It%uFFFDs an unapologetically casual spot, with at-the-counter ordering and a selfservice condiment bar featuring fresh pico de gallo, red and green salsas, and slices of radish and lime. The menu encompasses such street food staples as tacos with freshly made corn tortillas, quesadillas, tamales with a multitude of stuffings, and torta sandwiches.]]> Many times, when you set foot in a Boulder-area deli, you’ll experience a certain degree of geographic predictability. Often you’ll see images of New York landmarks, such as the Statue of Liberty, to help build Big Apple culinary cred.]]> Recently, Dessert Diva Danette Randall noted in her column that I ought to have her tag along on a review outing. Class act that I am, I thought it only right to invite her to a spot where a guy ought to wear a sports coat. So I asked her to join me for Sunday brunch at Jill%uFFFDs.]]> The most enjoyable meals aren’t just about the food — they’re also about the company, and in some instances, a sense of common purpose. Such is the case with Boulder’s Bácaro Venetian Taverna’s combination Sunday bike ride, lunch and fundraiser. The ride is a monthly event that pulls together an amiable collection of cyclists of differing ages and abilities.]]> Less familiar Asian cuisines sometimes come off as lessthan-satisfactory knockoffs of their Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai or Indian counterparts. With this thought in mind, I wasn’t sure what to expect at Boulder’s Tibet Kitchen, and I feared the experience was going to consist of poorly interpreted Northern Indian fare. Fortunately, my phobia was unfounded, as this compact restaurant features unique Tibetan items such as momo dumplings and a full range of meatless dishes prepared in a manner that’s both tasty and healthy.]]> Nowadays Zolo’s lunch menu doesn’t stray too far from the basics of Southwestern cuisine and would still be accessible to the ’90s diner. There’s a certain comforting culinary classicism inherent in a menu showcasing such items as tortilla soup, blue corn fried oysters, rellenos and chicken enchiladas.]]> While it%uFFFDs helpful to use Streat Chef %uFFFDs website (or Twitter or Facebook) to pin down this operation%uFFFDs ever-changing location, you%uFFFDll certainly recognize it when you see it. It%uFFFDs the shiny, if not full-bore iconic, Airstream trailer towed by a large displacement pickup with all the folks crowded around it.]]> Settings into a venerable locale such as the Boulder Cork restaurant, one can’t but help wonder if the dapper sports coat-clad gentleman at the next table might be a regular who’s come here for decades. Perhaps a younger version of him showed up here in the ’70s, decked out in a turtleneck, bell-bottoms and a sweet Mark Spitz-style ’stache. He’s aged reasonably well, but what about his favored restaurant?]]> I appreciate a business with a name that unambiguously identifies what it offers. Such is the case with Longmont’s to-the-point Santa Fe Coffee & Burrito Co. This welcoming breakfast and lunch spot features caffeine ranging from classic diner coffee to espresso drinks and hearty, New Mexico-influenced meals.]]> My first job out of college was working for the U.S. Forest Service in Rutland, Vt. Unfortunately, lunch choices in this town were limited, and I ate most meals at the family-run Sandwich Shoppe. Pricing was in line with my entry-level salary — today, you can still get a big meatball sub there for $6.]]> I´m often wracked with guilt when my vegan friend Amy joins me for a meal out. I’ll typically enjoy something like a filet mignon stuffed with oysters and a side of beluga while my hapless pal is forced to gnaw on a sprig of parsley. Happily, this culinary disparity didn’t rear its ugly head at Tangerine, a new North Boulder breakfast and lunch spot that features an astonishingly comprehensive brunch menu. ]]> The reasonably priced menu here features sushi, traditional donburi rice bowls, curries and a handful of fish and meat entrees. The latter category includes two types of grilled mackerel and Korean barbecue beef. Much to my dismay, this eatery was out of one of my all-time favorite fish dishes, miso black cod.]]> During a recent brunch with friends Tertia, Eric and Addie, we were all struck by the diversity of the weekend menu. The most ambitious brunch item is the $15 Southern Gentleman, perhaps more accurately termed the Portly Indulger, consisting of eggs, cheddar grits, ham steak with chicory gravy, greens, scallion biscuit and a whiskey shot.]]> Mary’s has the welcoming feel of the archetypical country store, with a warm wood interior and retro retail fixtures such as a nut display that seems strangely familiar. It’s also remarkably cyclist-friendly — Keith was able to make use of a communal floor pump to fill his tire — and there’s plenty of bicycle parking.]]> The first impression of downtown Boulder’s Saxy’s Cafe is that of your typical college town coffee shop with a ramshackle, slightly lived-in feel. But a closer look reveals more luxurious trappings epitomized by comfortable sofas and low coffee tables that give the spot a cozy living room ambience. Low-key, if not folksy, music plays on the stereo, deepening the mellow coffeehouse vibe. ]]> While posters and memorabilia clearly appeal to a testosterone-fueled football and Ultimate Fighting crowd, the lunch hour is placid, highlighted by an efficient and understated-yet-still-attentive server.]]> The weekend brunch, served from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., features a menu that’s surprisingly comprehensive given this eatery’s relatively modest size. Salads range from a simple green number to entree offerings anchored by such exotica as pan-roasted halibut or smoked salmon.]]> At lunch, sandwich selections range from a grilled cheese featuring Swiss, cheddar and brie to a Bistro burger highlighting natural beef and blue cheese. There’s also a meatless sandwich adorned with mushroom, tomato and pesto goat cheese.]]> "Smoke gets in your food," declared John, considered by many to be the dean of local food scribes. Indeed, our lunch courses at the recently opened FATE Brewing Company were adhering to a certain fire-seasoned theme. A rich aroma of smoke wafted off our chicken wing starter, and John’s soon-to-arrive pastrami Rueben promised to continue the smoky motif.]]> The surrounding environs are an eclectic place where traditional homes ringed by porches rub shoulders with boxy modernistic houses where the occupants would be well-advised not to throw stones. True to the New Urbanist ideal of walkability, there's also a smattering of retail space here, including wine shops and other spots offering food and drink.]]>