=" /> The Mile High Eater: 09/01/2010 - 10/01/2010

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Smash Burger

Hi all,

For a while now we have been hearing about the new burger chain “Smash Burger” www.smashburger.com and to be honest really hadn’t thought much of it since it seems like there are enough chains out there with their frozen patties that all pretty much taste the same. Then a few weeks back we were invited down to give it a try and so we went down really not expecting much.

He says:

Looking on the menu you see a much more diverse burger type than most places and the salads and sides really made it far more appealing. Myself, I had a Mushroom Swiss burger with a side of haystack onions. The first thing that hit me when looking at the burger was that it far more resembled a burger I would make on a grill at home than the normal burger joint. I mean it looked like meat, not a frozen piece of cardboard if you know what I mean. Second noticeable difference was the bun. It was fresh egg roll not your garden variety tasteless one.

sushiandsmash0014
The burger was juicy and very good and the “haystack” onions I had, which were basically very thin onion rings in a great spicy sauce was outstanding (I would go back for more of those even without the burger). I also added a really thick chocolate shake to the mix and was very happy with everything

Barb chose to have a salad.

She says:

We wanted to be able to provide a choice for those who aren’t burger eaters.
I had the BBQ Chicken Ranch Salad. It had a mix of fresh garden greens topped with strips of grilled or crispy chicken, applewood smoked bacon, diced tomatoes, haystack onions, cheddar cheese, with buttermilk ranch dressing and bbq sauce.

sushiandsmash0015
Sometimes when you see the ingredients on the menu, you're never quite sure how it's going to come out. This was one of those times, but it was a pleasant surprise. Once you got everything mixed together, it was a great tasting salad. The mixture of ranch dressing and bbq sauce was nothing I would have ever thought to combine, but it worked well in the context of this salad. And, the haystack onions added a nice texture to the garden greens.

He says:

All in all, I would have to say Smash Burger pretty much kicks some burger butt. And, given the choice when I am in the mood for a burger I would choose them well before any of the normal burger chains out there and even before some of the “gourmet” burger places. My only reservation would be on the day we went they were very busy and they seemed to have some problems keeping up with the patrons leaving as a result a lot of the tables were a bit sticky. But I am sure it was probably just the time we were there not an overall trend.

Thanks as always for stopping by our Colorado restaurant and food blog, if you have any questions, please let us know here or email us at jonathan or barbara @milehigheater.com.



Smashburger on Urbanspoon

Monday, September 27, 2010

Farms, Dairys, and Wines, Oh My

Friday, in the morning I'm heading down to Fruition farm to speak to Chef Seidel about the new addition of a goat dairy and talk a bit about the farm and restaurant. Then that evening we're going down to Infinite Monkey Theorem Winery in Denver to talk about their wines and what it is like to have a winery here in Colorado. If you have any questions you would like to ask let us know before Friday.

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Interview with Chef Rahm Fama



I had the unique opportunity to talk with Chef Rahm Fama, the host of the new Food Network show “Meat & Potatoes”. He was fun to talk to, and the passion you see on his show also came through on the phone.

Here’s our conversation:

Where did the concept come for "Meat & Potatoes"?

It’s what people understand and what they know and what they love. Everybody wants to feel comfortable with that they’re eating and cooking. I love that fact that something that sounds so easy, meat and potatoes, are really something so beautiful and its art. What can we do with meat? It’s endless.

With a lot of chefs going towards more lighter meals, why meat?

I really generally love the history aspect, it’s been around forever and in other cuisines from French and Italian to Mexican, and it’s all based around meat (protein). I think it has a lot of history, a lot of technique; you’ve got to get that pastrami right. You have to get it just right or it’s going to be rubber. It takes a lot of talent and dedication to understand and love meat. The concept for cooking meat is another. I’ve been doing it for years, I’ve been a chef for 20 years and I still don’t think I have it right.

For example: all the different burgers, it’s ground beef, it’s a patty, and every burger is remarkably and amazingly different. If a burger can evolve, image how the other meat can change. No end to it, and that’s what I like. No end to meat, it’s on and on and on. It’s a constant type of education for me. I keep wanting to find more. And every show I find something new.

You can tell you have a passion for meat, what is your favorite meat and where did your passion come from?

My mom was a horrible cook (please forgive me mom). With having been a rancher and raising cattle, to putting it on the plate, I think I have a lot of appreciation for the meat then other chefs. I’ve seen it up close. Ranch life is hard. I want to take it to the next level and make sure it is created with the respect with which it deserves.

Out of all the episodes recorded, what was the weirdest thing you tried?

Each episode has a different segment. BBQ –there’s nothing weird about BBQ. There’s Steakhouse Wars and there’s Late Night Meat in LA. Beautiful steakhouse looks like a train. You can get a great steak at anytime (24 hours a day). Every place has been a great experience. I’m not eating bugs or testicles. The strangest thing I tried to conquer was the 10 pound burrito. I thought I could do it, but ended up sharing it with the crew.

The hot dog place really was a gourmet place, it was unbelievable. The Foss Hog!
Every restaurant has been incredible.

What one restaurant would you visit again as soon as possible?

I’d like to spend a little more time at David Burke’s in Chicago. They dry age steaks (rib eye) 75 days. Here’s an example of one of his meals. You get a rib eye, a waffle, with cheese, bacon, and scallions. You spread butter and sour cream on top. It comes to you as a warm waffle with a side potato.


What makes your show different from the variety of “let’s visit restaurants” shows out there?

Because my show is fun, energetic and educational. I’m trying to capture those people who have had that or haven’t had that. I show people different stuff. We’ve all had a pastrami sandwich, but maybe you haven’t had a Montreal influenced pastrami sandwich.

It’s a steak but different. It’s BBQ, but different. It has great endings and fun factoids.

Would you be willing to share a recipe with us?

Absolutely.

Coffee and Red Chile Rubbed Flank Steak Recipe
Courtesy Rahm Fama

1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon powdered mustard
1/3 cup New Mexico red chili
1/4 cup ground coffee
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Kosher salt
2 pounds flank steak
Score the surface of the steak with 1/4 inch deep knife cuts, about an inch apart, across the grain of the meat.
Combine the dry rub ingredients and the steak in a large freezer bag and shake. Chill and marinate for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
Using olive oil soaked onto a paper towel, coat the grill thoroughly.
Preheat the grill with high, direct heat.
Remove the steak from the bag and shake off excess rub.
Place steak on the hot grill. If you are using a gas grill, cover the grill.
Grill for 4-6 minutes on each side. Half way through grilling on each side, turn the steak 90° so that you get more grill marks.

Flank steak is best-eaten medium rare, well done will make it too tough. When the steak has cooked to your preferred level of doneness, remove from the grill and place on a cutting board.
Cover with aluminum foil to hold in the heat and to keep the steak from drying out, and let rest for 10 minutes.


Will any of the shows take place in CO?

Hopefully in the next season we can visit Colorado, “Hi Colorado!” There is lots of great meat in Colorado. We’ve only filmed 6 episodes, so we had to narrow it down. I don’t have a lot of decisions on where I go. It’s a combination of a lot of things where we decide to go.

What do you eat in the middle of the night?

Being a chef, I graze, I’m never full. Last night I went to a dinner in LA and couldn’t eat it all. I graze all day.

What I have in my kitchen I have a lot of deli meats, sliced capocollo, prosciuttos. I’ve been doing my own duck prosciutto at home.

I’m not cooking as much as I want, but when I’m in my kitchen, I just do my thing.


Chef Rahm says:

Stay tuned for the show and watch it. Have as much fun watching it as I did making it. You can see the fun and energy that’s coming through me and I’m just as surprised to see this stuff like everyone else. I appreciate the opportunity. I’m super excited about it. I get to do what I love and be on TV, it’s awesome!

Thank you to Chef Fama for his time and to Michelle Betrock from the Food Network Channel for setting up the interview.

Thanks for stopping by our blog. If you have any questions you can leave a comment here or email us at jonathan@milehigheater.com or barbara@milehigheater.com

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Questions and a Recipe from Jenna Johansen @ Dish Restaurant

Hi all,

After our wonderful meal at Dish we had a chance to ask Chef Jenna a few questions

1. What attracted you to cooking?

I have always been enamored with what happens over a dinner table. It brings me much pleasure to create a meal that brings people together, nourishing the body, feeding the soul and the relationships of those dining together.

2. What is the philosophy behind your cooking, or in your kitchen?

Simplicity in everything. I have never been one to "dress up" a plate with tricked out garnishes and sauces that weigh down the flavors and take minutes to plate. I love fresh food and am heavily influenced by vegetables. I am proud of the fact that I make lots of great vegetarian dishes in which you won't even miss the meat.

In the kitchen... happy,passionate chefs make great food. We listen to good music when we prep and allow our individual personalities to shine through in the dishes. The best time to eat at dish is when someone in the kitchen is falling in love...

3. What is the biggest influence on the way you cook?

The seasons. Our menu changes all the time, and the biggest influence is what is fresh and in season. The only time you'll see corn at dish is when ears from Olathe are fresh, and you'll see it on a at least a few dishes. As it gets colder, my body craves braised meats and richer flavors. When it heats up, the crab is chilled and the watermelon comes out... I like the ingredients to drive the menu, not the other way around.

4. Is there a chef living today you would like to work with?

I have always, always been a huge fan of Alice Waters, and even after all these years would be so honored to spend time with her in the garden and the kitchen.
I'd also love to hang out over the stove with David Chang.

5. Is there a particular ingredient you like to cook with more than others?

Bacon. I am a total whore for the pig.

6. If stuck on a desert isle and could have one meal from then on out what would it be?

Gnocchi. I could eat it every single day of my life.

7. Is someone asked you for two Colorado restaurants to try other than your own what would you suggest?

Fruition is my absolute favorite. The food created by the hands of those men behind the line makes me very happy...

I'd be lying if I said I didn't eat at least one (rare, no cheese) Larkburger a week, so I guess it is another one of my favorites that I just can't live without.

8. How about one restaurant anywhere in the world?

Any hole in the wall in Italy. The smaller and more out of the way, the better. I have had some of my best meals of my life in small trattorias that I could never find again...

9. Would you be willing to share a recipe with us?

Absolutely. I always share recipes, food is meant to be shared and enjoyed by everyone. I consider it a huge compliment when a guest enjoys a meal so much that they would like to re-create a dish again.

Jenna's Recipe
Warm Autumn Kamut Salad
2 cups kamut, uncooked
5 cups water, boiling (season with 1 tsp. kosher salt)
1/2 ea yellow onion, diced
3 ea garlic cloves, peeled and minced
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 ea small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced 1/4"
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup pinenuts, lightly toasted
1 ea fresh lemon, zested to taste
kosher salt and black pepper


Directions:
Rinse kamut and place in pot with boiling water, reduce to simmer.
Cover and cook until tender, but slightly chewy (1- 1 1/2 hours), add more water as necessary, meanwhile lightly toss squash in 1 tbsp olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, place on sheetpan.
Roast squash in 350* oven until soft (about 15 minutes).
Saute onions and garlic over meduim heat in 1 tbsp of olive oil until translucent, about 5 minutes
Mix all ingredients (kamut, squash, onion mixture, 1 tbsp olive oil, remaining ingredients). together while warm.
Season to taste with kosher salt and pepper, serve.


Chef/ Owner dish restaurant
Jenna Johansen
http://www.eatdrinkdish.com/

Thanks for stopping by our Colorado based restaruant and food review blog. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them here or email us at jonathan@milehigheater.com or barbara@milehigheater.com.













Dish on Urbanspoon

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

New Food Network Show featuring Colorado Chef


Beginning Friday, September 24th, the Food Network Channel will be debuting a new show featuring Colorado chef Rahm Fama. The show is called "Meat and Potatoes" and features Chef Fama where he travels the country devouring delicious meats and their complementary side dishes dishing out the details to viewers along the way.


Chef Fama has culinary roots in Vail and Colorado Springs.


We'll be checking it out and Chef Fama will be answering a few of our questions at a later date.
Barb & Jonathan

Monday, September 13, 2010

Restaurant Events and Food Festivals Sept 13-Oct 10, 2010

Sept 13-Oct 10 Food Happenings

Hi all,
Summer is just about over and the food and wine festivals are slowing down, but below we have listed what’s going on in Colorado from September 13th to October 10th.

Restaurant events:

Terroir in Longmont www.terroir-restaurant.com
Terroir "Uprooted" Farm Dinner
at Sol y Sombra Farm
in Hygiene, Colorado
Celebrating the Arrival of Fall with Breadbasket Italian Wines
Sunday, September 19 at 5 p.m.

Passed Hors d'Oeuvres (paired with the Pederzano Lambrusco):
- Grilled flatbread pizzas with anchovy
- Crostini with house-made duck prosciutto and aged gouda
- Bear Mountain bison carpaccio and herb pesto bruschetta

Course 1:
Salad of grilled mushrooms with roasted carrots, greens, truffle oil, and lemon paired with the Cataldi Madonna Cerasuolo

Course 2:
Roasted Jodar Farm cornish game hen served over ratatouille with green tomato chutney paired with the La Salette Valpolicella

Course 3:
Braised Fox Fire Farm lamb shank with crispy polenta, caponata, and gremolata paired with the Terredora Aglianico

Course 4:
Sweet potato tart with coconut streusel and cinnamon creme anglaise paired with the Marenco Moscato d'Asti

After Dinner:
Amaro Montenegro digestive

Join Allison Edwards at her picturesque two acre farm as we celebrate the arrival of fall and the bounty of this past summer. This will be our last Terroir "Uprooted" Farm Dinner of the season. Tickets for this rain or shine, al fresco, event are $65 excluding tax and gratuity.

Community Beer Social
featuring the beers of Lagunitas Brewing Company
of Petaluma, California
Wednesday, September 15 at 6:30 p.m.

MENU TBD

Tickets for the dinner are $25 excluding tax and gratuity. Community beer dinners are offered monthly at Terroir on the third Wednesday of the month. Seating is community style and is limited to 15 guests.

"Meet the Winemaker" Dinner
featuring the winemaker of Altocedro Wines
Tuesday, September 21 at 6:30 p.m.

MENU TBD

"Meet the Winemaker" Dinners are offered once monthly at Terroir and provide the unique and intimate experience of having dinner with a visiting winemaker. Dinners are always five courses with four wine pairings and the cost is $45 per person excluding tax and gratuity. Seating is community style and is limited to 15 guests.

Cooking classes are offered at Terroir each Saturday morning from 9 a.m. until noon. Classes are taught by Executive Chef Tim Payne and are limited to four students, thereby providing a hands-on experience for all. Classes cost $65 including all supplies, lunch, and a $10 gift certificate to Terroir. For a complete listing of scheduled classes, please call Melissa at 303.651.0630

Also at Terroir a new happy hour.

New Happy Hour Menu

When: Monday through Saturday at the bar from 4:00-6:30 p.m.

Where: 246 Main Street, Longmont, Colorado, 80501

Cost: $3-$7 with all wines by the glass and beers on draft at ½ price.



Menu:





Bar Menu



Stuffed New Potatoes. Haystack goat cheese stuffed new potatoes served with poblano pepper romesco sauce 5



Ahi Poke. Marinated yellowfin tuna served on crispy wonton chips 7



Lamb Meatballs. Fox Fire Farm lamb meatballs served in spicy tomato sauce 7



Tostones with Black Bean Dip. Plaintain chips served with bean dip 3



Baked Gnocchi. House-made gnocchi served baked with garlic and Parmigiano Reggiano 5



Falafel. Black bean falafel served with tomato vinaigrette 3






Restaurant Kelly Liken events: http://www.kellyliken.com/events






September 16-18, 2010 Great American Beer FestivalDenver, ColoradoAmerica's greatest beer celebration: 46,000 + attendees, 1,900 beers, in days.
September 16-19, 2010 Annual Colorado Mountain WinefestPalisade, ColoradoThis is Colorado's oldest and largest wine festival. Offering four days of fun, it features more than four dozen wineries, great music, food, chef demos, bike rides and golf amid fall colors in scenic wine country.
Irish Single Malt TastingFriday, September 17: 6:30 p.m.

“Half-way to St. Patty’s Day Irish Whiskey Tasting”Raise your glass with Professional Celtic Entertainer Scott Beach as he delves into the hidden Single Malt Whiskeys of Ireland– the country that invented whiskey! Find out the difference between Irish and Scotch Whiskeys, enjoy Irish tunes on the different styles of bagpipes, and celebrate your love of the Emerald Isle with rare and unique Irish Single Malt – not your typically Jamison or Bushmills! Reservations: $65.00 includes Castle Tour, Irish Supper Buffet, Cash Bar, Whiskey Presentation, Dessert & Coffee Reception with the Presenter.
http://www.cherokeeranch.org/index.html?lsm=1_1

September 17-19, 2010 17th Annual Telluride Blues & Brews FestivalTelluride, ColoradoThe festival is a three-day celebration of music and microbrews, held in Telluride Town Park, an outdoor music venue with breathtaking mountains for a backdrop.
2010 Great American Dine Outis September 19-25, 2010
http://strength.org/apps/dineout/index.php/Google/DisplayMap
09/17 - 09/26, 2010 - Oktoberfest DenverDenver, ColoradoLocation: Ballpark NeighborhoodContact Phone: (720) 255‑5475Website: www.oktoberfestdenver.com

September 18, 2010 Lake City Uncorked Wine & Music FestivalLake City, ColoradoGood food, good wine, good music under the fall aspen leaves in historic Lake City, Colorado -- featuring six regional bands. Variety of wines for tasting; SKA Brewing beer booth; unique food & artisan vendors.


Date
Start
End
Location

Event Registration
21 Sep 2010
6:00 PM
9:00 PM
The Broadmoor - Charles Court Restaurant 1 Lake Avenue Colorado Springs, CO 80906


The BROADMOOR's culinary team is proud to announce the Fifth Annual "Taste of the BROADMOOR" Benefit Dinner to be held September 21, 2010, at Charles Court restaurant.
Benefiting The Broadmoor's Culinary Apprenticeship Program and the Colorado Restaurant Association's ProStart Program, the five-course dinner is a celebration of the culinary industry and the next generation of great chefs. The evening will feature epicurean creations by star-studded line-up that includes The Broadmoor's Executive Chef Siegfried "Sigi" Eisenberger, Summit's Chef Bertrand Bouquin, Penrose Room's Chef Justin Miller, Charles Court's Chef Greg Barnhill, and Executive Restaurant Pastry Chef Rémy Fünfrock. Wine Director Tim Baldwin will pair all courses exquisitely with Old and New World wines.
Cost for the dinner is $150.00 per person and includes the welcome reception and wine pairings. Tickets can be purchased by calling Dining Reservations at 719.577.5733. The evening begins with a reception at 6:00 p.m. Dinner to follow at 6:30 p.m

September 22nd Westwords Dish
http://microapp.westword.com/dish/2010/


Taste of Greenwood Village
October 1st Hush’s adventures in dining go on sale.(http://www.hushdenver.com/)

10/02 - 10/03, 2010 - Cider Days Harvest Festival Lakewood, ColoradoLocation: Lakewood's Heritage CenterContact Phone: (303) 987‑7859Website: http://www.lakewood.org/
10/02 - 10/03, 2010 - Applefest Cedaredge, ColoradoLocation: Cedaredge Town ParkContact Phone: (970) 856‑6961Website: n/a

Local Flavors: Cooking and Eating from America’s Farmers Markets with Deborah Madison When: Thursday October 7 2010, 6:00 (tasting), 7:00 (speaker)Where: Denver Botanic Gardens, 1005 York Street Denver 80205Cost: $20 (Slow Food and DBG members), $25 (non-members), $10 (students, with valid id)
This is the seventh and final lecture in the 2010 Bonfils-Stanton series: The Feast in the Garden, Edible Landscapes and Regional Food Traditions. Slow Food will host a tasting prior to each lecture, highlighting tastes related to the speaker's work and featuring Colorado products.
Deborah Madison, founding chef of Greens Restaurant in San Francisco, is a cook, writer and cooking teacher with an emphasis on seasonal produce, and heritage fruit and vegetable varieties. She has authored many award-winning cookbooks, including “The Greens Cook- book” and “Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.” Her writing reveals the deeper culture of food through recipes and profiles of farmers, ranchers, producers and cooks. She writes for magazines such as Gourmet, Saveur, Orion and the blog Culinate.com, is on the board of the Seed Savers Exchange and has been involved with Slow Food for more than a decade. She is currently co-director of the Monte del Sol Edible Kitchen Garden in Santa Fe.
Slow Food members and students, please call DBG to reserve with a special rate: 720.865.3580. To learn more about the entire series or reserve online (DBG members and non-members), click here.


Tickets go on sale October 7th for the celebrity chef tour http://www.celebritycheftour.com/

Thanks for stopping by our restaurant and food review and blog. If you have any questions or comments feel free to leave them here or email us at jonathan or barbara @milehigheater.com

Friday, September 10, 2010

Hushs adventures in dining

This was just sent our way from the people at hush ( www.hushdenver.com) and thought we would pass it along to you sounds very exciting.

We are getting excited,are you?Hush would like to warmly welcome you to our new series "Adventures in Dining". We have received an overwhelming response to this new experience and could not help but share our excitement with you, our future guests. The team at Hush is busy furnishing our new digs, lining up top culinary talent, and truthfully...getting giddy as school children envisioning the look on your faces when you see what's in store. Think of this as a remote restaurant with rooms, a gourmet adventure, an intimate experience that you will never forget. Dates will be announced October 1 and available on a first come first served basis. In case you missed it, overview of experience is outlined below.Saturday, 8:00am- You awake like a ten year old on Christmas morning (only more hungry) bags packed and ready to go. But where?11:00am- You drop kids/pets/jealous friends off at the babysitter/friends house/nearby bar and make your way to the meeting location.2:00pm- You arrive at pre-disclosed meeting spot somewhere in the front range. You agree never to disclose the location you are headed to anyone, only stories.3:00pm- You arrive at breathtaking Hush mountain retreat and check into your private room complete with Egyptian cotton linens and jacuzzi tub.4:00pm- You join other guests in great room for wine and hors d' oeuvres.5:00pm- The cooking begins in our open kitchen where you participate along side our featured chef (or not) in the preparation of your 5-6 course dinner event.10:00pm- You stumble back to your room in a food coma for a night cap and bubble bath...Sunday 9:00am- You awake to the smell of french press coffee and jaw dropping views outside your private deck.9:30am- You join guests in our upstairs breakfast area for a gourmet breakfast.11:00am- You join featured chef in our open kitchen for a cooking class/demo on topic of chef's choice. Lite lunch included.1:00pm- You depart with changed mind, body, and belly telling only stories about your experience.Home in time to watch Sunday night HBO/Football.
Tickets on sale October 1 2010An email will be sent to this list only for first 48 hours, then opened up to entire Hush list.Each experience limited to 6 rooms based on double occupancy (price the same if room is only occupied by one guest) Dates beginning the last weekend in October.

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Kelly Liken on Top Chef

We just wanted to say "Great Job" to Kelly Liken on Top Chef. Although Kelly was eliminated last night, she did a phenomenal job on the show by showing her skills as a chef. We were saddened to see her go, but know that many great things will be coming her way because of the experience of being on Top Chef.

If you get a chance, go to her restaurant in Vail and taste for yourself. Check out the website here: http://www.kellyliken.com/

Barb & Jonathan

Monday, September 6, 2010

Lets "Dish"

Let’s “Dish”!

We discovered a unique surprise during our recent visit to the Vail area. Located in our hotel room, was a guide to local restaurants and this one stood out for us, so we had to give it a try. It’s actually located in Edwards, which is about 4 exits west of Vail.

The building that Dish is located in, is unique it itself. Its uniqueness intrigued us and we were not disappointed.

We got to the restaurant a little early, so we sat at the bar and had their signature drink, the Greyhound. The Greyhound is vodka and grapefruit juice. We watched as the bartender mixed our drink in front of us, juicing the grapefruit before our eyes. Now, neither one of us is big drinkers, but we both said that this was a drink we’d have over and over again. Ok, Barb said she could have it again, and I went yum. If you are there you need to try this drink along with their evil truffle popcorn. I almost said the heck with the meal and just sat there drinking greyhounds and snacking on the popcorn. I am afraid I may be ruined for all other popcorn forever.
dishandkelly0002
Don’t let it fool you, this is no normal popcorn. Eat it at your own risk, popcorn may never be the same. Barb was not as enthralled with the popcorn as I but her pop corn savvy is not as finely honed as mine .


Here are a few pictures of the restaurant.
dishandkelly0001

dishandkelly0028
Jenna in her kitchen talking to a customer.



The Meal
Dish serves “tapas”, which are small plates which are great for everyone getting something different and sharing between you which makes for a great meal and great conversation. We decided to go with the six course chef’s tasting menu.

The first thing out was the “the Original”, which was shaved Spanish Serrano ham, a sliver of artisan manchego, and a splash of alvear dry sherry.
dishandkelly0004
What you do is wrap up the manchego cheese in the Serrano ham and dip it in the sherry. Afterwards, you can drink the rest of the sherry. This is based on a Spanish tradition.

She said: The Original was good, but it didn’t stand out for me at all. The cheese was delicious, the ham was a little chewy for me, but the flavors were good.

He said: I found this pretty cool, nothing outstanding but tasty and a good start to the meal and the meals conversation, and really when is it a bad thing to get a little bit of sherry!

The second starter was a creamy roasted red beet and ginger soup, with Indian curried yoghurt. dishandkelly0006
She said: The soup was the standout for me. It was delicious. The smell was incredible, and the color of it was gorgeous. The soup was thick and creamy. The yoghurt mixed in created a smooth taste of hot and cool.

He said: When it was coming towards the table and before the waitress started describing it, we both kind of thought it was some sort of sorbet or perhaps a berry based cold soup and I was looking forward to it just based on appearance.


Then she started the description and as soon as she said beets I was "woahh, wait a minute - beets, do I have to?" Probably like a lot of folks the only beets I was really exposed to early on in life were those canned beets that seem to just flop out of the can and sit there on the plate and dare you to touch it, so needless to say I am not a huge beet fan even if some experiences as of late have been proving me wrong.

Well, this is another instance of my initial thought being proved wrong. This hot soup was rich with a great taste. The yoghurt gave a little cooling effect and the mingling of spices from it and the soup made me really take notice. As you ate it, you kind of had a “stick to your ribs” feeling and a little of this soup really made you feel satisfied (of course that could of also been a side effect of me gorging on the popcorn earlier). Beet lover or hater you really, REALLY should give this soup a try.

Our next course was salad. Barb received the Celery salad. It contained celery, black pepper champagne vin, brown butter croutons and artisan goat gouda.
dishandkelly0010
Jonathan was served rocket greens, local greens, chickpeas, chives, and madras curry vinaigrette.
dishandkelly0008
She said: My salad was awesome! Who would have thought that celery could taste so good? Once you got all the ingredients on the fork, the tastes just popped in my mouth. As Jonathan says, “Mmmmmmm”. I couldn’t believe how delicious it was and I cleaned my plate.

He said: Barb really liked her salad and so did I. Now for mine - with the mix of chickpeas and the curry vinaigrette which tasted a bit of cumin and other spices, just did not float my boat. It was one of those things where you know it’s not bad and could see that someone else would probably like it but for me it was kind of "meh".

The next course is seafood. Barb is served yellow fin tuna Hawaiian, sashimi salad, pickled cucumbers, sesame avocadoes and crispy wontons.
dishandkelly0011
Jonathan was served blackened shrimp, chilled, watermelon tomato gazpacho, watercress and avocado vinaigrette.
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At this point in the meal, the chef came out to talk to us. We had mentioned at the start of the meal that we were bloggers and that we’d like to copy the menu down for later. The chef, Jenna Johansen mentioned that she wanted to start a blog, so she asked us questions. She was super friendly and very passionate about her food. She was a treat to talk to. Talking with her you could really hear and see the passion she had about her cooking and food in general and it was a genuine pleasure having the time to talk to her.

She said: At first I didn’t like this course, it just didn’t hit me the way the previous courses had. But in most cases with these types of courses, you need to have every component on your fork. Once I did that, the course improved for me.

He said: With Barb's meal, I actually felt different about it. I thought the tuna by itself had a very nice flavor but once I added in the wontons and everything else it seemed to get a bit muddied, not a bad dish by any means but not a standout. I think in reality for me I only like raw tuna in small doses but I really like those small doses. If I can get a small tasting of tuna I am very happy, but when you get a generous serving I think it just becomes too much. I believe a real tuna lover would of gone nuts over this course.

With my dish was just the opposite when you got a bit of everything on your fork it had a great flavor that I really liked but if you had a bite that did not have each and everything on it, the taste really lost ground. It went from very good to just ok. That being said I did enjoy this dish and the taste combinations you just have to make sure you get a bit of everything on your fork.

Next up for Barb was Crispy chicken breast with chilled glass noodles, carrots, napa cabbage and spiced peanut dressing. dishandkelly0018

Jonathan received Grilled lamb sirloin with Serrano ham and fresh corn vegetable salsa and rancho gordo red quinoa.
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She said: Delish! I’ve never had glass noodles before and they are these thin almost see through noodles. The flavors were strong and bold. The peanut dressing was a perfect combination with the chicken and noodles. Again, I cleaned my plate and was feeling very full and sated.

He said: Barb's dish was very good and I felt really happy that she liked it a lot because there is no way at all I was sharing more than a bite of my lamb. It was MMMMMMMM worthy! Perfectly cooked piece of meat that just melted in your mouth and the corn salsa added a bit of crisp sweetness that made it just scream out yumminess. Even though I was getting pretty full at this point I nearly licked this dish clean. Looking over this review again right before we post it and my mouth still starts to salivate thinking about that lamb. Has me thinking it may be worth the trip back up just for the lamb.

Wow, we still have dessert to get through. Jenna decided to give us one extra dessert to try, so we had three desserts! We were served Chocolate Butterscotch pudding with sea salted toffee sauce and cocoa nibs.
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Next up was Palisade peach rustic crisp with oatmeal crust and vanilla bean gelato.
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Our last dessert was Rocky Road rich chocolate cream pie, with Oreo crust, marshmallow crème and filberts.
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She said: At first I thought, pudding. I can make pudding. Well, guess again. That pudding was my favorite dessert of the three. It was so rich and decadent, that I ate two bites of the peaches and went right back to the pudding. The Rocky Road was very rich, almost too much so for me (believe it or not). I think by the time it came out, I was so stuffed that I couldn’t enjoy it as much.

He said: OK, look back at that pudding see that it’s not really whole, well it got sat down and we both pounced and forgot to get a picture! It looked and tasted that good, yum!. The peach rustic crisp was probably my favorite of the three. Fresh peaches from a local Colorado Farm that alone makes it craveworthy but add the crisp and the art of a great chef = YUMMMMMMMM!

The rocky road was so darn rich it almost kills you to eat it but you can’t put your fork down. What a incredible end to a fantastic dinner.


We would recommend “Dish” very highly to anyone visiting the area, or even for a drive up from the Metro area. It was a wonderful surprise that we happened upon and we would go back again.

For me, the casual relaxed atmosphere and the passionate chef will make it a place I crave, and will be returning to in the future to see what else Jenna can come up with.

Jenna also does cooking classes monthly where she closes down the restaurant and shares her passion for cooking with others. Keep an eye on the restaurants website for details and we will try to list them in our blog when we hear about them. http://www.eatdrinkdish.com/

Some pictures of the outside
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As always thanks for stopping by our Colorado based restaurant review and food blog. If you have any comments or questions please let us know either here or at Jonathan or Barb @milehigheater.com




















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