End of the Line?
Green Line Grill's future uncertain, Inefable opens, Eleven18 takes over Folklore, tap&table podcast coming + more food & drink news
It’s been a wild week for The Green Line Grill, to say the least.
It started with a drunken, late-night Facebook video post (since deleted) by GLG Chef/Owner Bobby Couch on Dec. 10. Which was really just a continuation, although much more pointed and direct this time, of a months-long public call for support (that has come to upset many online commenters who’ve barked back with criticisms).
I subsequently met with Couch late night on Dec. 11, and on the 12th I made this post to the Culinary Colorado Springs Facebook group (for which I’m one of the co-founders and admins). I shared some history, updates from Couch on the situation and I encouraged folks to swing by for a burger, fries and drink if they wanted to help try and ensure GLG’s survival. The post went locally viral, with hundreds of shares and comments and nearing 100K people reached as of this writing. (That’s where you’ll find some of the critical comments, along with an abundance of supportive ones which pretty much universally commend GLG’s quality burgers.)
I followed up by text throughout the week with Couch, who confirmed he did see an influx of business between Tuesday and Thursday from concerned patrons. But on Friday morning Dec. 15, the town awoke to read a new message posted overnight on GLG’s Facebook page: “WE ARE CLOSED UNTIL FUTURE NOTICE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATRONAGE.” People who stopped by Friday reported seeing a handwritten sign on the door that said “thanks for 10 years.” (I’m not sure if that’s word-for-word accurate since I didn’t see a photo, but you get the point.)
So is this indeed the bitter end for Green Line Grill?
Maybe. Not exactly. It’s unclear. Couch did text me around 6:45 p.m. on Friday evening (as I’m writing this) to say he’s meeting with an investor on Saturday. “It’s been a long day of formulating the best way to continue,” he wrote. So, perhaps the best answer at this very hour is: we’ll see what happens next.
A little back story if you didn’t click the above link or see my same post on the CoS Foodies page, but Couch, by way out outlining the problem at hand, had told me “We have had more going out than coming in for the past 6 months. We are behind in a couple of areas… We have been up against constantly changing construction traffic patterns that drive customers to not journey to this part of town.” In the aforementioned video he posted, he ranted about folks choosing In-N-Out burgers over local shops, and during our chat he also cited the problems all restaurants have faced with inflation and such in the recent economy.
Whether this perilous moment is indeed the culmination of all that or something else going on with Couch personally or the GLG at-large (or a combo of all of the above) I can’t say. And it’s not my place (nor journalistically prudent) to opine about it. But one thing I can say, based on all the online traffic this week, is that many in this town love Green Line Grill and will be sad to see it go if it does.
For my part, I met Couch back in 2009 when I judged his grueling, all-day exam final at Paragon Culinary School. (That’s a test so unusual and difficult that I wrote this cover story for the CS Indy about it.) He severely burned himself close to the conclusion of his exam, but rather than go to the hospital as he probably should have, he insisted on staying and finishing. He phoned up his buddies from the military (he spent 12 years between the Army and Navy) who rushed over and bandaged him up with burn cream and gauze, buying him enough time to hit the VA hospital in the morning. My takeaway at the time: This guy was a driven badass.
I reconnected with him upon the Green Line Grill’s opening in 2013, and have kept in loose touch over the years via my basic reporting duties. I started noticing the calls for support in recent months along with all the other local foodies online. But when Couch and I saw each other at the Chili Cook-Off in mid November, it’s not something he brought up. Sitting down with him this week, the matter seemed sudden to me, even if it had been snowballing down the mountain for a while, gaining terrible speed. Like, there’s being at risk or in trouble as a business, and then there’s being so far in arrears on rent that any day now the staff might show up to find the door padlocked.
If the Green Line Grill doesn’t return from this weekend’s hiatus, consider the ripple effects, including staff who will lose their jobs just ahead of the holidays. (Always shit timing — sigh.) As just one other example, I talked to Shawn Saunders of The Sourdough Boulnagerie, who tells me he’s been selling Green Line Grill around 4,500 brioche buns monthly, representing upwards of a $2,000 loss to him as a wholesale purveyor if the account closes. (Saunders said he’s fortunate enough at this time to be able to take that in stride and perhaps replace GLG’s volume via new accounts, so his concern was for his friend Bobby’s wellbeing, not his own bottom line.)
In our last exchange, Couch says he’ll keep me posted on the outcome. So stay tuned here and on Side Dish’s social media pages for updates.
We’re launching a new podcast (soon!)
As my content partner Ryan Hannigan revealed on Dec. 14 in his Focal Pint newsletter (which also features a holiday gift guide), we are teaming up to launch tap&table at the start of 2024. “We are hoping to lean on our unique experiences here in Colorado Springs to help drive a conversation about local food, beer and more,” he wrote. That about sums it up, but we’ll reveal more details soon, including what you need to know to attend our launch party and where to tune in. If you’re interested in partnering with tap&table on advertising or content, let us know.
Something amusing that Ryan didn’t cover in his writeup — which highlights the hell that the creative process can be sometimes — is just how damn long it took us to come up with a name for the podcast. We even tapped the minds of many smart friends (who will probably be pissed off now to learn we ended up with a late inspiration by Ryan). Just for fun, I’ll share with you a handful of the monikers that we brainstormed, pondered and abandoned:
• Salt and Porter (which polled high and I still love)
• Malt and Pepper (also popular with pals, but it’s been done in London)
• Dish Pint (yawn)
• Side Pint (also includes part of both our brands, but still yawn)
• Plate periphery (alliteration only goes so far, alas)
Ranch Foods Direct’s prime rib how-to
As we announced last week here, our final Gather Food Studio recipe of 2023 is this superb Standing Prime Rib Roast. The team at Ranch Foods Direct has produced a handy video of the recipe being prepared — all the way from Head Butcher Billy Cox trimming the prime rib cut at RFD’s processing center to Chef Nate Watts taking it through final cooking. There’s no way you can get lost if you follow along at home with the prep process (minus the whole cutting from the carcass bit, ahem). Trust us, this is a dish well worth making and enjoying with friends and family this holiday.
Eleven18 to make a home next to Tipperary
A couple weeks ago here in Side Dish, I reported on Chef Beto Reyes departing Milagros Cocina Mexicana to launch Eleven18 Fusion Cuisine. Initially, he was borrowing a food truck from a friend and parking at the former Folklore space during late night, weekend EDM parties (such as the ones Dec. 15 and 16). Turns out (as I knew but couldn’t yet talk about) that was a dry run for Reyes taking over the kitchen and housing Eleven18 on the site — loosely attached to Tipperary Cocktail Parlor.
Chef Brother Luck, who’s co-presenting those EDM parties, has had a hand in rehoming Reyes, as Folklore is his responsibility to rent out. Luck tells me: “I’m excited to create an opportunity for Beto like JJ [Grueter] created for me with Street Eats in the Triple Nickel.” (Here’s my reporting on that from 2013.) Reyes says he plans to soft open Dec. 19-21 and open wider Dec. 22-23 and then on Dec. 26 forward. His hours: 5-10 p.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays, 5-midnight on Fridays-Saturdays.
Reyes says Eleven18 will feature a condensed fusion-style menu of Mexican classics and modern plates (including tacos) with a couple fresh, seasonal entrées and dessert items rotating in every couple of weeks. He notes a specialty heirloom tortilla he’s sourcing from Denver’s Don Zorros Molino that he says is exclusive to the Springs.
Separately, I did reach out to Milagros to ask about their plan in the absence of Reyes. Owner Eric Morales replied: “… Roberto leaving does not change the vision nor concept of what I had come up with in the beginning... the menu will be same, with changes of new modern and culinary driven dishes.. I’m taking over in the kitchen while I train a new chef in house. The menu was always a combination of me and my dad and Roberto, so us parting ways with him won’t affect menu, food or concept.”
Redemption Round
For our December Bar Battle Redemption Round — sponsored by Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, who provided the Redemption whiskies as challenge spirits — 503W bartender Elias Alayon emerged victorious in the friendly competition. (I personally think he drew power from his totally boss embroidered shirt.) The new Wobbly Olive location downtown hosted this month’s round. We’ll return to Tipperary Cocktail Parlor on Jan. 22 for the postponed Battle Royale, a face-off of all the previous months’ winners. More details to come. Congrats again, Elias!
Bites and bits
• “For Jake and Telly's Greek Taverna, this may be the slowest holiday season in its 26 years of business,” reports KOAA NEWS5.
• Lori Lynn’s Cookies and Cream food truck and bakery announced earlier this week that it will cease service on Saturday, Dec. 16. Owner Lori Morrissey, in her Facebook post, wrote “… Because of your support I am letting go of a thriving business, not a failing one.” That said, the business is for sale, and a subsequent post notes “we may have someone purchasing Lori Lynn’s.” Related: here’s a profile on the business that I wrote a few years ago for the SBDC.
• Fern’s Diner & Drinkery, the excellent vegan spot in Cascade, is hosting regular breakfast popups around the Springs from 8-11 a.m. on select mornings. They hit Burrowing Owl on Tuesdays, Bread & Butter Neighborhood Market on Wednesdays, Colorado Coffee Merchants on Thursdays and The Well on Saturdays. (Double check social media for respective dates.)
• Fuel & Iron Food Hall was awarded a historic preservation award by Governor Jared Polis earlier this week. (Check their site for several upcoming holiday special events.)
Happenings
• Dec. 16: A Community Cookout for our Bijou Neighbors hosted by Bread & Butter Neighborhood Market. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. $10 suggested cash donation for a burger and hot dog grill-out, with proceeds split between the entities affected by the recent fire. (A separate GoFundMe for Taste of Jerusalem Cafe remains active.)
• Dec. 16: Axe and the Oak Distillery’s 10th Anniversary Party. 2 p.m. to midnight; free. Expect special bottle releases, live music, a cigar lounge, featured $9 cocktails and more. From their FB page: “In the last 10 years we've: Sold over 245,000 bottles… Released 7 additional products… Added 8 more states plus Germany to distribution… - Won 98 awards, national and international, in some of the biggest competitions in the world… Expanded the distillery into Texas and Arkansas.”
• Four by Brother Luck is hosting a five-course ‘Villains in Animation’ Pop-Up Dinner series between Dec. 19-21, nightly at 6 p.m. Reservations can be made on OpenTable or by calling the restaurant.
• Dec. 21: Sip With Schnip Holiday Hangout at The Carter Payne. 5-7 p.m.; free. First beer, featured wine or cocktail free to paid Side Dish subscribers. Free subscribers get $2 off their first drink.
Parting shot(s)
Inefable opened for business on Wednesday, Dec. 13 inside of Avenue 19 food hall. Check out my pre-opening interview, “Beyond Words,” with Chef/Owner Fernando Trancoso. I attended a friends/family/media preview on Dec. 12, where we were served teasers and tasters, family style. Several local chefs showed up in support of Trancoso, as did the president of the Centennial, Colorado-based Hispanic Restaurant Association. Below are some first-looks at the food and drink; the video highlights one of several smoked cocktails on Inefable’s menu.
GLG's location is such a blessing and a curse. In a few years, it's going to be the center of all those new residential units, but for now it's far from the bustle of the Downtown core. It's a super difficult time to be there!