"All about the filling"
Crepe Amour opens on Rockrimmon with Ethiopia influence; Jake & Telly's to launch a Greek retail market; Josh & John's announces new location + more food & drink news
Owner/Chef Nadia Awel-Malone describes Crepe Amour CO to me as “a French creperie with Ethiopian and Mediterranean touches.”
She just opened last week at 207 W. Rockrimmon Blvd., in the same Delmonico Square shopping center as a bundle of other food and drink businesses, including The Ice Cream Lab, Oliver’s Deli, Zapata Mexican, Cleats and Hello Thai & Yakitori. Her 11-year-old daughter named the business and her 14-year-old daughter and a friend chalked beautiful henna design patterns around the borders of large chalkboard menus behind Crepe Amour’s central order counter. Her 19-year-old son is contributing barista work until he returns to college soon. Point being this is a family enterprise, with Nadia’s husband Ed behind the scenes doing his part, too.
Crepe Amour’s menu splits into sweet (14 choices), savory (8 options) and breakfast crepes (9 selections) plus a few salads and side items. And I’ll get to what we sampled below. But first, some more backstory: My party of four has already finished dining when I steal Nadia away from service to sit and interview with me for a few minutes. I learn that she grew up in between Ethiopia and Germany. While in Europe, she worked in restaurants and met Ed, later coming to the States with him in 2001. His career in the Army kept them moving around, but after a stint in Colorado Springs she says they knew it’s where they wished to return someday to raise their children. She proudly tells me how Ed fought in both Iraq and Afghanistan and took a bullet in 2005 “for God and country.”
After she earned double bachelor's degrees for international business and information systems at the University of Maryland, she worked in the software industry. She and Ed did 360-degree leadership assessments for the Air Force too, she says, until COVID dried up the funding for the work. So how did she come to open Crepe Amour, I ask? “It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, but not while my kids were young.” She notes her brother had a restaurant in Los Angeles at one point, so culinary interest runs in the blood. “I come from a culture that believes in how food brings people together,” she says. Already, she’s overjoyed at the warm reception Crepe Amour has received from its earliest patrons, somewhat proving her point.
During our meal, we sipped on cups of house sage tea — a medicinal tea in Ethiopia, she says, noting it’s lightly sweetened here — and a cardamom-ginger tea they call “shai” back home, made with cinnamon, clove, lemon and a touch of sugar. I also enjoyed a breve-style half-and-half latte made with light-roasted Ethiopian beans. But as we sit down to chat, Nadia insists I try her favorite drink, an Ethiopian ceremonial sipper called a “buna,” served in a small espresso cup. It’s a double shot with a touch of milk, not a far cry from a Cortado, which she prefers with a touch of honey. “My kids know not to talk to me when I’m having this coffee at home,” she says, jokingly acknowledging her own ritual. She’s from the Dire Dawa, close to Harar, believed to be the birthplace of coffee. She says she grew up roasting and grinding her own coffee, as many Ethiopians do, and that the drink was part of daily activities in her house. Neighbors would attend coffee service when her father would come home for lunch break, and her family would go to neighbors’ houses in the evening for more coffee after work. “It’s a communal thing,” she says.
To sample other Ethiopian touches on the menu, I order the Enkulal Firfir and Ful. The first is a colorful bowl of scrambled egg bits with onions and tomatoes, garnished with cilantro and seasoned lightly with berbere: Ethiopia’s distinctive, signature spice blend. It arrives with an airy white bread roll for tearing off of and dipping if you wish. Which is also how the Ful is paired and presented, except it’s a bowl of house-soaked, slow-cooked fava beans served again with tomatoes, onion and cilantro, but also jalapeño bits (adding a little spiciness in place of traditional awaze sauce, to be more American-palate friendly). The beans’ finish-flavor is totally unique, and Nadia again credits berbere, but also coriander seeds she lightly roasts, plus some cumin.
From the Mediterranean pantry, we try the falafel crepe and kufta crepe. The latter is ground beef with house-shredded potatoes and onions, which has a hash browns vibe, though it’s seasoned by a “house sauce” that comes on several crepes off the savory and breakfast menus. She shares that it includes garlic, cilantro, berbere, lime and a little cream. (On that note, vegan and gluten-free subs are available.) Think of the falafel crepe as like the sandwich, just subbing a thin crepe in for thicker pita bread. Nadia soaks chickpeas and shapes and seasons her own falafel, proud not to use a prepackaged mix. Inside, she wraps lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and cilantro with the falafel and gives a finish drizzle of her house sauce. It all works wonderfully.
Our favorite bite of the meal though is the Pacific Benedict Crepe, a deeply rich delight thanks to smoked salmon, cream cheese and hollandaise sauce plus fried eggs on top. Capers add punchy salt and brine and red onions a complementary sharpness, with chopped parsley for fresh herbal finish. And since we can’t not get sweet crepes, we conclude our feast with Crepe Amour’s Blueberry Bliss and a strawberry-chocolate crepe (usually strawberry Nutella but one of our party has a mild nut allergy). As straightforward as they are, they’re well-executed. The kid among us calls the strawberry one “really good” and my sample bite doesn’t betray that sentiment. I eat way more of the Blueberry Bliss than I intend to, trying to be modest with my sugar intake, but it happens so quickly while I’m talking that I feel it was instinctual. Nadia says she starts with fresh berries and reduces them with sugar to create a blueberry sauce to her liking, then mixes that in with sweet cream, garnishing the affair with almond slivers and whipped cream. The word “bliss” is fair in the name.
Pro tip: If you don’t specify a crepe batter you prefer, the default is a white flour crepe. But Nadia tells me she can substitute with garbanzo, buckwheat or teff flour, clarifying that unlike Ethiopian injera bread, this teff isn’t fermented prior. I ask why she opted to lean more French with the cafe instead of incorporating more Ethiopian touches and she says there’s already two excellent spots in town (referring to Uchenna and Taste of Ethiopia) that she didn’t wish to compete with. Instead, she prefers the ease of and universal appreciation for crepes, which she views as the perfect blank canvas with endless ways to customize. “By itself, a crepe is nothing,” she says. “It’s all about the filling.”
What’s “old” is new again
Ropa Vieja translates to “old clothes,” but it’s newly popular in recent years across the States. The classic Cuban dish owes its roots to Spain’s Iberian Peninsula region. Reacquaint yourself or try it for the first time with Chef David Cook’s easy pressure cooker recipe from Gather Food Studio. Visit either of Ranch Foods Direct’s retail markets to pick up the necessary Callicrate Beef flank steak. Let them know you’re a Side Dish subscriber and get 5 percent off your whole shopping basket.
Jake & Telly’s to open neighboring retail market
Come May of this year Jake & Telly’s Greek Taverna will celebrate 29 years in business in Old Colorado City. Boisterous personality and owner Jake Topakas, having weathered all the storms restaurateurs have had to, in recent years especially, tells me he’s tired as he nears turning 50. Left to his own devices, he may have held down his fort as-is, continuing to offer a fine, locally-beloved product with great service. But he wasn’t feeling the energy for expansion or a bold move. Luckily for him, though, his 26-year-old nephew John Diavatis, who he’d brought on recently as a manager, was. So when an adjacent storefront became vacant, Diavatis pushed his uncle to jump on the opportunity, to give longtime J&T patrons something they’d been requesting for years.
The way Topakas tells it, regular clientele over the years have always asked for items like “a quart of feta, a pint of olives, a bag of pita bread, a pound of gyro meat” to take home after their meal. They love the products the restaurant makes, but also love the high-quality Greek imported goods. The staff would oblige with what sales they could from the hostess stand (basically treating it as modified to-go orders), but it gave Topakas the idea that he should set up a small retail display case near the front entryway, to encourage more sales and make the goods more readily available. Plus, he says, he was already ordering extra supplies from his purveyors (not seen on his menu) to assemble gift baskets for things like silent-auction donations at annual events. (J&T’s is a key part of the Colorado Springs Greek Festival at Archangel Michael Greek Orthodox Church.)
Well, that was the small-scale plan that still hadn’t come to fruition before Diavatis came aboard and took the initiative to think bigger. “He rejuvenated me,” says Topakas, “and gave me the confidence not to slack.” Once presented with a full retail storefront (at 2616 W. Colorado Ave., #1), “right there next to the mothership,” Topakas knew “it was a no-brainer.” He started to realize other benefits, like extra inventory storage that could backstop the eatery, and utilizing the new space for pick-up and to-go orders. But mainly, he’d have a wide space — not just a single display case at a host stand — to sell an abundance of Greek retail goods. (The only other shop in the Springs which sells a decent quantity of Greek items is Briar Mart on North Academy Boulevard.)
Once the Jake & Telly’s Greek Market opens (by March 1, tentatively), Topakas says guests will be able to grab a mix of foods portioned and prepared by the restaurant (from a cooler section) as well as imported dry goods. For example, they’ll break down feta blocks and repack olives into various sized containers, representing food served at the eatery. The market will offer J&T’s house Greek Dressing, and hummus, too. But similarly, they’ll work with their importer to begin bringing in more olive varietals in cans and jars to stock the shelves, as well as other cheeses, sweets, cured meats, teas, sodas and much more.
Not initially, but down the road, Topakas says he’d like to introduce take-’n’-bake items, like a gyro kit, with all the elements you need to assemble and re-warm at home. “We’re really excited for this new venture,” he says, “to bring a Greek market and these great products to the Springs.”
Bites & Bits
• Josh & John’s recently announced an expansion to a new location just south of downtown, at 120 Cheyenne Blvd., inside the Creekwalk development. (Several other eateries are located there, though only Marigold & Go is local.) In speaking with the J&J’s management team, I glean a tentative April 1 opening date for the new scoopery.
• Cocktails After Dusk announced this week that as of February, it’s expanding to six days a week of service (up from four), planning to operate Mondays through Saturdays. The expansion comes as Bob Curtis, co-owner with his wife Stephanie of Salad or Bust, has renamed their shared space 8 East Bijou Eatery & Drinkery. That’s according to CAD’s co-owner Tim Chapman (also owner of Bitter and Glitter), who ads that Bob has created a new late-night menu to fill in where Orsetto Wood Fired Pizza leaves off from providing service. Chapman also says other new programming includes drag trivia nights with Salad or Bust on Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. And Tuesday speakeasy nights, “where we will only be pouring mix drinks or shots with one beer option and a red and white wine. Everything from 6 p.m. until midnight will be $5 a drink, cash only.” He notes they’ll also focus on events like four-course amuse bouche and cocktail pairing flights, bartender competitions and woman's empowerment gatherings.
• At this week’s Women of Influence celebration hosted by the Colorado Springs Business Journal, two award recipients have ties to the food-and-drink industry: Patricia Burleson, The Margarita at Pine Creek’s founder/owner, and Monica Kowalski, Founder/COO of Lebowski’s Taproom and Lebowski’s Kool-Luah Coffee Liqueur. Congrats to them both!
• Cinchona Coffee is doing a month-long takeover at Provision Bread through Feb. 16: 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesdays-Fridays and 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays-Sundays. Owner/Barista Andrew Shepherd Combs will have exclusive boutique beans for sale and will offer three single-variety honey choices for matcha or latte drinks. I had reported here earlier this month how Cinchona had to shutter its pop-up shop at 130 E. Pikes Peak Ave. early in December. (Side note: It’s cool to see Provision supporting Cinchona, technically a marketplace competitor, given how the bakery is the sister business to Switchback Coffee Roasters.)
• Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar just recently launched new lunch and brunch hours — 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Wednesdays-Fridays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturdays-Sundays. The new menu for both features a half-dozen appetizer options, raw bar selections, salads, sandwiches and non-seafood items like a burger and fried chicken sandwich with hot honey and green goddess aioli. There’s also a Gulf shrimp cacio e pepe pasta plate and specials will come on during weekend service such as a smoked salmon melt, blackened shrimp and grits and french toast. Yes, you’ll Bloody Marys then, and also doughnut Old Fashioned drinks.
• Trails End Taproom Monument posted last week to say they’re “taking a break for the foreseeable future.” Bear in mind the pour-your-own-beer taphouse at 2925 W. Colorado Ave. is very much alive, though, as the recent opening of Hammond’s Pastrami & Smoked Delicatessen has breathed new life and energy into the space — once the iconic Mason Jar, which Trails End owner Kevin Weese acquired in mid 2022.
• Here’s something a little outside the box: a group of Colorado Springs industry friends who’re leading a food-and-drink-focused travel excursion to Puerto Vallarta in early June. Spots are now open for the five-day inclusive package, which features food tours and a Mexican spirits master class. Co-organizer Johnathan Shankland (who’s wife and co-organizer Kimberly is a certified travel advisor) tells Side Dish the model is something that hasn’t really been tried before locally, in terms of inviting the public on a trip co-hosted by seasoned Springs bartenders whose bars they’ve probably enjoyed drinks at. Johnathan Shankland, Luis Rodriguez, Colby Carlson and Brittany Chavez have over the years worked together in some combination at spots like The Broadmoor, The Famous and Red Gravy. On this newly developed Mix It Up trip, they’ll guide guests through tastings in and around the Pacific beach city. (Side note: I’ve dined extensively through P.V. myself over the course of three trips, years apart, as I had good friends living and teaching in the area. My favorite tacos in the world —smoked marlin tacos from Mariscos La Tia — are located there.)
• The Broadmoor’s annual Colorado Appreciation menus remain available through Feb. 28 (excluding Valentine’s week). Special prix fixe menus are: $49 (lunch and dinner) at the Golden Bee, $59 (dinner only) at Ristorante Del Lago and $69 (dinner only) at La Taverne.
Side Dish Dozen happenings
Blue Star Group: Stellina Supper Club at Stellina Pizza Cafe, Jan. 27. View the full menu and buy tickets here. (Very few remaining!) Five courses, wine pairing optional.
Odyssey Gastropub: New menus launched! Highlights from lunch/dinner include a flounder banh mi, truffle mac & cheese and miso mussels. Brunch brings the Grilled Bourdain (with provolone and mortadella), eggs in purgatory and steak & potato Benedict.
The Carter Payne: Neighborhood Brew Passport Pop-Up, noon to 4 p.m., Jan. 25 and Jan. 26. Limited food menu from Chef Brent available to pair.
Bristol Brewing Company: With its super low ABV of 4.5%, our London Brown is the perfect pint for this quiet time of year. Grab one on draft at select locations around town or stop by the brewery.
Rasta Pasta: The only Italian-Jamaican fusion spot around. We were once featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Happy hours daily from 3-5 p.m., with $3 Red Stripes, $4 rum punch and $5 munchies.
T-Byrd’s Tacos & Tequila: Come for our $11.99 lunch special, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, which is chips & salsa, two tacos of your choice, rice, beans and a fountain drink. Also catch happy hours, 3-6 p.m. and 9 p.m. to close, Sunday-Friday.
Kangaroo Coffee: Our coffees are now available on DoorDash! We also sell our organic coffee beans online, along with java merch. Drop by for weekly drink specials.
Eleven18: Serving a special new allocated tequila, Código 1530 Origen Extra Añejo. Come for our 10-course siesta experience, just $65. Visit sister outfit Four by Brother Luck for Chef Ashley Brown’s new winter menu.
Ascent Beverage: We’re proud to distribute regionally made brands like Apple Valley Cider, 1874 Distilling, Jackson Hole Stillworks and Backwards Distilling.
Goat Patch Brewing: Bleating Heart Night, 5-9 p.m., Jan. 28, benefitting Mountain Song Community School. Trivia, Jan. 29. Therapeutic Thursdays Adult Coloring Night and Singo Music Bingo (Retro 70’s, Vol. 3), both starting at 6 p.m., Jan. 30.
Wobbly Olive: Our new winter menu features awesome desserts like a pumpkin tostada and Huntsman Apple “Pie” with Huntsman cheese and candied sage. In Allusion Speakeasy find the Hogwarts Express Chocolate Frog with butterbeer eggnog.
Edelweiss: We are filling up fast for Valentine’s Day. Make reservations now.
Red Gravy: New menu items include Gnocco Frito (Italian beignets with prosciutto) and the Rigatoni Alessandro (smoked salmon, sun-dried tomato, capers and olives in lemon cream sauce).
Upcoming events
*Make whatever Valentine’s Day reservations you plan to now. Don’t be that last-minute person, disappointed when you can’t get a table somewhere special. There’s no love in that.
Jan. 25: National Irish Coffee Day at Black Bear Distillery. 2-7 p.m.; $10 Irish Coffees on special, made with their house whiskey.
Jan. 25: The Great Fruitcake Toss in Manitou Springs.
Feb. 5: Wine Boot Camp-Cabernet Franc at Uva Wine Bar.
Feb. 15: Haute Chocolate Hop downtown. 2-5 p.m.
Feb. 15: Wine Ride with The Local Motive. Starts at 5 p.m. at My Cellar Wine Bar. (Preceded the night prior by a Galentine’s Crawl.)
Feb. 21: Pagmamahal Ng Lasa (For the Love of Flavor) dinner with Baon Supper Club at The Carter Payne. 6 p.m., $95 includes five courses and welcome drink; $20 more for Local Relic beer pairings. (Limited seating.)
Feb. 26-March 1: Wine Festival of Colorado Springs featuring the wines of California’s central coast. Multiple events and venues. (Buy tickets early.)
Parting shot(s)
Thanks to everyone who made it out for our Blue Star Group Dine Around Sip With Schnip on Jan. 23!
Guests got a sneak peek up-close of design features (everything from dish ware to color swatches for textiles) for the soon-to-reopen Blue Star. Stellina Pizza gifted our paid subscribers a welcome cocktail and bags of housemade pasta to cook at home. We had many people complete the full dine-around experience at each BSG kiosk inside the Ivywild School. Empanadas were slain, burgers and hot chicken sandwiches devoured, cookies crumbled, drinks drank and pie pieces punished — all in the name of culinary adventure and community gathering.
Thanks to Blue Star Group for their ongoing Side Dish Dozen membership (sponsorship). I’m personally thrilled to watch the revived restaurant take form in the coming months. Stay tuned for updates. And next month plan to join me for a Sip With Schnip at T-Byrd’s Tacos & Tequila … an all day Sunday happy hour with special surprises, tentatively set for Feb. 23.
