FOX ON STUFF
July 19, 2005
“A day without sunshine is like, well, night.” – anonymous
YEAH, YEAH, I KNOW; I’VE BEEN HIDING. There were a few things that took precedence over writing this column. One was eating. Two was paying bills. Three was keeping Georgia and all the shops at Belmar (www.belmarcolorado.com) happy. It was called Tax Season. That’s what I do when I’m not feeding my face or writing about feeding my face. This was a rough year. Couldn’t find competent help during TS, so I worked a few thousand extra hours, and then decided it was time for find some permanent, competent help. I moved my offices and am now sharing offices with two other very bright CPA’s and a staff of well-trained accountants. I’m almost all moved in and unpacked. Almost. But you want to know about the dining scene, so now I’m back at it. The thing that keeps me sane during TS: writing. I haven’t stopped eating during this painful period and I even found some new spots for you to try.
THE NEW STUFF.
The folks who own Lucky Strike Bowling Alley at The Pavilions, opened a second store in Belmar (415 S. Teller St, 303/935-5793; www.bowlluckystrike.com). G and I walked in a few weeks ago on a Sunday nite and were literally blown away by how gorgeous the place is. The most modern equipment, giant screens in front of each lane, a private set of four lanes with a meeting room behind it, wide, comfortable sofas, lots of efficient young men and women servers, and outstanding food including a super delish half pound bugger, hand-packed and cooked to order. The munchies are almost even better. Try the filet mignon on a skewer. And the killer sangie: a medium rare flank steak with roasted garlic mayo, roasted tomato, arugula and crumbled blue cheese ($11.95). G went bonkers over this sangie. And if that don’t getcha, the house-made, warm-right-out-of-the-oven chocolate chip cookies will gring a huge smile to your face. One complaint: they allow smoking all over the facility after 4 pm, no smoking until then. Fortunately it hasn’t been that busy and there aren’t very many smokers in there. Actually, on four Sunday nite visits G and I encountered only one smoker.
The Downtown Marriott Hotel (1701 California St, 303/297-1300) features the American Grill where you can find a decent luncheon buffet. They also offer a full menu that is reputed to be darn good. The only reason for the buffet is the house-made brownies. Best brownie I’ve ever had anywhere, ceptin of course for G’s chocolate mint brownies. There were problems with the buffet but no one seemed to care. The wait staff spent most of their time outside the front door watching. What they were watching I don’t have a clue. The menu itself is weird. Everyday of the week is a different menu; the day I was there was Italian Day. But they won’t tell you what is on the menu the other days so you have to call ahead and ask. Duh? So let’s beat ‘em up abit. The bread with the salad bar was creative but very stale. The salad was fresh and good. The dressings were not labeled so you got to guess. There was no butter for the bread. There were no condiments for the deli sangie section of the bar, no mayo, mustard, or ketchup. The bread was fresh but alas, not creative as the bread was that was with the salads; just some plain stuff. The entrees sat under the heat lamp way too long, probably cuz there were few customers for the buffet. The pizza was tasty but old. The pork, filled to the brim of the serving dish, might have been good at one time, but not at 12:30. It was very well done, dry, and boring. The pasta was decent. I don’t thing anything got changed the entire day. When I asked for condiments the manager brought some right over to my table, but never did put any on the buffet line. More duh. Service was friendly but very spotty. The wait staff was still hiding outside the restaurant near the front door. Would I go back? Sure. For an ala carte meal and the brownies.
RAVE REVIEWS go to several new places that I haven’t been to but feel the need to mention. Steak Au Poivre (231 Milwaukee St, 303/333-6444) which opened a few months ago, is now serving lunch Monday thru Saturday. They’re located in the space vacated by Manhattan Grill. Five Degrees opened at 1475 Lawrence Street. Ninth Door (1808 Blake St, 303/292-2229) in Lodo is kicking butt, and North, the hot hot Cherry Creek Italian eatery (190 Clayton Lane, 720/941-7700; www.foxrestaurantconcepts.com) a sister eatery to Bloom, the great restaurant at Flatirons Mall as well as several other eateries in the region. Check out their website; it’s really cool. Chef Owner Frank Bonanno isn’t satisfied with two or three eateries, he is now working on number 4…or is it 5? Harry’s Chop House will open soon on East 17th Ave, next door to Milagro Taco Bar (1700 Vine Street, 303/399-1700).
Boulder is blazing with new eateries. Several of these “hoties” are bringing in crowds. This year saw the opening of Acqua Pazza Osteria E Bar (1801 13th St, 303/442-0378; www.acquapazza.net) serving classic and contemporary Italian cuisine for lunch and dinner daily. L’Atelier (1739 Pearl St, 303/442-7233; www.latelierboulder.com), Radek Cerny’s newest eatery, is serving contemporary French cuisine for lunch and dinner. Then there’s the fab new restaurant, The Kitchen (1039 Pearl St, 303/544-5973) that opened about a year and a half ago. They pride themselves on serving the finest and freshest ingredients. The menu is what I would call creative New American. Then there’s L’Absinthe (1800 Broadway, #150, 303/442-6777) serving French and Mediterranean fare. Finally, Frasca Food and Wine (1738 Pearl St, 303/442-6966; www.frascafoodandwine.com) “is a neighborhood restaurant inspired by the cuisine and culture of Friuli, Italy” This is a region of Italy in the very north east corner, not far from Venice. Frascas are gathering place for farmers to share a meal and a bottle of vino, but are open only during the harvest season. Frasca prides itself on supporting local farmers.
Landry’s Downtown Aquarium is now open where the former Ocean Journey lived for a short time and died, deservedly so. Those folks were too good to take city money when it was offered, and then begged for it at the end. I don’t plan on going to anything Landry’s owns. Three reasons: The food at every other Landry’s…sucks. So why should this place be any difference? And that includes a former fav, Simms Landing. Ever since they took over several years ago, the food quality and service did the same thing that fish do: Dive. Dive. Dive. Second, they have the gall to charge for a sauce to cover the boring fish. Cuz if it didn’t have a sauce the fish would be even more terrible. And besides, you HAVE TO PAY TO PARK! Bah humbug!
Storyville Creole Café opened at 246 Main St, Longmont, 303/651-1127 serving Cajun fare. John Lehndorff, the Rocky’s paid belly, recently raved about a sangie shop, Jay’s Patio Café (2563 15th St, 303/455-9275; www.upper15thstreet.com). Anything named “Jay” has to be good.
ON THE CLOSED LIST: I’m sad to report that Blest Bar-B-Que of the Rockies has closed in downtown Littleton. I don’t have a clue as to why. Restaurant Kody in Evergreen has closed. Here’s yet another example of a great eatery in a bad location. Owner chef Adam Mali got a great offer to go back east where he may earn a decent living. Also closed, and also sadly, is the Tivoli Deer in Kittredge. G and I have had many maaavelous dinners there over the years, but the health of owner Mogens Sorensen has not been good. We wish him well. Still more sadly, Karen’s In The Kitchen, our Louisville brunchery, has closed after being at that location for centuries. Who’s gonna do the desserts at the Colorado Restaurant Association annual bash? Boo hoo, sadlier even more yet. Sweet Rockin’ Coffee, home of the deliteful Tammy Davis, has closed. Now where am I gonna get real butterscotch pudding with real scotch? And those unbelievable chocolate covered cherries? The saddest of all is Tante Louise, the perennial French restaurant that has serviced diners for over three decades, has closed its doors. I’m sure owner Corky Douglass, a friend of all in the industry, will find something to challenge his creative juices. Where will we all go for that special occasion?
ON OTHER STUFF. Café Bisque (224 Union Blvd, 303/985-4151; www.cafebisque.com), G’s fav breakfast/lunch spot, is now serving dinner. Goose Gossage's Burgers-n-Sports at 18695 E. Stage Run Road in Parker (303/805-7945) has been renamed Old School Burgers. And Cuba Cuba (1173 Delaware St, 303/605-2822) is now (finally!) serving lunch. Actually they added lunch several months ago, but alas, I’m the last to know.
Cya.
NMMNG Jay Fox’s column can be viewed at his website, www.jayfoxcpa.com, along with the past two plus year’s of dining columns. You will also find all kinds of good tax planning advice, financial calculators and the latest in tax news. In his real life Jay is a CPA. He just writes this column for the money .