Swanky spaces
Posh cocktail lounge Bar Thirty Three to open; more restaurants against the ropes; a good connect for affordable allocated whiskies + more food & drink news
What you see in the above images are small snapshots that I took earlier this week inside Bar Thirty Three. They’re meant to convey the sense of sophistication and refinement inherent to the space without giving away full-frame views of it yet. Because that would be stealing the thunder of founder Joel McVay, who plans to share more complete images soon himself on the cocktail lounge’s Instagram page.
That’ll be concurrent with soft opening days on December 28, 29 and 30, which precede a grand opening New Year’s Eve celebration (in partnership with the Mining Exchange hotel for a lodging package). Bar Thirty Three is located in the basement of the historic Municipal Utilities Building, underneath the former Gold Room that was recently transformed into Indvstry Video Bar. It’s accessed from the Nevada Avenue sidewalk, one door south of Indvstry. You won’t miss a Thirty 3 window graphic on the door, as well as numerals stamped into the concrete out front.
Know going in: Everything you see everywhere is very intentional. Meticulously designed and curated. Sleek, chic, stylish, elegant, polished, opulent, posh — pick your preferred term. “It’s a beautiful space to have a damn good cocktail,” says McVay.
Short of spilling more details now, which I agreed not to do, I can tell you Bar Thirty Three is a dim-lit space with an impressive, forever-long, fine leather bench seat spanning much of the room’s perimeter. Another partial bench and divider splits the room in two. The bar’s relatively small, with extra room at an adjacent counter. Menus are leather-bound. Glassware is capital-N Nice. No matter what I describe here, you won’t expect what you’re gonna see in person on a first visit.
McVay is a former bartender who left the industry more than a decade ago to pursue a career in finance. But he’s rededicating himself to bar life with Thirty Three, he says, noting a longer-term goal of building his own hospitality brand. Curating bars he could place in boutique hotels, for example. “It’s all about the space and providing a beautiful environment for people to enjoy and want to spend time in… places treated with care, love and passion. I hand-selected everything you see in here.”
During our chat, he explains how he treats design as he treats making a cocktail, focusing on three sensory elements: sight, smell and taste. “You have to hit the mark on all three to wow,” he says. Bar Thirty Three’s swanky decor definitely checks the first box. As for the olfactory element, McVay has had a custom scent created that’s broadcast via reed diffusers placed around the room. And for cocktail taste, he’s confident about the abilities of the experienced bartender team he’s assembled — a mix of existing local talents and newer-to-town folks with strong resumes. (He didn’t wish to name anyone just yet.) “I want to create a place that does justice to the industry in Colorado Springs. We say we’re ‘powered by a good drink.’ We’re a curated experience for the senses.”
If all this sounds a bit hoity-toity — well, it kinda is, unapologetically. When I ask what should be worn to Bar Thirty Three, McVay says “dress like you give a fuck.” That’s not to say he wants anyone uncomfortable — in fact he directs me to carefully chosen table heights and factors of the sound design that are all about making guests comfortable and at ease. And if the subterranean space is full at any given time, he’s created a tiny bar upstairs in the entryway to accommodate another dozen patrons. (There’s no reservations taken, and if that small bar’s full too, they’ll move to a wait-list and text you when it’s your turn.)
Expect a more limited menu upstairs, composed with classics like a Negroni or Old Fashioned (they’re making a signature rum version here), and there’s also an entry-level espresso machine to satisfy the need for a late-night pick-me-up. Downstairs will host a seasonal, internationally inspired drink menu with roughly 15 designed cocktails and five non-alcoholic renditions constructed with equal care. Hours will be 6 p.m. to midnight, Wednesday through Saturday (with exception of special events like NYE, which falls on Sunday). For requisite food service, McVay is only able to say at this point that he’s outsourcing fine eats from a quality, local restaurant group.
Lastly, about the establishment’s name: McVay explains that Prohibition ended in December, 1933, not long after this historic building he’s located in was constructed (in 1931). Guests, for ease, will likely invite friends out to “Bar Thirty Three,” but internally McVay refers to the upstairs space as “Thirty 3” while the downstairs space actually just has a symbol spelled out in Japanese numeric characters. (It’s the logo on the instagram page and looks like three hashmarks, a plus sign and three more hashmarks, which is how one would spell out Thirty Three).
Prime time at Side Dish sponsor Ranch Foods Direct
Finish 2023 in fashion with a meal to impress your guests. Our suggestion: this fantastic Standing Prime Rib Roast recipe courtesy Gather Food Studio. It’s the December Schnip’s Pick of the month at Ranch Foods Direct. Watch the above video to see RFD Chef Nate Watts take you through the whole recipe preparation; that’s after Head Butcher Billy Cox harvests the prime rib cut at RFD’s processing center. (Where else are you going to find cooking videos that begin at the carcass and end on the plate? If you talk true farm-to-table, then this is participating in a more informed way, thanks to RFD’s transparency inside their operations.)
Side Dish subscribers: Remember that as one of your cool-club perks (thanks to my PartnerSchnips) you get 5 percent off your whole shopping basket at Ranch Foods Direct’s two area retail markets. Go for the prime rib, but don’t be surprised when you end up bringing home Callicrate bacon, brats, steaks and an array of other locally produced goods stocked at the market. That’s everything from Sourdough Boulangerie breads to Pueblo Seed & Food Co. heritage grain items, like tins of Southwest blue corn or rye cookies that I’ve turned multiple friends onto. RFD proudly supports other ranchers and growers via their conscientious market offerings. Shop (and gift) local!
Down and out (or still fighting like hell)
On this same week that my longtime former employer, the CS Indy, announced that it won’t be printing papers in January (for the first time in three decades), I’m hearing of more and more restaurants and bars struggling to stay open too. I can’t help but feel pandemic flashbacks as these closures loom. Some are calling for community support to stay live. Here’s a quick rundown of what’s afoot:
• Green Line Grill, which appeared to be blinking out last week, as I reported here, has announced its “grand re re opening” on Friday, Dec. 22 at 10 a.m. After a tumultuous week prior, Owner/Chef Bobby Couch opted to close the doors on Friday, Dec. 15 and get reorganized. In a text exchange, he told me he’d met with an investor and come to a new deal. They’ve done a somewhat symbolic deep cleaning and he’s worked to reset the bar side of the business, noting on his Facebook page “small changes to make this place even better.” So, for now, it’s not the end of the Line. Phew.
• The Roswell announced on Dec. 15 that it will be permanently closing on Dec. 30. It brings me no joy to report that. My December, 2019 review of the then-new spot has followed me around ever since, making me somewhat of a firebrand. Many readers over the years — believe me, people mention this review to me almost weekly, still — questioned whether I was being fair to use the Roswell as a yardstick for our wider culinary scene’s progress. Transparently, I was still salty about folks not supporting The Roswell’s predecessor Smørbrød, Chef Jay Gust’s attempt to deliver the Springs its first Scandinavian eatery, which added diversity to our redundant landscape of familiar comfort foods. As we discussed in my first State of Plate episode, I partly blamed consumers in our marketplace. We vote with our dollars and get what we get accordingly, hence the endless rise of corporate chains that are contributing to the disappearance of independent outfits and mom-and-pops nationwide.
• Momma Pearl's Cajun Kitchen posted this video earlier this week, titled “We need you more than ever.” In the video, Chef/Owner Robert Brunet — who I recently talked about with Food Network’s Restaurant: Impossible Chef/Host Robert Irvine (as Brunet appeared on the show) — says they’ve never returned to anywhere near their pre-pandemic business levels. And in the past few months, he says they’ve experienced a drop in business unlike anything they’ve seen before. He speculates about causation ranging from inflation and geopolitical turmoil to the “proliferation of fast food and corporate chain businesses that continue to dilute the culinary market of our city.” They’ve recently done more layoffs, he says, noting how many roles he and his wife now have to fill, while she also takes side gigs and he hasn’t taken a paycheck since August. “Without you, there can be no us,” he appeals, asking for people to come dine as soon as possible, perhaps for upcoming crawfish boils. Brunet concludes by saying they may not be able to keep their doors open short of more consistent support.
• Trails End Taproom and Eatery, which took over the former, classic Mason Jar space not too long ago, will cease operations on Jan. 1 “and remain closed for the remainder of winter.” That’s according to reporting in Focal Pint this week by Ryan Hannigan. Read more on the taproom’s situation there, and catch more brew news.
Affordable allocated whiskies
Tokki recently hosted a Sazerac Bourbon Dinner that I attended. It featured several highly allocated whiskey labels. And in speaking with outfit co-owner Peter Choe (as well as a local spirit distributor and Buffalo Trace brand reps), I learned that Tokki offers some of, if not the best prices around for sampling some of the hard-to-find whiskies. (They also credited Cork & Cask for being reasonable, while privately shame-naming some others who charge exorbitant prices for no explicable reason other than the same greed that drives the online aftermarket for rare whiskey bottles.) “I want people to be able to try these at a more affordable price,” says Choe. “We serve bourbon at the correct mark-up price, not the allocated prices.”
Bites and bits
• Eleven18 is now serving fine Mexican fare attached to Tipperary Cocktail Parlor.
• If you’re reading this before Thursday evening on the 21st: Come see me tonight for our Sip with Schnip Holiday Hangout at The Carter Payne. I’ll be there from 5-8 p.m. at least, and they stay open later. It’s free; subscribers come take advantage of your drink perks!
• In my hometown of Birmingham, Alabama — which I wrote about here in September — a restaurant owner shot and killed a customer who allegedly became violent with him during a disagreement over the bill. Random side note: I happened to dine with family at the other Pita Stop location across town when I was last home. As you can read in the above link, it was not a memorable meal.
• While recently on the horn with Shawn Saunders from The Sourdough Boulangerie, he filled me in on the progress of his expansion into another storefront at 6453 Omaha Blvd. He says they’re half way through construction and hopes to be done by February. That will allow room for a more robust retail space as well as bread, soup, sandwich and pizza service, while The Chuckwagon 719 will sling it’s fabulous true-Texas barbecue from the new area as well.
• As I reported in late October, Blk Mgk coffee shop was supposed to open on Halloween inside of The Mining Exchange downtown. That opening has been delayed for internal reasons, and the drink spot still isn’t operating as Christmas approaches. But I happened to be walking by and noticed the counter is now visible in the newly renovated lobby space. I went in and inquired as was told by reception staff that they still don’t know of a launch date, other than it should be sometime shortly after the New Year. Meanwhile, I continue to be excited to taste the apothecary approach.
If you were a paid subscriber, at $5/month or $50/year, you could be reading my recent review of Chile Colorado now, ahead of your foodie friends. You’d be the first in the know, i.e. the life of the party. Because part of my perks package for paid subscribers is early access to reviews — which I’ll begin holding behind the paywall a little longer in 2024. Subscribe with the button below to get my special holiday offer and get the best rate for the next 12 months.
Side Dish is on TikTok
You want to know what the life of a journalist has been like for the past couple decades? Two words: constant adaptation. Print has had to adapt to digital demands and reporters have had to get scrappy with self promotion if they want their content to reach eyeballs. It’s not enough to write and publish the story; you’ve got to push it out through your own channels if you want it to be read. Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, The Cesspool formerly known as Twitter, Threads — I’ve been up on all of them. But I’ve resisted TikTok in-part because it’s been just one more damn thing to manage and feed and learn the nuances of (and that’s a distraction from my main mission of producing high-quality content). So, being at least the level of smart that I am, I’ve outsourced the creation of my TikTok to the teenager who made me go to IKEA. She’s running that show; I’m just doing what I do and hamming it up a little extra to feed her material. This week, as part one of a series, she’s posted me reviewing the first of six odd Van Leeuwen Ice Cream flavors, including a Kraft Macaroni & Cheese and Dill Pickle flavor. Enjoy, and follow the page if you dig supporting young talent (and this old man).
Tiktok failed to load.Enable 3rd party cookies or use another browser
Parting shot(s)
I attended the ‘Villains in Animation’ Pop-Up Dinner series at Four by Brother Luck on Tuesday. (The final seating is Dec. 21 at 6 p.m.) Chef Ashley Brown and her team, including pastry chef Marjorie Furio and sous chef Geri Woessner, put out five fun courses. The highlights for us were Brown’s smoked venison with cherry demi-glace (morbidly named Bambi’s Nightmare) and Furio’s poison apple dessert — a gorgeously formed, true-to-size white chocolate apple filled with grapefruit mousse and apple cider confit. Check out the below reel (that I actually assembled myself — not utilizing my newly appointed TikTok Manager) to see the action.
Getting district elleven vibes up top there.
So glad to read about the grand re re opening of the Green Line Grill! As one of the few places in the city that serves a (great) Callicrate beef burger, I was mildly panicking for a week that they weren’t going to re-open. In that panic, and as a long time Ranch Foods fan/consumer, I checked Ranch Foods’ website to confirm that Drifter’s was still serving Callicrate beef and they are not! A manager I spoke to on the phone said they haven’t for a few months now. So sad. Remember not so long ago when Cy’s Drive In used Callicrate beef? I still miss that Alaska burger. And don’t tell me to try and make burgers at home. They’re never the same. What are your recommendations for good burgers with locally sourced/humanely raised beef?