The swirl machine
Homa expands menu under latest chef; Grazing Goat launches; Josh & John's Creekwalk opens (and our final collab drops); a pork egg roll recipe; battle victory on the Rooftop + more food & drink news
The boutique hotel Kinship Landing downtown just celebrated its five year anniversary, along with attached Homa Cafe + Bar. Homa was originally operated by Chef Jay Gust of Ascent Restaurant Group, which includes Pizzeria Rustica. Gust maintains an investment and consulting position for Homa under Ascent’s umbrella, but Kinship now owns the cafe, explains recently appointed hotel GM Travis Blaney.
I’m sitting with him and Homa’s newest culinary leader, Brad Luckinbill, who’s taken the title of “Chef & B” as a play off “F&B” (that’s food and beverage for you non-industry folks). Luckinbill actually arrived in mid 2024, following chef Jacob Cheatham’s departure after roughly a year. (Brian Blasnek ran the show for Homa’s first couple years and there were some short-duration leadership for stints as well.) And though he’s coming up on a year of service, Luckinbill only released his first menu update in February of this year.
“There’s been an identify crisis as to what we’re doing and who we are,” he says by way of explanation for his patience before making changes. “In the last 10 months, we’ve landed on ‘we’re a local cafe, casual and non-pretentious, with fresh-cooked, great food in a relaxed atmosphere.’” Blaney nods his head as if the two have already chewed on these words together to concoct the best tag lines. The two seem to have an easy rapport, perhaps because they’ve both worked for SSA Group (who oversees culinary services) at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. Blaney just came to Homa last month from there; Luckinbill was executive chef and GM at the zoo leading up to the Covid pandemic. So they didn’t overlap, but they share inside jokes (about their former dark, dungeon-y office) that hint at a quiet camaraderie.
Blaney tells me that 80 percent of Homa’s clientele now is not hotel guests, but Springs residents. He believes Luckinbill’s making the right moves to solve the prior identity crisis and the two are implementing more small changes soon. That includes adding QR codes at tables so people can easily order without having to interrupt their meetings or social time to queue under the big menu hanging at Homa’s entryway ordering/bar/barista counter.
That menu’s now expanded by 40 percent, they say. Many of chef Gust’s flagship items do remain — dishes like the popular Cauli Pop of cauliflower “popcorn” with pepperoncini and lemongrass-sambal aioli. He serves us a basket as part of a tasting for us, and I can confirm they’re highly snackable (or craveable to borrow from modern PR lingo). Luckinbill in good conscience had no reason to touch the simple perfection of Gust’s Club Scout sandwich either. It’s a customized TBA (turkey, bacon, avocado) with Muenster cheese, tomatoes, mayo and lettuce on Japanese milk bread toast (from the Sourdough Boulangerie, locally). Throw in salty shoestring fries on the side and it’s a party.
For a display of some of his new items, Luckinbill serves us salmon and beef two ways, starting with appetizer skewers of each. The lightly seasoned fish get a bright, housemade nuoc cham Vietnamese dipping sauce. (I thank him for not being lazy and using commercial Mae Ploy from the bottle, which is now ubiquitous as overly sweet, sappy misery in the marketplace.) And the skirt steak skewers receive a very satisfying Thai peanut vinaigrette. Next comes a steak salad with a medley of plant-based components including cucumbers, tomatoes, onions and a grain mix of farro, quinoa and sprouted lentils from local purveyor Microvora. It gets a nice basil-buttermilk dressing and an herbed goat cheese from Westcliffe, which contrasts wonderfully with the beef in a tangy, rich way.
Lastly (and pictured at the top above), Luckinbill presents an item from the handful of entrée options that become available at 4 p.m. (Breakfast goes until 3 p.m.; lunch and starter items run open to close; dinner ends at 10 p.m. during spring/summer hours; and happy hours are 3-6 daily with $4 craft drafts, $5 wines, $9 cocktails/mocktails and half-off the Cauli Pop and shoestring fries.)
His sugar spiced salmon is an adaptation of something from his past he says, which includes shorter stints at Phantom Canyon, Beasts & Brews, the Rocky Mountain Vibes and Roadhouse Cinemas most recently. He spent a decade at farm-to-table spots in San Diego before coming to the zoo here, and counts 37 total years in the industry. But back to the fish, he notes brown sugar and chili and cacao powders amidst 11 spices he utilizes with his glaze. The salmon comes atop a black bean and corn succotash and herb quinoa and gets a tangle of sunflower sprout salad as a topping garnish. The dish, a menu-high $27, plays toward the freshness he cited. It eats and feels light and healthy to us.
“In my eyes we’re value driven,” he says, “but we don’t want to come off as cheap. These are good ingredients on the plate, charged appropriately. We’re not treating it like conventional hotel food.”
He also calls it “honest food,” highlighting what he obtains locally, including the aforementioned bread, lentils and goat cheese, but also Aspen Bakery goods from Denver and Hold Fast Coffee — a proper espresso machine was just added this past October, advancing Homa past its prior drip-coffee-only option. Come harvest season, he aims to source Olathe corn and Rocky Ford melon and other celebrated Colorado commodities where he can. On the drink side, all drafts are Colorado labels, including Goat Patch locally (the have-to-have-it Hazy and Tiger Tail Blonde) but also a private label Kinship Lager made by Odell’s out of Fort Collins. The menu hosts ample N/A options, too.
Though they’re enjoying high patronage from locals, Blaney wants folks to remember that Homa’s Insta-friendly greenhouse and outdoor yard are available for private event rental. He says to keep an eye on their socials for upcoming announcements on house programming for the seasons ahead.
Vietnamese treats with Ranch Foods Direct pork
Welcome to our April recipe with Side Dish lead sponsor Ranch Foods Direct. Continuing our collaboration with Monse Hines of Monse’s Taste of El Salvador, we now get a taste of a recipe from her and her husband Tim’s other eatery, Saigon Cafe. She shares their method for making pork egg rolls that utilize RFD’s ground pork, found at both of their retail markets. While you’re in, make sure to take advantage of RFD’s special April bundles of ground beef: 20 one-pound packages of 80-percent lean ground beef for $100, so just $5/pound.
Grazing Goat Kitchen now open at Goat Patch Northgate
Goat Patch Brewing’s new Northgate location opened two weeks ago with beers only, promising to get its in-house kitchen up and running ASAP, and it has. Grazing Goat Kitchen went live March 31 and is now serving daily in the satellite taproom.
Ascent Restaurant Group owner Jay Gust (Homa, Pizzeria Rustica) consulted with Goat Patch to design Grazing Goat’s simple menu. He became buds with the brewery’s owners back when his (somewhat short-lived) Scandinavian-inspired spot Smorbrod was located in the Lincoln Center, neighboring Goat Patch.
“I was very intentional with how I developed the menu,” he says. “I wanted to ensure a match with the beers but also tailor the offerings to what that immediate area needed.” He notes pizza options farther to the north and south of their North Gate Plaza Shopping Center, but none directly in their little neighborhood. Plus pizza kitchens are relatively less expensive to build out and train staff to run.
So is it identical pizza to OCC’s Rustica, I ask? It’s a very similar Neapolitan style, he says, noting the same 00 flour and dough procedures. But at Goat Patch it’s not a 100-percent wood-fired oven; rather it’s a gas assist that provides more consistency. “There’s nuances that are almost unnoticeable unless you eat at Rustica a lot,” he says.
In addition to five house pies (with gluten-free options), the menu hosts a couple salads, lettuce wraps, a hummus plate, a roasted broccoli (“Baah-roccoli”) dish and root beer floats and ice cream for dessert. I missed the preview last week while I was traveling, so I ask Gust what’s one special thing I should go for. He says it’s the Goat Sauce he came up with for Grazing Goat, which appears in several items; he describes it as a Calabrian herb aioli “that’s so good, you could drink the stuff on its own.”
Creekwalk Josh & John’s opens; final collab flavor drops
Josh & John’s new location at 120 E. Cheyenne Road, inside the Creekwalk development, opens April 4. I stopped by April 3 for a private preview and got a first look at the space. Design wise, it’s on-brand and very similar to the downtown shop aesthetic and layout. My favorite detail: six clocks on the wall detailing time at each of their locations — which all happen to be in Colorado. (Haha!)
Meanwhile, our final Side Dish collaboration series flavor (… for now, tease-tease) releases on April 4 at the downtown location only, in pints. It’s a Ceylon Cinnamon Coffee Caramel Swirl made in partnership with Kangaroo Coffee. It’s phenomenal, if you’re asking me. Cool thing is we had the honor of being the first flavor made with Josh & John’s newly purchased, swanky swirling machine (aside from a small demo run they did with the manufacturer to learn). You gotta see it in action; watch the short video Ryan Hannigan shot for us for Tap&Table to get a little hypnotized into wanting to go eat ice cream, like right now.
Bites & Bits
• On April 1, I announced I would be retiring from food and drink writing to launch a new lumberjack-themed OnlyFans page named Side Split. Believe it or not, some folks were fooled by it — despite the silly beefcake photos I took, over-the-top prose and preposterous setup of viewers getting to critically review my wood chops and pay for personalized messages to be cut through. Good times. A few other industry spots took advantage of the date to play pranks. The perennial April Fools masterminds at The French Kitchen advertised Personalized Croissants where customers could upload photos onto them, or take a class to paint them on. Stompin’ Groundz announced a second location (inside Felipe’s 109). And Red Leg Brewing Company broadcast that it would become Blue Arm Brewing Company, saying “arms are better than legs.”
• Also on April 1, for real, Hooters filed for bankruptcy. I tried to write my own late-night-show joke for this, here, but wasn’t pleased with anything I came up with. So I toured the internet to see what others had created; I found this crass compendium, finding a favorite quip: “They tried their breast.”
• Boulder-launched (in 1996) and Denver-based Snarf’s Sandwiches is opening a second Springs location — this one in the former Ivywild Pharmacy spot at 1640 S. Nevada Ave. Look for an April 7 opening. House-baked breads include a gluten-free option. Sandwiches come in 5-, 7- and 12-inch lengths. There’s also salads, soups and a signature giardiniera pepper blend the shop’s known for. The other Springs Snarf’s is located at 7495 N Academy Blvd.
• Longtime C. Springs investigative reporter Pam Zubeck (a friend and former colleague of mine) published a story in the CS Indy late last week about the closure of Opus Creative Industries, who was operating under the Colorado Springs Community Cultural Collective. Opus ran a small cafe at the El Paso County Citizens Service Center and was doing business at 1 S. Nevada Ave. (in the former 3E’s Comedy Club spot). Prior to that, CSCCC had overseen culinary incubator Shovel Ready located inside The Well food hall, which closed in mid 2024. Zubeck’s thoroughly researched article quotes students and employees who say they weren’t fully compensated for their work. It details a number of other financial issues, following the money trail from workforce grants and other funding. In follow-up reporting published April 3, Zubeck notes the State of Colorado is now seeking to “recapture $828,000” given to Opus. It also outlines a disagreement between CSCCC President and CEO Linda Weise and the City of Colorado Springs over $250,000 she asserts they owe the nonprofit. City representatives deny that, as no written agreement exists to support the claim.
• Make this: lemon-lavender no-bake gluten-free cheesecake with Season Two Taste.
Side Dish Dozen happenings
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!
Red Gravy: Chef Eric’s April 13 Supper Club celebrates springtime and a touch of Easter. Dishes include deviled eggs & caviar, braised halibut cheeks with morel mushrooms and ramps, and roasted lamb with minted pea purée. $150 includes drink pairings, tax and tip. Reserve now.
Four by Brother Luck: Our new spring menu is out now. Reserve early for our four-course Easter brunch on April 20. Pictured below: lemon and honey panna cotta with thyme sponge, honey comb tuile, lemon thyme gel and bee pollen.
Rasta Pasta: On Wine-Down Wednesdays all house wines are two for the price of one! Our Happy Hour is the best kept secret in town. $3 Red Stripe beers, $4 house rum punch, $5 house wines, $5 munchies. Everyday 3-5 p.m.
The Chuckwagon 719: We offer catering at any size. Our Texas Twinkies are legend. And our meats by the pound sell out daily, including wagyu brisket, beef short ribs and pork spare ribs. Finish a meal with our caramel bourbon pecan cobbler.
T-Byrd’s Tacos & Tequila: Plan for our April 26 EDM night, an open mic for DJ’s with hour-long sets (sign up for a slot if you want to perform); 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Upcoming events
April 5: Plume Domination IPA Release Party at Cerberus Brewing Co. A collab with the Southern Colorado Interagency Wildland Fire Team; $1/each pint benefits them.
April 5: Pikes Peak Chocolate & Cheese Fest at Norris Penrose Event Center. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; $6-$10.
April 6: Spring Seed Swap at Flying Pig Farm. Noon to 2 p.m., includes a potluck.
April 9: Drag Trivia Night at Cocktails After Dusk. 6:30 p.m. weekly.
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 11-12: Chef Nora Dillon (formerly of Ephemera) five-course popup at The Studio (above Eleven18). Nightly seatings at 5:30 and 8 p.m. by reservation. $110.
April 11-12: Coatichella Weekend at COATI. 8 p.m. nightly. DJs, live streams from Coachella and drink specials.
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 16: Wine Tasting at Rico's Cafe and Wine Bar. 5:30-7:30 p.m; $28 includes six wine tastes and shared charcuterie.
April 19: Collaboration Fest in Westminster. Featuring 180-plus breweries and 130-plus unique beers made just for the fest.
April 26: 18th Annual Spring Wine Extravaganza at The Winery at Holy Cross Abbey. 1-4 p.m. $45.
April 27: Sip With Schnip Brunch Bash at Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. More details soon.
Parting shot(s)
The 2nd annual Rooftop Invitational cocktail competition at Lumen8 Rooftop Social drew a big crowd on March 30. It was an awesome display of local talent, with many a creative twist and a lot of action behind the bar. Eight teams competed in seven head-to-head, single-elimination rounds: Chiba Bar, The Archives, Cork & Cask, 503W, Eleven18, Shame & Regret, Cocktails After Dusk and Lumen8. Judging (by reps from three of those bars) was blind. Ultimately, Cocktails After Dusk (bartender Tim Chapman) placed third, with Chiba Bar (bartender John Terry) coming in second. First place was claimed by The Archives and bartender Jake Beer. (See more photos here.)
