Numb gums and The Island of Enchantment
Numb gums and The Island of Enchantment
A new Puerto Rican spot opens; another kava bar arrives; Opus takes over at the old 3E's; bites, bits + more food & drink news
I don’t know about you friends, but I’ve had one wild, exhaustive week across the board. Meetings, story interviews, several meals out for work, more meetings — and that’s just the business stuff. It’s all good things, positive energy, forward momentum for Side Dish. But I’m definitely the feeling the all encompassing, busy-brained fatigue that many smart people warned me about when I launched this newsletter. The lengthy startup phase is a bear. But as restaurateur Joseph Coleman said in our recent tap&table podcast episode, “rest when you die.”
I concur. I’m all in, here. 💀😴
Next week, we’ll be releasing our next tap&table podcast episode while also recording two future episodes that I’ll be excited to announce when it’s time. This weekend ahead I’m finally going to Casa Bonita. And the following week I’ll be attending several wine-centric events (see my event listings below) amidst more review meals. (I’ll hit City Rock to climb off the calories in between them all.)
Oh, and big news for me come March, I’ll spill the beans on something I’ve been working on over the past few months to secure this publication’s financial footing for the year ahead. And no, it’s not a cash infusion from two really wealthy local businessmen à la my former employer’s situation.
And boom! There you go — that’s my subtly incorporated first news item this week. Let’s get to a whole bunch of other stuff in no particular order, shall we?
The Island of Enchantment
I stopped by the two-month-old Pedacito Boricua, located in an unassuming spot in a mostly vacant strip mall on South Academy Boulevard. It’s a colorful, affordably priced Puerto Rican place that’s currently in a take-out-only stance — aside from DoorDash. The staff says sit-down service will come soon, but couldn’t say when.
I order a breakfast sandwich with egg, ham and cheese on panini-pressed pan sobao as well as an empanada with Ropa Vieja filling. Both are totally delightful. The empanada’s oily stew meat pops with spice and meaty depth and its dough strikes a nice balance between dense yet flakey. The sandwich is huge, roughly a foot long though cut into halves. It’s still hot when I arrive home with it, the cheese gooey and bound into the ham slices and scrambled egg bits. Mayonnaise lubricates bites and the bread holds a satisfying, soft chew. It calls for coffee; I make a pourover.
Know that when you go — as many an excited commenter on our Facebook group says they will — that you can purchase cups of commercial, Yaucono Puerto Rican coffee there, too. Other empanada flavors include chicken, beef and cheese-and-guava. And there’s several sweets and pastry options like quesitos and pastelitos.
Make our collaborative recipe this month
Folks, you should know that I’ve added a new “recipes'“ tab to my home page so that you can easily find and access all the incredibly delicious Gather Food Studio & Spice Shop recipes I’ve published here since June, 2023. So don’t worry if you run out of time on a given month to cook with us in the moment; you can come back to the kitchen anytime. Ranch Foods Direct, our awesome sponsor for the collab, does restock and hold inventory of past-month featured spice blends made fresh by Gather. (And if you can’t find one, you can hit up Gather’s retail shop in Old Colorado City as a fallback.) And of course Ranch Foods Direct has the regeneratively raised Callicrate pork and beef products that are better-than meats in pretty much every way you can tally it. Anyway, back to the matter of the video above: Join us this month in making these hugely flavorful blackened pork chops with red eye gravy as well as a delicious side of red beans and rice. Chef David Cook prepared the meal with Mardi Gras in mind, but as I’ve said above, you can make it anytime. I recommend you do. Cheers!
Kava, Kanna, Kratom
Why do seemingly all popular sober-bar drinks start with the letter “k”?
Kava, Kanna, kratom — even kombucha!
I have no answer for you. I’m asking. And digressing. Let’s get back on track.
The point is I also stopped into a newly opened kava bar named Kava Works this past week. It’s up on North Academy Boulevard near the Woodman Road interchange. One of its owners formerly operated “the world’s first mobile kava bar” here in the Springs (a claim I can’t verify so let’s go with it in good faith). His partner in the business was also on site during our visit and the two were quite patient, informative and helpful when it came to educating and reminding us the nuances of each drink option. (It’s been a minute since I’ve been into our town’s OG spot, Ohana Kava Bar, which I’ve always enjoyed.)
Anyway, they tell us about their proprietary, nitro tap system which allows for easy draft pouring of kava (versus ladling from a bucket — the modern equivalent of traditional island ceremonies set around large bowls with halved coconut cups). It apparently relies on Sucralose (an ingredient I’m not wild about) versus sugar to sweeten/balance the typically astringent, bitter and pungent kava and kratom flavors. If you don’t dig the sweetness, order the “traditional kava” like me and accept the wildly earthy flavors head-on, and be ready for the unique tingly numbness it delivers to your mouth.
The guys also tell us they have a high quality kratom source in Indonesia whose farm they visited, that’s rigorously tested, and that sounds like the equivalent of direct trade in the craft coffee industry. And one of them says he completely replaced his voluminous pain pill regiment after a bad motocross accident with regular kratom doses for complete pain management. (I know, I know … in a world of MLM’s and revival tent healings I’m always initially skeptical about bold health claims.)
You can click the above links to learn more about each drink (and the misunderstandings and actual medicinal properties they contain). We do try one of three kratom varieties and a kanna soda (borderline too sweet for my tastes), which supposedly boosts your mood. Blending all three drinks together kinda muddies my perception of each’s unique characteristics though it certainly caused no harm.
I would say we definitely felt chilled out after a long work day and relaxed in Kava Works’ dim-lit, low-key-mood space. Some trippy videos playing on TV screens over the bar were admittedly mesmerizing and atmosphere building. We enjoyed ourselves, and if you decide to also, know that you can get some snacks like mac ‘n cheese bites or chicken & fries from a small back kitchen. And there’s 6-7 p.m. daily happy hours.
Attend PPSC’s Trujillo Memorial Soirée
Join Pikes Peak State College Saturday, March 9 in The Broadmoor's Cheyenne Lodge for the 2024 Chef Henry Trujillo Memorial Scholarship Soirée. This experience takes you across the decades of Chef Trujillo's life to delight your palate. Tickets are $75 and help fund the Chef Henry Trujillo Memorial Scholarship. Support future culinary artists and experience gourmet flavors from regional food producers paired with local beers and Colorado wines. Attend, cherish and uplift. We're honoring Chef Trujillo's spirit — be part of it.
Related items (comedy and culinary community)
• 3E’s Comedy Club has closed 1 S. Nevada Ave., and I’m told it’s aiming to reopen on the north side of town but I’m awaiting a call back from ownership to confirm details. I’ll update when I hear.
• Opus Creative Industries (a part of The Colorado Springs Community Cultural Collective formerly operating out of the City Auditorium) is moving into 3E’s old space. They plan to be up and running at month’s end with Opus One, formerly Shovel Ready at The Well. (Allow me to be the first to ask if the iconic winery will come calling with a trademark infringement complaint?) Additionally, another entity named Opus Creative Cafe will soon open at the El Paso County Citizen Service Center at 1675 Garden of the Gods Road.
From a press release, Opus One is described as “a cultural hub that blends the culinary and creative technology workforce programs with performances, educational classes, and community events.” The release notes daily service hours at the cafe, supporting other workforce programming on site, including a media arts program that launches in March.
Bites and bits
• The Skirted Heifer has seen nearly $14,000 of community support pour in (as of this writing) to its GoFundMe campaign, titled “Car Crashes Into Skirted Heifer.” Owner Kevin Megyeri has told local media they aren’t sure when they’ll be able to reopen at this point. (The car was doing 100 mph — damage was significant.) But he’s pledged that “every dollar raised is going to bridge a gap for our employees.” So donate there if it’s within your ability to right now, but also consider hopping over for a meal around the corner at Bambino’s Urban Pizzeria — also owned by the Megyeri family, who are legacy restaurateurs who date back decades in the Springs. Longtime residents will remember Bambino’s Italian Eatery & Sports Bar at Platte Avenue and Circle Drive, which closed in 2015 to modernize downtown. Here’s what I wrote about it at the time. (Forgive the broken-ass layout at that link; the Indy’s archives are half busted.)
• Cerberus Brewing Co. has hired a new head brewer: Brian Koch.
• Back in November, I told you of the upcoming opening of Colorado Springs’ first 7 Brew Coffee location at 3806 Maizeland Road. Well, said opening just happened last week. Here’s what local franchise owner Chaz Nelson has to say in brief about how 7 Brews views itself as different than other coffee spots out there.
• Springs Magazine reported this week on a new eatery near Citadel Mall named Taste of Ethiopia. (As a devotee of Uchenna, I’m excited to try this new spot out soon.) In a separate article, the publication did an interview with Sunset Amphitheater creator JW Roth (who happens to be one of the deep-pocketed funders buying the Indy, that I alluded to in my intro blurb above). The entrepreneurial CEO detailed plans for Roth’s Seafood & Chophouse, Brohan’s Bar and five rooftop bars at the venue. Click the link and read the article for more, including some upcoming concert announcements.
Wine Festival of Colorado Springs approaches
The celebrated annual Wine Festival of Colorado Springs has already sold out a couple tasting seminars and is close to closing ticket sales on a couple of the spotlight meals that are part of the four-day event. But the largest aspect of the festival, the March 1 Grand Tasting at The Broadmoor, still has room for you to join.
I asked Wine Festival Committee member (and Colorado Springs Conservatory parent) Victoria Amato to tell Side Dish what makes the Grand Tasting special and worthwhile (aside from the fact that all ticket sales directly benefit the Conservatory).
“The Grand Tasting has really come to be known as the ‘crown jewel’ of the Wine Festival,” she says. “It's an incredible, highly-anticipated coming together of our visiting winemakers, local restaurants and caterers, Colorado distilleries and breweries, wineries from all over the world, generous local sponsors, and of course hundreds of wonderful attendees. It’s such a community-centric event.”
Guests can sample from hundreds of wines (plus craft beers and spirits) alongside gourmet bites from more than 20 area restaurants, caterers and bakeries. Kiwi winemakers are available to chat-up and there’ll be dancing and a 360-degree photo booth (your Instagram page won’t know what hit it, but your friends soon will). Find more info about the Grand Tasting and the other festival events (that still have tickets available) and purchase tickets here.
Woodland wonder
Why is Red Diamond Gastro Pub so damn good?
The answer could easily be singular items on its menu. Like the chili-lime chicharrones, the wild mushroom arancini or the kimchi reuben. Hell, even the house-smoked salt fries.
But there’s a more sinister answer to that question, too. Not unlike the legend of Robert Johnson selling his soul to the devil, Red Diamond owner/chef James Deimling, by his own telling, nearly gave his life to become a great chef.
That’s an excerpt from my just-published review on an exciting, new(ish) Woodland Park eatery that you need to check out, ASAP. It’ll be behind my paywall until April 1 (no foolin’) so consider a 7-day free trial to read it now, or a $5 monthly membership or $50 annual pass — all of which directly supports me standing at this keyboard right this minute typing this. (Oh and there’s like food costs for reviews and stuff; that too.)
Behind the scenes at a Salad or Bust monthly dinner
As I noted last week here, Salad or Bust hosts monthly Collaborative Dinners with guest chefs and drink entities. I attended this past Tuesday’s meal with guests Crepes-n-Go, Ascent Beverage Co. and Bitter and Glitter. Chefs Sergio Gonzalez (crepes) and Erin Bray (SoB) plated alongside Tim Chapman (B&G) and James Wieker (Ascent). Credit to thoughtful, pretty presentations and creative drink-making, it was a sparkly affair all around.
Okay, I guess that’s a lame Bitter and Glitter joke, but seriously you shine a light through your glass and it’s a wild snow globe-like party of shiny specs. Fun! My single favorite course was the Salmon Vol Au Vent with Melted Leeks paired with a Bees Knees Mead. Also pictured: French Lentil Soup with Bacon paired with a Smoked Bacon Old Fashioned; Shrimp Scampi Crepe with a Jackson Hole Vodka Sour; and Dark Chocolate Pots De Creme with Raspberry paired with Golden Cocoa Rum.
Upcoming events
• Feb. 22: Sip with Schnip at The Carter Payne. 5-8 p.m.; free and first drink free for paid Side Dish subscribers; $2 off first drink for free subscribers.
• Feb. 23: February Supper Club Dinner with Southern Jewel Hospitality.
• Feb. 24: Five-course, mocktail-paired Sober Saturday Dinner at Eleven18.
• Feb. 27: Meet the Maker Monte Bernardi five-course wine dinner at The Broadmoor’s Ristorante Del Lago.
• Feb. 28-March 2: Wine Festival of Colorado Springs at various venues.
• March 24 [early notice]: Tickets are now on sale for the ACF Pikes Peak Chapter 2024 Culinary Passport dinner.
Parting shot
Thanks to Downtown Colorado Springs, a current sponsor of tap&table and past sponsor of State of Plate, which is to say longtime supporter of Schniper and Side Dish projects in their various forms. Media Specialist for Downtown CS Kelsee Swen recently invited me to film a segment for her “best thing I’ve eaten downtown” series. Though I’m reluctant to use the word “best” in my own reporting (as I essentially told Springs Magazine’s Jeremy Jones in my interview last month), I agreed to pick one of my favorite downtown bites, which happens to be a donburi bowl at Chiba Bar. Check out the short video, then go check out the dish. While you’re there, print yourself a custom cocktail, as I told you about here in this space last week. (Now you know why I was on site that day, and why this coverage is spread out. Welcome to the news biz.)
I thought 3Es was staying downtown and opening up north. It seems silly to abandon that spot considering how much work they’d put into it
Great writing .