Boulder's Coming Up in the World

I love Colorado.

C and I have talked, extensively in fact, about moving to Boulder or Denver. We could live quite well in here and we could buy a nice little house on the profit we've made on the loft.

The scary part of all this, which really keeps us from moving forward with the plan, is that once we LEAVE the Bay Area, it's unlikely we'll ever be able to afford to move back again.

So, I suppose I'm a pretty lucky girl to have the Boulder contacts that I do, and to have the luxury to eat as well as I do in the Denver Metro area.

Last night, a group of us went to dinner at the brand-spanking new (we're talking 10 days open) Restaurant 4580 in North Boulder. Martin Hammer, proprieter & Gen. Mgr took incredible care of us, while Kelli Kingsford put a sexy and delicious spin on some very comfortable dishes.

Once we were seated, I ordered a luscious and well-loved bottle of '03 Domaine Pavelot Guettes and an assortment of "small plates" to start our table of six off.

(Side note: There's something so incredibly cool about being the only girl in a team of, say, 15 boys. I love it, and I wouldn't trade it for all the tea in China. So here's a shout-out to TSch., who knows a good thing when he sees it, and doesn't shy away from the 'status quo'.)

Anyway.

The Mussels at 4580 are amongst the best I've had. But, you know... you can get mussels just about everywhere. So, if you're feeling it, you'll order the Bacon-wrapped Chorizo-stuffed Dates (so good that I only got a photo after the plate had been pillaged). Yeah. And then, to supplement, you'll order the Batter-fried Shrimp, happily nesting in their light and delicious batter, loaded with delicate lemon zest.

Now, y'all know I love restaurants who know their audiences. So when I asked if it was possible to get the Black Risotto featured on the "Large Plates" menu in a half order, and received a hearty "Of Course"... well, I knew I was home. This is some pretty special risotto. While I adore Carnaroli rice, I was really pleased that Kingsford uses the more hearty Arborio rice to hold up to the heavier flavors of the black trumpet mushrooms. Everyone else ordered some iteration of salad, all of which were happily scarfed down.

T.Sch almost always orders "Chef's signature dish -- I love exotic stuff". This time, he got a luscious Niman Ranch Pork Shoulder with Black Lentils. Wow. There are so few restaurants who take the time to slow-braise pork shoulder, but when they do... well, Wow.

Now, it's a rare occasion that I will ever order chicken in a restaurant. But when I see Truffle-skin Chicken on the menu... yeah. And, oh my god... if I could cook chicken like this at home, we'd own stock in Foster Farms, I suppose.

With our entrees, we enjoyed one of the most supple Priorats I've ever had -- 2003 Clos Martinet. This wine is blue-black velvet, loaded with lead-pencil graphite, big black fruit, and mouth-filling tannins. It was an exceptional pairing with most of the dishes on the table, and a wine that could easily spend another decade in the bottle, I'd guess.

Desserts continued on a similar path -- I sampled both the Frozen Chocolate Souffle and the assortment of Sorbet's & Gelato's, which we enjoyed with a Paul Jaboulet Baumes de Venise. I think the Pomelo sorbet may have been one of the most exquisite I've ever had - to the point that I had to order an extra scoop to savor all for myself.

Coffee, I was not surprised to find out, is served as a pot of French Press for the whole table.

I will be back. Soon. 4580 is doing some really special things in the kitchen and, along with a few  other restaurants in Boulder, makes me rethink my aversion to leaving the Bay Area because "Denver doesn't have great food".

Restaurant 4580+bar
4580 Broadway Blvd
North Boulder, CO
303.448.1500

 

Technorati Tags: Food | Food & Drink | Restaurant Reviews | San Francisco | Boulder | Denver

Comments

[BMac]

Now one of these days you are going to have to go to Georgetown! It is only 35 mins from The People's Republic of Boulder!

We'll go sometime. :)

[Amy]

Denver is fun for a couple of days on expense account, but Colorado is still a scary red state....

[Tana]

What was the price range for these dishes?

[Fatemeh]

Amy - The politics of it don't bother me as much as they do other people. All I know is that some of the best people I know live in Colorado, and I feel blessed to know them. Somehow, I feel like there is a great deal of "personal responsiblity" there.

Tana - I was absolutely shocked at how reasonable the prices at 4580 are. We're talking predominantly mid-teen entrees, under $10 apps, $6/dessert.

[Patrick Walker]

Cheers to Martin and Susan!!!
Congrats on the new digs and outstanding review. We hope to eat there soon!

[Alexandra]

What a great food blog you have! It's not often that you see someone with so many references to Persian food in their food blog, but I'm happy to have found yours. :)

I live in North Vancouver, BC, where there is a HUGE Persian community, and despite my WASP-y ethnicity, I've grown up eating ghormeh sabzi, tadik, pollow, and all manner of rosewater and pistachio flavoured treats. I highly recommend visiting this city purely from a gastronomical standpoint... oh, and it's pretty too. :)

Take care,
~Alexandra

[Garrett]

I highly reccomend the move, especially into Boulder. It's pretty much a mountain terrain clone of San Francisco, in feel and personality at least. The politics there either leave me in hysterics or a pretty depressed morose, but Boulder is an amazing place other wise. And seeing as how you seem to be apathetic about it, then it sounds like a great choice.

And Georgetown! What an amazing little place. I'm also charmed by the nearby Silverplume which I don't think has seen the same curious eye of developers looking to make a few bucks at the misofortune of the locals. Go to the little baker in the corner of town. We go back every season for good reason.

[Dave]

I went to 4580 with my wife last night and we were pretty dissapointed. We started with the dates, which were great. We each had a soup. Her tomato soup came cold and without too much flavor. Only on its return, did they remember to garnish it. My "traditional" clam chowder was anything but and did not taste of clams at all. More or less a cream of vegetable. The pork shoulder was excellent while my medium-rare lamb burger came well charred at or beyond well-done and was salted beyond repair.

The service was ok, still getting their sea legs, which was fine. I hope they get their act together in the kitchen as the space is great and the theme is right for Boulder.

I may go back in six months or so to see if things got better, but for now, I will head to Kitchen for Monday night community table.

[Tracy]

Hip Hip Hooray for my neice, Kelli! She and her kitchen ROCK!

[Donna Baas]

Finally, a great place to eat in North Boulder. We walk there (about 1.5 miles) once a week. Love the lamb burger, steak and fries, tuna tartare. We sit at the bar and it's a cozy place. Eric makes wonderful manhattans. In fact, we are taking friends tonight, think I'll reserve an outside table.

[Zardoz]

Amy, since Colorado is such a scary state, I suggest you stay in San Francisco where you can be comfortable. Personally, I prefer Republicans to the hordes of dirtbags that have overrun your city.

[Andrew]

In about 10 days Colorado will officially become a "Blue State" so its all good! For a relativly small city Boulder has a great collection of restaurants.