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March 5-11, 2009
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Blues & Greens Restaurant
800 28th St., Boulder,
303-443-3322
Nestled in Boulder’s zero-waste Outlook Hotel, the Blues & Greens Restaurant has something for both the carnivore and vegan who enjoy top-flight live music. While chicken fingers and burgers made from local beef are on the menu, so are vegan triple-decker sandwiches and meatless Pad Thai. This is the perfect place to unwind after work with a reasonably priced meal and beverage of your choice, while enjoying local folk, jazz and blues musicians.
Old Chicago
1102 Pearl St., Boulder,
303-443-5031
Despite their recent Chicago Seven promotion, there’s nothing radical going on at Old Chicago. It still features a tried-and-true menu of pizzas, pasta, and half-pound burgers. A proverbial United Nations of beers from around the globe are also on offer, and the experience is marked by friendly and attentive service.
North Broadway Café,
4479 N. Broadway, Boulder,
303-449-3663
The North Broadway Café is truly a what-you-see-is-what-you-get restaurant. Granted, such items as organic coffee are a nod to the mores of its Boulder customer base. But there’s no disputing this establishment is a worthy heir to the road food tradition as evidenced by a menu featuring bottomless coffee, huevos rancheros and bacon and egg platters. The NBC’s certainly not the venue for overpriced haute cuisine, but it is a place for what can only be affectionately referred to as decent chow.
The Hungry Toad
2543 N. Broadway, Boulder,
303-442-5012
The Hungry Toad successfully captures classic elements of the British pub with a full menu of traditional fare, a mildly odd but non-threatening exterior sign and a comfortably intimate interior. There’s something for everyone here, including modern selections such as a surprisingly filling veggie melt sandwich and a full slate of burgers. The purist also can partake of such time-honored selections as Bangers and Mash, and a simple, but expertly prepared, fish and chips.
Terroir
246 Main St., Longmont,
303-651-0630
Taking its name from the French construct defining the elements that distinguish a vineyard from another, Longmont’s Terroir successfully marries setting, service, and menu to provide a first-rate dining experience. Terroir features many local ingredients such as Long Farm pork, Haystack goat cheese, and Hazel Dell mushrooms to first-rate effect. Memorable dishes include the butternut squash soup, roasted duck breast and heavenly chocolate coconut semifreddo, an Italian frozen mousse.
Whistler’s Cafe
121 N. Jefferson St., Nederland,
303-258-0614
It’s freezing cold in Nederland — a cup of coffee paired with a hearty breakfast is the ideal antidote, and Whistler’s Café can fill this prescription. Take special note of the Mountain Muffin, which lives up to its name as a formidable mound of eggs, ham, avocado and cream cheese piled high atop an English muffin. The lunch-minded can enjoy a Portobello mushroom sandwich slathered with Chinese hoisin sauce, and crowd pleasers such as classic pot roast populate the comforting dinner menu.
Namaste Nepal Restaurant
4800 Baseline Rd. #A107, Boulder,
303-499-2234
Where competitors might clumsily wield their masala seasonings like a blunt instrument, at Namaste Nepal Restaurant they take a more measured approach, creating dishes with surprisingly subtle flavors. An Indian-inflected buffet offers up hearty favorites such as tandoori chicken and curry, as well as crisp vegetable pakoras and suave kheer rice pudding. Living up to the promise of its namesake, Namaste’s well-crafted fare is an everyday and affordable blessing.
The Tea Box
1505 Pearl St., Boulder,
720-382-2930
For a light meal or snack, the Tea Box is hard to beat. The sublime teas are prepared with care, and most of the sweet and savory options rise to the level of this featured beverage. The $9.99 dim sum platter is a introduction to the famous Chinese tea brunch, and sweets such as the matcha tea cake are delicate palate-pleasers. A comfortably quiet atmosphere, and friendly service round out the package.
Fat Cat Noodle House,
1116 13th St., Boulder,
303-448-9517
Although the menu at the Fat Cat Noodle House doesn’t focus on a particular subset of Asian cuisine, it does provide something for just about everyone. Vegans can enjoy the miso hot pot, and both herbivores and omnivores can tuck into a variety of teriyaki plates ranging from one containing tofu for $6.50 to $9.95 for the beef version. Connoisseurs of Southeast Asian fare can content themselves with a piquant Thai Jungle curry or Vietnamese pho, the one-dish meal beef noodle soup. The Dragon Noodles are also a winning choice, a slightly peppery soup dish that doesn’t overwhelm with spiciness.
The Dark Horse
2922 Baseline Rd., Boulder,
303-442-8162
In existence since the mid-’70s, the Dark Horse Bar has long been renowned for its value-laden menu, warehouse-meets-frat house décor, and confusing restroom signage. While the offerings here are best summarized as burgers and beer, there are also a few options that are a touch more sophisticated than humble bar food. These include sub-10-dollar dinners featuring such items as fish and chips, ribs and steaks. The truly budget-minded will appreciate the Burger Madness specials offered a few times a week — these are whole meals at a price similar to fast-food offerings.
Jimmy and Drew’s 28th Street Deli
2855 28th St., Boulder,
303-447-3354
Sadly, traditional Jewish deli fare is in short supply on the Front Range. However, Jimmy and Drew’s 28th Street Deli is one of the few places where one can indulge in traditional choices like latkes and chopped liver sandwiches. But there’s more to this deli than classic hot pastrami; it also offers a variety of all-you-can-eat dinner specials, including a Friday night fish fry, and Sunday night prime rib. Last but not least, this is the spot to enjoy an authentic egg cream, flavored with genuine Fox’s U-Bet chocolate syrup.
Lucile’s
2124 14th St., Boulder, 303-442-4743
Although the dining experience at Lucile’s may not be an exact facsimile of what you might find in New Orleans or the Carolinas, it remains true to its down-home Dixie roots. The ingredients may be simple and the prices reasonable, but meals of shrimp grits, beignets and Eggs Sardou definitely evoke a sense of relaxed contentment. Friendly and helpful servers round out the experience, making for a true taste of Southern hospitality in the Rocky Mountains.
Thyme on the Creek
1345 28th St., Boulder, 303-998-3835
With the hiring of Executive Chef Dedric McGhee earlier this year, Boulder’s Millennium Harvest House Hotel boldly ups the ante at its restaurant, Thyme on the Creek. Sophisticated offerings such as lacquered duck provide more than just sustenance for captive lodgers; they’re also an attractive inducement for locals to check out the upscale menu. Other can’t-miss items include the achingly tender petite filet, pan-seared to lock in flavor, and the rib-sticking buffalo osso buco over Chimayo chile risotto.
Big City Burrito
2426 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder, 720-565-2489
Nowadays, it seems there’s a burrito joint on every block, many of which are owned by a fast-food corporate parent that would probably prefer to remain anonymous. However, Big City Burrito has Colorado roots and wraps that are heads and shoulders above their mass-market brethren at a comparable price. Old standbys, like carne asada and carnitas, stand alongside a raft of veggie options, as well as more unique choices like bay-leaf chicken. Also, be sure to spring for the addition of fried potatoes to your wrap.
Gurkhas Restaurant
6565 Gunpark Dr., Suite 190,
Boulderm 303-530-1551
One of Gunbarrel’s more exotic spots, Gurkhas Restaurant is a casual Nepalese/Indian/Tibetan eatery incongruously housed in a strip mall. Featuring a decent $9.95 luncheon buffet, this restaurant also serves up smooth yogurt lassi drinks and tantalizing choices such as pungent lamb vindaloo. For vegetarians, several paneers beckon, made with firm, homemade cheese. There’s also an assortment of lentil dishes, as well as other meatless choices featuring potatoes and other mixed vegetables.
Spruce Confections
4684 N. Broadway, Boulder,
303-449-5819
At Spruce Confections, one can be as virtuous and healthy as one pleases by selecting a balanced entrée, such as the ahi spinach salad. On the other hand, one can also explore more decadent choices like a slab of buttery shortbread and a frothy cappuccino with whole milk. Either way, Spruce Confections is an ideal spot for a quick and casual repast.
Crêpes À La Cart
2018 Broadway, Boulder,
303-444-4191
A lthough Boulder isn’t Paris or Brittany, one can still get a decent crêpe at downtown’s Crêpes À La Cart. Taking some design cues from Parisian bistros, this eatery has something for nearly everyone with dozens of savory crêpes with fillings including vegetarian mixes, rib-eye steak and smoked salmon. Save room for a dessert crêpe as well, and chocolate lovers will be especially appreciative of the options which range from Nutella spread to white chocolate.
Yaki Maki
1175 Walnut St., Boulder,
720-974-0388
If you’re expecting the ultimate expression of Japanese cuisine at a premium price, Yaki Maki probably isn’t the place for you. But if you’re looking for a spot to enjoy a down-to-earth meal with good friends after work, it’s definitely worth seeking out. The all-you-can-eat sushi special is an exceptional value and some selections, such as the raw-fish wrapped rainbow rolls, compare favorably to offerings at much more expensive establishments.
Buddha Café
2719 Iris Ave., Boulder
720-565-0506
If the proverbial cheap and cheerful Thai meal is what you seek, North Boulder’s Buddha Café is the place for you. It’s not a high-end or expensive place. Instead, it’s a welcoming neighborhood joint dishing out decent $6.95 lunch specials and reasonably priced dinners of such traditional Thai favorites as spicy stir-fries, Pad Thai noodles and robust curries. The especially hungry would be well served to sample the super combo appetizer platter of crispy egg rolls, chicken satay, cheese and crab wontons, and potato wrapped in wonton skins.
Cantina Laredo
1680 29th St., Boulder
303-444-2260
A sleekly modern establishment in Boulder’s 29th Street Mall, Cantina Laredo is much more upscale than its name implies. While traditional combination plates of tacos and enchiladas are available, the menu’s strengths are found in the daily fish specials as well as the camaron poblano asada. This ambitious dish is a chile relleno on steroids, substituting carne asada steak instead of the batter traditionally found on a relleno. The typical cheese filling is also augmented by mushrooms, onion and jumbo shrimp.
Dot’s Diner
2716 28th St., Boulder
303-449-1323
Another candidate for the Boulder Breakfast Hall of Fame, Dot’s Diner has been keeping early risers happy for years. Basic sausage and egg breakfasts are available, in addition to well-executed omelets. Favorites include corned-beef hash, grits and the rough-hewn biscuits. Dot’s also features some of the best diner java in town.
Himalayas Restaurant
2010 14th St., Boulder
303-442-3230
Okay, it’s ironic that you have to go downstairs to get to Boulder’s Himalayas, an Indian restaurant named for the world’s tallest mountain range. The lunch buffet is a decent value with some intriguing twists on old favorites. For example, saag, the classic creamed spinach dish isn’t accompanied by paneer cheese, but more flavorful mushroom. The aloo dum, or spiced potatoes, is a hearty choice as well, and makes a fine meatless course.
Hapa
1117 Pearl St., Boulder
303-473-4730
Distinct from other Japanese restaurants, Hapa is where new-style Asian and old-school Hawaiian fare meet. Of course, there’s the expected offerings of sushi, miso soup and rice bowls. But there’s also hipper fare like a rich miso-glazed Black Cod appetizer and unique-to-Hapa sushi rolls. A prime Pearl Street Mall location also makes this a fine spot for people-watching as you tuck into your soft-shell crab spider roll.
Meadow Lark Farm Dinners
www.farmdinners.com
Meadow Lark Farm Dinners isn’t like any other dining experience you’ve had. The Meadow Lark crew travels from farm to farm in Boulder County, serving up dinners featuring freshly harvested ingredients and fine wine. A typical menu might include a stellar chilled cucumber soup, followed by a main course of locally raised flank steak sided with a ratatouille-style vegetable casserole with goat cheese. Sound good? It’s one of the best dining experiences in the county.
Leenie’s Southern Café
625 Ken Pratt Blvd., Longmont
303-776-4195
Come hungry to Leenie’s Southern Café, and you’ll undoubtedly go home satisfied. Specializing in Cajun and Creole cuisine, this is the place for authentic gumbo, po’ boy sandwiches and blackened redfish. Other Southern specialties include Mississippi-fried catfish accompanied by hushpuppies and breakfasts goods like eggs Florentine topped with fried oysters. While the ambience is nothing fancy, it’s still a friendly place to enjoy a taste of Dixie.
Parkway Café
4700 Pearl Pkwy., Boulder
303-447-1833
If fancy and cutting edge cuisine are what you seek, the Parkway Café isn’t for you. It’s a breakfast and lunch joint that’s more Norman, Oklahoma than Boulder, Colorado, and that’s what gives this eatery its considerable charm. Breakfast spans the range from a Spartan meal of a single egg and toast to more extravagant eggs Benedict and complex omelets. Lunchtime brings an array of burgers and classic sandwiches such as hot roast beef and tuna melts. No matter what meal it is, you’ll get your money’s worth.
Laudisio
1710 29th St., Boulder
303-442-1300
Yet another spot with something for just about everyone, Laudisio continues to draw in local diners with its traditional Italian fare. While the restaurant has forsaken its humble strip mall setting for the tonier climes of 29th Street, the menu still offers up a crowd-pleasing mix of pastas, made-to-order risottos, wood-fired pizzas and entrées from land and sea. Can’t-miss items include the vegetarian pizza margherita and spaghettini puttanesca.
Sun Deli, Pizza & Liquor
2299 Pearl St., Boulder
303-938-1128
Like something out of a Kevin Smith movie, Sun Deli, Pizza & Liquor is a slacker’s paradise. Enjoy vintage footage of the Dead on the flatscreens while enjoying above-average pizza slices and satisfying cheesesteaks. Crisp entrée salads include spinach, antipasto and Greek variants, and the soup’s noting to sneeze at either.
Jax Fish House
928 Pearl St., Boulder
303-444-1811
Marrying a casual atmosphere with near-haute cuisine preparation, Jax Fish House is a premier spot for seafood. Raw bar afficianados will appreciate raw bar specialties such as small but sweet Kunamoto oysters. Those preferring cooked selections will enjoy such entrées as perfectly seared sea scallops atop an imaginative foundation of oyster mushrooms and sensual polenta. For those indifferent to the fruits of the sea, burgers and a buffalo steak are also available.
Sunflower Restaurant
1701 Pearl St., Boulder
303-440-0220
Sunflower’s been under new management for about a year, but fans of the old menu have nothing to fear from this organic pioneer’s current offerings. Owner and Chef Jef Forsberg has preserved the restaurant’s commitment to dishing out natural and tasty selections whether it’s at brunch or happy hour. The portabello burger’s a winner, and the salad buffet’s a winner for those who enjoy a hearty yet healthy lunch.
Respond: letters@boulderweekly.com
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