Early December News Notes

Vail Cookbook Available for Holiday Giving

Vail Cooks, a new cookbook featuring recipes from Vail locals, guests, restaurants and chefs, has been put out by the Vail Chamber and Business Association. It is aVAILable from many Vail Valley businesses. The order form can also be downloaded from here and mailed back to the chamber at 241 South Frontage Road East, Vail, CO 81657 or faxed to 970-477-0079. Phone orders are taken at 877-477-0075 or 970-477-0075. The book costs $29.95, and unless you pick it up in person, you'll may a shipping and handling premium of at least $10 for standard shipping

Boulder's Lee Yuan Now Does Dim Sum

When a group of us had a late-morning Taiwanese breakfast at Lee Yuan Chinese Cuisine a few months ago, which you can red about here, owner Nancy Kao promised that she would be offering dim sum in the future. The future is now. Taiwan-style dim sum is now prepared every Saturday and Sunday between 11:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. The restaurant is tucked into the southeastern corner of the Boulder's Meadows Shopping Center at 4800 Baseline Road, Boulder; 3030494-4210 and 494-4076.

Denver's Highland Neighborhood Gets Two New Restaurants

Northwest Denver's Highland neighborhood welcomed two new eateries last month. Holly Hartnett, formerly with Table 6 accross town, has opened Venue, an informal New American bistro "with Eurpean influences," in the space vacated by 8 Rivers when it moved to downtown Denver. The menu is small, the decor is super-simple and prices for lunch, dinner and wine are moderate. Venue is at 3609 West 32nd Avenue, Denver; 303-477-0477. Benny Kaplan launched Shazz Cafe & Bar, which also serves a right menu of New American cuisine with a special emphasis toward seasonality, at 4262 Lowell Boulevard, Denver; 303-477-1407. The price points are different. Venue serves lunch and dinner and, according to the website, has a top entree price of $19; Shazz is dinner-only with the most expensive entree at $35 (though most are under $30).

Boulder Restaurants: Works in Progress

The Big Red F Restaurant Group, David Query's six-restaurant operation, adds a seventh in mid-January when The Happy Noodle House is expected to open in the former DiNapoli space at 835 Walnut Street, Boulder. Small plates big on dumplings, vegetables and hot and cold noodles from various Asian cuisines will be featured. " Partnering with Query is James Van Dyk, once executive chef of Cliff Young's in Denver and co-owner with his wife Noriko of the Gateway Café in Lyons. Van Dyck will be The Happy Noodle House executive chef. He's the ideal partner for this restaurant, because he worked as a chef in Japan for four years. The former Gateway Cafe at 432 Main Street is now a burger place called Shifty Burgers. It is open Wednesday through Sunday evenings during the winter. The phone number is 303-823-5144 ...Arugula Bar é Ristorante is still planning in the old Laudisio location at 28th and Iris in Boulder. New York-born owner/chef Alec Schuler plans to serve fresh and healthy northern Italian food and wine specialties. The restaurant is in the Willow Springs Shopping Center, 2785 Iris Avenue (at 28th Street), Boulder; 303-443-5100...Work is continuing on Colterra own/chef Bradford Heap's new restaurant in the former Tom's Tavern space at 1047 Pearl Street, Boulder. Rumor has it that the still-unnamed eatery will serve small plates and brick-oven pizza.

Gelateria Heats Up

Gelato Bacio, brought to Boulder by the fine folks who operate nearby Spruce Confections, has expanded its offerings now that frozen-dessert season is waning. Last winter, when it was cold, they simply put a sign on the locked door indicating that the weather wasn't gelato-friendly. Cold is still cold, but the gelateria now has seasonably appropriate food and drink too. It opens at 8:00 a.m. serving organic coffee, gourmet hot chocolate and Scottish oatmeal. What? No Spruce Confections scones or breakfast pastries? At 11:00, they add hot soups and a small selection of sandwiches, perhaps made at the bakery down the street. If you do want gelato, there's nothing to stop you. Gelato Bacio is at 1021 Pearl Street, Boulder; 303-545-0027.

It's a Smash

I'm not a fan of chain restaurants of any stripe, but I grudgingly cheer for, as well as report on, locally based ones and more interesting ones with a significant Colorado presence. Smashburger, a Denver-based burger chain, now has a joint venture partner and a franchisee. That means in addition to the seven existing Smashburgers and five planned ones in Colorado, there will be Smashburgers in Kansas, Oklahoma and New Jersey. Smashburger is owned by Denver-based Consumer Capital Partners.

New Class Options at Denver Culinary School

The Art Institute ot Colorado's International Culinary School program has added weekend and evening classes in Asian, traditional French, Italian and "other emerging flavors like Mediterranean and Latin" for students who want to pursue or progress in culinary careers. An open house is scheduled for tomorrow (Thursday, December 4) from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Art Institute of Colorado, 10th floor) 1200 Lincoln Sreet, Denver. To reserve a spot, click here or call 800-527-5196.

Argonaut Sails Nextdoor

Near-half-century-old Argonaut Wine & Liquor, which used to be more about hard liquor that wine, has moved nextdoor into its old local into twice as much space -- more room for wine, I'd say. The Pop The Cork celebration runs all day today, from 10:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m. Argonaut is now at 760 East Colfax Avenue, Denver; 303-831-7788.

Solera Celebrates Its Seventh

Solera Restaurant & Wine Bar settled in farther east on Colfax seven years ago and this week celebrates with a heck of a dinner deal. A three-course prix-fixe dinner is just $54.10 for two people, plus glasses of wine for $5.41 and selected reserve wines for $54.10 per bottle. The celebration continues only through Sunday, December 7. Solera is at 5410 East Colfax Avenue, Denver; 303-388-8429.

Early December News Notes