Category: Colorado

Bohemian Biergarten – Boulder, CO

I never expected to find a central European restaurant in the middle of Boulder, Colorado. When I saw Bohemian Biergarten and took a look at their menu I knew I had to check them out.

Their menu had foods from Germany, Poland, Austria, Czech Republic, and Hungary. The restaurant was a beautiful historic building with vaulted ceilings and brick walls. It really helped capture an old world feel.

I had to order the Pierogies. I could not wait to try these homemade cheese and potato dumplings. I got them fried, but boiled is also an option. They were garnished with onions, garlic, and mushrooms. The filling was so creamy and the dough was tender. They served a spicy dipping sauce on the side that was unique, and it truly was spicy.

The Bavarian Poutine was spectacular. The fresh cut fries were sweet tasting and topped with melted Gruyere cheese, and a house creamy mushroom sauce. The mushrooms were a nice addition to the gravy, it added additional texture. It was a rich and savory poutine. It was great for sharing.

They had many beers and cocktails to choose from. I ordered one of the house specialties called The Honey Bite. This was a blend of wild cider, paulaner hefeweizen. There was a thin layer of foam that had honey drizzled on top. It was an amazing combination, the honey in each sip really made this drink delicious.

The food and drinks were amazing and I’m glad I came across this place. To my surprise when I went to the restroom, I saw that Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives had visited this place. I found Guy’s signature on the mirror. What a fun surprise. 

If you are in Boulder make sure to check them out.

www.bohemianbiergarten.com

Enjoy!

T

Redstone Meadery – Boulder, CO

While traveling around the US, it is easy to come across a variety of wineries, breweries and distilleries. I always enjoy visiting those places. But in Boulder, Colorado, I got very excited when we came across a Meadery. These are not common to find and as someone who loves mead getting to visit Redstone Meadery was a nice surprise

It’s a small place, but they offer so many choices of meads that you can try and purchase.

The Passionfruit Nectar was one of my favorites. It had a tropical sweet flavor that became tart as I continue to drink, then at the end, it had a slight spicy taste.

Another favorite, which I bought a bottle of, was the traditional Mountain Honey Wine. I could taste the sweet honey flavors of Orange Blossom and Wildflower. It gave off a consistent taste of citrus with each sip.

The 2011 Peach Reserve was released in 2018. There was not much left. It was sweet for sure with a blend of three different honeys that included meadow foam. It has a great subtle flavor of peaches.

Red Raspberry Mountain Honey Wine had a medium sweet taste. The raspberry flavor blended well with the clover and orange blossom honey. It was very smooth and would taste delicious with dark chocolate.

An interesting mead was the Nectar of the Hops. This was a dry mead with very little sweetness. It was created with hops, so it had a subtle taste like you would find in beer. It even had a light bubbly feel to it. It was extremely interesting.

If you like mead or just want a unique experience, then check out Redstone Meadery. The staff is really friendly. Check them out at www.redstonemeadery.com

Enjoy!

T

Tony P’s – Denver, CO

Tony P’s is a great neighborhood bar in Denver, Colorado.

You can sit at tables or at the bar. I love sitting at the bar and I got great service from the owner.

There are some must tries if you visit.

The garlic bread is freshly made breadsticks that are baked to perfection. They are topped with olive oil, garlic and Parmesan cheese. You can add mozzarella for extra, but it’s not necessary. They were delicious just on their own.

Pan roasted meatballs we perfect. These homemade meatballs are tender and juicy. The flavor was amazing. You get four big meatballs so it’s perfect for sharing. They serve their homemade marinara sauce on top. The taste of oregano and basil in their sauce is amazing. They serve grilled ciabatta on the side, which is perfect to soak up all the extra sauce

If you love brussels sprouts then order the Brussel sprouts with pancetta. This is a dish is char-roast  in their wood-burning oven. Then they drizzle balsamic glaze and olive oil on top. They sprinkle parmigiano Reggiano cheese to give a little extra salty taste. The crispy texture of the sprouts was perfect.

With a wood-burning oven ordering a pizza is a must. We ordered a small pepperoni pizza to share. The crust came out nice and crispy. I love the burnt spots on the crust. It had a great smoky taste. I enjoyed the homemade dough. It was sweet and complemented the salty taste of the cheese.

If you are still hungry, check out their assortment of homemade desserts. They are perfect to take to go. If you’re in the Highland area of Denver, make sure to check out Tony P’s. It was so delicious we visited twice.

Check out their website at www.tonypspizza.com

Enjoy!

T

Claire’s Restaurant – Estes Park, CO

After waking up to a beautiful Colorado sunrise and watching elk graze along the side of the street, it was time for breakfast. Estes Park offered a few options to choose from. When we came to Claire’s Restaurant, we thought this would be a great choice.

The menu was filled with classic breakfast choices. I went for the simple classic breakfast. It was scrambled eggs, bacon, potatoes, and an English muffin. There was a generous portion of scrambled eggs. I ended up chopping up my bacon and mixing it throughout my eggs. The potatoes were hand cut. They were crispy from being fried. I ate them with ketchup. I normally do not do that, but these potatoes reminded me of steak fries and those normally require ketchup.

 The English muffin was a nice addition. It had been a while since I have had one of these with breakfast. It was toasted so the edges got crispy. I spread some strawberry jelly all over it. I ate it last and it really hit the spot.

The other breakfast that was ordered was the Long’s Peak Omelet. This was a classic western omelet. There was diced ham, green peppers, onions, and cheddar cheese all mixed between the fluffy eggs. The peppers and onions gave great savory notes to the salty flavor of the ham. It was a pretty big omelet. It also came with those yummy homemade potatoes.

Claire’s Restaurant was the perfect place to grab breakfast. We got there early so we did not have to wait for a table. It gave us the energy we needed to continue with our hiking through Rocky Mountain National Park.

Check them out at www.clairesrestaurantandbar.com

Enjoy!

T

Dunraven – Estes Park, CO

Estes Park is a beautiful town within the heart of Rocky Mountain National Park. While exploring the park, we decided to spend the night in town at the Estes Park Resort. The resort backed up to a beautiful lake. There were chairs and fire pits set up all around so visitors could watch the sun set over the majestic mountains and look up at the bright stars.

The resort had a wonderful restaurant called Dunraven that we made reservations for. Since it was a beautiful evening, we got a table outside on the patio.

We started off the meal with the calamari fritte. This was crispy fried calamari that was served with tartar sauce and homemade marinara sauce. The seasoning in the breading was great. It had a wonderful salty taste. And the crunch from frying was perfect. The calamari was tender too.

I ordered a cup of the minestrone soup. The temperature of the soup was just what I needed to help stay warm from the cool mountain air, as the sun was setting. There was a generous amount of beans in the soup. The broth had a great savory taste.

I ordered the shrimp scampi for my dinner. The shrimp was cooked in a fantastic garlic and sherry sauce. The garlic flavor was intense, but wonderful. It is the best flavor to complement shrimp.

This dish also came with fresh asparagus and a polenta cake. They prepared the polenta by slicing pieces and sautéing it on each side until it because crispy. Normally polenta I have enjoyed was softer and more like mashed potatoes or grits. This was unique and had a fantastic texture. I liked how crispy the edges were. It was easy to eat with a fork. There was a subtle salty taste that was addicting.

I got to try the eggplant parmesan. It was a large dish because it also came over pasta. The eggplant was sliced thin and fried up to be crispy. I could taste the oregano and basil that was mixed into the breading on the eggplant. The fresh made pasta sauce added a fresh element to each bite.

Another dish that was ordered was the chicken fettuccine alfredo. The sauce on this dish was exceptionally creamy and rich. They used seven different cheeses: Romano, mozzarella, fontina, parmesan, provolone, mascarpone, and cream cheese. All this cheese was melted and mixed with heavy cream. It was amazing. It was the best cheese and pasta I have ever had. The chicken was cut up and mixed throughout the pasta. It was tender but it was overshadowed by the cheese pasta.

The food, the view, and the service was outstanding at Dunraven. Even if I was not staying at the resort, I would make sure to make a visit to this restaurant. Check them out at www.dunravenepresort.com

Enjoy!

T

Ceaira’s Sweet Shop – Grand Lakes, CO

Grand Lakes is a beautiful town in the Rocky Mountain National Park. Many of the places close down during the winter. When spring rolls around, the town starts opening up to cabin rentals, tours, and of course ice cream shops. When I visited Ceaira’s Sweet Shop was open once again for business.

The shop originally opened in 1953. Over the years it has had many different owners but it has endured time and continues to offer guests homemade ice creams.

They offer a ton of unique flavors.

It is a small place, that has walk up windows for ordering. The staff is nice and friendly.

I ordered the Butter Pecan ice cream. My grandfather loved butter pecan and I remember eating it with him in the summer. So, I thought this flavor would bring back some wonderful memories. And it certainly did. The ice cream was extremely creamy. There were nice large pecans in each spoonful of ice cream. It was very satisfying.

The sweet shop had a constant line. Visitors ordered all kinds of treats. They even offered homemade ice cream sandwiches. If you are looking for some great ice cream, check out Ceaira’s Sweet Shop at www.sweetgrandlake.com

Enjoy!

T

Sagebrush BBQ & Grill – Grand Lakes, CO

While visiting Denver, we rented a car and decided to start exploring the other areas of Colorado. We drove the Rocky Mountain National Park and saw some of the most beautiful scenery. Everything was so green with only the peaks of the mountains having a little snow on top.

One of the small towns we drove through was Grand Lakes. Several years ago, when Colorado had those massive wildfires, Grand Lakes came really close to being destroyed. As you drive through the outskirts of town, the devastation of the forest can still be seen all these years later.

It was lunch time while we were in Grand Lakes, so we decided to stop at Sagebrush BBQ & Grill. It was a local place filled with Western décor.

What made me excited about this restaurant was their menu of wild game meat. There were several I have never had before and was looking forward to trying. The first thing I tried was the Buffalo Red Chili. It was ground buffalo, and it was tender. It really tasted like beef when it was combined with the red beans and the chili seasoning that was extremely savory.

For my main lunch meal, I ordered the Rocky Mountain Elk Burger. The large patty was topped with Swiss cheese, smoked bacon, and a raspberry chipotle sauce. Of course, there was lettuce, tomato, and onion included. The elk meat was juicy, and it seemed to fall apart easier than a beef patty. There was a slight gamey taste to the elk, but it disappeared from the saltiness of the Swiss cheese and the sweetness from the raspberry sauce. I was really surprised how great the burger tasted with the sauce.

I got French fries with my burger and instead of using ketchup, I decided to use their homemade BBQ sauce. The sauce was sweet with a slight peppery flavor.

To wash down the burger I tried a unique bottled soda. The brand was called Old Centennial and the flavor was Orange Cream Soda. The soda was not overly sweet. The flavor of the orange was subtle but there really was a creamy taste to the soda even though it was not actually creamy.

I also got to try the Buffalo Meatloaf Sandwich. They baked their meatloaf in a red tomato sauce. The buffalo was seasoned nicely, and it stayed moist through the baking process. They served it on a baguette. This bread was able to hold up well even with all the sauce that was on the meatloaf. There was also a generous portion of mashed potatoes and gravy on the side.

If you are interested in trying different game meats, then Sagebrush is for you. There are several other types of game dishes to try; However, if you are not feeling adventurous they do have some traditional meats as well.

Check them out at www.sagebrushbbq.com

Enjoy!

T

Urban Putt – Denver, CO

I found the coolest place in downtown Denver. It offered food, drinks, and mini-golf – it is called Urban Putt. I never expected to find a place like this.

The building is deceptively large inside. There is a bar and table on the left-hand side. You really need to have reservations for this because they seem to fill up quickly.

We started off getting some food and drinks. I started off with a seasonal mule, which was a raspberry vodka and ginger beer. It was served in a copper mug, so it stayed cold. It had a great sweet taste.

From their snack menu we ordered chips and queso. This was chili con queso made from white and Monterey jack cheese and sautéed chilies. They served rainbow tortilla chips alongside. The queso was creamy and not too spicy.

The other snack was my favorite, it was chicken and waffles. These were little chicken nuggets put on top of mini pieces of waffles. They naturally served maple syrup on the side. The chicken was crispy on the outside and juicy inside. The waffle was sweet. It was easy to dip because they were held together by toothpicks. These were a nice bite size treat.

Once we were done eating, we headed over to the ticket counter for mini-golf. The course was broken up into two different 9-hole games. We bought all 18 holes.

We each received two tokens, these were for us to get our favorite color golf ball to play with. The balls were in the old school candy machines. It was really a novel idea.

The mini-golf was under black lights so it was really cool how the different displays glowed, as well as our golf balls.

There were some obstacle courses set up to putt. Some were very challenging, some were easy. There were even a few holes that they set up like places in Colorado (like the Denver airport). It was a lot of fun.

I could see why this place was so busy. This is perfect place for groups of friends to hang out. If you are in Denver you should check them out www.urbanputt.com

Enjoy!

T

Urban Egg – Denver, CO

We had just landed in Denver, Colorado. The flight was a few hours and with the time difference it was the start of breakfast time out West. We wanted to find a good place to go for breakfast outside of the city. When I checked out the area I came across Urban Egg. In glancing over the menu I knew this place would hit the spot.

The restaurant already had a small line when we walked through the door. Good news is we did not have to wait too long for a table. The restaurant had some great wall décor that caught my attention. Even the artwork in the bathroom was funny.

Our waiter was wonderful; so cheerful and friendly, he made excellent suggestions about the menu. I would call the menu classic diner breakfast with a modern twist.

Two of us ordered the Corned Beef Hash. We just had our eggs prepared differently. But in reality the eggs were secondary to the dish. The corned beef was the star. They slow roasted the corned beef themselves. Then they shredded it and sautéed it with peppers and hash brown potatoes. The beef was exceedingly tender and the peppers added a sweetness that balanced out the saltiness of the beef.

The shining co-star to this dish was the jalapeno bacon chutney. It was almost like a jam on top. It was sweet, salty, and spicy. The spice hit you at the end. When this combined with the corned beef it created a medley in my mouth that was crave worthy. It is almost hard to describe how all the flavors worked together.

Instead of getting the toast that the menu called for, our waiter insisted we get a biscuit, since they make them from scratch everyday. The biscuit was light and fluffy. The top was golden brown and slightly salty from the butter they brushed on top.

The other dish that was ordered was their award winning Biscuits and Gravy. They took one of their buttermilk biscuits and cut it open. Then they smothered it with a creamy, homemade sage sausage gravy. The gravy was tremendously savory. The sage flavor made the gravy amazing. They gave a generous amount so some of it was able to be put on the scrambled eggs.

This dish also came with hash browns. These were not just ordinary hash browns, they were loaded. The crispy shredded potatoes were loaded with cheese, bacon, sour cream, and scallions. It was just like a loaded baked potato, just in breakfast form. These were filing enough to be a meal.

We wanted a satisfying breakfast and that is exactly what we got at Urban Egg. The way the lines were growing out the door, this was definitely the spot to be for breakfast. Next time you are in Denver check them out. They have two locations, so visit their website at www.urbaneggeatery.com

Enjoy!

T

Henry’s Tavern – Denver, CO

It’s National Beer Lover’s Day. Whether you like IPA’s, Lagers, or even Sour Beers, today is a reason to celebrate.

I decided to make Henry’s Tavern in Denver, Colorado my celebration spot. They are a large sports bar with plenty of seats for everyone.

For my beer, I wanted to make sure I got something local. I ordered the New Belgium Brewing Dominga Mimosa Sour. It is brewed in Ft. Collins, Colorado. It had a great citrus taste to it and a nice tangy bite at the end. I love sour beers; they are so unique.

To help wash down the beer I ordered the Country Fried Calamari. The crispy fried calamari were served with a chipotle cocktail sauce and a grilled jalapeno bacon tartar sauce. Both sauces were amazing. The cocktail sauce had a great heat. It was my favorite.

I also ordered the Wild Arugula Pizza. The crispy crust was loaded with roasted tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, pesto, shaved parmesan, prosciutto, and arugula. There were so many flavors on this pizza. There was a nice salty taste because of the cheese and prosciutto. This was complemented by the peppery taste from the arugula.

This was a great place to grab a bite to eat and grab a beer. Sit at the bar and you will get even better service.

Check them out at www.henrystavern.com

Enjoy!

T