Tidbites | Frasca earns James Beard Foundation award

0
Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson, owner of Frasca

FRASCA EARNS JAMES BEARD FOUNDATION AWARD

Best of Boulder voters knew it. Now the whole nation knows it: The wine list at Frasca’s Food and Wine is exceptional.

 

The Boulder restaurant has won the award for Outstanding Wine Program from the James Beard Foundation, a nationally respected nonprofit that dishes out annual awards in the restaurant industry. Frasca is the only Colorado restaurant to earn a national honor, and is one of very few not located in New York, San Francisco or Chicago.

Meanwhile, Jennifer Jasinski of Denver’s Rioja was named the best chef in the Southwest region.

 

NEW LOGO FOR TWISTED PINE

Boulder brewery Twisted Pine has revamped its logo, dropping the twisty branch, bringing the tree to center stage and incorporating a Colorado flag. In other Twisted Pine news, the taproom is now open until 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, but, sadly, the much-anticipated Cucumber Cream Ale has been delayed and is still not yet available, although a Twisted Pine employee says it should be released soon.

 

 

I JUST DON’T GET IT

A new bar and restaurant has taken the place of K’s China in the shopping plaza near the University of Colorado campus. No Entiendo, owned by former K’s China bar manager Kyle McNamara, has begun operating in the space and will have its liquor license transfer application heard by the city’s Beverage Licensing Authority May 15.

K’s China was long shadowed by difficulties with city police and city council, which had targeted the Chinese restaurant for its various alleged alcohol infractions. The liquor licensing board had required K’s China to report monthly food sales, to demonstrate that it was making at least 15 percent of its gross profit from food, as required by the type of liquor license that K’s had. No Entiendo will evidently face the same reporting requirement, as the line item “No Entiendo Food Sales Reports” appears on the agenda for the May 15 BLA hearing.

The city has stated its intention of limiting alcohol abuse by cracking down on restaurants and bars near the university. But many of the city’s restrictions on K’s before it was sold were directed at noise reduction.

No Entiendo is Spanish for “I don’t understand.” The restaurant promises “a fusion of Colorado steez and South American swagger” on its Twitter page, and while its website is being updated, it features the phrase “Eat and drink very soon” in Portuguese.

TAKE YOUR MOTHER OUT

Mother’s Day — Sunday, May 12, you inattentive dopes — means a slew of special menus and offers from restaurants around town.

Brunch buffets abound; our probably not-comprehensive list includes a brunch buffet 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Boulderado; a fixed-price brunch at SALT; a brunch menu at Ristorante L from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; a special brunch menu at Gold Hill Inn; a brunch buffet with unlimited mimosas and Bloody Marys at Boulder ChopHouse; a brunch menu at Zolo Grill; a 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. buffet at Thyme on the Creek in the Millennium Hotel; and a buffet at Martini’s Bistro in Longmont from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., as well as a limited dinner menu from 5 to 8 p.m.

Other specials include a noon to 8 p.m. special menu at Arugula; a free pint for every mother who comes to Twisted Pine’s taproom; a free mimosa to mothers at El Centro; and a lot more we aren’t able to list here.

ERIE FARMERS’ MARKET OPENS

The Town of Erie Farmers’ Market is opening its season May 11 at a new location, occupying Wells Street between Briggs and Pierce streets in the historic downtown.

The market will be open 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday and will feature locally grown produce as well as artisan breads and cheeses, ready-to-eat foods, organic coffee and tea, wine and cut flowers. The farmers’ market will also include local fine arts and crafts every other weekend.

Have any food-related news? Send a press release to newsdesk@boulderweekly.com.

Respond: letters@boulderweekly.com