Memphis Fried Chicken Sandwich
Bluff Street Bar & Billiards, 2690 28th St., Suite E, Boulder, bluffstreetbar.com
Sometimes you walk into a bar to shoot pool, watch a game or just throw back a cold one or two. At Bluff Street, you might do one or all three of those things, but you’d be missing out on some seriously good pub grub if you didn’t order something from the kitchen. The dishes are familiar, yet innovative. Take the Memphis fried chicken sandwich, arguably one of the best pieces of fried chicken in Boulder County. Placed between a chewy, slightly sweet bun, a massive, tender chicken breast, fried to crispy perfection, is matched with tangy house pickles, an irresistible slaw and a punchy “mojo” barbecue sauce. It’s a bang for your buck, and might have you stopping in just for the food next time. $10.
House-made Frankische Bratwurst Plate
Bohemian Biergarten, 2017 13th St., Boulder, bohemianbiergarten.com
There was a time when Boulder County was home to a handful of German restaurants. That’s not the case anymore, but luckily one exceptional hold-out remains: Bohemian Biergarten. Sure, you go for comedy, entertainment, a unique vibe and on-tap German and German-style brews, but the menu of classic German dishes is righteous. We opted for the house-made Frankische bratwurst plate recently — a fat, warm, savory brat atop electric sauerkraut, crispy fries and slices of pretzel bread. The only thing you’ll need to add is your choice of mustard, from spicy to sweet… and a boot of Paulaner if you’re into that. $11.
Lamb Danshak
Jaipur Indian Restaurant, 1214 Walnut St., Boulder, jaipurindianrestaurant.com
Jaipur knows how to balance flavor. The downtown Boulder spot serves well-spiced and welcoming Indian dishes that might upturn your expectations of some of the cuisine’s well-worn, classic dishes. We had the lamb danshak on a recent visit, composed of tender lamb chunks simmered in a lentil-based sweet and sour sauce. It’s deeply satisfying, both for the soul and the palate. $13.95.
Cracked Pepper Chèvre
Haystack Mountain Goat Dairy, 1121 Colorado Ave., Longmont, haystackmountaincheese.com
Boulder County has a cheese producer making goat cheese that stacks up with the best in the world. Really. Longmont’s Haystack Mountain takes fresh goat milk and turns it into a semi-soft cheese that it flavors by rolling it in toppings. We selected the cracked pepper chèvre recently, which features the creamy, grassy, vibrant goat’s milk cheese with black, pink and white peppercorns. It’s a cheese that’s won numerous awards, and we think you’ll earn plenty of accolades by putting it out on a platter the next time you host a get-together. Prices vary.
