The Wheel House

How big a deal is brunch? In 2020, on average each person in the U.S. ate 285.5 eggs and consumed 497 metric tons of orange juice. Twenty-five percent of Americans eat pancakes weekly, and the flat, often-fruited carb is the oldest breakfast food identified. Pancakes were found in the stomach of Otzi the iceman whose remains are estimated to be 5,300 years old.

Ok. We’ll stop with the trivia, but – full confession – we could have researched all day. We love that meal. Everything about it. 

Instead, we turned our research to something more useful: Identifying the best breakfast offerings locally. These aren’t all the places to go to, but they’re the places we like. Here’s where we pull up our chairs at the counter or bring a group after a night out.  Keep reading to find out where we go and why.

Tangerine
Biggest Draw: Romesco Benedict or Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

If we’re looking for a sweet breakfast, Tangerine gets us. If we’re feeling spicy, they get us too. This is the place we bring friends to because there’s going to be something everyone likes. And then there’s the bar. Fresh-squeezed morning juice cocktails like mimosas or bellinis. If we don’t want alcohol, their lattes – especially the recipes on the custom menu – are what we try.

Eat! Food and Drink
Biggest Draw: (Tie) Family Comfort and Spicy Bacon

This is a place we go with our family. We like the high ceilings, open feeling, and the friendly service. Once we’re at the table, one of us orders the sweet and savory bacon flight that comes with both maple and jalapeño bacon. We think we like the jalapeño bacon better, but we’re honestly not sure. It’s close. 

Village Coffee Shop
Biggest Draw: People Watching

Honestly, we like Village Coffee Shop for the relaxed atmosphere and the people watching. The first time we went there, they were calling out and clapping for Village Coffee Shop virgins. We stayed quiet and tucked into our hashbrowns, eggs, and huge blueberry pancakes. Low maintenance, high carb entrees, and cups full of caffeine. That’s what we wanted, that’s what we got, and that’s why we keep going back. 

Niwot Wheel House
Biggest Draw: Spectacular Pancakes

If Village Coffee Shop is the oldest restaurant on our listing, Niwot Wheel House is the youngest. It opened just under two years ago in conjunction with Wheel Works, the popular bike shop on 2nd Ave., and it’s been a great community gathering spot ever since. Recently, they added food capability with LaMusette and their chef has recently added brunch to their menu. On the day we went, they had cardamom orange butter pancakes with caramel sauce. So good.  

Lucile’s Creole Cafe
Biggest Draw: Beignets

It’s impossible to talk about area brunch restaurants and not include Lucile’s. This Creole cafe has Louisiana staples you’d expect like chicory coffee and Eggs Pontchartrain. The Beignets are always a treat; puffy, sugary, and hot to the table. It’s the best way to start whatever it is you’re going to have for breakfast. 

Foolish Craig’s Cafe
Biggest Draw: Crêpes

Since we moved to the area 15 years ago, plenty of our Pearl Street Saturday

and Sunday mornings have started here. We like the crêpes, and in this case, the savory crêpes work for us. We often order their Duxelles crêpe with portabello mushrooms, onions, and shallots sauteed in butter with swiss cheese and veloute sauce.

24 Carrot Bistro
Biggest Draw: Coconut Chocolate French Toast

There are a lot of things on this menu that we wouldn’t expect to have for brunch but, now that chef Kevin Kidd has thought of it, we want to try. Top of the list is the coconut chocolate French toast made with brioche and a caramel anglaise. Just behind it is Shakshuka, a tomato sofrito with potatoes, poached egg garlic cream, feta cheese and cilantro. If we’re having brunch with something from the bar, then we’re ordering their Marmalade Skies – sparkling wine, orgeat, lemon, and angostura bitters.

The post Worth Getting Out of Bed For: Our Sit Down Brunch Roundup | Foodie appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Chef and owner favorites across BOCO.

The dish is the heart of the meal. The soul of the evening. We may enjoy and appetizer and relish a sweet treat at the end, but this is why we’re out. I took my time, eating my way across the county, stopping in to food trucks and fine dining restaurants, to make sure I could tell you where to go, what to eat, and why the chefs and owners of these places thought this was the dish you needed to try. Are you ready? 

1) Biscuits @Mike’s – The Brian Breakfast Sandwich (secret menu)

This is fried chicken with an over medium egg and honey. They have a secret menu, y’all, with a plan to put up a plaque with secret menu info, but it’s not up yet. Mike loves breakfasts, and his pandemic-era biscuit shop took off because it’s outside, delicious, and easy. “Keep it simple, stupid,” he said. “The Brian is the one sandwich that makes sure you come back.” People arrive at open (there was a line when I arrived) because they’re doing it right. True story: some egg yolk spilled on the bag and I licked it off. It’s that good. Make sure to grab a coffee, too. They’re putting some chains to shame.

2) Busaba – Pad Thai

“We make Pad Thai shrimp authentic style. It’s by far our number one seller, and it happens to be my favorite as well,” SP tells me. They don’t add the lime wedge or peanut sauce on the side or pour it over. They blend everything together, which makes for a deeper, more nuanced flavor. It’s evident. I’m not normally a fan of peanut sauce in my dishes, because it tends to be heavy and splotchy, resulting in either too little or too much of it in any bite. But SP tells me they’ve been in the business for 15 years and they’re serious about doing it right. The fact that reservations are essentially required, every day, is all the proof you need of that.

3) Button Rock Bakery & Kenny Lou’s Deli – I’m A Hot Mess Roll

Sushi rice in a wooden box, pressed, spicy tuna, thinly sliced lime, asparagus, a pinch more sushi rice, avocado, and tuna tartar on top dressed with chili lime aioli. Chef told me it’s a favorite in the kitchen because “it’s one of our top sellers. It’s a little more unique, because you don’t usually see these in sushi restaurants, since you don’t have that… there’s no nori (seaweed) so it’s a little more difficult to deal with. Really good flavors, the lime makes everything pop…” He’s not wrong. I absolutely destroyed my plate, absolutely surprised that they were making such well done sushi. The name is a throwback to COVID year; “everything was a hot mess,” chef said.

4) GQue BBQ – The Meltdown

Beef Brisket with cheese sauce & onion rings on top. This “signature sandwich” is mean.  A healthy serving of brisket topped off with perfectly fried rings. I ate it straight, no sauce, and chased it with a beer. Fantastic. A side of fries nailed it down for me and left me full for the day. When I went to leave a staffer recommended a barbeque sauce to go, which I started to decline, but stopped and said, “you know, you know this food better than me. Let me get that sauce and I’ll try it at home.” At home I reheated as instructed and poured the sauce on. Holy my goodness, perfection. I’m not even a sauce fan usually.

5) The Sink – Chicken Pesto Burger

Sun-dried tomato pesto, with a 5-ounce red bird chicken breast (Red Bird chicken farm is in Englewood, CO), with a hatch chili poblano goat cheese (this is where I exclaimed “oh crap”), with sweet fries and house pickles. When asked why it’s a favorite chef says, “it’s just a great sandwich. Great chilis, it’s that time of year. Why not do something nice with them?” The poblano goat cheese is truly “nice.” Chef isn’t verbose but you can tell he knows and loves his food. I absolutely destroyed this. It’s actually much better, and higher class, than one might expect at an old dive on the Hill, filled with college kids and travelers. This is how a burger should be made.

6) Parma Trattoria – Pappardelle al Cinghiale

The Pappardelle al Cinghiale is fresh wide-ribbon pasta with wild boar ragu. A couple of things I can tell you before the first bite: I have never had wild boar and I’m absolutely excited for the plating. This is gorgeous and the scent is perfect. 100 percent love and skill went into this. It’s the casual Italian conversations in the corner that tell you you’re in an authentic place, not just a place with authentic recipes. The wild boar ragu makes sense, I’m told, because “it’s fall time and this is a dish that comes from the area of Tuscany, and so it goes really well with the weather.” You get the boar shoulder, the flavors meld. It’s (marinated for 2 days, braised for another 6 hours). Perfect.

7) West Side Tavern – Duck Duck & Grilled Salmon Mediterranean

Wes, at the West Side Tavern, is a character. He’s absolutely in love with his craft. 26 years in Vegas could do that to a guy. He’s excited to dish dishes. He can’t choose one. Duck Duck is on the menu seasonally and he’s clear that these two may not even be the best, or the favorite, but they’re perfect right now and “they’re pretty. They’re interesting, they’re different.” The Duck Duck is roasted breast & confit leg, parsnip purée, Gran Marnier sauce, seasonal vegetables. The salmon is orzo pasta, sun dried tomatoes, olives, capers, artichoke hearts, pistachio, garlic lemon butter, pesto. It was the first dish on my reviews that I took home and finished. *Duck not pictured.

8) Jax Fish House – Seared Ahi Tuna

I checked and this isn’t even on the current menu posted to the website. You may just have to know it exists and ask for it. You may also have to know the season because this won’t last and is probably already gone if you’re reading this. I’m told by the GMs that it’s his favorite and “also the only thing I can think of to eat when it’s 90+ degrees and this hot outside… It’s a little bit of a different cut and a little bit of a different prep, but the tomato broth [gorgeous] is like a chilled room temp presentation on the braided tomato broth so it really hits with that great hot summery feel.” We agree, and we loved every bite. Throw it somewhere in the middle of an oyster, some fried calamari, and a couple of perfectly crafted cocktails, and boom. We’re in love. We’re not sure how Jax is so good at so many things, but we’re grateful for it.

9) Eat! Food & Drink – Chicken and Waffles

Chef Adam Ramirez is self-trained, with 36 years of experience crafting goodness. He tells me, “I care about my food.” Brittany, the GM, tells me, “our chicken and waffles, we do it a little unique.” She’s not playing. The waffles come with jalapeños. I don’t mean slices. I mean, cooked into the waffles, chopped up into the batter. It makes for a fun green speckled waffle and also for a pop of flavor you don’t expect in waffles. The chicken is bone-IN fried chicken, with a honey touch. Sweet and sour, savory, exactly what you want (or what I want) from this dish. The whole experience was pleasantly surprising. No jokes about hot food for white folk, but there were three items on my table with jalapeños, and two bottles of hot sauce. Go hard or go get a glass of milk.

10) Spruce Farm & Fish – Sea Scallops and Corn Nage

If you’re like me, you just Googled “nage.” It’s cool, I get it. This is high-level eating. Pan-seared jumbo sea scallops, corn nage, butternut squash succotash. Let’s learn together. “A traditional nage is a broth flavored with white wine, vegetables, and herbs, in which seafood is poached.” In the original French, a la nage translates to “while swimming.” Not only was my corn swimming, perfectly matched to the pan-seared scallops, but so were my tastebuds. This was one of the experiences – in a hotel that’s 112 years old – that helped me learn new things about my palate, opened me up, and refined me. This wasn’t  pretentious, though. It was perfect.

11) Longmont Public House – Steak Frites

Exceptional. Let me be clear: I usually get steak frites at another restaurant in Boulder, but I often feel the quality of the meat (or maybe the cooking process) isn’t the quality I want. This one came out fantastic. Excellent quality steak, a stunning presentation (see my photo next page for proof), and seamless flavor profile. For clarity, this is a 10 oz. Prime CAB N.Y. Strip steak dressed with Chimichuri, Balsamic reduction, and butter. Nothing over- or underwhelmed. I’m not 100 percent sure of the seasoning on the truffle fries (a bit sharp for me, which I blamed on the lemon aioli) but tamed excellently with the dipping sauce. Jerome is the owner, and a genius, and he’s created a wondrous little place in Longmont.

12) Fringe Pizza – Eggplant Parmesan Pizza

Let’s talk TJ. That’s the GM on site when I visited. She’s a blast and wonderful and made my experience the absolute best. They make their Neapolitan dough daily, fresh, so you’re biting into great grandma’s pizza. You get “this lovely, crispy eggplant on top” and, to add to your already stunning experience, they serve the pie whole – not sliced – and give you a pair of scissors because “the dough will almost immediately start to lose its integrity when you start slicing it into bits. We want you to be able to refresh it in your oven at a really high temp. Also, we think it’s fun if – [and she really said this] – you want to cut it into shapes of animal crackers.” What a riot, and what a fantastic crew, pizza, space, and tap selection. Side note that TJ was super happy to see a customer there with his family. He had moved on his own to prepare the space and had been sharing about missing his daughters. It was a lovely story to share.

13) INJOY Tavern – (Chorizo) Mussels – Shareables

While we were seeking dishes, they served us a shareables item (which we guess is a bit more than an appetizer but not a full dish). Color us surprised because this half serving was massive. Coupled with crab cakes and backed by the genius of the bar manager’s drink pairing, Till The Money Runs Out (watch for it on the fall menu and check our drinks article), we’re in fuc*ing love. The mussels are steamed and tossed w/ Spanish chorizo, red bell pepper, tomato, red wine, cream, and bread. I have to admit, I asked for a lesson in eating because I haven’t eaten mussels since my teen years (it wasn’t good then). Why has no one smacked me and walked me into INJOY for this miracle of seafood? They literally taught my palate new tricks.

14) Martino’s Pizza – Saucy Pie

In Colorado, the pizza conversation tends to vacillate between Chicago and New York styles. If I had to pick, I’d go with New York because I don’t want to eat 3” of sauce on my pizza. Don’t come for me Chicago. I used to live there, and I love y’all. This pie is on Chicago thin crust, with an inversion of toppings. Its garlic-infused olive oil crust with mozzarella cheese baked into the crust, topped with Martino’s natural Italian Sausage and savory red sauce, parmesan, and fresh basil. I had no idea that I was a fan of Chicago thin crust until this pizza. It’s absolutely spectacular. It’s a perfect middle ground between deep dish and the number one selection of rats in New York subways. Yeah, I said it.

15) Great Harvest Bread CO – Turkey Avocado Sandwich

This is our only major franchise on the list. Today there are more than 200 Great Harvest franchises located across the US. This sandwich is a classic. Sliced turkey breast, aged provolone, thinly-sliced red onion, crisp green leaf lettuce, and fresh tomato slices with salt and pepper and chunky avocado spread on freshly baked Asiago Sourdough bread. Staff say it’s a customer favorite and “as a sandwich maker, it’s one of the easiest to make.” I took pics and left to DV8, where I finished a half-awaiting opening. The bartender there, Alexandria, told me it looked incredible. I shared the other half with her.

16) Dry Storage – Detroit Style Square Pie, Duck

I learned more here than anywhere else. With multiple restaurants under his belt (The Wolf’s Tailor, Basta, Brutø & Bøh), Kelly Whitaker’s skills are highly honed. You enter an apartment building, cross a gorgeous patio, and you walk into an unexpected elegance of a bakery that defies limits and definitions. High-level dining in an unpretentious space, an incredibly knowledgeable and well trained staff, and some of the best offerings you’re going to find anywhere. This was literally the best duck I have ever sunk teeth into. I audibly moaned and Kelly laughed. The square pie Detroit style was a miracle. Kelly said the best pizza in Boulder is at a bakery. He may be correct. It was the impossible thinly sliced dry tuna on top, reacting to the heat, literally dancing on the pie and as you bit into it, for me. *Duck not pictured.

17) Outworld Brewing Company – Sausage & Pretzel Board, Hot Wings

The hot wings were tossed in a lemon ginger glaze and let me be clear that I had to ask for more napkins… because I was totally digging into this half-Bavarian, half-community cookout combo that killed. Chef Matt Green is bringing his own twist, and passion, from the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts (he’s been at Outworld a month) and the goodness is showing. Not to mention, the drive may be a bit long for some folks, to the Eastern side of Longmont, but it’s a drive that’s always worth it because the space is immaculate and interesting and strange and fun and always piques the imagination. Of course, no trip to Outworld for me would be complete without a glass of Galactic Borracho, their truly perfect Mexican lager.

18) Burns Pub & Restaurant – The Reuben

“First of all, it starts off with our house-brined corned beef,” Johnny tells me. “It’s a 12-day brine on the corned beef, then it’s cooked down another 6 to 10 hours. It’s cooked in Guinness Whiskey, cinnamon – you can taste the cinnamon – and then house-made Thousand Island. Locally sourced rye bread, and served with sauerkraut and Swiss.” I was scared, folks. I tasted sauerkraut before and it was a big no. Apparently, this combination of flavors was gifted to the world by a supernatural force. Johnny’s team is executing perfectly. He tells me that lots of New Yorkers that visit say, “I’m a Reuben fanatic and this is the best one I’ve ever had.” It’s only my first but I’m officially a fan.

19) Mike O’Shay’s Restaurant & Ale House – Tomahawk Pork Chop

The Tomahawk Pork Chop with Irish whiskey glaze and maple carrots on a bed of impossibly fluffy mashed potatoes is decadent and it’s almost bewildering. New GM Lonnie Bell has 26 years of experience in Vegas and is bringing precision decisions, handshakes, and charm to this 40-year-old local fave mom-and-pop spot. How do you maintain Colorado roots but make it elegant? I couldn’t tell you, but owner Rueben Verplank has mastered it and Lonnie is pushing plates that would make your grandma – and the local power mover – smile with satisfaction. I was also lucky to try out their egg roll skin wrapped and deep fried chile rellenos (unbelievable!) and chase it with an Oktoberfest offering. Yes, they have Weihenstephan on tap as well as local Wibbyfest.

20) Lulu’s BBQ – Sampler Platter – Tofu, Brisket, St. Louis Ribs

Kevin Harrington brought us Texas Hill Country style BBQ. I’m assuming that’s why my sampler plate came with St. Louis style ribs, brisket, and BBQ tofu. Regardless, it was fire. This was the first place I was licking sauce off my own hands (they make their own in-house with the goal of bottling their mild sauce for stores). With a beautiful location off Main Street in Louisville and a gorgeous patio space, there’s no reason not to get messy and enjoy the house-smoked goodness. I topped off my meal with a Texas Slushie (trust me, try it). Layer on the cheeky humor with tag lines like “You may beat our prices, but you’ll never beat our meat” and you have a winner.

21) You Call It – What’s your favorite?

I can tell you all day about places I’ve been and foods I’ve loved. But Yellow Scene can’t be everywhere, all the time, and know all the intricacies of every menu (a lot of them have secret menus). Do you have a local favorite restaurant, or a local favorite dish, that you want to see featured? Email it to editorial@yellowscene.com and we’ll forward it to our regular cuisine writer, Deborah Cameron, for her to get out and explore so we can share the love. In the meantime, happy eating. Always indulge yourself. We don’t live in a foodie paradise for nothing.

The post 21 Favorite Dishes, from Chefs and Owners | The 2021 Indulgence Issue appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Photos by De La Vaca

Desserts

The “would you care for dessert?” that we have come to expect while dining out often leaves us groaning at the failures of culinary diversity (lots of places sell the same stuff). Luckily a few special places throughout Boulder County are bucking the boring trend of brownie sundaes and chocolate cake (ok fine, we love those, too, but we have a sweet tooth craving for more). Here’s a few culinary sweets ranging from the culturally authentic to classically simple.

Busaba Thai – Steamed Coconut Sticky Rice

Rice may seem second fiddle to the tangy flavors of favorites like stone fruit, but this classic Thai dessert will make you think twice. Busaba’s rendition becomes an expertly executed and perfectly presented example of the intersection of culture and taste. Steamed sticky rice with coconut milk, sliced mango, and a coconut milk drizzle with a bit of chef’s secret spice fulfills the classic Thai dish requirements while the toasted sesame seeds and pandan leaf add a unique finish to this amazing desert.

Eat! Food & Drink – Cinnamon Bun (housemade)

Lots of desserts seem to jump the shark lately. Drizzles, shavings, powders, sauces, and wild ingredients have seemingly made dessert into a rather complicated business. Eat! Food & Drink swings the pendulum from complex to wonderfully simple. GM Brittney was proud to present this huge and wonderfully crafted cinnamon bun for dessert. Everything is made fresh in house: the dough, the cream cheese drizzle icing, and it really creates a unique Eat! Food & Drink-perfected cinnamon bun. It looks like something set on a lavish table pontificated over as an artifact of slight overwindulgence by Dickens himself. This cinematically perfect cinnamon bun is also big enough to share with a friend. This gooey sticky sweet pastry will finish you off, leaving you licking your fingers and audibly moaning over your plate.

Lamar’s Donuts

Desserts may not always be what you eat after dinner. Sometimes it’s what you get at the end of a great night. Donuts (and especially donut holes, in our opinion)  make for the perfect off-site dessert for dinner or a party. While Denver has a great selection of donut places, few shops serve up such reliably delicious deep-fried sweet dough as Lamar’s (26 stores in 5 states, cooking up genius since 1933. Our editor used to work at Krispy Kreme and loves donuts). Small bite-sized soft golden browned, glazed or chocolate treats could be considered a walking dessert, as we took hours to go and scraped some glaze off the car seats the next morning. Oh well. This easy-to-grab dessert with a cup of coffee makes for a great finish, or start, to a day.

The Sink – Chocolate Oreo Mousse Pie In a Jar

When you look at a jar one of the last things people think is, “hey, I can fit a piece of pie in there?”. Conversely, stuffing delicious chocolate mousse into a jar is about the last thing you think when you see a delicious piece of pie. Chocolate Oreo mousse pie in a jar. Now that the Nabisco strike was won The Sink has developed this layered chocolate mousse pie in a jar that is a decadent dessert guaranteed to hit the mark. The Sink has plans to introduce other pie in a jar desserts, such as apple pie, cherry pie, peach pie. All in a jar. Certainly a chef favorite for being a classic dessert, this new spin certainly puts a fresh take on both presentation and overall experience of a classic high end dessert staple.

Jax Fish House – Key Lime Pie

Put a key lime pie in front of this former Florida girl and you may not get it back. The zesty tang takes me far south, across Three-Mile Bridge, to the most recently seceded land in the United States: the Conch Republic. Eggs, condensed milk, sugar, and of course key limes, was once a staple of fishermen on long trips. The first creation, often attributed to a woman named Aunt Sally, recorded the recipe decades later. Jax’s take on the staple dessert of the southernmost part of the United States is decadent. Perfect graham crust with some of the richest key lime filling I’ve had, molded to a perfect circle. The addition of mascarpone certainly enriches the already tangy richness in the most indulgent way. Topped with in-house fresh-made whipped cream and peppered with fresh strawberries, Aunt Sally herself would be proud of this perfectly executed pie.

Cherry On Top – Cupcake Assortment

White chocolate raspberry is the best seller from Cherry on Top bakery in Thornton, featuring a creamy white chocolate center with a fresh raspberry crowning this singular achievement. Eaten in the car on the way out, we realized we really couldn’t drive until it was finished. Too good and too creamy. The raspberry chocolate mousse is “to DIE FOR” and the rich dark chocolate contrasts with the sweet fruity raspberry in this absolutely complete dessert. Even the cup that the cake comes in is edible dark chocolate. Yes, we ate that, too and OMG. Cherry on Top has been in business for three years and into a store front, featuring self-taught pastry creations. So pop in!

Appetizers

Starters, appetizers, apps – whatever you call them – these are the warm up dishes we come to expect while waiting on our main course. At many places the appetizer list reads like some ancient liturgy, a sacred monument to the early 90s: potato skins, wings, and, if you’re lucky, some form of green chili. Few places ask whether or not items like jalapeño poppers or blooming onions provide any inspiration about dining, food, and ordering more luxe items. Luckily we are blessed in Boulder County to have not just some real innovators, but also some classic executions that will inspire you to eat. The following examples of what an appetizer can be will really leave you wondering if a main course is even necessary.

The Sink – Cauliflower Wings

When you think of appetizers, cauliflower is not what comes to mind. We substitute cauliflower for a lot of things these days: pizza crusts, mashed potatoes, and other keto and paleo foods. The Sink, however, has developed what could be the pinnacle of cauliflower cuisine with Buffalo Cauliflower wings (until someone makes cauliflower bacon of course). Beating the wing shortage back, these bite-sized tempura-battered deep-fried delights will leave you wanting more. They were nice enough to point out that they truly need to be eaten on premises to get the proper experience. I can imagine the remaining moisture in the cauliflower would turn it soft, losing some of those important textures that make them special. Good news: we finished them on-site.

Busaba Thai – Crab Rangoon

These may arguably be one of the best appetizers known to man. A favorite everywhere, from fine dining to those special holes in the wall take out kings and queens. While many figure that Crab Rangoon was created by Trader Vic’s owner in the mid 50’s, another story is that the deep fried treat is supposed to be based on a Burmese recipe and named for the Burmese city of Rangoon (now Myanmar and Yangoon). Filled full of cream cheese, spices, onions, and crab meat, perfectly pocketed in wonton wrapper and deep fried, you get the perfect crispy corners and the delicate hot sweet and savory center. Basubas take on these golden fried dumplings can best be described as “plump”. While some renditions of the dish leave you wondering where the crab is, these bulbous fritters leave no doubt. Served with plum dipping sauce, this appetizer will leave you wondering if you can just order two.

Eat! Food & Drink – Sweet & Savory Bacon Flight

When I was told I had to write up a single ingredient appetizer my brain first goes to wings, no, maybe ribs? No! Ohhh, I know. Fries! While none of these even fit the single ingredient rule, the right answer is so brilliantly obvious. Bacon! Sure bacon can be found wrapped around many classic Americana appetizers, but is it possible to stand on its own? Abso Bacon Lutely! Eat! Food and Drinks knocks simplicity out of the park with this perfect balance of sweet and savory. Let’s check off the appetizer requirement boxes on this one; Salty, check. Fatty, check. Crispy check. Sweet, check. Savory check and mate. Salt and smoke cured pork bellies sliced and cooked to perfection and served in visible abundance should be topping the appetizer section everywhere from bar grills to posh Brunch hotspots. Truly an example of how you can never lose with bacon.

Jax Fish House – Fried Calamari and Oyster Shooter

If you asked me what my favorite appetizer was I’d probably say, ‘ceviche!’ If you asked for my second favorite it would definitely be fried calamari. While a seemingly simple appetizer, fried calamari requires ridiculously precise cooking times, which is dependent on size and thickness and types of pieces of calamari. It’s an endless equation that would make the most seasoned food engineer gulp, and is one of the most remade dishes ever, which is why it’s my second favorite. It’s difficult to get it done right, even for people like me with tens of thousands of hours of cooking experience. Jax’s simple take and perfect execution has me reconsidering what my favorite truly is. Pretty much every piece. While I might not think about oysters enough, especially since not being anywhere near the coast, it was such a refreshing sight to see at a table in front of me. Served with horseradish, cocktail sauce, chili oil, and lemon. All this former Florida girl needed was some tobacco to finish off one of the greatest appetizers of all time, I love raw oysters.

Absolute Favorites We Need to Remind You About

Take the list, love the list, explore the list.

Blue Corn Tacos
Dessert: Flan
Creamy custard topped with clear caramelized crust
1515 Main St, #5, Longmont, (720) 340-4564

Azitra
Appetizer: Kebab Sampler
Three Tandoor roasted kebabs (shrimp, chicken, or lamb)
535 Zang St, #C, Broomfield, 303-465-4444

TeoCalli Cocina 
Appetizer: Charred Pailla Ribs
Braised pork ribs, charred with chile pasilla BBQ
103-C N. Public Rd, Lafayette, 303-284-6597

Gurkhas Dumpling and Curry House
Dessert: Rice Pudding
Sweetly spiced pudding made from milk and rice.
2525 Arapahoe Ave, #H5B, Boulder, 720-479-8396

Japango Sushi Restaurant
Appetizer: Homemade Gyoza
Pan-fried chicken and pork dumplings
1136 Pearl St, Boulder, 303-938-0330

Aloy Thai Cuisine
Appetizer: Crispy Tofu
Fried organic and non-GMO tofu served with peanut sweet and sour sauce
Dessert: Mochi Ice Cream
Ice cream covered in rice flour dough
2720 Canyon Blvd, Boulder, 303-440-2903

Fresh Thymes
Appetizer: Heirloom Tomato Slab
Charred scallion aioli, Spring Hill Microgreens and Heirloom tomato
2500 30th St, #101, Boulder, 303-955-7988

Ponsawan Thai Cuisine
Appetizer: Shrimp Eggroll
Shrimp wrapped in fresh dough and deep-fried
16566 Washington St, Thornton, 720-638-9966

Supermoon
Dessert: Hawaiian Butter Cake
Dulce de leche, strawberry-coconut ice cream
909 Walnut St, Boulder, 303-444-3885

Parma Trattoria
Dessert: Tiramisu
Ladyfingers, espresso, mascarpone
1132 W. Dillon Rd, Louisville, 303-284-2741

INJOY Restaurant
Dessert: Strawberry Lemon Cake
Lemon cake layered w/ strawberry jam & white chocolate ganache; topped w/ candied lemon slices
3120 Vista Village Dr, Erie, 720-726-4926

The post 21 Desserts & Appetizers | The 2021 Indulgence Issue appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.