Dance dance evolution
Indvstry Video Bar aims to elevate the scene, R&R to close, Brother Luck turns out the lights + more food & drink news
Indvstry Video Bar grand opens Friday, Aug. 25 from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. in the former Gold Room at 18 S. Nevada Ave. It’s an ambitious project brought to us by Jae Cho, who three and a half years ago opened Dozo Sushi, which is highly regarded by many industry peers and local sushi fans.
You may remember Cho’s name from my reporting at the CS Indy last fall, when he became a firebrand — earning legend status to some, infuriating others — for fighting back against negative online commenters. Click the link for a good laugh, at least; the screenshots of Google reviews and Cho’s responses tell the story. (It’s one of my personal favorite excerpts from my work in recent years.)
Considering Cho concluded our chat back then by saying “I'll defend every restaurateur in every city everywhere,” it should be no surprise to hear he’s a passionate person. When I sit down with him earlier this week for a sneak peek of Indvstry Video Bar, his enthusiasm is palpable. He shares ambitious visions for how he’d like to contribute to “revitalizing” C. Springs’ scene, saying that pre-pandemic his goal was to open a new business every two years. “I feel we’re a bit stagnant and aren’t growing in the way we should be,” he says. (That echos a theme we hammer at in my State of Plate podcast.) “I want to expand the Springs in a positive way.”
Well, rather than write a negative online review to the City about it, Cho has decided to invest in doing something about it. He didn’t wish to disclose how much he’s spent to launch Indvstry, but it’s clear to me during my tour that the price tag wasn’t cheap to improve the former Gold Room. He’s added a new staircase (off the dance floor) to the upstairs bar and lounging areas; the floors have been redone; and lots of other little touches have given the historic Art Deco-style space a fresh, chic feel.
Condensed from my long talk with Cho, here’s a rundown of what you need to know for now, and what’s ahead:
• Indvstry will be open daily: 3 p.m. to 2 a.m., opening early at 1 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Find happy hours from 3-5 p.m. “I want someone with a birthday on a Monday to be able to celebrate,” Cho says, lamenting how sleepy the Springs is early week across town.
• Like to dance? Indvstry has it’s own sound engineer, on-site DJ and a video editing center. Just like at the roller rink back in the day, you can request your favorite song. All music styles will be highlighted, from EDM to 80s, 90s and contemporary. And they’ll be mindful to control volume in select spaces so you won’t have to shout in each others’ ears if you want to retreat to a dark corner for a convo, he says.
• Cho wants to be approachable for common, basic drinks, but the real focus will be on a sophisticated and fun cocktail program. He was a former bartender in the Chicago area (winning awards on the competition circuit, he says) and he’s attracting talented local bartenders who he wants to put the spotlight on, including by having them teach classes and eventually publish recipes. “I want to help them gain a celebrity status,” he says, noting he would likely fund them for their own endeavors down the road. So far, he names Andrew Alverson (Brooklyn’s, District Elleven), Mark Anthony Good (Shame & Regret) and Wesley David (coming from Dozo).
• Given his bartending and culinary background, Cho takes a more holistic approach to cocktail creation and he wants to push his staff to experiment and be creative. “Let’s make cocktails different,” he says, noting an Old Fashioned served inside boba pearls on a spoon, almost like an amuse bouche. “I want people to be like, ‘what the fuck is that?’ … We’ll use beakers and bongs… We’ll have carbonated cocktails… Our R&D is going to be big over here and I’ll force my bartenders to go out of their comfort zones… we’ll figure out what’s the next Big Thing… Let’s change the way people think about drinking and make it exciting again.”
• An eventual phase 3 of Indvustry will aim to bring live performances back, and Cho says phase 2, which is still months out, will add a cafe. The plan for it is “high-end” pastries “New York- and L.A.-style” that will seek out trends to introduce here. Cho says he’s already sent an employee who’ll be the pastry chef to train in South Korea. He envisions guests coming for morning hours at Indvstry once that’s up and running, where they can work on their laptops (including those under 21) and enjoy the pastries and drinks with a background of chill, ambient music.
• A speakeasy named Bar Thirty Three will open (sometime soonish) in a space underneath Indvstry. It’s not Cho’s, but they’re all friendly and he’s coordinating with them for their guests to exit into his space. Cho views elevating the Springs’ scene as a collaborative, not competitive endeavor.
• I ask Cho what will happen if someone leaves him a negative review about Indvstry online. Will he follow the Dozo model? “I’ll never deviate from telling the truth,” he says. “I’ll fight tooth and nail to defend my employees.”
Side Dish proudly sponsored by
I’ve mentioned before that area rancher/activist Mike Callicrate was on my State of Plate podcast last fall, in an episode I named “Food Fight.” He recently presented at the R-CALF USA Convention in Rapid City, South Dakota. He emailed me afterward to say “selling ground beef is getting harder to do.” (R-CALF’s motto is “Fighting for the Independent U.S. Cattle Producer!”) Callicrate shared a link to an article he wrote in July (since updated), titled “Imports and deception threaten new local/regional meat plants.” Remember the term “pink slime” and all the commotion around it several years back? Well, Callicrate explains how it’s still around and why current product labeling is basically a joke considering that “upon processing and repackaging, foreign beef can be sold as ‘Product of the USA.’” Watch the above video to see how Ranch Foods Direct is different — and transparent about where its beef comes from.
R&R Coffee Cafe announces closure
I’ve tracked barista/roaster/coffee store owner Ryan Wanner since the very beginning of R&R Coffee Cafe 15 years ago. Back to his original Black Forest location. Over to a short-lived Monument expansion (thanks Covid). Almost to the south of C. Springs to another expansion that failed to take root this past year. I’ve seen the man adapt, pivot and generally fight like hell to stay alive through tough times, while also savoring some sweet times when business boomed. Support for him and the cafe in the forest has been huge.
So it’s admittedly a bit shocking to see the announcement earlier this week that he’s closing his business in its current location (where it’s been for 10 years) on Sunday, Sept. 3. “This is a message I never thought I'd have to write, especially considering how well we have recovered from the pandemic,” he told his followers. You can read a full explanation in his words on R&R’s Facebook page, relating to issues with his landlord, to state it simply. He notes the decision was not financially related and that his roastery will remain operational and serving the general public at the Backyard Market in Black Forest and the Park Union market in downtown C. Springs.
“My dream of running a coffee shop is not dead: it just needs to happen somewhere else now,” he concluded, with a promise to update fans on his social media pages as developments happen. In a text exchange just ahead of me writing this, Wanner has assured me that Side Dish will be the second to know what’s planned. (The first being his investors. Touché.)
Aloha and maholo
Free subscribers may now read in-full my review of Roots Cafe, which recently opened in the former location of El Taco Rey. I wrote that “what the eatery does best [is] convey that sense of place — and taste.” That place of course being Hawaii.
On that note, I would be remiss to not acknowledge the tragic Lahaina fire that recently devastated part of Maui. We’re sending love from Side Dish. And I highly recommend listening to Aug. 18’s New York Times The Daily podcast — How a Paradise Became a Death Trap. I was breathless as I listened to one survivor’s incredible survival story. It was truly riveting and impactful.
Why didn’t anyone tell me about pork belly cinnamon rolls?!
Okay, I suppose I only have myself to blame. For not watching more food TV (don’t have time), more TikTok (still don’t have time), more YouTube (definitely no time), etc. I definitely am late to hearing about some trending thingy-things on the food front in the moment, but I figure what rises to my ears eventually must be the really good stuff sorted from all the inane banter. The cronut de jour, if you will.
I mention this because I was easily able to find pork belly cinnamon rolls online once I Googled it. And I only did that because a competing team at this past Sunday’s Smokin’ the Ute Pass Summit BBQ Contest at Paradox Beer Company served the dish to some of us judges. Chef Victor Matthews of Paragon Culinary School, sitting right across from me, hadn’t heard of the dish either, and we exchanged WTF facial expressions and words of initial skepticism. But then we took a bite.
Damn. Just damn. They nailed it: the perfect fusion between the prized piggy portion and America’s favorite swirly pastry. Basically meat dessert. Minds blown.
I tracked down the competing team who made the dish. We awarded them 1st place out of 12 entries in an Open Class category, and they also nabbed the 1st place People’s Choice award. Not to mention two more firsts, two more seconds and a third place victory in other categories, including brisket, chicken and barbecue sauce. They’re just a bunch of friends who like to barbecue at home — amateurs but obvious experts — and they compete annually as a team named Broad Acre BBQ.
Teammate Chad Douglas, who does cybersecurity by day, tells me that he discovered the pork belly cinnamon rolls on social media and decided to give his own version a go, testing it on family and his pals. He uses Bulleit Bourbon, maple syrup, brown sugar and cinnamon for his glazing and wraps the belly bits (trimmed of excess fat) in maple bacon, then slow-smokes it all with Competition Blend hardwood pellets. “Everybody loves it, I’ve gotten great feedback,” he says. “We take our food seriously, but we keep it fun. We’ll work hard to do better next year while changing things up. Any dish that wins, we retire — and I cooked the brisket this year, so someone else on the team has to do it next year.”
Tipperary to take on 503W
Maybe you followed my live Instagram coverage of Round Two of our Bar Battle at Tipperary Cocktail Parlor earlier this week. (Or maybe you had other Monday night plans — yawn.) Either way, a victor emerged from another fierce (but friendly) competition between the house bartenders and guests from Wobbly Olive and Allusion Speakeasy (all under Sean and Inez Fitzgerald’s portfolio).
Tipperary manager/bartender George Dillon took home the win, beating out Folklore’s Justin Lucas (last month’s champion), Wobbly Olive’s Jillian Grudzinkski, and Allusion’s Aaliyah Fitzgerald (who was runner-up in both events, scoring high). That means next month — on Monday, Sept. 18. — Tipperary will take on 503W as the Battle expands to more businesses and bartenders across the city. Join us; it’s free, as are cocktails samples from each competitor so you can join us formal judges with your own opinion of the cocktails.
One teaser: Dillon’s superb winning drink, which he called a Peach Blossom. It was made with Legent Bourbon, Distillery 291’s Decc citrus-clove liqueur, allspice dram, and salted peach shrub with a salted chantilly cream float. True magic in a glass. We urged him to put it on a future menu.
We have a winner
Congrats to Side Dish subscriber Lisa Stephens, who won the two tickets to Aug. 31’s Tails, Tunes & Tastes at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. Lisa found me at one of my recent events and surprised me by walking right up and saying, “I hope you’re Living Crisp, Schnips!” (Don’t get the joke? Catch up here.) It was a proud moment for me. Then, to get herself entered for the tickets, she told me that giraffes are her favorite animal at the zoo. (Yeah, it’s a no-brainer given CMZ’s spectacular exhibit.) Have fun, Lisa!
Quote of the week:
“Nobody covers Southern Colorado food like Side Dish.” — Jennifer Musa, Loving Living Local host for KXRM-TV
Upcoming events:
• Brother Luck has announced a Dinner in the Dark series at The Studio that launches Wednesday, Aug. 30: “This event offers a one-of-a-kind dining experience where you will enjoy a delicious meal in complete darkness. It's an opportunity to challenge your senses and explore the flavors, aromas, and textures of food in a whole new way.” Tickets, which include cocktails, are $125. The seven courses listed currently are: compressed watermelon, chicken skin crackling, gougere (French cheese puffs), octopus a la playa, elk in the woods, beef flambé, and black light (… no idea on that last one, will be curious to hear.) Side note: I’m reminded of a cool black light dinner I attended with Luck back in 2014 at his prior location.
• The final Fountain Creek Farm Dinner in a recent series takes place Saturday, Sept. 9 at The Fountain Creek Ranch. $125 tickets get you a seven course tasting menu using all local ingredients, plus drinks, a farm tour and yard games.
• Another Saturday, Sept. 9 option: the Palmer Lake Wine Festival. Tickets are $45.
• This one definitely has my attention: On Sunday, Sept. 10, Chiba Bar is popping up at Ephemera for “futuristic mashups with contemporary Japanese inspiration.” Expect five courses and six cocktail/wine pairings for $120. Tickets here.
• The 2nd annual Best of the West Wing Fest is Saturday, Sept. 16 at the Western Museum of Mining & Industry. G/A tickets are $60.
• Bines & Brews Beer Fest is also Saturday, Sept. 16 — at Monument’s Limbach Park. Tickets are $25.
• And lastly on Saturday, Sept. 16, Pikes Peak State College hosts the 2023 Chef Henry Trujillo Memorial Scholarship Soirée. (Info above.)
• Bar Battle Round 3 at Tipperary Cocktail Parlor is Monday, Sept. 18. (Info above.)
• See you at the next Sip with Schnip at The Carter Payne on Thursday, Sept. 21.
• The 26th Annual Downtown Partnership Breakfast takes place Friday, Sept. 22 at Colorado College’s Ed Robson Arena. Seats are $50 for nonmembers.
• Taste of OCC returns after a long hiatus (yay!) on Sunday, Sept. 24 in Bancroft Park. Tickets range $40-$50.
• Pizzeria Rustica hosts a Passport to Piedmont dinner, benefitting the Alpine Autism Center, on Tuesday, Sept. 26. Tickets are $79 for five wine-paired courses and available by calling Coaltrain.
Parting shot(s)
Our Diavolo Pueblo hot chicken pop up at Bingo Burger COS this past Tuesday was a big success by all metrics. I saw a number of Side Dish subscribers stop by to say hi and sweat over the Slow Burn or Hot as Hell chicken sandwich. We got great feedback on both the bite and the Bell Brothers Brewing Pueblo chile lager pairing. Special thanks to Downtown Partnership and Fuel & Iron Food Hall for co-presenting with me!
I just had to ham it up with the Ute Pass Regional Ambulance District folks after the Smokin’ the Ute Pass Summit BBQ Contest this past weekend. Ute Pass EMT Zach Alvey (top of the below photo) was on my judging team with Chef Victor Matthews. We each sampled our way through 24 total rounds of barbecue judging and it all finally caught up to me. So I swooned dramatically in the ambulance and Victor devotedly wept over my broken, brisket-saturated body. Thanks to Liz Bell of Bell Brothers Brewing for capturing the drama in this photo:
