Happy 1-Year Anniversary Side Dish!
Tepex returns; Fight the Powers with FH Beerworks & Nano 108; I blind-taste odd ice cream; Colorado's first Buc-ee's opens + more food & drink news in brief
Tepex returns!
Chef Fernando Trancoso surprised everyone earlier this week with the announcement that he’s bringing Tepex food truck back.
The natural question — since he’s obviously busy with Inefable’s recent launch and early work on a concept named Kuhi by Fernando — is why? In his own three words: “by popular demand.”
I called him to inquire further and he told me: “I receive messages daily from people saying ‘we miss you’ and ‘where are you?’ … It breaks my heart.”
That, and well, he retired a perfectly profitable and in-demand brand that could still crush it in the marketplace. He did so in order to open Inefable downtown at Avenue 19 food hall, and says “I was afraid someone was going to mess up everything I had worked for” if he’d placed operations of Tepex in the wrong hands. “It’s why I closed it. But I’ve found the right people to run it now,” he says. “I will still be very involved.”
Trancoso says the easy part is constructing the tacos at the truck, anyway. His prep of the carnitas, birria and other items is where he can ensure quality control. He insists he’s not taking his eye off Inefable at all, and in fact can utilize its crew as backup for the truck if need be, shoring both efforts up. “I’m still at this restaurant day and night, seven days a week,” he says.
He also notes he quickly realized that his past fan base could not afford to be regulars at Inefable due to its fine-dining prices; whereas they used to dine with him weekly. So it makes sense to restore the more affordable mobile business to his growing portfolio. (He’s told me in past interviews that he’s already got names in mind for his next restaurants.)
Meanwhile, I ask him what else is up lately and he says to expect a new seasonal food and drink menu around the end of April. (I’m tentatively planning to hold off on a formal review until that menu drops so I don’t detail a bunch of items that depart.)
He’s also launching Tostada Tuesdays on April 2 with two for $20, chef’s choice, that also includes a margarita. And he’s attending the Chef’s Showcase at the Antler’s Hotel on April 25 to defend his chef’s battle victory last year.
Shop with Side Dish lead sponsor Ranch Foods Direct
Take a tour via this video and see the difference between Ranch Foods Direct and everyone else. From their ranch to retail markets, the company is totally transparent. Also check out our most recent collaborative recipe with Gather Food Studio and hit up Ranch Foods Direct for the necessary Callicrate stew beef, conveniently cut for you and ready to go. We’ll soon be releasing April’s recipe to feature another Callicrate Beef item. Stay tuned. Stay hungry. And check out Mike Callicrate’s own No-Bull Food News advocacy newsletter to dive deeper into why regenerative farming and agricultural practices matter. Plus find many more industry-muckraking topics.
Fight the Powers
Our latest tap&table episode just dropped.
You know the whole Colorado Springs beef between the East and West sides? Not gangland style — just the fact that residents of each side moan and groan about driving to and fro and often act all elitist about their respective territory. Outsiders complain about parking downtown. Central denizens boycott anything past Academy or Powers boulevards. You know what I’m talking about.
Well, we tackle that topic and much much more in this sit-down with FH Beerworks’ Travis Fields and Nano 108 Brewing Co.’s Mike Kelty. They’ve recently teamed up on several beer endeavors, including the collaborative brew named Fight the Powers. (In case you didn’t know they’re both located off Powers Boulevard, in close proximity.) It’s a phenomenal, double dry-hopped, Imperial Hazy IPA brewed with New Zealand Motueka and Australian Galaxy hops. As described by them: “The nose bursts with ripe mango, juicy passionfruit, fresh lime zest, and pine hop resin. Taste follows with fresh mango and passionfruit and a touch of peach, orange, lime, pineapple, and resin… finishing full with a touch of lasting bitterness on the palate.”
Oh, and about that name: “We can't think of anything that makes you want a beer more than driving on Powers Blvd.,” they say. 🤣
Get a taste at both of their taprooms while it lasts. Ryan and I were loving this beer as we drank it during the show and I would rank this brew up there with anything Outer Range makes in the category. FH and Nano are at the top of their games these days, truly, and have really impressed me with recent samplings that are quite advanced from the breweries’ early days. Nano launched 11 years ago and FH 10 years ago in its original form. They each host relatively newer head brewers who’re having positive influence on the beers’ quality and consistency.
Again, you’ll hear about this and more when you listen to the episode. We even have some fun talking about our “desert island” beers (what we’d drink for life if stranded) and true to form — somehow Ryan’s dad Michael Hannigan gets yet another name drop, which makes us 6-for-6 by total accident.
*Check out Focus on the Beer’s latest Focal Pint newsletter here. This week, Ryan Hannigan reports on March 30’s Collab Fest, May 11’s Frost Fest and much more.
*Please subscribe to our tap&table YouTube channel to help us build our audience. And/or follow us on your favorite podcast platform, to include Apple, Google, Amazon, Spotify.
Bites and bits
• A relevant excerpt from Corey Hutchins’ Inside the News in Colorado Substack hit the perfect tone of sarcasm (or is it contempt?) regarding the much-hyped opening of the first Buc-ee’s location in state — in Johnstown (roughly a 2-hour drive from the Springs). Hutchins wrote:
🦫 This week, the grand opening of a Buc-ee’s rest stop in Colorado was the latest pseudo event since the opening of Casa Bonita and In-N-Out Burger before it. The saturated local media hype coverage and pack journalism likely comes from this news judgement thinking: If we don’t do it everyone else will. Kyle Clark, a TV anchor for 9NEWS who often critiques his own industry, had this idea: “What if brand-new locally-owned businesses could enter a monthly raffle and the winner’s grand opening would … receive non-stop coverage from the local media like IKEA, In-and-Out, Casa Bonita, Buccee’s, etc?”
• As reported in my March 9 edition, Taste of Jerusalem (while it awaits reopening after fire damage to its space) has launched an ancillary business Gyro Express inside of Avenue 19 food hall. It opened for service on Wednesday, March 20.
• Fuel & Iron food hall’s latest vendor addition is The Cutting Board, billed as “Pueblo’s first plant-based restaurant.” Trailglazers Bakery & Cafe is slated to open soon there, too. Catch the Steel City Music Showcase April 12-13 across several venues, and F&I’s 1-year Celebration April 20.
Apparently people like to watch me eat weird ice creams
Watch me eat crow!
Well, odd ice creams, actually. It’s just that I initially poo-poohed the idea of having Lauren’s daughter Ella (both heard off-camera in these videos) start a TikTok page for me to do silly stuff like this.
But funny enough, many folks around town (chefs, restaurateurs, Side Dish subscribers) have mentioned how much they like these videos when we publish them. Brother Luck and Eric Brenner included.
So here I am, in the latest series installment, with a new challenge: blindfolded tastings where I have to guess the flavors. This is episode one of that, with five or so more on the way sometime soon. (We get to them when we can; I mean, I have a day job. You’re reading it.)
Side Dish Dozen happenings
Odyssey Gastropub: Service Industries all-day Tuesdays, with all-day happy hours.
Goat Patch Brewing: Purploid Blueberry Kettle Sour release, March 22, 5 p.m. Make & Take Workshop with Sophia Hanna - Painting Live Flowers (watercolors), March 23, noon to 2 p.m., $30. Meadowgrass 2024 Pre-Fest Party, March 23, 4-8 p.m., live music and giveaways. Bleating Heart Night benefits Special Olympics - Pikes Peak Wolves, March 26, 5-9 p.m.
Bristol Brewing Company: Barrel Room Pop-up, March 23, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. $5 pints, $12 Spark BBQ garlic buffalo wings and yard games. Prohibition Party, April 6, 7-10 p.m. Celebrate Prohibition’s repeal in the makeshift speakeasy in the brewhouse and Barrel Room. Get dolled up in something reminiscent of the era and watch Bristol’s social channels for hints to the password — both are required to enter. Enjoy 33¢ Yellow Kite pilsners, and new this year: swing dance lessons, Yellow Kite cocktails and a photo booth.
Red Gravy: Chef A.D. Hamlin presents a Chicken Alfredo Lasagna with spinach and roasted tomato topped with Parmesan Reggiano. Half portions are available as part of award-winning lunch hours.
Edelweiss: Featuring traditional, live music every Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings from 5:30-8:30 p.m. courtesy wonderful accordion players. Voted Best Desserts in Colorado Springs. All desserts are made in-house daily by Edelweiss’ Pastry Chef. House pastries and cakes may be ordered in advance for pickup.
The Carter Payne: The new spring menu dropped March 21. Beers always rotating on 18 taps. On draft right now: Thai Tea Table Sour; Guanabana Saison; Sage Belgian Tripel. Sunday School - Wine and Food Pairing, March 24, noon to 2:30 p.m.; $50. Easter Brunch begins at 10 a.m., March 31.
Four by Brother Luck: Blue cornbread and pork green chile online class, March 25; $30. Dumplings class at The Studio, March 28 (7 p.m.) and 30 (6 p.m.); $75. Learn to mix the perfect dough and master folding techniques from the chef who brought Lucky Dumpling to the Springs.
Blue Star Group: March 24 National Cocktail Day; enjoy Happy Hour all day at The Principal's office. March 25 "Spring Break" Stellina Supper Club: Tickets are $75 and include a 5-course meal and gratuity; other specialty wine, beer, cocktails and drinks are available to purchase. View the menu and buy tickets here.
Allusion Speakeasy: Barbie has a great day every day, but Ken only has a great day if Barbie looks at him. (I.e. Barbie’s Dream Bar remains up at the Powers Blvd. Allusion location, as does Ken’s Mojo Dojo Casa House downtown.)
Rasta Pasta: Rasta Pasta has the world famous Dole Whip Pineapple Soft Serve. Delicious, refreshing, gluten free and vegan! If you know what it takes to keep a soft serve machine operational, you know this is a true labor of love!
Courtesy Rasta Pasta.
Upcoming events
• March 23: Shrek Drag Dinner at Muchies719. 6-8:30 p.m. $10-$120.
• March 23: Salsa Night at Ivywild. 7-11:45 p.m. $15-$25.
• March 23: Pop-up Wine Dinner with Chef Supansa Banker, Angelo Cellars and Passaggio Wines. 6:30 p.m. Five paired courses, $125. 734-277-3676 for location and menu info.
• March 24: Women’s Dinner at Ephemera. 6-8 p.m.; eight courses, $165. Featuring chefs Katie Fisco, Hannah Cupples and Nora Dillon. Proceeds to benefit TESSA.
• March 24: Whiskey Dinner of the Year at District Elleven. Extremely allocated Sazerac labels. 6 p.m.; $600.
• March 25: Branch & Barrel Tasting at NEAT Whiskey House. 6-9 p.m.
• March 27: Whiskey and Scotch Sip & Learn at Coaltrain. 6-8 p.m.; $45. Reserve at 719-475-9700.
• March 28: Drink & Draw with Downtown Partnership at 1350 Distilling. 5:30 p.m.
• March 31: The Great Craft Beer Egg Hunt! “Hunt for eggs all over the Front Range, hidden by your favorite beverage makers, and claim the prizes inside.”
• April 4: Manitou Springs’ Wine Walk between the Manitou Winery, The Mona Lisa and Swirl Wine Bar. 5-9 p.m.; $55-$100. (Also, Manitou Springs Wine Fest is June 1.)
Early notice:
• April 12: Meet the Maker series Castello Di Ama Wine Dinner at the Broadmoor’s Ristorante del Lago. 6 p.m.; $300.
• April 13: Pikes Peak Chocolate and Cheese Fest at Norris Penrose Event Center. 11 a.m.; $10-$59.
• April 18: Project Angel Heart seeks restaurant partners for the 30th annual Dining Out For Life fundraiser. Eaters can selectively help, too: “dine at one of hundreds of participating restaurants … and 25 percent of your check will be donated to Project Angel Heart to help provide delicious, medically tailored meals for Coloradans living with severe illnesses, including HIV/AIDS. Find local participating restaurants here.
Parting shot(s)
Side Dish was proud to be a Hospitality Sponsor alongside the Colorado Springs Airport (and main sponsor Ntiva) at the Downtown Colorado Springs 2024 State of Downtown Report Release event at Weidner Field on March 21. Downtown CS has been very supportive of Side Dish since my launch. They’ve sponsored several tap&table podcast episodes and we will continue working together in the future — and I’m super grateful for that. Read the report by clicking the link above; there’s some surprising data and statistics that earned some crowd applause yesterday.
Anniversary Bash
Side Dish turns 1-year old today, March 22!
I struggle to find the words to sum up the past 12 months, but the phrase “holy shit busy” comes to mind. I also find myself reaching directly toward gratitude for everyone community-wide who’s shown support. By every indicator, Side Dish is on a steep upward trajectory as an independent, one-person journalism business. It’s thrilling to see and I’m humbled. Immense thanks to all my subscribers and sponsors past and present. And a special thanks to my PartnerSchnips and Side Dish Dozen.
It might be just me, but I’ve said all along that I can’t do this alone. To keep food and drink journalism going in an ever-changing, always-brutal media landscape, it takes a village. I’m joined by some of the most sincere, generous, community-minded, talented, passionate people. And last night, we partied with gusto at Red Gravy during our joint Anniversary Bash. Congrats to Chef/Owner Eric Brenner and Red Gravy for turning 8 this month and all its recent accomplishments.
Mark your calendars for the next Third Thursday Sip with Schnip — April 18 at Edelweiss.
Enjoy everything about Side Dish with Schniper. Dream of trying all his recommendations.
Congrats and Happy Anniversary!