From the beginning, chef Bradford Heap’s Wild Standard was radically different in concept than his other restaurants, Colterra and Salt the Bistro. Not only did Wild Standard deviate from local-first ethos with its focus on sustainable seafood, but the dining room was dominated by roving dim sum carts serving small bites of food, a format modeled after San Francisco’s much-celebrated State Bird Provisions.

But less than a year in, Heap realized it wasn’t working. While the idea was entertaining and interactive in theory, the nontraditional service format created operational issues for both the front and back of the house. “I think the thing is that this space is much larger than State Bird. It just didn’t translate,” Heap says.

About a month ago, Heap and his much-relieved staff retired the carts in favor of a traditional service style and debuted a new summer menu. “Just looking at one of the old trays sort of gives me PTSD,” Heap laughs. The focus on ethically sourced seafood remains—and new menu additions like pan-seared scallops with a creamy vegetable succotash are sure to provide a compelling reason for diners to give Wild Standard a second look.

1043 Pearl St., Boulder, 720-638-4800

Callie Sumlin
Callie Sumlin
Callie Sumlin is a writer living in Westminster, and has been covering food and sustainability in the Centennial State for more than five years.