By Carol Maybach and Laurel Miller
March 2007
All eggs Benedict are not created equal, and as proof we offer the three versions at DJ’s, the tiny Tennyson Street cafe where chef and co-owner Devin Stallings spins his kitchen magic. All three versions—a classic rendition, a decadent crab cake Benedict, or a veggie take where tomatoes and avocado stand in for Canadian bacon—arrive topped with Stallings’ standout hollandaise. He
makes his custardy, vaguely tart sauce the old-fashioned way, by whisking butter, egg yolks, white pepper, lemon, Tabasco, and chicken stock over heat. You’d be wise to save just enough of the lemony and deceptively light concoction for the Irish boxty, the potato pancake that comes alongside.
DJ’s Berkeley café 3838 Tennyson St., 303-482-1841, www.djscafe.biz/
By Carol W. Maybach
(out of 4 stars)
1808 Blake St., 303-292-2229
www.9thdoor.com
The Draw
Tapas as tapas should be: simple, rustic, full of traditional flavors, and easy to eat.
The Drawback
Diners can get overwhelmed by the singles scene as the evening moves into the later hours.
Don't Miss
The carne de cerdo (baby-back ribs), pimientos del piquillo rellenos, pollo oloroso, and flan de limón.
Vegetarian Options
Esparragos a la plancha (grilled asparagus), croquetas de hongos (mushroom and rice croquette with sherry-mushroom sauce), and escalivada (roasted vegetables with olive oil). Several gluten-free options.
By Laurel Miller
(out of 4 stars)
825 Walnut St., Boulder
303-440-7151
www.sherpaascent.com
Must-Try New Dishes
Vindaloo and Sherpa stew.
Old Favorites
Chile-rubbed meats, momo, saag, korma.
Then
Ever since 2002, when Everest guide Pemba Sherpa opened his Himalayan restaurant in a cozy old Victorian in downtown Boulder, locals have gathered to trade mountain tales and enjoy hearty Tibetan, Nepalese, and Indian cuisine. Sherpa’s was established as a way to support the staff’s family members back in Nepal, as well as provide medical care and education for Nepalese schoolchildren. (Pemba and staff donate a portion of profits toward these and other philanthropic projects in their homeland.) In 2003, 5280 restauarnt critic K. Courtney DeWinter awarded Sherpa’s three and a half stars, citing great food and service, and “low, low prices.” We decided to revisit the restaurant to see how Sherpa’s is faring.
Now
Walking into Sherpa’s I have the sense of being home. Sure, it smells like curry, but olfactory variations aside I want to put my feet up, crack a book, and stay awhile. Which would be easy enough to do, given the library of guidebooks and adventure memoirs in the bar area, designed to entice solo visitors to while away the hours... (Continued)
Read the full story in the March 2007 issue of 5280 Magazine.
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