seed in it for us to mimic the taste of rye bread. And it’s phenomenal.”

One favorite across all the stores is the American sub, made with homemade aioli, red onions, fresh tomatoes, smoked Gouda, turkey, and mixed greens. “We have people that only get that when they come in,” said Harrison.

There’s also the Veggie for the vegans and vegetarians out there. Or you can tweak other sandwiches to fit your dietary preferences.

All the subs are made on either ciabatta from City Bakery or gluten-free bread from Deby’s Gluten Free, both of which are in Denver. And that’s an intentional choice to stave off food waste. After all, “if we have 30 kinds of bread, we’ll end up tossing out 28 kinds at the end of the day,” said Harrison. Additionally, there are no plastic utensils, and the company strives to use minimal packaging.

If you’ve worked in or known someone who has worked in food service, you have probably experienced or witnessed the burnout that can take place. After all, these jobs often have long hours, are demanding, and very stressful. But along with supporting local and environmental initiatives, Curtis Park Deli aims to support their employees.

“We’re open from 10 am to 4 pm,” said Harrison. “We probably could be open for dinner if we wanted to, but it’s important to us to keep work-life balance for our employees. That’s huge for us.”

The post Off Menu with Dash Harrison of Curtis Market appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

The menu at Just BE Kitchen is filled with comfort food like French Toast Sliders, Chicken and Dumplings, and Shepherd’s Pie – all that just so happen to be gluten-free. That last part isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when you take a bite of the warm, nourishing food, and that’s just how founder Jennifer Peters wanted it.

Peters doesn’t come from an intense background of strict food rules or a crunchy all-natural family, she is just a former athlete who found a way to increase her performance by eating anti-inflammatory foods. She was tired of the only ‘healthy’ options when eating out being a huge piece of protein or an un-satiating smoothie bowl. This led her to begin experimenting in the kitchen with how she could solve her own problem.

“It was really out of a desire for me to have healthy, nutritious, anti-inflammatory food that wasn’t about lack and sacrifice,” she said.

After creating a gluten-free granola recipe that she and her friends loved, she began selling at farmers markets. Gaining in popularity and slowly expanding her menu, she opened her first restaurant in Denver’s LoHi neighborhood in 2017. Now Colorado’s largest gluten-free restaurant group, she has a second location in Denver Tech Center and more recently, a third location in Boulder as of December 2023.

I sat down with Peters, and her executive chef Jude Romero, on Saturday afternoon after tasting some of their most popular items. Admittedly, a restaurant with inspirational quotes on the walls and dishes named after states of well-being wasn’t automatically appealing to me, but by the end of talking to the pair I came around.

They don’t just claim to care about well-being, they live it. Romero joined the team about five months ago after struggling with addiction for many years. He was drawn to Just BE Kitchen, not because of the food, but because of what it stands for.

“I have no allergies, I’ve never had to deal with any of that, and so it was actually very interesting not necessarily for the food, but for the concept itself,” Romero said. “For basically being a restaurant that wanted to be in the wellness field and serve more than just allergen-free food – actually serve good food and actually have a purpose behind it.”

With names like Daring, Bright, and Fulfilled, each dish serves to make people more mindful about their food choices. This concept is mirrored on the walls of the restaurant, which sports quotes hand-painted on canvases..

Peters hopes to become “the Chipotle of gluten-free” with plans to open 10 more locations in the next five years – making this way of intentional eating easily accessible to wide audiences.

“It’s great to have someone like Jude who hasn’t necessarily historically eaten healthy and who has come into it as an interest because of personal changes in his life because he’s great to test it.” Peters said.

She said that not only has having someone experienced in large-scale food production been an asset to the team, so is having someone who has, in the past, gone to McDonalds for breakfast daily. This ensures that all of the dishes that make it to the menu appeal to the largest audience possible.

This mindset dictates what items are on the menu each season. Thinking about what people crave seasonally and how they can put the most satisfying, satiating things on the menu is central to Peters and Romero’s process.

“I don’t like to do things that are just like ‘oh that’s good for gluten-free,” Peters said. “We don’t have donuts on the menu and will never have donuts because we don’t have a fryer. And in my opinion, a baked gluten-free donut is like ‘eh it’s good for a gluten-free donut’ not like ‘its f-ing good.”

Peters wants everything on the menu to be “f-ing good,” which is why she is constantly testing new ingredients and combinations to make the best dishes possible.

“How can we take that traditional component and how can we convert it to [Just BE Kitchen] style?” Peters said. “If we can do it and execute it to where people wouldn’t know the difference that it was gluten-free or not, cool.”

With plans to expand their hours in the coming months, broaden their offerings to include wellness events, and introduce a small “Mindful Market” retail section of the Boulder store, Peters and her team aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. So leave your preconceived notions at the door and open your mind to mindful eating as easily accessible as a Chipotle bowl – with none of the consequences of that ‘extra sour cream please.’

The post Off Menu: Just BE Kitchen appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Nick Swanson, culinary director and co-owner of Urban Field Pizza and Market in Longmont, talked about his 20-plus years in and around kitchens with such fervor, one can’t help but crack a smile. It’s the contagious type of energy only emitted by those who love every aspect of what they do.

“I was meant to end up in the kitchen,” Swanson said.

But two decades ago, he wasn’t thinking about becoming a chef. Instead, he was thinking about getting out on the ski slopes while living in Boulder and working as a busboy at Bacaro Venetian Taverna, which has since closed.

“I wasn’t very good at it,” he admitted with a chuckle.

Yet, something drew him to the kitchen.

“I was always asking the chef ‘Hey how do you cook this?’ ‘How do you cook that?’ And one day he said ‘Want to give it a try back here?’”

Swanson’s first assignment? Dice cans upon cans of tomatoes. “And I absolutely fell in love with the energy and vibe of the kitchen,” Swanson said. He worked his way up from prep cook to sous chef over three and half years. During his time at Bacaro, he also did a stage at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Italy’s Piedmont region. When he returned to the United States, he promptly enrolled in the French Culinary Institute of Manhattan — now called the International Culinary Center.

After completing school and working at several restaurants in and around New York City, Swanson returned to the Centennial State He got a job as a chef in a sorority house before running the kitchen at Under the Sun restaurant in Boulder.

Then 2020 happened. 

“[Paul Nashak, managing partner of Under the Sun] and I had thrown around ideas about a pizza food hall,” Swanson said. “When Covid hit, I was just like it’s now or never.”

Thus, Urban Fields was born. And in May, they’ll celebrate their two-year anniversary.

Making People Happy One Pizza at a Time 

Urban Fields’ staple dish? Pizza.

On the surface, pizza seems like a relatively simple food to make. After all, at its core, it’s just dough, cheese, and sauce. But that mentality is precisely why there’s so much crappy pizza out there.

At Urban Fields, however, Swanson takes pizza very seriously. And it shows. 

“Pizza is a special dish,” Swanson said. “People don’t realize everything that goes into it.” On the menu you’ll find standard pies as well as Detroit-style pizza. And what is the latter, exactly?

It’s a rectangular pie baked in a pan about two inches thick, resulting in a pizza with soft, pillowy dough and both carmalized and crispy cheese bits.

“It has nice contrasting textures,” he said.

Not Your Grandma’s Cooking (But Kinda Close) 

Alongside pizza, Urban Field’s menu also offers plenty of other dishes that Swanson characterized as “twists on grandma’s classics.” But how do you tweak the dish while still honoring the recipe that came before it?

“I think about what my grandparents had growing up,” Swanson said. “It was delicious, but simple food, after all, they grew up in a time where there was only so much available. For example, chicken parm was just breaded chicken, sauce, and cheese. I wanted to make something slightly different.”

The result? A chicken parm sandwich with all the standard fixings but with a pistachio basil pesto and, possibly the most surprising, butter pickles.

“When I see customers order it for the first time, they are often hesitant because of the pickles,” Swanson says. “Then they take a bite and I see their face light up. I’m going for those emotional connections. If you can develop that with a guest or a staff member, they are never going to forget that or you.”

A Lifelong Student 

Another thing Swanson loves about cooking? “You can learn something from anybody,” he said. “I have over 20 years experience at this point. But even if I hire someone who has worked in a kitchen for just over a year, they may have picked up a trick I’ve never seen before.”

The willingness to learn and have staff voice their ideas and opinions trickles down to the guest experience, not just in terms of the dishes but also the overall atmosphere. 

“Bring great ideas to the table and great stuff is going to happen,” Swanson said. “I try to create that kind of environment for my crew. If you create a happy crew that rubs off on the guest and makes for a great experience all around.”

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Even with tacos available nearly everywhere, Tacos Aya Yay stands above the rest

Tacos Aya Yay family. Photo by Dani Cole

On a cool January evening, I ambled into Tacos Aya Yay in Lafayette. The smell of tortillas and braising meats wafted into the air as I shook off the cold. The understated and unassuming counter service restaurant proved, indeed, that big flavor can come in small packages.

Tacos Aya Yay is a favorite haunt for many in the Lafayette area and for good reason — phenomenal food. Chef José Pantoja has crafted the menu to celebrate traditional south-of-the-border cooking, offering classic staples like tacos, tortas, and menudo. Pantoja brings a slice of his home to ours. I gathered some salsa from the self-serve salsa bar and nestled into a seat at the dining counter that wrapped around one side of the restaurant.

Chef Pantoja, barely visible around the corner of the bustling kitchen, diligently put together a plate of quesabirria: corn tortilla quesadillas filled with queso Oaxaca and slow-braised shredded beef, served with a chile consommé for dipping, then garnished with sauteed onions, diced radish, and a fried jalapeño, and, of course, lime, fresh cilantro, and onion. One bite was enough to warm my stomach and heart. On the second bite, memories stirred from when I lived in Southern California where fabulous and authentic Mexican food is easy to find.

Through the translation efforts of one staff member, Chef Pantoja and I spoke about his love for food and sharing his culture with those fortunate enough to live near his establishment. Hailing from Jalisco, Mexico, Pantoja said he “guides himself from the flavors from Mexico, so he tries to remember the flavors, and tries to make it the same as if you’re eating food from Mexico.” When the restaurant began, they served only tacos, but as they’ve grown, they have expanded their menu to include specials, full entrée plates, and more.

When asked who influenced him, Pantoja said, “His wife always did all the cooking” and that “her whole life she wanted to have a food business.” As a family-run restaurant, he pointed out his son running the counter, and it was clear why the food was so delicious. As for the specific style of food, Pantoja talked about “a mix of the two states,” referring to Jalisco and Zacatecas, where his wife is from. Many of us north of the border only have one perception of Mexican food, but the regional varieties are as strong there as they are across the United States 

Nothing beats a cup of birria consume.

As an influx of eaters came and went through the restaurant, I noted that I’d never seen Tacos Aya Yay empty. Pantoja spoke about his relationship with food as a child and how “his mom would cook a lot of food, and once his wife moved in with them, she started to cook where he was from and then a mixture of where she’s from.” The family legacy of serving food goes back even further, as Pantoja’s father used to sell dairy products in Mexico.

The northern Colorado metro area is nearly littered with taco restaurants to an almost oversaturated degree, yet Tacos Aya Yay stands a cut above the rest. Pantoja credits this to the fact that “everything is handmade, we cut our own meat, season our own meat, make our own salsas, and make everything from scratch,” and that “everything is fresh.” Their self-serve salsa bar has several choices, each one more delicious than the last.

Food made with love always tastes the best, and that rang true for Pantoja as well. The passion with which he crafts his food is abundantly clear. That passion serves as an inspiration to his staff, and he said, “The reason the food is so good is because it’s made with love, and we actually want to be here.” He stated, “People like it here because they relate to it.” It’s easy to see how happy his staff is to be in the restaurant, and service is always given with a warm smile.

The air of family and community that surrounds the restaurant is palpable as are the care and passion placed into the food of Tacos Aya Yay. After our conversation, Pantoja returned to the kitchen where he jumped into the fray as a line of diners had formed. Some were grabbing salsa, sipping horchata, or opening their Jarritos as they waited for their food, which came nearly flying out of the kitchen. Without missing a beat, Pantoja was cooking right alongside his staff with a smile on his face.

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Editor’s note: Frank Day was just inducted into the Colorado Tourism Hall of Fame. Here is our interview from last year with the legendary man himself.

Day shares his restaurant industry wisdom… and some stories from Walt and Hanks.

Frank Day’s impact on dining in Boulder County and throughout Colorado has been notable. You’ve probably dined in at least one of his places. He’s owned everything from a Burger King franchise location to the iconic Old Chicago chain, Rock Bottom Restaurants, and the Denver and Boulder Chophouses.

We can’t name them all, but Day has been around long enough that he’s recently opened a new concept — Boulder Social. It’s at a location he operated as a Jose Muldoon’s, an iconic spot out of business years ago, and then left. After Jose Muldoon’s, a few other people have tried to reopen places at that location and for a number of reasons, they’ve all closed. But it’s more than likely that Day will make it work. In fact, when we drive by during operating hours, we see more cars there now than we’ve seen for a few years.

At 90 years old and still working, Day has developed quite a bit of restaurant industry wisdom. We recently talked with and, with his dogs vying for attention in the background, heard some wonderful stories.

“It’s a people business. It’s 110% all about how people operate. A successful restaurant is a successful team put together,” said Day as we started to talk. “If you keep them growing in one direction, it will keep going.”

Day described the kind of leadership that he’s felt worked well in his businesses. “Southwest Airlines summed it up. They hire people who they feel have the heart of a servant. You can approach a lot of people about this and they cringe, but in restaurants you need people who take pleasure in helping other people get things done. That’s who you need as an employee and as a leader. It’s fairly simple but difficult to execute.”

Photo credit: Deborah Cameron

While Day has run a lot of concepts through the years, we also asked about one of his earliest places, Walt and Hanks, which he bought just after opening The Walrus in Boulder. The question gave him a laugh. “Walt and Hanks. I bought that building at 11th and Pearl in Boulder, and it was a three-two bar with pool tables. We served Coors Banquet. We had jerky and beer nuts. I could talk all day about that place.”

He described the clientele including, in his words, “everyone from retired, alcoholic, hard-core miners who’d be there at 8 or 9 [a.m.] to lesbian pool players and a Native American clientele who showed up later in the day.” Bar incidents were frequent, and whoever was pouring beer often needed to jump over the bar to stop what was happening. Day recalled that bartenders sometimes had to defend themselves with sawed-off pool sticks while calling 911 to break things up. “One evening, I came in, and the green pool tables were no longer green. I said, ‘Enough of this.’” shared Day. Day then developed a new business idea, born just after the decision to close Walt and Hanks. He said, “We closed, but I knew some guys who wanted to have a pinball palace, and I missed Chicago-style pizza from my years there, so we opened Old Chicago.”

We wondered what his thoughts were on how the landscape in Colorado has changed. “There are many more people in Colorado than there used to be,” he said. “The current generation — they’re very conscious of environmental issues. They have very distinct ideas of what they’ll eat, where it comes from. That’s brought something new to the table for restaurant operations who attempt to please everybody.”

We wondered, with bars and really high-quality craft beer being woven through so many of his concepts including Boulder Social — how much of a craft beer fan Day is. We asked, but he said it was really about providing people with what they’re looking for and doing it well. “Whatever you’re selling, if you can make a good product with consistently decent service, you’ll succeed as a business. It’s all a matter of being able to do tomorrow what you did yesterday.”

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Take a trip to Maine with only a few steps off Pearl Street

I think about food often. One question that often intrigues me: Who was the first person to eat this?

Lobster remains at the top of my list when these musings take hold. I look at lobsters, with their beady eyes, antennae, and intimidating claws and wonder, “What made someone look at this and think, ‘Food!’? How hungry must they have been to crack it open and have a go?” Whoever that person is, I want to extend a heartfelt thank you for being more open-minded than I might have been. I absolutely love lobster.

Not having traveled much in New England, lobster rolls crossed my path only recently. Admittedly, I can be a bit of a minimalist when it comes to certain food items. When I eat lobster, I don’t even use butter. Instead, I prefer to enjoy the pure succulence of it. Lobster rolls, however, have won my heart. Maine Shack remains the primary cause of that.

With several restaurants including the Lower Highlands neighborhood, and now in Boulder just a short distance from Pearl Street Mall, this spot exists for one purpose: to bring people to Maine. On a frigid Sunday afternoon, I had the great fortune of being able to spend time with the founder and owner Drew Ryan.

Ryan hails from Maine and grew up in the food industry. His father owned and operated a small distributing company, and Drew made deliveries. Eventually, Ryan’s path took him into the music industry. When he came to Colorado in 2006, he missed the food from home. This eventually led to the opening of his first fast casual location in the Lower Highlands neighborhood in Denver in 2019, then, most recently, his Boulder location.

Entering into the restaurant, you can immediately tell that great time, attention, and care have gone into creating the atmosphere of a Maine lobster shack. Enlisting the help of his friends who run the Maine Cabin Masters TV show, he brought in repurposed and reclaimed wood, furniture, and decorations. From the chairs to the walls to the old and new lobster traps hanging from the ceiling, everything can be traced back to Maine. His eyes sparkled a bit as he showed me boat helms, nets, and traps. I can tell this is not only a sense of pride for him but also an homage to his childhood home. I can also infer he probably loves to come to the restaurant and just “be,” soaking in the New England vibes and food and rejuvenating his soul. Indeed, the decor, coupled with his New England accent, made me forget for a time that I was still in Boulder. The food only served to bolster that feeling.

If you’re going to claim that you want your customers to feel like they are in Maine, the lobster must be fresh. That’s no easy requirement from a landlocked state. A quick Google search revealed that from Denver to the southern Maine coast covers slightly over 2,000 miles. Stonington, the town where Maine Shack gets its lobster from, sits on an island about halfway between the southern and northern state lines. In order to ensure a fresh product and to keep prices as low as possible for the consumer, Ryan doesn’t work with a distributor. He deals directly with the lobstermen of GreenHead Lobster.

From the dock to the packaging plant, it’s about an hour. Once the lobsters arrive, they are euthanized using pressure, which is the most humane way, and then prepared for cooking. After being deconstructed, the lobster pieces are cooked separately to perfection. This fact boggles my mind briefly but then makes perfect sense. The different pieces cook differently. Claws are not tails, tails are not knuckles, and so on and so forth. The pieces are vacuum sealed with a bit of seawater and then begin their journey to Colorado.

After a direct flight from Boston and once passengers have disembarked the plane, the lobsters await pick up. Ryan also told me that these pick-up days often look like a Who’s Who of the Denver sushi and seafood scene as the restaurant owners and chefs make every effort to ensure the freshest of ingredients for the Colorado food scene. All told, the journey takes two days. “The Maine guys take care of us,” Ryan proclaimed.

Ever since I first set up the interview, the time I have been waiting for finally  arrives. “What would you like to try?” Ryan asked. I put myself in his capable hands. A trio of lobster rolls — I might label it a roll flight — arrived, and I am reminded why Maine Shack made my introduction to lobster rolls such an experience. Ryan wants the seafood to do the talking. No matter what roll you order, the butter, the mayonnaise, the other toppings are present but not overpowering. The locally made New England rolls from Boulder’s Breadworks provide added flavor and texture but remain a supporting character. I also got to try some fried clams, complete with clam belly, which arrive raw after their two-day journey. The New England Clam Chowder warmed my soul, and the Lobster Stew was chock full of claw and leg meat.

Ryan offered that with six lobster rolls on the menu, there’s a lobster roll for everyone. If not, “Have it your way,” he smiled.  

The post Off Menu: The Maine Taste appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Shake off the cold with warmth of chef Hess’s Thai food

There’s still a few more weeks to endure winter. If you’re on The Hill in Boulder craving some warmth, head towards 13th Street and seek out the lanterns above the walk-up window for The Ginger Pig. That’s where you can find a nourishing cup of tom kha sipping broth with lemongrass, lime leaf, garlic, and Thai chili or a huge bowl of hearty tom yung noodles with a feast of mushrooms, tomatoes, and shrimp.

The quality and creative culinary passion behind these and the restaurant’s other dishes have paid off. It’s earned The Ginger Pig a local following and plenty of awards. They’ve been recognized by the Colorado Restaurant Association with an Exceptional Newcomer Award in 2022 and as a place “you need to eat right now” by Thrillist. As if those accolades weren’t enough, The Ginger Pig was also recently honored by the Michelin Guide with a Bib Gourmand.

“It was incredibly shocking. I found out in a text — with a screen shot,” said Chef and Owner Natascha Sherman Hess. “Because our food team is in a truck, people don’t always think of it as special as it is. But in reality, our food right now is some of the best we’ve ever made. Doing so much traveling and eating is getting me excited again. I’ve learned how to make things better as I continue to do it.”

The Ginger Pig first gained area local’s attention as a food truck at Rayback Collective, where Hess happily made the kind of street food she’d grown to love as a college student during three summers in China. She shared how she prepared meals with the family she stayed with: “It was my first time cooking with a group, as a team. And it was my first farm-to-table experience. They’d get food from the stalls, the markets, on their way home. It was super fresh.”

Hess didn’t jump right into a culinary career. She played hockey in college and then helped launch Fox Sports Rocky Mountain television station. She’s been a lawyer. Her first restaurant job was as an intern for “Top Chef” alum Carrie Baird. She took what she’d learned and gained a following with her food truck in Boulder. By being among the first to open a stall at Rosetta Hall. Eventually, she opened her own restaurant in Denver. Just this past year, she returned to her geographic roots in Boulder.

I joined her one night, interviewing her and sampling food while she cooked. It was as much a conversation as an interview, woven in between the chef’s motions across a hot griddle, saucing and plating on the counter next to us for takeout. I heard her story in between bites of Sichuan Spicy Eggplant, Thai Crab Fried Rice, and one of Hess’ current favorites on the menu, Hong Kong French Toast. This last item is made with a kaya jam and topped with sweetened condensed milk, butter, and corn flakes.

I felt like I was brought into Hess’ kitchen family when I was there, and it’s an understatement to say that she forges connections easily. Baird is a great example, but there are others. At Hess’ side next to the stove was Andrew Edwards who cooked in an adjacent food truck when she was at the Rayback Collective. Joey Miller, who manned the front window taking orders, became a Ginger Pig fan just a few years ago once he ate there in high school. During Hess’ own turn on the Food Network, she competed on “Chopped” and loved the experience. She became best friends with Atlanta chef Ann Kim who prevailed over her on the show. Now they travel together. The pair went to Kim’s home country of Korea and brought back items to add to the menu.

As a former athlete, Hess also realizes the value of the team members who work alongside her. “It’s really fun, but it’s really hard, and it takes a lot of effort from a lot of people to put out these kinds of dishes. There’s a lot of people here who care about each other and care about The Ginger Pig.”

And I had to ask, “If it’s really hard, why would anybody do it?”

She answered quickly. “Because it’s really pleasurable to work as a team and have products come out as we want them. We push each other every day. We feel like we are doing something special. Something bigger than us. It feels good.”  

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Each year drinkers have access to increasingly broad options for Eggnog that bush boundaries beyond the traditional rich, nutmeg laden confection that’s basically custard in a glass. There are vegan/dairy-free types that are made from oat milk, coconut milk and almond milk as well as low-fat, gingerbread and chocolate nogs. There are super-cheap nog versions (we wouldn’t) and extravagant versions (yes, please).

My favorite is actually from Longmont Dairy, which I can happy get off and on throughout the year in different variations with holiday nog in designer bottles. This year I gave it away as gifts to friends along with gingerbread and a big, red bow. My nextdoor neighbors enjoyed it the most. They immediately spiked it with brandy and texted me about how good it was. I haven’t tried Royal Crest’s version, but maybe next year.

Dryland Distillers – The fresh Eggnog source for East Boulder County

Diehard East County Eggnog lovers head to Dryland Distillers’ for a spiked, packaged version. It’s created based on the wining recipe for their annual Nog-Off, a competition where area chefs and distillers create recipes which is blind-tasted by community members during a judging day. Customers can purchase bottles made with the winner of last year’s competition, Firestone Cocktail Society.

I stopped in for the judging with a friend to see what it was like. The tasting room was beyond crowded, with participants sitting in front of a series of six text tube-like vials of nog. Each was numbered and we were given explicit instructions that we could shake all of them but number six. We weren’t given any idea about the flavor for each or who made them.

The first three were more or less what we were expecting, something like the best ice cream drink I’ve tasted. They were a little hotter than expected, but all were similar with the third being a little sweeter. The next three showed how creative Eggnog could be. One tasted spicy, as if it had a smoky chipotle in it, and the final two tasted like heavy caramel or chai spice respectively. I accidentally shook entry number six and it spilled everywhere the way a can of soda did.

For us the spices threw off the balance a little too much and we liked the first three better than the second. I liked the peppery version better than my friend. About two weeks after judging, Dryland announced the winners. First place went again to Firestone Cocktail Society and was a salted caramel version, but Dryland’s entry was a classic nog came in a close second place and third place was awarded to a Nutella-flavored nog created by Boozy Sue’s confections. The three other entrants were created by chefs at Urban Fields pizza, January Coffee and Rising Tiger.

Making Eggnog in your kitchen

If you’re feeling crafty and want to try making eggnog in your own kitchen, and impress holiday guests or just have something rich to sip on Christmas Eve, it’s more than possible. Dryland has published the recipe for it’s 2022 winner and promises to publish all of the contestants’ recipes, though none were available at press time we expect they’ll be up soon.

There are other variations available and many highlight Eggnog’s historical roots as a middle-England milk-based drink called Posset. Posset included curdled warm milk, wine and spices and, eventually, eggs. It was a cozy winter warmer that might send a drinker right off to bed.

Throughout the centuries, Egg Nog (or a version of it) was drunk by monks and aristocrats before becoming a holiday essential in Colonial America. A recipe that identifies itself (not necessarily accurately) as being George Washington’s Very Boozy Eggnog includes cream, milk and a dozen eggs as well as Jamaican rum, whiskey, and sherry. In the Southern, USm Whiskey became the primary go-to for spiking Eggnog. Whisky Critic has posted a online link to a YouTube Video for what it considers to be the best Eggnog recipe of all time.

There are also plenty of possibilities of unexpected Eggnog  mix ins. I’ve tried the Eggnog version of a White Russian, which I’ll call a Nog Russian, with vodka and Kahlúa. There are also some people who mix Eggnog and orange soda and swear that it tastes like a creamsicle. There’s also been a recipe for smoked Eggnog, which can be made with a regular cocktail smoker to infuse flavor.

Whichever approach you take, store-bought or or homemade, flavored or classic, if it’s well created Eggnog can be a fun indulgence at the holidays. It’s a world away from the dry, thin and overly sugared food that so many disparage, and can be a welcomed, celebratory treat.

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On the Tuesday night before Thanksgiving I settled into the chef’s kitchen view seat at OAK at Fourteenth. I expected an out-of-the-way seat on a slow night, but that’s not what happened. Initial quiet slowly evolved into a procession of diners coming through the doorway and a steady drum of order tickets printing in the kitchen.

As things got busier, I noticed Executive Chef Yong “Peter” Ho standing at a counter adjacent to the restaurant’s ovens. He held a pair of chopsticks in his left hand when he sometimes rearranged food in a plate or bowl. Every few minutes he would exchange the chopsticks for a knife. Then he would finish with a plate that would be taken away to the dining room. As an observer, I felt the calm and focus from where I sat.

“My role is to support the team, the cooks, the sous chef. Provide the tools they need,” said Ho when I asked about his approach to running a kitchen. “I need to give them the right direction and make an environment where they’re comfortable.”

Chef Ho had years to hone this approach. Born in South Korea, he began cooking during his time in the army while stationed in Germany. After attending a California culinary school, he went on to work at some of the country’s most acclaimed fine dining restaurants including Michelin-starred Aldea, the Clocktower, and Aureole.

“I liked to travel, and I moved around a lot, heading to Chicago after graduate school, then to New York,” he said. Ultimately, the outdoors called and brought him to Colorado where he worked as executive chef under James Beard award winner Jennifer Jazinski at Rioja.

Just about a year ago, Ho took over the kitchen at OAK at Fourteenth, adding his creativity to the much-loved modern menu that, in September, earned a recommended designation from the Michelin Guide. He’s been busy, creatively freshening the restaurant’s core appeal by adding selected Asian elements to bring surprise and depth to patrons’ tables.

He applies his approach and passion for sourcing locally, even in winter. “We try to get all our produce from the area. I try to get to know what kinds of products are available and then create my menu,” he explained, adding that he’s found there’s even a good amount of ingredients available in winter such as farmers’ stocks of storable items, like squash, that keep through cold weather.

I enjoyed items that showcased this approach. I tried the OAK roasted potato gnocchi with nori goat cheese, served with butternut squash that picked up a wood-fired smokiness from the preparation. The highlight of it was the cheese, with salt notes and creaminess that played against the richness of squash and potato. Then, Ho asked me to try the restaurant’s duck breast, which was perfectly cooked and went well with coconut, lentils, curry, and red cabbage.The mix of flavors was intriguing, surprising to me, and completely satisfying.

I sipped OAK’s zero-proof cocktail, Nao de Chai, with both plates. Made with non-alcoholic mezcal, chai, agave, lime, and orange, the drink was rich and autumnal. It paired better with the gnocchi than the duck, but it was a fun, cool-weather complement to both dishes. I would have it again, though I would be curious about whether the heat from alcoholic mezcal would make it richer.

Ho explained his approach to me after I’d tasted. “I think about the seasonality of what I cook but also about infusions. It’s a small kitchen, and we have a lot of people coming in at the same time. Sometimes it’s even more like a neighborhood restaurant, not just a special occasion stop. I try to cook a lot of different menu items, so they can come back a lot of times, see their friends.”

That neighborhood feel is the best way to describe the sense I got from the restaurant when I left after my meal. It was 8:15, and the dining room was still being filled with patrons, settling into their chairs, talking over cocktails, and connecting with friends. They were lingering, talking, and enjoying a meal. Ho was plating and expediting, not seeming to miss a moment.

The post Off Menu with Chef Yong “Peter” Ho of Oak at Fourteenth appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

A year ago one of Longmont’s most visible and historic restaurant properties found itself empty — again — and this time in dramatic fashion. The space’s former owners left abruptly and closed what was then known as Dickens 300 Prime at the corner of Third Avenue and Main Street in Old Town.

Like everyone else, I waited to see what would fill the spot, but the location remained empty. It wasn’t an easy property for anyone to take on. Finally, Chef Madhoo Seth and her husband Vipul determined they were ready for the challenge.

The Seth’s need for both an event venue and ample kitchen space made the Dickens a uniquely positive fit for how they’d move their business forward. Its easy-to-reach location in heavily trafficked Old Town Longmont didn’t hurt either. They made the decision to open Roots Restaurant. They run the restaurant in Longmont with the event hall maintaining the name Dickens Opera House. They also continue to run a second venue and kitchen in Broomfield off of South Boulder Road.

Chef Madhoo’s ability to cook has been praised throughout the state. She was the 2022 People’s Choice winner at Food Fight Denver. I met her on a Sunday afternoon recovering from a catering event where Governor Polis and his husband were among the guests who enjoyed her food.

Seth’s food is varied, fresh, and full of flavor. The dinner menu at the Longmont location includes options from a range of cultures with options including falafel sliders, caprese salad, roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon and blue cheese, minted pea puree salmon, hamburgers, gyros, and the papri chaat, which I enjoyed with her when I was there. As we talked, we sat down, and I was treated to prepared chai from a family recipe. It wasn’t spicy, but it wasn’t overly sweet either. Made from her home kitchen, it had a delicate flavor profile that was warming with baking spice and pepper, all modulated by a creamy base that was a relaxing backbone to our conversation.

Courtesy of Madhoo Seth

Chef Madhoo isn’t formally trained but got her start with friends and family. “I started cooking for Vipul’s office. His friends wanted some lunch. I sent eight lunches, and they asked me to do it every Friday. I said, ‘Yes! There you go.’ That was my start.”

Now years later, Seth’s menu is a refreshing contrast to the burgers, steaks, and other heavier foods that diners are used to from Dickens Prime and the other restaurants that previously occupied 300 Main. At first, Seth worried that diners would only want the food that the spot had always offered. So far it doesn’t appear to be the case. The fact that it’s so well executed doesn’t hurt.

With her focus on fresh foods, Seth was a natural choice for filling the role of featured chef mid-September at Ollin Farms  dinner. On the banks of Left Hand Creek, she served Paneer Tikka in pesto sauce, North African Chicken Harissa, and bread pudding, which she shared was one of her favorite desserts. The dinner was sold out and had rave reviews from diners.

While any chef or cook will pay attention to presentation, Seth told me that that aspect of her job is one of the things she loves the most about her work. It makes sense — before cooking she was in fashion, so she understands that appearances matter. “To me, color and flavor are important in life,” she said. “I come from a background where there is so much color, so much diversity.”

Seth can’t imagine ever working with a plate that is plain or one dimensional. “With my background in fashion, color combinations — they make sense to me. And I want all the colors on the plate.” As she talked, I pictured what it would be like if a 1960s technicolor film came to life as a meal.

Before we finished talking, I asked Seth if there was a plate that defined her. She had one in mind that was featured at the Ollin Farms dinner, and it naturally included color. She described purple and yellow beets, golden peaches, green arugula, and a purple beet vinaigrette. “That plate truly defined me,” she said. “Designed. Full of color. Full of antioxidants. So tasty.”

The post Off Menu with Chef Madhoo Seth appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

This isn’t your usual cardboard pizza and rock hard chicken nuggets.

You can’t miss the new Bounce Empire on Public Road in Lafayette. A converted warehouse, it contains within its walls the biggest collection of inflatables around and bills itself as a “revolutionary upscale amusement park concept.” With a claim like that, the food must follow the fun. Enter Chef Jorge Pedrianes.

Chef Jorge kindly opened up his kitchen to me on a day when Bounce Empire wasn’t in full swing. I found him and his sous chef preparing for a client’s in-house catered meal. He takes me over to an oven, opens it, and pulls out a tray of bison ribs, one of the signature pieces of his Flavors of the Rockies dish served from the aptly named Bison Bistro.

Bison ribs. Photo by Chris Curtis

As I try not to drool all over myself, Chef Jorge leads me up to the Alpine Terrace. Enjoying a view of the Flatirons — and keeping my eye on the rain clouds moving in — I eagerly await the platter of eats.

Flavors of the Rockies cannot be kept on the shelf. Inspired by Chef Jorge’s walks through Colorado, it took a year to conceive and perfect. His mission focuses on bringing delicious food using local ingredients that people in Colorado may not have experienced before. He carefully makes everything in house and uses local suppliers.

The ribs arrive and nearly fall off the bone after cooking for 12 hours. Slathered with a guava barbecue sauce and containing a bit of heat, I can taste the passion and dedication that went into this dish as well as Chef Jorge’s Latin flair.

Alongside the ribs sit yucca fries on top of a jalapeño aioli. With a desire to introduce this ingredient to Colorado cuisine, the fries seem to be the perfect way to do this. Yucca gets incredibly crisp on the outside, with the inside remaining light and fluffy, not quite as dense as a potato.

Yucca fries. Photo by Chris Curtis

With a chance to sit and talk, I learn very quickly that I am in the presence of a master chef, who adapts to his environment and constantly pursues local food, sustainability, and incredible flavors. Perhaps this came from growing up in his grandma’s kitchen, where everything was made from scratch. Perhaps it came from being on a farm where he killed his own chickens for dinner. Either way, he states he just likes to cook good food and doesn’t limit himself to a particular cuisine or style. Nature oriented, he claims, “Where I land, that’s what I like.”

After checking on the progress of his sous chef, he brings me the next delight — a prickly pear cheesecake. Before I dive in, we talk a bit about Bounce Empire. Being on the ground floor of the endeavor, he designed the kitchen himself and picked out many of the details in the Rubbish Bar, where I retreated when the rain arrived. Creating his own menu from Colorado ingredients held great appeal to him, and with his variety of kitchen and cuisine experiences in all kinds of food outlets, Bounce Empire was a natural fit.

Prickly pear cheesecake. Photo by Chris Curtis

His cell phone rings. His sous chef needs him down in the kitchen. I’ve been eyeing the cheesecake, a product of eight hours of work, and my chance arrives to indulge. It’s fluffy and flavorful. The deep red of the prickly pear sauce provides a visual contrast to the white cake. It also contrasts well with the cheesecake itself, bringing a more mild sweetness than strawberry, with notes of melon. I find myself going back again and again, eventually cleaning the plate and cleaning up as much of the sauce as I can.

Chef Jorge returns and asks what I thought. I show him my clean plate and satisfied grin. I have, however, one last curiosity on my mind before our time together ends. With this being an amusement park concept, what about the kids?

His passion comes out again as he discusses the kids’ menu at Bounce Empire. What impresses me the most is that he hasn’t oversimplified his menu for the kids. The Mac Attack boasts four different types of cheese and is made from scratch. He serves grilled chicken bites with broccolini and sweet potato fries. The response? Despite some “ew”s most kids end up loving their meal. You can’t get much higher praise than that in my mind.

I leave with thoughts that I’m sure many patrons have. I just ate some of the most incredible, healthy, locally sourced food — at an amusement park. But then I remember: “revolutionary upscale amusement park concept.”

Well done, Chef Jorge. Well done.

The post Amusement Park Food Gets a Major Upgrade appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

A French crêpe maker grows his dream at a busy intersection.

At the corner of Arapahoe Avenue and Broadway Street in Boulder, I find a husband-and-wife team cooking up authentic French crêpes. And Holy Crêpe! is it good!

Holy Crepe exterior. Photo by Chris Curtis.

It’s a quaint little spot and a bit of an oasis at this busy intersection. In an effort to create a French countryside vibe, a painted bicycle, vines, flowers, and even a donkey decorate the outside of the building. Inside, fresh flowers sit in small vases on the tables, welcoming visitors and inviting them to sit for a bit.

In 2017, Chef Eric Albuisson and his wife Lisa brought Eric’s grandmother’s crêpe recipe to Boulder. Starting out as a food trailer, which still sits in the parking lot, they finally found themselves in a brick and mortar and have managed the adjustment well. Located within walking distance of Boulder High School, the CU Boulder campus, and Pearl Street makes for an array of customers who move in and out of the restaurant as I settle in for my sampling of pretty much everything on the menu.

Noticing the gluten-free option, I ask Chef Eric about the process. Having taken five years to conceptualize and perfect, he feels very good about what he’s created. Lisa agrees. “I tasted all of them, and when I had this one, I told him, this is it!” Eric offers to make me one but not tell me which one it is. It’ll be my job to see if I can figure it out and will occur during the sweet sampling. Challenge accepted.

Holy Crepe sweet crepe. Photo by Chris Curtis

Thus, it begins. I start off with a salmon, cream cheese, lemon, and chive crêpe aptly dubbed the Norwegian. Covering the plate with the sides folded in to create a square shape, I can just imagine how big the original crêpe must have been. I also enjoy the Ratatouille with goat cheese, the Parisian with melted Brie, Black Forest ham, and Dijon, and the Normandy with mushrooms, asparagus, sherry cream, and Swiss.

Cut to two college-age young women. After waiting a short time for their crêpes to come out, Eric rounds the corner with one savory and one sweet. Upon setting the sweet crêpe on the table, loaded with Chantilly cream and fresh berries, one of the young women actually claps with excitement and anticipation. That, I muse, is how food should make us feel.

Back at my table, the crêpes continue to flow. A crowd favorite, the Chicken Alfredo, surprises me. I usually find Alfredo sauce to be too rich, and I’m done after one or two bites. Not in this case. “I make it from scratch using a 20-year-old parmesan,” Eric tells me. I actually have difficulty not eating more, but with the arrival of Colorado, I’m instantly distracted. Roasted pepper, pork green chile, and cheddar make up this homage to our state. The green chili blows me away, and I find the idea of a French crêpe maker creating an incredible green chili almost too much to bear. “That’s the one thing I don’t make in house,” Eric confesses. “I leave it to the experts because I want to serve the best product possible.” Who can argue with that?

Holy Crepe savory crepe. Photo by Chris Curtis

Cut to a family of four: Avid at-home crêpe makers, the father dialogues with Eric a bit about crêpe making and how he and his family have been trying to recreate the crêpes they experienced on a family vacation to France. Eric discusses the importance of ratios and the fact that he has cooking implements from France. When the family finishes their crêpes and gets ready to leave, I ask the father how the crêpes were in comparison to France. “I’m back in France right now,” he smiles.

The sweet round begins at my table. Lemon Berry, which earned the applause earlier, combines squeezed lemon, strawberries, and Chantilly. That’s followed by Caramel Apple, with apple compote, caramel drizzle, and Chantilly; Classic, with cinnamon, brown sugar, and butter; and Very Berry, with a fresh berry medley, Chantilly, and a choice of sauce. I find I’m fully prepared for the crêpe nap I will be needing when I go.

As I leave with my mound of partially eaten crêpes in hand, it comes time to guess the gluten-free sweet crêpe. “The apple?” I propose. Surprisingly, I’m right. That, however, does not indicate any sort of refined palette or ability to parse out gluten-free through taste and texture on my part —it’s pure luck and logic. Truly, I had no idea. I commend Eric once again on his ability to include as many dietary preferences as possible in his menu as vegetarian crêpes proliferate the menu. I then ask about vegan options. “I have to make a roux…it’s butter and flour,” Chef Eric explains. “Without butter,” I can almost see him shudder and his French accent gets a touch thicker, “it’s just not…French.”

I couldn’t agree more.

The post Holy Crêpe!! Where Have You Been My Whole Life? appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Yuki showing off her special pizza. Photo by Judi Morell

Chen remains undaunted while opening her second Lafayette restaurant.

When I first met Chef Yuki Chen, owner of Colorado Wok and the newly opened Yuki Pizza & Wings in Lafayette, she was pleasant, cheerful, and fairly stressed from a staff callout. But like any restaurant owner, she found a way to make it all work out. Then she sat down to talk with us, took pictures, fed us veggie pizza and marvelous lemon pepper dry rub wings,a highlight that I’ll be back for.

I came a second time on a weekday mid-afternoon to try more menu items during a less busy time. There wasn’t anyone in the restaurant, but Yuki was just about to have staff dinner. She greeted me, asked for my order,  and made sure I got what I needed. While I enjoyed rich but light broths and tender marinated chicken, I watched her eat with her staff. I saw a clearly, tight-knit group that didn’t talk much. They ate in comfortable silence between bites. One of them read a newspaper.

I feel like I learned a lot about Chen in those two encounters. First was that she approaches the sometimes daunting effort of running a restaurant by holding to her values of hard work and hospitality. She also told me that after years of working in others’ restaurants, she wants to cook food that’s served fresh, not prepped and frozen like leftovers. One of the biggest challenges she had in the first year of opening was to learn to estimate just exactly how much she’d need. “We don’t want to put too much out and then there’s leftovers, and it won’t be fresh for the next day. That’s the tricky part. Making the most fresh we can,” Chen said.

Her hard work is not surprising when you know her life story. Raised by farmer parents, Chen came to the U.S. in 2004 from China because she wanted more opportunity. “When I first got off the airplane in Denver, I felt like it was supposed to be a lot of buildings and crowded like Los Angeles and New York City. The area around the airport was wide open. Like I was going back to the farm in China,” she said.

At first, Chen was especially challenged by needing to learn English while still earning money. “Every morning I spent two hours to get to school. Woke at six to take a bus to start class at eight. In three months I earned my driver’s license. Then I could continue to learn English and work.”

Yuki’s plates. Photo by Judi Morrell

Eventually, she worked in restaurants where she met her husband. While she’s integrally involved in establishing and developing the restaurant as well as cooking, her husband spends a lot of his time keeping the kitchen running smoothly.

Since she took over Colorado Wok several years ago, she’s changed all the recipes and the cooking style. She’s been incorporating feedback from customers when she can.“As we’ve been changing, every month gets better and better.” Like a lot of restaurant owners, she doesn’t get a lot of time off, working from eight in the morning until midnight. This kind of hard work kept her going during tough times endured by all restaurants in 2020 due to the pandemic.“People still came in for pickup. We were ok. We never shut down for Covid.”

Although Chen made the pandemic sound like it was smooth sailing, a beloved area pizza restaurant, just next to Colorado Wok wasn’t so fortunate and closed during the pandemic. She talked to the landlord about the space and transformed it into her pizza and wings restaurant where she, once again, showed a passion for hard work and recipe development.

“Our food provider offered help from a pizza chef they worked with, and the landlord gave me access to test out working with the ovens that were already in the space,” said Chen.”I worked with the chef for a week, and they taught me everything, from learning to [making] toppings and ingredients including working with options for flour.”

And now that both places are running, Chen’s life is busier than ever. That ability to pivot and balance and respond to the unexpected is part of what I saw when I first met her — part of what seems to help her business thrive and what might help her expand in the future serving quality meals to East County diners.

The post Off Menu with Chef Yuki Chen appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Michael Erickson at the Table Mountain Inn. Photo by Deborah Cameron

Erickson recounts his journey from kitchens in Georgia to cooking in Boulder and Golden.

Chef Michael Erickson came from Georgia to get away from the humidity, but he hasn’t escaped the heat of one of the best-known kitchens in Golden.

The afternoon I arrived to meet him and enjoy food from his restaurant, Golden’s Table Mountain Inn, was a prime example of this. It was the start of graduation weekend for the Colorado School of Mines, and kitchen staff was getting ready for a wedding the next day with two more planned. They were expecting a full dining room for dinner on Friday, diners all day on Saturday, brunches, and even a fairly busy Sunday night.

It was nonstop.

I asked him what was going through his mind as he took a break to talk with me and, in a single sentence, he rattled off a list of things he and his staff of 10 to 15 people would have to work through.

Erickson is clearly at a place in his career where he can competently run a staff and repeatedly crank out high-quality, Southwest dinners Table Mountain Inn is known for. He got to this place in his career over time.

“I started late in my opinion,” he said. “Went to the normal college, tried the normal path. Couldn’t get the grasp of it. Changed my major and one of my friends talked to me about culinary school.” That clicked. It not only gave him the skills he needed for his current work, it enabled him to study in Italy for three months where he met his wife, also a chef.

Since graduating, his work has been a combination of fine dining and cooking for large events. He started at the Ritz Carlton in Atlanta. He left to follow a colleague to Restaurant Eugene with Litton Hopkins, a James Beard Award-winning chef. “I fell in love with food at that point,” he recalled. “We had farmers in dirty overalls dropping off food. I really began appreciating where food comes from.”

In 2016, he and his wife moved to Colorado, and he set his sights on working for one single place in the state: Boulder’s Hotel Boulderado and Spruce Farm and Fish, owned by Frank Day’s Concept Restaurants. He reached that goal after first serving as sous chef at Table Mountain Inn.

Boulder was all he expected it to be, and eventually, he found himself following the restaurant’s executive chef back to Table Mountain Inn and running the kitchen.

Now, he knows he’s responsible for setting the tone of how things will run, and he’s seen a lot in his career that has shown him how he doesn’t want to do things. “It takes a special kind of person who can get through that old school mentality of being a chef and come out on top. To go into that pressure and come out a diamond,” Erickson said.

In his kitchen, he wants to set an environment of consideration for all of the personality styles that might be present. And he wants to keep things even keeled. “I expect people to be calm, cool, and collected, but if a sense of urgency needs to be put out there, there’s a reason behind it. If you get loud, explaining the reasons behind it is important.”

He’s equally clear on his philosophy of food. “The first thing that got me into cooking was Cajun food, jambalaya, étouffée, that extreme depth of flavor. They do a lot with a little, they build all of this flavor, but they build it with rice and beans. A lot of it is the part of the animals that aren’t thought of. It’s excitement, an explosion of flavor.”

Erickson can see parallels between the food he loves and how some of his favorite dishes work at Table Mountain Inn. “It’s about getting a lot for a little here too. Making sure the recipe is balanced. Is this the right chile that we’re getting in?” That was easy to taste in the meal I enjoyed: fresh street tacos, a pork belly appetizer, and griddled corn pancakes with plantain. This was some of the freshest, well-seasoned Southwest food I’d had in Colorado in quite a while.

Because he is running a restaurant in Golden, the home of Coors Brewing, Erickson naturally considers beer as he creates his menus. He cooks and pairs meals not only with Coors but also with beers made by other restaurants Concept owns like Boulder Social. Have an Irish red from Boulder Social. Also have a hazy IPA.

Overall, what brings him back to work each day is a passion he’s found for being in the industry. “Growing up, cooking with my grandmother. The history that you can experience through your food. For me, it is about that.”

The post Off Menu with Chef Michael Erickson appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Photo: Judi Morell

Boulder’s newest wine cafe, Postino, opened on the Pearl Street Mall last month across from Illegal Pete’s. With extensive menus and thoughtful wine selections, it’s a gathering place where people can connect with friends over food pairings and cocktails.

Executive Chef Ana Douglas leads the team behind the stove and is a key part of making sure this mission works. I talked with Douglas one late afternoon on a Sunday, just prior to Postino’s opening. She fed us well with a bruschetta board, charcuterie, panini, and a spicy kale and brussel sprout salad that became our favorite. As we munched, she took time to talk about the characteristics of the paired wine and why it worked better with some parts of our feast than others.

She also talked with us about why a career in kitchens suits her. She grew up in the U.S., but her family is from Mexico, and she recalls being bombarded by aunts and uncles offering her wonderful homemade food. “My mother should have known how much I loved to cook when I was nine,” Douglas said. “That year, I got a cookbook for my birthday. It was a Chinese cookbook. That’s the thing I really wanted.”

Douglas said there was another reason why a culinary career was perfect for her — it’s an industry that matches her energy. “There’s always something to do, and I need to be doing something all the time,” she said.

But as Douglas has been in this industry, it’s changed her, giving her respect for what others do and making her sensitive to the environment of kitchens she’s part of. “When you’re busy, you’re busy, and there’s no time for anything other than doing your job and executing. A solid Saturday night at the restaurant, the guys are 15 tickets deep. We understand that pressure,” she explained.

Photo: Judi Morell

During a break in our meal I asked Douglas about her idols, and she talked about the time when she met one of them, Thomas Keller. “We went to the French Laundry, and he happened to be there that day. Someone had told him I was also a chef, and he stopped by our table. I realized I couldn’t speak when I saw him,” she recalled.

Although she’s met one of the most renowned chefs working today, one of the chefs that impacted her the most was Executive Sous Chef Kelvin Birotte, with whom she worked at a Topgolf in Katy, Texas. “He was a saucier at Caesars Palace. He noticed how hard I worked. At that time I was an expeditor for 1500 people, so it wasn’t a small job,” Douglas recalled.

Another of her inspirations was the culinary director at the same Topgolf. Douglas called her “mildly terrifying” as she walked through the restaurant pointing out mistakes. She also called her an inspiration, praising her as “A short Hispanic woman. Lesbian. Ticked off all the boxes that said it was impossible. I think it’s no-nonsense women that have gotten to the high-up position they have because they are the way they are. They don’t mind setting a standard.”

Douglas often considers experiences of women in the industry. One of the reasons she’s at Postino is that she noticed a number of direct managers, general managers, regional managers, owners, and executives are women. For her part, she’s tried to mentor the women who work for her.

As we spoke, I also learned that Douglas competed in roller derby for three years while she lived in Texas. It gave me pause, and we talked about some of the local area clubs here. Then I asked if her kitchen was anything like the derby, mentioning the fast pace and relentless stream of orders we already talked about. She agreed but elaborated on some other reasons: “Having a team that supports each other, reaches for each other, and pushes each other forward. Just getting it done.”

She said simply, “It’s a ruckus in the roller derby and a ruckus in the kitchen. For both it’s knowing the people you’re with. Knowing how to read the room.”

The post Off Menu with Ana Douglas at Postino appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Photo: Paul Guise

Many area residents instantly recognize the distinctive violet-colored food truck with gold floral designs when it rolls into the parking lots of breweries and events around the area. They know it as Bee’s Thai Kitchen, a Thai food hotspot that’s welcomed whenever and wherever it appears. Chef Bee works from the truck’s galley, creating authentic dishes she first cooked with her mother at a market in Thailand.

Family was top of mind as we talked. Bee shared that her own mother didn’t want her daughter to follow in her footsteps because she considered it difficult and undignified. But as kids often do, Bee didn’t look at it the same way her mother did. Instead, she found it fascinating and fun. When it came time for her to earn a living, Bee considered her mother’s wishes. She tried to go into business in Thailand using an accounting degree her mother urged her to get. She found it uninspiring and hated it.

Bee met her husband, Kevin Kisich, in Thailand, and they moved to the United States with their two daughters, eventually settling in Lafayette. She began cooking almost as soon as she arrived here and has worked for a range of area Thai restaurants that diners would recognize including Aloy Thai and Busaba.

In 2021 Bee began working out of the truck. We spoke to her as she was serving customers at Industrial Revolution Brewing. The truck is a family affair and on the day we talked to her, Kisch had driven the truck to the location with their two daughters, now teenagers. They keep themselves busy in the parking lot, seeming to enjoy each other’s company.

Photo: Paul Guise

As we speak, customers come to the window, and her daughters come back to the truck and jump into action at the grill so we don’t have to interrupt our conversation. Watching them cook as we talk, I wonder if this is how it must have felt to Bee sometimes, with her own mother at the Thai market all those years ago.

Over a food truck takeout box of perfectly grilled fat chicken skewers with fresh cucumber relish and some of the most delicious peanut sauce I’ve had in a while, we talked about what her daughters now think about what she does. “They really never believed I could cook,” she said and then smiled. “My mom was here, and I never felt like I could touch things in her kitchen. Now, finally, I can cook, and they know what I can do,” she opened up.

For Bee and Kisich, the truck is about bringing the most delicious Thai food to people in the area. It’s also a labor of love. We asked them for one word, just one, that they would use to describe the experience. Ever the driver, Kisich mentions the Partridge family. Once he’s said the single word, I prompt him to elaborate, and he describes scenes of a mother driving a bus full of family.

Bee struggled a bit for an answer. Just after I asked, she paused with a smile and a little bit of silence. After letting the silence stand for a moment, she responded with a single word: “wonderful.”

Articulating it succinctly was tough, and I thanked her. She nodded her head and said something like “of course” or “no problem,” then returned to the stove to serve the next customer.

The post Off Menu with Chef Rungtawan “Bee” Thammawong of Bee’s Thai Kitchen appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Complementary personalities and taste making skills are propelling Kayser and Ericson to new American food heights.

Gone are the days when chefs started cooking their own food as a caterer or a private home chef. It’s 2023, and chefs can serve out of food trucks, at farmers’ market stalls, in refurbished storage containers at breweries, at wineries and distilleries, as part of pop-up nights, at food halls, and more.

These expressions of culinary service help aspiring restaurant concept owners save money while they show what they can do, practice their craft, and develop their “food voice.” One of the best local stories of this experience is the progression of Rooted Craft Kitchen, owned and led by chef Nicholas Kayser and beverage manager Scott Ericson. The pair have opened at Avanti Food and Beverage on the Pearl Street Mall but are just about to expand into a second, full-service location in a new space in the Highlands at Denver.

Photo credit: Judi Morell

Kayser and Ericson are friends and long-term Coloradoans who met while on staff at the now-closed Vesta Dipping Grill in Denver. They knew their strengths complemented each other, and they wanted to try out what they could do jointly. That meant finding a place at Avanti alongside the likes of other beloved bootstrapping food concepts including Top Chef contestant Byron Gomez at Pollo Tico, Pig and Tiger Taiwanese food, and beloved sandwich shop Rye Society.

We talked to the pair in front of their stall. In our conversation, Kayser is more animated, drawing in close to you from his seat at the high top with a story and a smile. Ericson is also well spoken but quieter, steadily ready with details and a full explanation that answers any questions.

Their success at Avanti is clear. While we talked, the noise was a pleasant rumble in the high-ceilinged hall. The line grew as their staff served the sandwiches and salads like clockwork. The place feels like home. At one point, a worker at the food hall started playing with lighting, turning it off and on and diners responded. It was as if the whole room was in on the joke.

Kayser came to lead Rooted after a range of culinary experiences and spending time in Asia, including Hong Kong. He also helped open one of Richard Sandoval’s restaurants in Dubai. Ericson’s career in beverages started at Sushi Den, and he began to explain it to me before Kaiser piped in. “Tell the story about the black pants,” said Kaiser.

There was a pause and a side look that somehow came at the same time as a laugh. Suddenly, we were at the end of a party, telling stories. “Ok,” Ericson responded with a shift. “The first time I walked in there they asked me, ‘Why should I hire you?’ I said, ‘Show me what you want me to do, and I’ll do it.’ They asked ‘Do you have black pants?’ I left, came back in 45 minutes with black pants, and stayed there for 10 years. 

Photo credit: Judi Morell

Together the pair is looking to make the highest quality food as approachable as possible in an almost-but-not-quite fast casual way. “We’re looking to give you the best version of American fare possible. The best.” said Kayser with a gesture of his hand. Added Ericson, “And we might also show you a food experience you haven’t had yet. Show you something new.”

We enjoyed a couple of examples of this. Their Cluckin’ Good Chicken Sandwich was hot chicken that didn’t burn the back of our throat. It was made with heirloom poultry and house slaw on a brioche bun. We also enjoyed their pumpkin gnocchi and their Rooted Wagyu Burger – American with tender belly bacon.

We washed these down with two zero proof mixed shrub cocktail, a specialty cocktail made with vinegar and fruit juice as a base. These two beverages, named Cherry Amore and Straw and Peppa, ticked the boxes for drinks we hadn’t had before. We drank them quickly, practically sucking on the ice for the remnants of the flavor.

The pair hopes to take this concept out of the food hall space and bring it through to other venues like the one in the Highlands.

Maybe, if things go well, diners might see these concepts first birthed at Avanti in other major cities — in Austin, or Phoenix, or Los Angeles —wherever people can appreciate the accessibility of good, well-made food and innovative flavors.

The post Off Menu with Nicholas Kayser and Scott Ericson at Rooted Craft Kitchen appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Ever since I moved to Erie seven years ago, I’ve found myself at The Dugout too many times to count. Many of my neighbors have lost track as well. We’ve gone there for happy hour, for lunch, for late night. It’s where I watched the Avs win the Stanley Cup.

Though the Dugout looks like just a simple sports bar, it’s not. The restaurant has its food chops down. This is the first place I’ve had a Caesar salad with grilled romaine (if you’re curious, it’s sweet, bitter and smoky) and it also served tater-tot nachos before I saw that dish anywhere else. They were so good that I put them under the Christmas tree for my husband.

The Dugout’s food quality is the result of focused, meticulous effort by Cordon Bleu-trained chef, Fausto Felix who Dugout three years after graduating culinary school, and has never looked back.

“One of my favorite things to create is a taco,” Felix told us. “It’s simple, creative. And if it’s good, that simple thing can create an entire, satisfying dish.” How creative can Felix’s tacos get? He serves a beer battered asparagus taco. It comes with a tamarind glaze, lettuce, pico de gallo, mango and a chipotle aioli adding a creaminess that balances the fresh crunch of the asparagus.

Felix was born in Sinaloa, Mexico where he learned to cook  from his grandmother and his uncles. He  came to the U.S. at age 17, attended  Culinary School, worked in Las Vegas, and then came to Colorado. He never expected to find himself in Erie. One day, he had an opportunity to develop a restaurant at the Dugout’s current site. “It wasn’t even in my plans. I didn’t feel financially ready.” Felix expands, “But my father-in-law said ‘you can have a good restaurant there. It will be successful. The town will start growing.’”

It has. Since it’s founding, the Dugout has expanded into the retail space next to it.The Dugout is now one of three places he owns, including Rosa’s Authentic Mexican Food across from The Orchard on I-25 and Pistachios Bakery near Hwy 66 and 287 in Longmont.

Photo credit: George Hudetz

Felix talked about chefs who’ve influenced on him through his culinary journey. One of them was Emilano Cortez, who ran the kitchen in a Las Vegas-based Italian restaurant Felix worked at after culinary school. “He taught me the Italian influences on how to use marinades, how to finish a dish. All the tricks.” Felix expands on Cortez’s influence, “And he talked about the same family influences I had. His Italian grandmothers and uncles. Like mine, they gave him the passion for working in restaurants that I had.”

Felix has also been deeply influenced by people he’s never met. One of them is Enrique Olivera, the owner and head chef at Pujol, the Mexico-City restaurant currently that’s one of the best in the world.

“He breaks with all conservative methods of cooking in Mexico and creates artisan, modern, sophisticated dishes,” Felix says as he explains his admiration. “Like a Posole. It’s a traditional soup but he turns it into an elevated dish. And he has three different types of Mole, even one without a protein.”  

We talked about my conversation with Richard Sandoval, the Colorado-based global restaurant entrepreneur who was the focus of last month’s Off Menu column. Felix admired how Sandoval brought traditional, authentic Mexican dishes to audiences that hadn’t tasted it before. He also admired how Sandoval grew his business. “How he can expand a company that big. It’s insane. Huge. Different concepts, but still everything has an authentic, Mexican direction.”

It’s that passion for culturally authentic Mexican food which Felix admires in Cortez, Olivera and Sandoval. Felix wants to bring that authenticity to audiences in Erie, and to diners at Rosas. As we talked, he cooked and served us Baja shrimp, Enchiladas Poblano, and fajitas with New York strip steak. The flavors were fresh, the shrimp stood out as the best and went well with both spicy and mango Margaritas. He talked about making mole for Rosas, how he uses his wife’s grandmother’s Zacatecan recipe. He spoke about multiple kinds of ceviche, and the deep metal pan, called a cazo, that makes the best carnitas.

We talked about what he is really trying to do. With his restaurant in Erie and with other, future concepts.

Felix shares, “My vision, sure, it’s having a restaurant. Being an entrepreneur is part of that dream and I cook with my heart. But it’s also to bring to Erie more authentic Mexican experiences. Bring my culture. Be more than a chain. Be local.”

The post Off Menu with Chef Fausto Felix of The Dugout appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

The Niwot Community was left reeling when Craig “Lefty” Harris, owner of Lefty’s Pizza, the 24 year old establishment on 2nd Avenue, was killed in an auto accident last September. Harris wasn’t just known for his slices, he was known for how he treated people. A larger man with a big smile, a penchant to wear colorful shirts, and a love for science, he welcomed and connected with guests. He could be counted on for entertaining conversation, and for supporting school, church and other community events with pizza donations.

When Harris passed, there was a risk that residents would not only be faced with mourning the beloved owner, but also that  they’d lose the community spot he built. Earlier in the year the local Abo’s pizza outpost was shuttered as it rebuilt after a fire. Niwot would be left without any slice slingers.

A solution fortunately appeared. Prominent community members encouraged Harris’ pizza chef Lorenzo Villalobos, who had worked there for years, to take over ownership of the business. With much relief, and in the context of grief for his beloved boss and friend, Villalobos accepted. The restaurant reopened in December, tables almost immediately full with families and students who had always loved Lefty’s.

“Everybody asked me if I wanted to open it and they suggested I call the family.” Villalobos explained, “I called Lefty’s daughter and told her that I could buy it. After so many difficult weeks taking care of paperwork, cleaning up, putting in a new floor, painting, the lawyer called. We signed on November 29th. Everybody is happy that we reopened. They’ve said ‘we need pizza!’”

Photo credit: Judi Morell

As Villalobos’ ownership became a reality, so did the emergence of an entirely new set of responsibilities, and a feeling of stress that most restaurant owners are familiar with. “Believe me, for one month I didn’t sleep that well. Then, when we reopened we had to worry about things like account numbers with suppliers that meant I couldn’t get any food until I opened a credit line. And I didn’t have money to do it because I was unemployed for two months while the business was closed after Lefty died,” Villalobos said. 

As a business owner, Villalobos knows that the community wants him to continue to provide the same quality pizza they’ve loved for years. His future planning is going hand in hand with memories of Harris.“The relationship was more like family, friends.” Villalobos expands, “It wasn’t like employee and owner. I felt like I was going to my house when I worked there every day.”

Villalobos recounted how he heard about what happened to Harris, first recalling that he left at about 7:15 pm, to take a pizza delivery. “He was in good spirits, not tired at all. He left and I was cleaning the floors and when I took the water to throw away outside, I heard the sirens of the ambulance coming from Longmont and Niwot and Boulder. I heard them and thought it sounded like a big accident, but I didn’t think it was him. Then when I came back the next day to work, I saw all of his family sitting on the patio. Then they told me what happened,” Villalobos recalls.

Villalobos remembers them working particularly closely the last few years during the pandemic. “Lefty and I were the only two people customers saw every single day. Drivers didn’t come, or employees weren’t there, Lefty had to take the orders and do deliveries. I had to cook. People know him and I very well,” Villalobos recalls.

Immediately, once Lefty had passed, Villalobos kept his spirit alive.

The next day. There were several pre-orders for school pizzas and he knew that those requests needed to be filled so the kids would have food.

And since he’s been gone, Villalobos says he sometimes sees him in dreams. “I have a dream, we were working and we are busy and pizza is going by. and nobody was helping us. We had to go faster, faster. I had these dreams two or three times.”

The post Off Menu with Chef Lorenzo Villalobos appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Photo: Deborah Cameron

We caught up with John Bauer, the executive chef behind Kenny Lou’s Deli and Sushi in Lafayette, at the end of a long day. Although he said he got in later that morning than usual, he admitted that typically he’s on premise as early as 5:30 am.

Sushi. Photo: Deborah Cameron

At work, Bauer is steadily busy as he supports not just the deli and sushi, but Button Rock Bakery. He looked tired and energized at the same time, like someone who knows they’re doing what they loved. He seemed to easily accept that he didn’t get a rest after a hectic Thanksgiving week, and wasn’t expecting anything more anytime soon. At this time of year, his immediate future was full of items for Hanukkah meals and Christmas celebrations.

I come from New Jersey, where Chicken Parm was enjoyed at least weekly; taylor egg, ham and cheese was a breakfast go-to; and bagels and deli items were something you could get at the corner shop down the street. In fact, I even spent time serving three-inch tall sandwiches from a small deli on a corner of my home town. For me, walking into Kenny Lou’s was like going home.

I was most interested in learning about the Jewish and Italian food at Kenny Lou’s. Bauer allowed me to sample potato latkes garnished with chutney and sour cream, as well as one of the most delicious versions of matzoh ball soup I’ve had in a while. With these kinds of items on the menu, it’s not surprising that at Yom Kippur this year, and for other Jewish Holidays in years past, Kenny Lou’s was flooded with orders.

Originally from Pittsburgh but having spent significant time in Chicago, Bauer’s first Colorado experience was taking a train to Glenwood Springs in 1989 for a photography internship. He extended the experience in Breckenridge where he also did black and white fine art  photography. While he was there, he cooked and when he moved to Boulder, he experienced a Boulder that existed a generation before all of the shops and restaurants people know of today.

As one of his jobs, Bauer manned the grill Aristocrat Diner on the corner of Broadway and Spruce. “I cooked on a flat top griddle that reached from here to there,” said Bauer, spreading his arms as wide across his chest as he could and pointing across our table.

As follow up work, he took on a couple of other jobs including one at Pour La France where Pasta Jay’s is now. Anthony Hessel, who headed up Pour La France and later served as Executive Chef at The Med, hired him as a line cook and they became friends. Bauer met his wife in Nederland and cooked in South Carolina before coming back to Colorado to cook for rock stars such as Elton John at Red Rocks.

With all of his experience and his lengthy Boulder resume, one of his passions is connecting with people through the Jewish and Italian food he gets to make at Kenny Lou’s. He comes from an Italian family, and his wife has a Jewish background. He appreciates how food in both of those cultures isn’t just something you put on a plate but an event.

Matzoh ball soup and celery soda. Photo: Deborah Cameron

Beyond that, Bauer also loves Deli culture. “I want to keep real corned beef alive. Real chopped liver alive. Real tongue alive. I want to offer  sandwiches, latkes.” He elaborated further, saying that one of the biggest sellers is the veggie burrito made with latkes. “And the Matzoh Ball Soup, I can’t keep it in stock. I’m making 40 quarts in back right now.”

Bauer made a point to share that one of his favorite things was preserving this culture, especially for people like me who knew about it at one point in their lives. He then referenced a move, Deli Man that is currently playing on Disney+:

“If you watch it, Deli Man is how I feel. I want to keep this tradition going. The old school delis in Chicago, I learned a lot about what I like to eat in Chicago. You go in and you see a lot of baked goods, the challah. That’s what I like. That’s what I’m proud to serve.”

The post Off Menu with… John Bauer of Kenny Lou’s Deli and Sushi inside Button Rock Bakery appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

There was a moment when I realized that Mexican food was different than the liquid cheese-drenched nachos and sour cream-laden guacamole I’d been passing over at football parties for years.

In the early 2000s, I was on a road trip in San Antonio and found myself at a Riverwalk restaurant named Budros. Diners were ordering something I hadn’t seen before: garlic, flame-roasted peppers, avocados, tomato, and chilies that servers cut and fork-mashed at the table. I watched at a distance until I became curious enough to order one and ever since, I have loved fresh, whole-ingredient guacamole.

Richard Sandoval, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America who calls Colorado his home, has been a driving force in helping people re-think what they love about Mexican and Latin American cuisine. His hospitality group, Richard Sandoval Hospitality (RSH), owns more than 60 restaurants in 10 U.S. States, 11 countries, and 4 continents. Sandoval was also named the  James Beard Semifinalist for Outstanding Restaurateur in 2011, has been on both Bravo’s Top Chef Masters and received accolades as elevated at Mexico’s National Toque d’Oro,  and Bon Appetit’s Restaurateur of the Year.

Photo: Deborah Cameron

Mainstream acceptance of Sandoval’s cooking began with his restaurant Maya, which he owned on New York’s Upper East Side in the late 1990s. It was a difficult adventure during a time when corporate chain restaurants were most of what diners knew of Mexican Cuisine and cuisine from further south was even less known.

After an initial struggle, a New York Times review by none other than renown critic Ruth Reichl praised the restaurant and the unusual dishes including a roasted corn soup featuring huitlacoche dumplings and salads with grilled cactus leaves. There is also mention of dishes that are now more commonplace than they were thirty years ago: zucchini blossom quesadillas, rock shrimp ceviche, and mole. Placing these on a menu showed his passion for introducing authentic Mexican cuisine to diners.

With this level of accomplishment, Sandoval could live anywhere. I talked to him at his newest Colorado restaurant, Toro Latin Kitchen and Lounge in Cherry Creek, and I asked him why he settled in Colorado. “It’s a beautiful place, you have the city life but you also have the mountains. I loved that but I could also get away to the mountains. I love the weather. When it snows, it goes away. It’s also very centrally located. Without a lot of difficulty, I can get to a lot of places from here.”

The road to Sandoval’s current life started in Acapulco where he was raised. “My grandmother inspired the culinary side of things, and everything in our culture in Mexico revolves around food. My mother had food passed from the kitchen.” Sandoval learned the business side of running a restaurant from his father who ran restaurants there.

“He was more of a finance guy. From him, I learned the business side of things, but I never imagined I would have 60 restaurants.”

The scope of Sandoval’s success is not without its challenges, particularly in recent years. COVID posed an especially large challenge to Sandoval’s group, considering how it has spread globally. He weathered it with hard work and fortitude and was especially grateful for the financial help available from the US government for his restaurants based here. “That wasn’t always available in other countries. You have no idea how lucky you all are here,” he said.

He got through it and, like all of us, is hopeful things are moving on. Given this was one of the largest challenges any restauranteur could face, how does he think his father would have fared? He paused but really didn’t miss a beat. He quickly answered with a smile, “Just fine.”

It is  thanks in part to Sandoval and others who are now bringing more authentic Mexican cuisine to tables that people like me are going to keep enjoying Western Hemisphere food that doesn’t come from North America. Next up for me, more guacamole adventures. There’s a recipe for bacon guacamole on his website. I can’t wait to try it in my own kitchen.

The post Off Menu with… Toro by Chef Richard Sandoval appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Vice President and General Manager Chris Sheehan and Chef Luis Catzim. Photo: Deborah Cameron

Late in the day on a Saturday afternoon, the Eatery @ The Sport Stable (also known as The Hangry Horse) is an active place. It couldn’t really be any other way. Just to walk into their dining room, which is located as part of the Sport Stable facility at the end of Louisville’s Main Street, you pass a volleyball court and walk just outside two premium rinks used for ice hockey, curling, and skating lessons. Once you’re inside, if you look past the host stand, you see two more fields, a soccer field, batting cages, and volleyball courts.

Most of the tables were full of hockey families and sports fans during my visit, their chatter framed by the hum of multiple large screen TVs and activity at a full bar. Chris Sheehan, vice president and general manager of the restaurant owned by Rock Creek Entertainment, greeted me and introduced me to Chef Luis Catzim. I was interested in knowing about the restaurant and its business model that’s deeply intertwined with area youth sports. I started by trying to really understand what keeping up with a busy Saturday is typically like for him.

“Sometimes maintaining all of this is like juggling,” he admitted before shifting to the positive, “but I’ve been in hospitality for years. I still like that moment when I’m anticipating the customer’s needs and fulfilling them.”

It’s good to see the Eatery @ the Sport Stable is doing so well, given what it’s been through. As with the rest of the hospitality industry as well as the wider world, they grappled with the pandemic. Throughout it, the owners kept the core group of staff employed and converted their business to takeout through DoorDash and Grubhub. They managed to get through those difficulties and come out the other side.

But then came the Marshall Fire.

There aren’t too many places where you can look from a balcony and see where the fire started, but you can do that from the Eatery @ The Sport Stable. It was that close to the ignition site. Furthermore, because it was experiencing a remodel, the devastating smoke and ash affected the site even harder than it otherwise would have.

Chef Luis Catzim. Photo: Deborah Cameron

Catzim was employed the whole time and remembers what happened when the fires occurred. He remembers getting the phone call and coming to the realization that the kitchen he spent so much time in, his kitchen, was in the line of fire. He couldn’t do much but tried to help, or standby, while the owners worked through the aftermath. Sheehan said that once the fire danger was past, though the structure remained, there was soot and smoke damage everywhere. Much had to be rebuilt.

As is the case with many other places, the restaurant is a survivor and it’s continuing to serve the public and sports families like it has always done. Catzim is back behind the stove serving some of his favorite dishes. Families are loving the pizzas that are coming out of their brick ovens, and Catzim is happily making his own favorites including the Quesa Birria tacos with braised beef, pickled onions, and avocado, and the Philly Wrap, a play on the French Dip but in a tortilla and unique to the restaurant.

The menu items reflect Catzim’s passion for creating things that are fresh.  “Everything is homemade. The salsa, the toppings. When I inherited this kitchen, they were already on the menu, but I changed the flavors. Now, when the plates from tacos and wraps come back, they’re all clean. There’s not much left for the dishwashers to do.

Originally from the Mexican state of Yucatán, Chef Catzim loves fresh flavors but aside from the items he had me try, one of the things he said he’d really like to create some day is ceviche, a recipe he learned from his grandmother. “Ten hours marinating. Don’t shortcut.” Ingredients he likes to use include octopus, crab, mango, avocado, and lime.

Photo credit: Deborah Cameron

He’s also a fan of the Yucatán taco, featuring a thicker homemade tortilla, almost like a flatbread, stuffed with ground beef, cabbage, or mixed greens.

Chef Catzim and Sheehan are excited to be where they are. They’re focusing on the future rather than dwelling on a stressful past. The concept is poised to grow, with more stores on Louisville’s Main Street coming. All signs point to more tacos, pizza wraps, and good times coming out of this place for years to come.

The post Off Menu with… Chef Luis Catzim | Eatery @ the Sport Stable appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Chef Andrea Uzarowski. Courtesy of Süti & Co.

I arrived at my appointment with Copenhagen-born Chef Andrea Uzarowski at Süti & Co. later than I wanted but with good reason: I was sidetracked by the rare sight of a juvenile bobcat just off Highway 52 in Niwot. I wondered why this wild and ultimately docile cat was in my path that day. After some thought, I realized it was a gift to take a moment to pause and connect with nature, and, as such, was the perfect lead-in to my interview.

Uzarowski spoke to me at length about following her instinct to create the life she wanted. As of last month, this dream now includes her bakery and shop just off Pearl Street in Boulder where she and I talked. It’s a place where customers can enjoy good food and appreciate a moment or pause with something sweet and a cup of tea.

I was treated to a plate of four shortbread biscuits including a lemon zest shortbread with a raspberry jam and a chai spice cookie with chocolate ganache. I had them with plain, milk-less chai from Rosebud Apothecary. The spice and sweetness blended together and paired with the warmth of the tea to delight my tastebuds. It made me feel safe and cared for.

Photo credit: Deborah Cameron

As I ate, Uzarowski told me about the philosophy behind her creations and the Süti & Co. experience. “My grandmother let me bake with her, and she reminded me to calm down when you’re baking, that the dough would feel when I was upset,” she explained. “That’s true. I’ve made batches of shortbread cookies when I was tired, and it spread. You have to slow your mind down and give it the love and attention you deserve.”

Uzarowski continued, “Whenever I create something, I take the time to do the extra steps. And baking calms me down. I get into this dance in the kitchen, and nothing else matters. It’s literally my happiest place.”

She confesses that her dream location almost didn’t come to fruition. The shop almost made its home in Lafayette, but something about that particular location didn’t feel right. “I was so frustrated, and I thought, ‘There has to be something else. Has to be.’ I got online, and this building popped up right away.”

When she first saw the building, she described it as ugly, small, and red. But she soon saw the character, called immediately to view it, and signed the lease two weeks later. Now it’s hard to believe things almost didn’t work out as they did. “The room was cozy but not overstuffed, comfortable plain chairs, and behind me were shelves of beautiful gifts, three of which I took home with me.”

Uzarowski’s career was also a matter of honing into who she was and what she wanted out of life. After moving from Copenhagen and earning a master’s degree in finance, she found herself working at Goldman Sachs in New York City. But she realized it wasn’t what she wanted. Connecting with her deep love of food, she pivoted to training at the Culinary Institute of America and a career in fine dining.

Chef Andrea Uzarowski. Courtesy of Süti & Co.

She has worked under some of the best chefs in the world and counts two of them in particular as her mentors. These are fellow Dane and Chef René Redzepi of Noma and self-taught Slavic chef Ana Roš of Hiša Franco. Ultimately, her ex-husband’s career took her to Boulder where she raised her children and then, when they were grown, leaned into her dreams. For the past several years, she’s worked in food service for larger institutions, developed an Instagram following (@sutiandco and @freshfoodfurther) which led to her being sought out by the Food Network where she competed on Supermarket Stakeout under another of her idols, Chef Alex Guarnaschelli.

But beyond the possibilities of television, and no matter what happens in her future, Uzarowski can say that she’s created a place that protects a sense of peace and satisfaction and shares it with others. “This place is about comfort and safety. When people come to work here, we all make a pact. All the bad energy, the bad juju, we ask them to let it go while they’re here. No one is allowed to bring it in.”

And with this philosophy and practice, in the end, Süti & Co. embodies the Danish concept hygge: comfort, coziness, shelter, and more. 

“Everything is as it was meant to be. I am in love,” she said, sitting back with a smile.

The post Off Menu with… Chef Andrea Uzarowski | Süti & Co. appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Salmon. Photo credit: Faith Elizabeth Hale

Though it’s not in an old town shopping area, or part of a group of mall stores, Collision Brewing on Highway 119 just outside of Longmont, has become a bit of a destination. Hungry diners visit the garage-themed restaurant for delicious food and exceptional beer. It’s the type of place that quickly becomes a favorite, one you spend Saturday nights with your friends at and tell your family about.

Burger. Photo credit: Faith Elizabeth Hale

Eric Blythe is Collision’s founder, co-owner, and has a deep passion for food. We had a few minutes to talk to him after enjoying a resonant and hearty orange maple bourbon salmon with jasmine rice. We also got to sample a few of their beer tasters, most notably a refreshing blueberry lime goose and a dessert-worthy (though we’d have it anytime) banana peel out, with smoky bacon, chocolate and banana notes.

Collision is a family business. Blythe owns the business with his brother who also produces the beer after starting his career brewing for his family’s pizza business, Nicolo’s Pizza.

“My brother and myself have been in the restaurant industry since we were fourteen years old. So that’s where we started. As a waiter, I started working at Pepperoni Pizza Kitchen as a cook and slinging pizzas back in the day as we kind of got out of high school. But my parents had an opportunity to open the pizza over on Pace,” he said.

Though Blythe started brewing beer as part of the family business, opening Collision was an opportunity to take brewing and pizza to another level. It was also an opportunity to work together as family again, and to give their parents a break from the rigor of day to day restaurant operations.

But getting Collision going was anything but easy.

A few false starts kept Blythe and family from getting to where they wanted to be. Their first focus for a location was in Old Town Mead, in the building that currently houses Ziggi’s headquarters. “We started working with the developer who owned that property as a build-to-suit. We started working with them and kept submitting things to the city of Mead and they would turn them down, drag their feet, wouldn’t move forward with it because they literally wanted a drive-through coffee shop there. That’s what they told us.”

Once they moved on from Mead, they still didn’t find their location right away. They looked into a place in Firestone, but that didn’t work out. After a long search, they finally found their current location as well as an investor to make it happen.

“My dad had the first conversation,” he shared. “They sat down and started talking and it led into where we could kind of build our dream. That’s where Collision is a giant concept. It’s a collision of all of our passions under one roof.”

And in the end, for Blythe it really is about a melding of passion and family. “We have absolutely loved what we’ve done since day one. Not just your Collision but Nicolo’s Pizza as well. Big thing was really working with our family home every single day, day in and day out and having fun.”

Cocktail. Photo credit: Faith Elizabeth Hale

Peach and greens summer salad

We asked Blythe what he cooks when he’s not at the restaurant and wants a nice meal. Without much prompting, he shared his recipe for a peach and greens summer salad. Though it’s not on the menu at Collision you can still enjoy it in your home kitchen. Enjoy!

A cup of washed arugula per person
Light vinaigrette
1 oz. Haystack mountain goat cheese
1 tsp sliced almonds
1/2 peach per person, sliced.

Combine the greens and vinaigrette, lightly tossing them together. Crumble the goat cheese on top, and follow with sliced almonds. Add peaches to the top. If desired, grill peaches using a light oil prior to slicing and adding to the salad.

The post Off Menu with… Collision Brewing appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Photo by Faith Elizabeth Hale

When I first met Tshe Hailu last year, she impressed me as intuitive, with a love of feeding people and love of family. That thought was confirmed when I asked an early-interview question about why she made the decision to own a restaurant. After my question, she did something no other chef has done before. 

She giggled. 

“Once I start, I get really giggly,” she confessed before continuing to talk. “Lately, I’ve been emotional when long term customers have been coming in and telling the story about how they first came into the restaurant, and then they bring their kids. Customers were here when they were single and how they are bringing their families to my place. That really takes me back.”

There are a lot of years that Hailu can reflect on. She first served customers in 1988 in Boulder and then was forced by redevelopment to move to a second bricks-and mortar location, as well as a takeout-only spot. Then, finally, five years ago, she moved the restaurant to its next location on S. Public Rd in Lafayette where customers could dine in person with each other. 

Diners welcomed the move, but change over the years isn’t easy for any restaurant owner. Ras Kassas’ latest move proved particularly taxing. “It was something else,” she said, “Twenty nine, 28 years and then looking for a new place. Deciding whether or not we continue. I’ve done the same thing over, and then here comes a time when I’m asking if I should continue? Or do I walk out? But what else could I have done? There was nothing else.”

Customers appreciate how she’s stuck with it. When they come, they choose from Assa, Ethiopian-style Rocky Mountain red trout, the spicy Keiy Wot, or a range of vegetarian dishes including Kik Alecha, a split pea stew in turmeric sauce.

Photo by Faith Elizabeth Hale

When I asked Hailu what she loves to cook, she shifted the conversation to the dishes she’s made throughout the years; vegetarian dishes, her meat plates, and breads. She’s made these consistently since she first started out, things that she learned to make when she was at her home in Ethiopia with her large family. Her home kitchen was her cooking school. 

“You see the family cooking, the taste of it, the smell of it and how it is served over and over. Then you just basically apply what you see. And everything goes with it, your life, your culture, your family, your country.”

Though she has a deep love for her home country, she came to the U.S. to follow her sister who moved here to enter school. She settled in Boulder and worked for a while before opening her restaurant. She appreciates the area and the community she has found here. 

At the end of our talk, we approached a question she really couldn’t answer. It was about what she sees for the future of her restaurant. “Many many years ago, a friend asked me, ‘what do you want?’ I could not answer that question. It was the hardest question ever asked to me,” she said.

Whatever it is that she finds for her future, and however long she continues cooking, it appears that diners will take their spot at her table as long as she will serve them. 

There’s possibly even a future possibility where the children of her first customers, who she treasures now,  will bring their own children. That would be another generational milestone, and, after talking with her, feels like something she’d treasure.

Photo by Faith Elizabeth Hale

The post Off Menu with… Tshe Hailu | Ras Kassa’s appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Patrick Balcom (left) and Lisa Balcom (right)

I wasn’t that surprised when, on an early summer afternoon, Chef Lisa Balcom met me outside her restaurant with Niwot food historian Laura Bloom and a tarragon-filled paper bag. Bloom had grown more than she could use and wanted to share. She thought to bring it to Farow, a spot that has not only won rave reviews in the region, it has formed close ties with locals.

Since opening last September, this eatery has become a part of Niwot. It’s where people working in Cottonwood Square stop by for happy hour or patio jazz, where high schoolers come for pre-prom dinner, and where gardening-minded residents feel that their extra harvest would be appreciated. 

“Does this happen a lot,” I asked?

“On occasion,” Balcom answered. “We’ve got our garden outside too that we’re just starting. Jodi from Slow Food is kind enough to bring food from the Masa Seed Foundation and plant them for us. We’ve got a bunch of seeds that are sprouting and getting ready to do their thing.”

I’m not surprised. Lisa and her husband and co-owner, Chef Patrick Balcom, have shown a passion for using what’s grown close by. Recipient of the Slow Food Snail of Approval award for a commitment to ethical sourcing, the restaurant’s sourcing list includes Black Cat Farms, Buckner Family Farms, and Moxie Bread. Ninety percent of ingredients come from within 10 miles. 

Items don’t often appear on the menu more than once. That’s partially due to seasonality and to the fact that it’s how Patrick likes to work. “I’m always pushing myself to explore new flavors and techniques. It keeps it interesting for me,” he said. “We’ve probably created more than 100 new things since we’ve opened.”

While Patrick is in the back, Lisa handles pastry and front of house. “We mostly just stay in our own lanes and put things together when we need to,” she shared with Patrick adding, “We don’t overlap, it’s more of a completely separate deal.”

It’s clear they also connect. I asked if Lisa could step into Patrick’s spot in the kitchen and she said that, while she couldn’t work his spot to the extent he does, if things are piling up, she’ll jump in and help it run more smoothly. When asked if he could make her pastry, she conceded, “He’s actually a pretty good pastry chef for someone who isn’t trained.”

If there’s a chef-version of the newlywed game, they’d probably win. I asked Lisa what Patrick’s favorite food was. “Pizza and anything southern,” she said. He nodded while adding that he likes anything sweet. His answer for her, Nachos, came quickly. She agreed, “Yeah, those are up there, as far as junk food for sure.”

Both Balcoms were impacted by time they’ve spent together at The Charleston Grill. “The biggest influence I had was Michelle Weaver, he said. “I was her sous chef for four years in Charleston. She grew up in the south in Alabama and understands flavors, textures, and how to balance a dish.”

“Her cooking influenced my palate very much as well,” added Lisa. “Along with our sommelier at the same restaurant. Mickey Bakst [General Manager] was also one of my biggest influences. We’d learned the highest level of fine dining and hospitality and how it plays into everything you do as far as service goes. We’ve been able to apply a lot of those things here.

The pair has mentioned other influencers too. They included Kelly Morrow and locally Arun Astraelis from the pair’s time at Boulder’s Blackbelly. 

As they round out their first year and head towards their anniversary, they’re excited. They’re planning to host both Weaver and Bakst at their new place after their mentors speak at Aspen Food and Wine Festival. “That’s probably the highest compliment for both of us,” said Lisa. 

For their anniversary, they’re preparing to break one of Patrick’s rules. They’re reserving items from opening day. Customer favorites like confit tomatoes with a salsa verde, tomato pie, fried chili and eggplant, and crab angiolotte with a corn velote.

Lisa said, “We still have people that talk about that dish to this day.” 

The post Off Menu with… Lisa Balcom | Farow appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Linda Hampsten Fox Photo: Paul Miller

“There’s always a boy involved, right?” asked Linda Hampsten Fox when telling a story about how she got to Boulder. 

Her story continued, “I came here with a boy when I was a junior in high school and he was in college. If it wasn’t for him, I think I would have wound up on the East Coast doing something completely different, but I fell in love with Colorado. I was enthralled by people outside in this beautiful, sunny dry climate.” 

Thanks to that boyfriend, Hampsten Fox evolved to have a significant impact in Boulder area food. Her culinary story started with her employment as a hostess at the since-closed but legendary Catacombs, while at CU Boulder. 

As her career progressed, she created a small catering company and enjoyed a series of Colorado culinary accomplishments. She cooked for Dr. Jane Goodall, Nick and Helen Forrester of ETown, The Dave Matthews Band, Mellissa Ethridge. Politicians Nancy Pelosi and John Hickenlooper. When Med, Brasserie Ten Ten, and Via Perla owner Joe and Peggy Romano’s daughter got married, they turned to Hampsten Fox to provide food. Four years ago she was named Chef of the Year by the Colorado Restaurant Association.

To prepare to make her mark in the area, Hampsten Fox spent time learning her craft in Switzerland, France, and Italy. One of her mentors was Isa Guarguaglini, the mother of a family that owned the ZiMartino Hotel and Restaurant in Tuscany, an hour south of Pisa. On the resort’s property there were more than 90 olive trees, a small vineyard, and a garden.

Though many chefs opened their kitchen to her, Hampsten Fox said Guarguaglini stood out. “She was a mom of her family that owned the hotel, and she was in her kitchen every day. She loved to use rabbit and now it’s one of my favorite ingredients to work with.” In addition, Guarguaglini’s recipe for biscotti is in Hampsten Fox’s cookbook, currently available online. 

Hampsten Fox’s daughter, Emma, was born in Europe and they lived there until she was five and the two of them returned to Boulder. Hampsten Fox’s ability to run a catering company and work as a private chef helped her balance her career with single motherhood. “While I was working as a private chef, I had a lot more flexibility to decide what I would do and where I would do it. IT was one thing I loved about it,” she said.

As she ran her catering company, her daughter was watching. “Back in Boulder at an after-school event with moms and children and the children were talking about their favorite foods. Everyone mentioned pizza and chicken nuggets and hamburgers. When Emma’s turn came she said ‘my favorite food was quail eggs in brioche with truffle butter’ and she was like six. All the moms were like, ok, who’s her mother?”

Bindery fish. Photo: Emma Hampsten

Now, her daughter is grown and Hampsten Fox is in the next stage of her life. She’s running her cafe and restaurant, The Bindery, in Denver’s LoHi neighborhood. The location, placed in a former book bindery, opened to rave reviews in 2017. We’ve tasted her grilled cheese with smoked rabbit and a tomato soup. It was remarkable, with a smoke from the meat that infused the cheese, countered with fresh, smooth soup.

Her past is still with her at her new place. The restaurant has a notable take-out and catering component, her specialty. There are ever-present family connections, the current brunch menu has a dish called the Emma Bella.

Hampsten Fox explained, “We make this house brioche, we have egg that we put in the middle with stuffed prosciutto and truffle butter. It’s called the Emma Bella and that means I get to hear her name all weekend long because people love it.”

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Daniel Asher. Photo: Deborah Cameron

The first time I talked to Daniel Asher, he told a story about hummus. He said he was delighted when he first had it on a tour visiting family in Israel, and that it wasn’t what he was used to seeing at home in Chicago. It was lighter but more flavorful, and he got excited about bringing that kind of quality to others. 

He’s doing that now with both the Denver and Boulder locations of Ash’Kara, a pair of restaurants focused on contemporary Israeli cuisine where he is Executive Chef and partner. Locally, he is also the Executive Chef and partner at River and Woods and Driftwind at the Boulder Reservoir all of which are under Working Title Food Group.

That’s just his recent resume highlights, there’s more to the story.

On a daily basis, Asher is hosting diners as the special and important act it is and demonstrating kindness to anyone nearby. When we met him, he gregariously gathered his staff for an enthusiastic, leave-no-one-out photo. It was taken while the group enthusiastically smiled, and yelled “pita,” and my camera shutter clicked.

Ash’Kara staff. Photo: Deborah Cameron

Later, while he answered my questions, he talked about his father who was a Romanian Holocaust survivor and spent life after the war trying to find an element of stability. “He and my mom met and fell in love, were based in Montreal and then moved to Chicago. Before that he was constantly uprooted. For him, the kitchen expressed a very necessary expression of safety. My mom was at the center of that and as soon as I was old enough to use a stepstood and reach the counter, I was making things with her.” 

When he was 14 and could legally work in a kitchen, Asher got his first restaurant job washing dishes and peeling potatoes at Fuddruckers. The experience was consequential. 

“That was my gateway drug to the kitchen. It sealed my fate in food service,” he said. “ Now to me, the whole frantic energy of a busy dining room is like that magic of going to a concert, walking into a venue with music jamming, packed with people. There’s a human, collaborative experience of joy.”

Beyond words, it’s Asher’s attitude that makes the biggest impression. It’s hard to imagine a world where he isn’t gregariously promoting an ethical, nutritious approach to food and demonstrating (not just talking about) dining as a soul-nourishing act.

“That’s what it is to me. Trying to connect the dots about who grew our carrots, what grains are in the pita bread, what olive oil garnishes our hummus,” he said. “It’s all about opening a dialogue about having a high level of respect around food, the people that make it, grow it, love on it.” 

During our conversation, I was the guest, eating pea-shoot-hued falafel made with green Egyptian fava beans and a grain dish of saffron and turmeric rice and nigella seed. Of course, the hummus he’d mentioned was also on the table – now in his creamy, flavorful style with red onion, parsley, and chicken shawarma. All of it with a bright rose, eaten outdoors on Pearl St. one of the first truly warm Fridays in May.

Saffron-spiced rice. Photo: Deborah Cameron

There was definitely joy. No question. 

Maybe, how I experienced the meal was a reflection of something Asher said was at the core of his restaurants. “It’s the basis of ancient hospitality,” he said. “Inviting a stranger in to replenish them to help them restore. Feel safe and loved in the middle of whatever is going on in their life.”

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Photo: Deborah Cameron

Let’s start by stating the obvious: YouTube, cable channels, and streaming outlets have provided enormous amounts of food education content to the masses. 

Without effort, anyone can find a video on 32 ways to cook chicken from Bon Appetit Magazine and follow Guy Fieri to a diner or Anthony Bourdain to parts unknown. The truly food curious can even learn how to make a live Christmas tree into sugar cookies. Spoiler alert: It involves converting sawdust to flour and, according to the video, doesn’t taste as dry as you’d think.

Now, let’s move to the fullest extent of the power of online food shows.

Those sources played a nearly exclusive role in the success of James Beard semifinalist Chef Dau Xiong, who goes by the name Dovi. As he explains, “Whatever you want to learn, it’s on YouTube. I can literally take apart my Toyota from there. In terms of cooking, there’s a whole different world of food,” said Chef Xiong.

He was humbled when he learned his newest restaurant, Casian Seafood on N. Public Rd. in Lafayette was nominated as Best New Restaurant. While he didn’t expect it, the honor reflects Dovi’s exacting passion for developing unique flavors and his drive to work with a recipe until he gets what he’s looking for.

As he explains, “Here, we’ve always had our own take on crawfish and that’s what started the whole thing. I was just kind of playing with it. Using different things. Ginger. Lemongrass. I like to use fresh ingredients and I don’t like my food to sit.” 

Dovi doesn’t start with a set recipe, and he calls in help when he needs it. “If what I play with ends up being something I want to use, I’ll repeat it back to my 16-year-old. She’ll scribble real fast and write it for me. Then I’ll try to replicate it again. Add things, take things off.” 

Since Casian opened during the pandemic, it’s slowly been building a following among locals. “We purposely opened during COVID knowing that it was going to be a lot slower so I could get good at what I was doing,” he said.

Photo: Deborah Cameron

That strategy has worked. Customer numbers grew sharply once the Beard honor was announced. Diners come for the seafood boils that feature a blend of Cajun and Asian flavors which inspired the restaurant’s name. When we went, we sat down to some appetizers and then ordered boils complete with sausage, potatoes and corn and, unlike traditional boils, plenty of broth.

When my family and I ate there, we tried the lemongrass and the spicy lemongrass. We liked both but favored the second. The spice was resonant, lingering just long enough between each bite. We spooned the broth like soup and poured it over sticky rice.

Overall, Dovi’s menu pays homage to the melting pot of food traditions in his Hmong background. Born in Vietnam, he had two brothers, five sisters and a mother who could often be found at the stove.

Our conversation turned to focus on what his dad did during that time. “He was recruited into what they called the secret wars during the Vietnam era. The U.S. was looking for ways to block the Ho Chi Minh trail and looked for Hmong people to assist.” Ultimately, his father was honored with a Purple Heart and lost part of his leg on a landmine.

Towards the end of the war, his family emigrated to Boulder County. Once he came to the U.S. Dovi attended Angevine (now Pioneer) in Lafayette and met his wife. 

Before working in food, he spent 20 years for the same area employer. Then he worked for corporate on the food side, opening a Quiznos where he built up business in what started as a low-ranked location. He was frustrated at the lack of ability to express creativity. That’s part of what led him to his own space. 

Through it all, Dovi has treasured his culture. When we talked about taking his photo for this article, he asked to take the photo in front of an embroidered wall tapestry that portrayed daily activities and regional clothing.

As he works at his restaurant now, Dovi is enjoying his challenge. Though the change in careers over the years has been dramatic, what’s consistent is the passion for what he does blended with an appreciation for his background. Now all of that has merged with the challenge of meeting increasing numbers of diners since his nomination. 

As always, he’s ready.

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Photo: Deborah Cameron

When he entered his restaurant, the first thing I noticed about Edwin Zoe were the warm hugs he had for his staff. 

It was just prior to lunch and things weren’t yet busy at his restaurant, Dragonfly Noodle, in Boulder. Before the lunch crowd arrived, the 2022 James Beard Semifinalist for Restaurateur of the Year gave out a hug by the host stand, a hug by the order window, and a hug by the scene-stealing, gleaming Yamato noodle making machine. 

That kind of warmth was a precursor to the hospitality I experienced during my visit. We sat together for nearly an hour over duck bao and later, a steaming bowl of black tonkotsu. We discussed his recently announced concept, Dragonfly Noodle – there are two of them, one close to Pearl St. in Boulder and one on the 16th St. Mall in Denver.

Zoe began the conversation with the story behind the concept. “We’ve just gone through a tremendously challenging past couple of years with the pandemic. Many restaurants have struggled and didn’t come out the same. As we emerged, I started to try to visualize what the post pandemic landscape looked like.”

Photo: Deborah Cameron

Ultimately, his vision reflected a variety of noodle-based offerings including ramen, udon, and pho. He explained,“When I traveled in Asia, I saw so much variety in flavors and styles, and the art of seeing noodles made is something that’s always fascinated me.”

He continued, “When I was a younger man, I wanted to learn how to do noodle pulling. I was in my late 20s, early 30s. I had to actually go to the Bay Area and call in some favors for a noodle master to teach me.”

Zoe also talked about the new concept’s name. “I remember clearly as a child, there was something special and mystical about dragonflies. The way they move, the colors. In terms of symbolism, it’s all about transformation because it has to emerge from underwater to become an amazing aerial acrobat. And in Japan, it’s the Samurai emblem.”

As it turns out, Dragonfly Noodle is just a number of different concepts that Zoe has. He seems to play with concepts the way writers play with story ideas. Working through them. Fitting them together. “Their inspiration comes from different sources. Sometimes they come in the middle of the night. A lot of it is driven by my belly. What I want to eat and I can’t find easily.”

Zoe’s roots in cooking are fairly well-known among the area’s food lovers. He opened his first restaurant, Zoe Ma Ma, to keep his mother Anna engaged once she moved to Boulder following his father’s passing. “Once she came I realized, okay. I need something for her to do,” said Zoe, very purposely, while good-naturedly making full eye contact for articulation. “If I can make a smaller restaurant that’s easy to run, that would be great for her. I called it Zoe Ma Ma because in Chinese culture, family name comes first.”

Photo: Deborah Cameron

Many also know that his first restaurant experience was at his parent’s kitchen in the Midwest. He told a story about his time there that inspired him to do more. “At age 13, I worked in the restaurant 40 hours a week. I remember my father’s business partner handed me a check at the end of the summer, for like $270. That’s a lot of money, but also, I know math. I thought ‘that’s very little for how much I worked’. One night I was even in the dish pit until 2 a.m. in the morning. I said, when I grow up, I’m not going to be a dishwasher.”

Although big names like Charlie Trotter and Guy Fieri, who visited Zoe Ma Ma for an episode of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, were part of our conversation, when I asked about his chef inspirations, he showed me a photo from his phone. It was a woman in Ho Chi Minh City, sitting on a street corner, making banh mi.

He said, “She’s making them one after another on a single burner and there’s a small line of people. All within a span of, maybe four by four feet. It’s 9 a.m. and this is her restaurant. When I look at that, it inspires me.”

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Chef Matt Ochs. Photo: Deborah Cameron

Matt Ochs isn’t afraid to talk about his challenges. Case in point: During a press tour, the chef de cuisine of Lafayette’s newly opened Ghost Box Pizza unexpectedly declared that pizza wasn’t in his wheelhouse. At a tasting later in the tour, it was clear he was extremely modest.

Ochs has shown plenty of skill with dough, sauce, toppings, and wood-fired ovens. The pizzas we tasted at his restaurant include both a well-executed Detroit-style pepperoni; a wood-fired pizza with prosciutto, arugula, melted onion, cherry tomato, and goat cheese; and a mushroom specialty, cleverly named The Fun Guy.

Detroit-style pizzas. Courtesy of Ghost Box Pizza.

At the same time, Ochs isn’t backing away from the task of creating even more interesting offerings. “I want to be able to push the boundaries a bit on what’s traditional toppings… to say braised short rib doesn’t have to just come on a plate. Fine dining on a crust.”

As we talked, our conversation was unexpectedly marked with the theme of challenges he’d experienced. We talked about his four years as executive chef at the Greenbriar Inn and Ochs was generally positive. “The thing I loved was that every summer I had 7,000 square feet of produce right out my back door to work with. We had a dishwasher there, his name was Max.  He was also our gardener. He did most of the upkeep. I would just take my basket out and take what I needed.”

Then he laughingly got to the part of the story where he was faced with a challenge. “The first day, FIRST day, I walked into 300 pounds of beets. So I got to learn pickling, canning, and making different soups. As a chef, bottom line, money counts. If I don’t take advantage of the free stuff, I’m not doing my job.”

He also told us that he shares a motivating challenge with his staff when working. “I ask them to work and cook as if they were cooking for their grandmother. To make sure everything would pass that standard.”

His challenge is deeply personal for him given that his grandmother was the school dietician in his native Kansas and an avid home cook. “I was with her at home. Now I want to make everything in a way that she would appreciate. She died a few years ago, but I still hold her to the standard of what I do.”

On top of this, Ochs encourages staff to experiment and suggest items for the menu, as he’d had the chance to do early in his career at Michael’s at the Citadel in Phoenix, Arizona. “That kitchen didn’t just write a menu and hand it to us. We were involved in the process. Not all of our ideas made menus, but we were allowed to share what we thought. For me, that was important because I got to cook with my heart.”

Looking to future challenges, he most immediately wants success at Ghost Box Pizza. Full tables open to close. As we pressed him, he shared what he’d like for the longer term challenge: showing he can help a larger umbrella employer open restaurants like he has with Ghost Box. He said: “I kind of want to set up concepts, get them rolling and hand it off to a good person, and then go do the next one. I’m at the point in my career where I want to do this.”

In the meantime, Ochs is more than happy to be in the Ghost Box kitchen. He’s spending days working with his restaurant family, considering the next inventive pie topping and strategizing about how to meet the ultimate challenge for any chef – the next best way to satisfy his diners.

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