Buttercake, beer, beats and battle
Side Dish celebrates 2nd anniversary with a Josh & John's collab ice cream series; Goat Patch Northgate opens; 7 questions with Chef Brother Luck the DJ; Knife Fight wizardry + more food & drink news
Side Dish went live on March 22, 2023, so some 166 published newsletters later (yes, Substack conveniently counts them for me) here I am, still kickin’ and scribblin’. I’m two years old!
I’ve found that more mindful celebrations of milestones can be a healthy habit, so I decided I’d earned some candy. Specifically ice cream. But I didn’t want to party alone. So I approached Josh & John’s (who’re soon to turn 40!) and inquired if they’d be interested in doing a collaborative ice cream series with Side Dish and pals. Good news: They said yes. Better news: They were totally open to my flavor concepts.
So I’m thrilled to announce the exclusive release — very limited run, downtown location only — of the first flavor this Friday, March 21 at 11 a.m. Get there to grab a pint of Blueberry Gooey Buttercake in partnership with Red Gravy. Inspired by the stupid-good St. Louis-style dessert served at the restaurant, we made a blueberry-lemon ice cream base (with organic freeze dried blueberry extract) and crumbled up pieces of gooey buttercake into it. Red Gravy Chef/Owner Eric Brenner (a Side Dish Dozen member) joined me at Josh & John’s Churn Barn to taste-test as their team whipped it up and batched it out. Ryan Hannigan filmed the session for Tap&Table.
And, I’m not lying here, and I’m also not sure if it’s just something he says after eating any ice cream he likes (you never know), but J&J’s owner John Krakauer took a spoonful with us of the final product and exclaimed: “That’s one of the best flavors we’ve ever made.” (Boom goes the gooey dynamite!)
Our tentative plan is to release a new flavor in the series each Friday for the next few weeks, and I’ll announce each flavor one-at-a-time along the way to highlight each collaborator. (Teaser: The second collaboration involves a brewery.) I hope you enjoy celebrating my anniversary in cold, drippy, sweet style as much as I do. If you want to ensure a taste of the action my best advice is do not snooze, and get to J&Js downtown on the early side of Friday; there’s only around 50 pints available and they’ll go quick.
Make pork pupusas with Monse and Ranch Foods Direct
Click the above image to head to this month’s feature recipe, which is also here!
Goat Patch Brewing’s new Northgate location is live
On Monday, I got an exclusive look at Goat Patch Brewing’s new Northgate location just hours before they surprised everyone with a sudden soft opening for the day. (Hence architecture plans unrolled on a community table near the bar in the above photo.) Coincidentally and symbolically, this Northgate launch happened five years to the day since Goat Patch had to lay off staff when Covid shuttered restaurants and bars (as we reflected upon last week here). To be here expanding again today … wow.
The key thing to know if you want to be among the first people to enjoy the satellite tap house is that they’re serving their house beers only for the next week or so as they finalize everything to get their attached kitchen open. Meanwhile there’s some snacks available behind the bar if you do crave something salty and crunchy with your beer.
Current hours are noon to 10 p.m., daily, which will move to opening at 11 a.m. once the kitchen opens. Menu design is by Ascent Restaurant Group Chef Jay Gust. I’ll have a preview of the fares for you soon.
If you happen to be new to town or unfamiliar with Goat Patch (a Side Dish Dozen sponsor member), get caught up on the seven-year-old company’s backstory with my prior reporting here and here. Between those links, you’ll be able to read about the brewery’s awards, their reasoning behind this expansion northward (which preceded their acquisition in November of Pikes Peak Brewing) and why they like to toss wieners every September.
Like many businesses positioned in the area, Goat Patch hopes to pick up patrons this summer who’re seeing shows at the Ford Amphitheater, located just a mile and a half away from their North Gate Plaza Shopping Center (which also hosts Zesty Thai, Sushi Ato and other eateries). This new location boasts 16 taps, which is a slightly larger offering than at home base in the Lincoln Center brewery. The latest release at both taprooms is an Axe & the Oak Bourbon Barrel Aged Red Scottish Ale. Two other easy springtime sippers I recommend are a tart cranberry ale and hibiscus pale ale.
Seven questions with Brother Luck the DJ
By now you’re all familiar with Brother Luck the Top Chef. And you’ve probably heard something about his mental health and sobriety advocacy. But not everyone’s familiar with Brother Luck the DJ, especially those who haven’t yet joined us for a monthly Knife Fight chef’s battle at Eleven18 (a Side Dish Dozen member). I was personally curious how Luck got into DJing, and if he sees any overlaps between creating beats and crafting food. So I threw seven questions at him. Here’s what he had to say:
How did you get into DJing —what was the inspiration?
I started to DJ when I broke my foot a few years ago. Post-surgery I had to stay in a bed and was unable to walk. I needed something to do with all the creativity that was sitting in my head, so I decided that I was going to learn how to really play. I’ve always been into the music and around a lot of the artists, but had never actually formally learned how until then.
Who are some of your favorite artists?
I’m really into deep house and Afro house. That’s usually what I’m playing when I’m listening to the music for myself. When I’m in front of a crowd, I’m usually playing for them. Black Coffee, Frances Deep and Luuk Van Djik are some of my favorites.
What's your preferred EDM style, or do you mix things up between styles like house, trance, drum & bass, etc.?
I play mostly Afro, groove, soul and deep house. Very tribal and Midwest inspired. Love the soul vocals and drums.
Creatively speaking, are there any commonalities between cooking and spinning music? Like, same part of the brain activated, or does it scratch different itches?
Spinning music and writing a menu are very similar. You’re creating an experience for someone to fill something. The same way I write a menu with a beginning, middle and end is similar to how I create a playlist. I’m trying to stir emotion and transport you to some type of feeling. Producers like my farmers and a DJ are similar to the Chef. Our job is to not mess up what they created, but put our personality on it and tailor it for the people enjoying it.
Have you had any amusing interactions with customers after they realize that's the chef/owner DJing at the counter at Eleven18?
People are always so shocked and excited at the same time. I always crack up when I get the double take because they think I’m usually just the DJ, and then they put it together that I’m also the chef/owner. We’ve intentionally used that for a few catering events like pool parties, where I’ll just take over the turntables in the middle of the event. And it adds a whole different vibe to the experience.
Do you know any other Top Chefs who perform in their own spaces, or do you think you can claim the title of Most Unique or something like that?
It’s definitely original, my approach between collaborating culinary as a Top Chef and sound. I don’t know any other chefs who are actively doing it like I am. It’s exciting when we go to events like the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen and I get to be the only Top chef behind the turntables.
As a vocal mental health advocate, has playing music helped you personally with your wellness? Do you find it uplifts your mood, grounds you, provides peace, etc.?
Throughout my sobriety, this has actually been the best thing for my mental health. Having something to do with my hands, and also the ability to disconnect by putting headphones on alleviates a lot of the social pressures I felt when I was drinking. I can zone out and dig the records or play with sounds for hours. It’s definitely a newfound passion that has taken me to unexpected places and my own creativity.
Bites & Bits
• Just minutes after I went to print last week, rumors reached me of iconic Luigi’s closing last week. This note they posted on Monday to their customers explains owners Gina and Les Costley’s decision for shuttering. Another note on their website said: “We don’t HAVE to close, we want to close.” The Gazette offered a little more framework and quoting from the notices in this story. For my part, I most recently wrote about Luigi’s a few years ago before I left the CS Indy. I dropped in with friends to dine, relishing the house béchamel sauce in particular. The friends were newer to town and didn’t know about Luigi’s history (dating back almost 67 years), but they quickly appreciated the retro vibe and unpretentious authenticity. I visited and wrote about Roman Villa as another legacy spot at that same time, and learned of the family friendships between the two Italian staples. Following Luigi’s posting, Amber Shaffer of Roman Villa shared it and wished them well, saying “Luigi’s is (was) not our competition. They are (were) another long standing, kick ass, Italian restaurant that COS was fortunate enough to enjoy for many decades.” On that note, there’s a potential future for Luigi’s as a business, as it remains for sale, though the Costley’s have sold their building, so if a new iteration begins, it will be somewhere else.
• Wuhoo’s Asian Bistro has closed at 4543 Austin Bluffs Pkwy. But I reached someone identifying themself as new ownership (at Wuhoo’s listed phone number), who confirmed community reports of a new Chinese spot opening in its place, named Kung Fu Noodles and Dumplings. It’s a local, independent shop, they said, and projected they’d be open in roughly a week. Remodeling is underway and there’s no online links available yet with its menu or anything.
• A new gluten-free bakery has opened at 5956 Stetson Hills Blvd., named One Haven. It’s also a coffee shop and game store. They make sandwiches on house-baked breads, which are available by the loaf, retail. Espresso drinks are made with Hold Fast Coffee Co.-roasted beans, complemented by Holy Kakow syrups and the like. Hours are 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Mondays-Saturdays.
• The chain eatery Tucanos is soon to see some competition in town in the form of another churrasco franchise named Texas de Brazil. Springs Magazine offers a small snapshot of the outfit, opening at Polaris Pointe.
• This is random, but I recently reached out to Natural Grocers, where I do part of my monthly shopping, to inquire about their tea bags. (Get your minds out of the gutter, ahem.) I’ve read lots of articles lately about microplastics invading our bodies every which way, and one of those ways is through plastic fibers used by some tea companies to encase their teas for steeping. A senior service specialist for the company got back to me with a thorough and transparent email response, assuring they do exhaustive vetting with all the brands they carry. She said: “the only teas that I know of which contain a small amount of plastic fibers in the tea bags is [Boulder-based] Celestial Seasonings which is ‘grandmothered’ in and thereby are allowed for our stores to still carry. We've asked Celestial Seasonings to change their tea bags, but they are unable to until they get new equipment which is an overhaul of their entire facility and tea bagging equipment. We are not approving any of Celestial Seasonings' new products… For our current new item standards, we are not approving brands that contain plastic or plastic fibers in their teabags.” (Great to know. Of course you can also support local tea shops to buy loose-leaf, like Yellow Mountain Tea House.)
Side Dish Dozen happenings
Four by Brother Luck: Our new spring menu launches April 1. Take a sneak peek.
Rasta Pasta: Our draft selection is 100% local, featuring beers from Side Dish Dozen Members Goat Patch Brewing and Bristol Brewing. We also have a local draft cider from Apple Valley Cider Company. All Drafts are buy-one-get-one-free on Tuesdays!
Red Gravy: We will remain open during the Tejon Street construction and we value your support as they beautify the area in front of our restaurant. Come see us for a two-hour parking voucher for the nearby city garage if that makes your visit easier.
The Seared Steer Steakhouse: Our hand-cut steaks are slow-smoked and seared over a live fire grill. All fried items are cooked in beef tallow and all sides, sauces and desserts are made from scratch by us. Our 22-ounce chicken fried bison is one of a kind. We’re still on limited weekend hours, so reserve early.
Bristol Brewing Company: Time to get knee deep in your closet or go thrifting to build your speakeasy look for our annual Prohibition Party! April 5 we’re celebrating 92 years of frothy freedom since 1933, with 33¢ Yellow Kite pilsners plus fun pilsner-infused cocktails, casino games, a costume contest and more. Let’s howl!
T-Byrd’s Tacos & Tequila: Taco Tuesdays feature $3.50 tacos all day and $5 Margaritas and Swirls. Happy hours are 3-6 p.m. Monday-Friday and all day Sunday.
Ascent Beverage: We distributing regionally made brands like 1874 Distilling, Apple Valley Cider, Jackson Hole Stillworks and Backwards Distilling. Ask for our excellent products at your favorite bar or fine liquor store.
Upcoming events
March 30: 2nd annual Rooftop Invitational cocktail competition at Lumen8 Rooftop Social. Eight teams, seven rounds, one winner takes all. Comp starts at 6 p.m., with an industry-themed special menu. Competitors this year: Chiba Bar, The Archives, Cork & Cask, 503W, Eleven18, Shame & Regret, Cocktails After Dusk and Lumen8.
April 10: Wine Walk in Manitou Springs. Small pours at Manitou Winery, Swirl Wine Bar and The Mona Lisa. 5-9 p.m.; $55/$100 for two.
April 12: Greek Orthodox Philoptochos Bake Sale at Archangel Micheal Greek Orthodox Church. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
April 12: Sip and Support Rotary Wine Fundraiser at the Manitou Art Center. 5-7 p.m.; $40/$75 for two.
April 19: Collaboration Fest in Westminster. Featuring 180-plus breweries and 130-plus unique beers made just for the fest.
Early ticket notices: SoCo Collab Frost Fest at Bear Creek Regional Park (May 10); Tacos and Tequila Festival at UCHealth Park (May 31); 719 Battle of the Food Trucks (June 1); Taste of Pikes Peak (July 17).
Parting shot(s)
At our Sip with Schnip and Knife Fight at Eleven18 on March 19, Justin Edgar from Ephemera battled Dustin Archuleta of District Eleven/T-byrd’s/bird tree cafe. Hosting Chef/DJ Brother Luck presented two challenge ingredients: masa and pheasant breast. Each chef had to make three dishes (times three; one for each judge), using whatever they wished from the house pantry provided by Luck.
Edgar made: 1) Mexican-inspired fried masa dumplings with an olive tapenade. 2) soy marinated pheasant with pomegranate reduction, confit potatoes, fried mushrooms and fennel pollen and pepita garnish. 3) a masa-chocolate brownie with ginger-walnut-praline crumble and masturbated blackberries. (Yes, that’s supposed to say macerated, but we all got such a laugh out of the voice-to-text error that I promised I would leave it in for good cheer. And hey, this is Side Dish. That’s how we roll. Different strokes for different folks. OMG! Can’t believe I just punned that… somebody cut me off!)
Archuleta made: 1) smoked mushroom and pheasant brown butter popcorn with marigold petals. 2) avocado salsa verde and Oaxacan-spiced pheasant with pickled chard stems. 3) macerated blackberries (the voice-to-text got it right that time - yay for learning) and Saturn peaches on vanilla whipped cream with a masa-praline crumble.
In the end, Archuleta edged Edgar out just a little bit in the final judges tally to notch the win. As one of the judges, I can vouch for the accuracy of it. Luck and many others present praised both chefs for the overall creativity they displayed, saying it was the most impressive and well-balanced battle yet. A damn hard decision as points were awarded. Roughly a dozen other local chefs (and several notable bartenders) were in attendance, creating a strong showing of support from and for our culinary scene.
Grabbed a pint of the ice cream at lunch. Definitely a winner and luckily I left it at home so I didn’t eat it all.