Holes, tongues, tails and wings (these are some of our favorite things)
Bella's Bagels to expand; Tepex/Inefable Chef Fernando Trancoso shares his lengua recipe; a second Springs cat cafe opens; Best of the West Wing Fest unpacked + more food & drink news
Bella’s Bagels staged to expand
In a self-described “super cheesy video” posted on Aug. 4, Bella’s Bagels announced that they’re expanding over the next few months to double their overall capacity at their current (and only) location. I spoke with co-owner Jason Stele that same day to learn the specifics and what guests can expect in the future. If you’re for some reason still unfamiliar with Bella’s, they opened on the north side in early April, 2023, and were among the first batch of businesses I reported on after launching Side Dish around that same time. (Yes, I’m feeling oddly work-nostalgic writing that now.)
Anyhoo, Stele says by taking over their neighboring storefront (most recently a physical therapy spot that’s also relocating in the shopping center) Bella’s will grow from 1,400 to 2,800 square feet, which will allow he and his wife and co-owner Michelle to offer dine-in seating and an expanded, deli-focused comfort food menu. “People just want to enjoy our bagel and lox without having to eat it in their car out front,” he says. “We’re very good listeners, and our customers have requested that Bella’s become a gathering place. That really excites us to bring this to reality. We’re also motivated to do this because we’ve steadily been growing since day one. We’re 40- to 60-percent up year-over-year by the day, but our biggest pain point is space. Long lines have been difficult; we’ve gotten negative reviews because of the wait. This will change that and we’ll offer multiple lines for ordering with more staffing. We’ll get a larger sandwich-making area too, so overall we’ll have more bandwidth and be faster, bigger and stronger.”
Stele says the expansion will happen in two phases, with the front-of-house modifications coming first. Phase two, realistically on track for sometime in 2025, will involve “a major expansion of our back-of-house cooking and wholesale capabilities, leading to a greatly expanded menu that might eventually include dinner service. It will be a New York/New Jersey-style deli offering home-style cooking,” he says. He notes items like roast chicken, meatloaf and spaghetti and meatballs, as well as baked breads like rye bread and challah on the retail side. “It’s the type of deli that I grew up going to in New Jersey.”
Before we get off our call, I ask Stele if he’s still considering adding a second Bella’s location, perhaps further South in town. It’s something we briefly chatted about when I saw him recently at Taste of Pikes Peak. He says they’re definitely still interested in a next location, “but we’re paused for now on that to expand here.”
A time for tongue
It’s a new month, which means a new collaboration recipe with Side Dish lead sponsor Ranch Foods Direct. I’m excited to announce our guest chef for September is Chef Fernando Trancoso of Inefable and Tepex. Trancoso has set a new bar for Hispanic fine dining in Colorado Springs with his Santa Fe-inspired menus. He lived there for two decades, having grown up in Aguascalientes, Mexico. His approach to plating food is to treat it as art, and he reverently preps his sauces and meats for daily service himself. He’s graciously given us his recipe for beef tongue, a prized cut in Mexico that many gringos in the States are either unfamiliar with or squeamish about. But all you adventurous eaters who’ve ordered lengua tacos off a food truck somewhere know just how rich and satisfying tongue is. Trancoso’s rendition is stellar, and made even more so by a pairing with a pipian sauce made with pumpkin seeds, tomatillos and Serrano peppers. I know I say this every month, but you really have to give this recipe a try at home. Invite some friends over and blow their minds. You can thank Trancoso personally at Avenue 19 food hall, where Tepex is temporarily serving while Inefable relocates. And make sure to mention Side Dish at Ranch Foods Direct for your five percent discount on your whole grocery basket.
A second Springs cat cafe opens
Around this time last year, Colorado Springs got its first cat cafe in the form of The Biscuit Factory Cat Lounge in Old Colorado City. (I said “hey meow” at the time here.) For anyone wondering if this town’s big enough to keep a second feline social adoption spot busy, we’re all about to find out, as Comfort & Joy Cat Cafe is celebrating its grand opening downtown at 615 S. Nevada Ave. on Sept. 6 with plans to expand its food and drink programming.
I first call Biscuit Factory owner Lauren Bogert to see how year one has been, and ask how many cats they’ve adopted out so-far. She says just shy of 100. (Not too tabby… I mean shabby, meow!) Since relocating a couple blocks down Colorado Avenue in February, she’s added event programming like cat yoga, and says soon she’s adding more cottage industry items like KB Coffee & Bakery sweets and other pre-packaged items (which is all that food-handling regulations around the cats allows her in her particular space, as she’s not designed like Pub Dog, with separation between rooms).
I next reach co-owner Carol Guinta at newbie Comfort & Joy Cat Cat Cafe, who says she and co-owner Sharon Mullally have already adopted out five kitties since soft opening a few weeks ago. The two neighbors and friends are retired: Guinta as a photographer, graphic designer and photo editor, and Mullally from accounting work most recently. It was Mullally who was inspired to open a cat cafe after visiting one in Scotland, Guinta tells me.
At the moment, Comfort & Joy is serving only pre-packaged snacks plus coffee and tea drinks and canned seltzers and sodas and such — like Biscuit Factory. But they’ve already posted a teaser menu for smoothies and items like bagels, nachos and waffles as a placeholder for what they aim to be able to serve after meeting a few more requirements from El Paso County Public Health Department. That includes a mop sink and utility sink as well as installing a commercial refrigerator. Otherwise, their layout (in a former psychiatrist office downtown) already includes the necessary dividers between the cat lounge, a retail/cafe space and the kitchen. Guinta says they’ve already passed two inspection items on the total checklist to get open with the more robust menu. She adds that she and Mullally both drove for Uber Eats over the past year to save money to launch Comfort & Joy, which procures its cats in partnership with the Teller County Regional Animal Shelter.
Five questions with Best of the West Wing Fest founders Maritza and Flip Aguilera
1) Who are you and what's your background?
We are Maritza and Flip Aguilera, husband and wife duo, born and raised in Miami, Florida. Flip hails from a musical family, he pursued a music education and played Latin percussion before becoming a successful DJ in the Miami and South Beach electronic music scene. I have a Business Administration & Management background and have worked much of the past two decades as a Financial Analyst, Business Analyst, Analytics Consultant, and Project Manager, including for a major luxury resort brand. We moved to the West Side of Colorado Springs four years ago with our two dogs and got right to work figuring out how we could bring people together and make a positive impact in our new community.
2) Why did you create a wing fest?
Well, who doesn't love a little friendly competition to spice up the local food scene? When we first visited Colorado Springs we fell in love and created a five-year plan to move here after our kids graduated high school. But when that time arrived in 2020, so did the unexpected, a worldwide pandemic! We stuck to our plan and moved anyway. As we settled in we noticed how passionate this community was, especially through its lively Facebook groups. One day, Flip saw a post asking, “Who has the best chicken wings in town?” As a wing aficionado, he was eager to explore, but then someone mentioned having a Wing Fest in another city. That got us thinking: Why not bring one here? After asking the almighty Google, we found there was no Wing Fest in the Springs — or all of Colorado!
We put the idea to our network both near and far and everyone we asked thought it was an amazing idea, so, the Best of the West Wing Fest was born. It’s all about uniting the community over our shared love of these bite-sized tasty morsels, live music and supporting local businesses. In 2022 we were hyper local with only Colorado Springs restaurants and vendors. In 2023 we expanded to nearby cities. Now in year three, we’re thrilled to continue growing our vision and we’ll have our first out-of-state competitor, from Carlsbad, New Mexico.
3) Why should people attend?
Because it’s not just about wings or only for wing enthusiasts. It’s about creating an unforgettable day for the whole family. Set against the backdrop of the stunning Western Museum of Mining and Industry, our festival combines the thrill of a wing competition with the charm of a historic venue. Attendees can view the historic mining equipment, pan for gold and enjoy other activities, listen to live music and indulge in the best wings the West has to offer. Plus, 10 percent of ticket sales goes directly to support two amazing local nonprofits.
4) So this is a competition. Tell me about some past winners and fan favorites.
The competition at the Best of the West Wing Fest is all about letting the people decide. There’s no panel of judges with "superior palates" dictating the winners. [Editor’s note from Schnip: Did they just bite their thumbs at me, in my own newsletter?! … Spicy. I like it.] It’s all voted on by the attendees, with categories for Best Traditional Wing, Best Wild Wing, Best Sauce, Best Dry Rub, and Festival Favorite. Past winners have set the bar high with incredible flavors and innovative creations. Our first year, we had the Flighty Fowl, a food truck that had only been in business for one month, win Festival Favorite with their Peanut Butter Bacon Jam Wing. Last year we had a spice and sauce company Lost Sauces win 1st place in the Best Wild Wing category with their Spicy Cuban wing. Golden Flames Hot Wings in Stetson Hills took 3rd place in the Best Dry Rub with their Spicy Lemon Pepper wing. There's really been way too many amazing flavors to list so, you should definitely come and experience them all for yourself.
5) I heard you ran into some challenges this year with participants. What happened?
We’ve seen incredible growth, starting with 13 restaurants in year one to having 23 initially sign up to participate this year. But the past couple of weeks have brought a series of unfortunate challenges. One restaurant went out of business; others faced serious health issues; and another had a death in the family. On top of that, five competitors had to cancel due to staffing shortages. The restaurant community, both locally and statewide, is really hurting right now, and we’re feeling that impact firsthand. We need your help! If you have a favorite wing spot, encourage them to join us — there’s still time to sign up and vend — send them our way and let’s make this year’s festival the best yet!
[Second editor’s note from Schnip: I want to pause on that last point about ongoing restaurant struggles spilling over into food events, for concluding emphasis. Things have to be shored up at home base before someone could comfortably dispatch an away team into the field, so five cancellations for a single summer event seems to spell an upsetting trend. I know I’m speaking as the guy who in this State of the Scene piece back in June said the sky is not falling, but to expect more closures. As Maritza says, the industry is hurting in many ways right now. That’s despite the successful outliers on the scene. So, as always, spend your dollars at businesses you want to see survive, and at events you wish to see continue.]
Bites & Bits
• Lulu’s Downtown has begun opening for daytime coffee service from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Mondays through Saturdays (with exception to this launch weekend, where they’re only serving on Friday). “Being open at night for shows is cool, but the space just sits all day with a handful of knuckleheads on their computer drinking coffee and booking shows,” the venue wrote in this Facebook post announcing the new programming. “So we happened onto a great espresso machine and with the help of our pals at Loyal Coffee we’ve got the beginnings of what we hope to turn into an amazing daytime café.” The post also notes they’re exploring food options soonish.
• Manitou Springs’ Royal Tavern, opened sometime in the 1930’s if online sources are accurate, closed suddenly this week. Fans have made a number of tribute posts on its Facebook page, some of which cite the death of the owner and a kerfuffle around a family member who inherited the iconic spot. A short reddit thread offers a few more speculative details around that narrative. I couldn’t confirm any of this on short notice, so I am certainly not re-reporting it as a factual account of happenings. But that’s the online scuttlebutt as it stands now.
• Colorado Public Radio reports “Liquor sales tumble in Colorado as sellers face competition and declining demand.” From the story: “The sobriety movement is real. Grocery store competition is poaching customers. High prices are forcing many people to scale back purchases… Every major segment of alcohol — beer, wine, hard liquor spirits — are down.”
We eat Leaning Tree Micro Farm hot peppers
Part two of our tap&table visit to Fowler’s Leaning Tree Micro-Farm is now live. In the first segment that I posted a couple weeks ago, Ryan and I toured through the field of 60 hot pepper varietals with growers Jeff and Cindy. We learned about how they cultivate some of the worlds hottest peppers, like Carolina Reapers, Hellboys, St. Lucia Scotch Bonnets and more. In this second segment, we sit down with them in their home to learn a little more about what inspired them to create Leaning Tree, and we taste through several of the products they sell weekly at the Old Colorado City farmers market. Which means if you see something that sounds good to you, you can try it yourself. Be that (very) hot sauces or milder marmalades or jams with a smooth smolder, spicy dark chocolate maple nuts, spicy dark chocolate coffee, or dried hot peppers in many varietals. Bonus: There’s kittens constantly interrupting our interview, including one who chews through Cindy’s lavalier mic cord and jacks up our audio. Goofy things like that happen on our show and we like it that way.
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Side Dish Dozen happenings
• Goat Patch Brewing: Summer Music Series with Rafiel & The Roomshakers, 6-8 p.m., Sept. 8. Bleating Heart Night, 5-9 p.m., Sept. 10 benefitting All Breed Rescue & Training. Trivia, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Sept. 11. Beer Thirty Goat Yoga, 6-7 p.m., Sept. 12.
• The French Kitchen: Each month we create a new mousse, sold only during that time. September’s is a must-try orange cream soda mousse made with an orange juice-based curd lightened to perfection with whipped cream. Also, get your Paris Chocolate Muffins before Sept. 7’s cutoff.
• Ascent Beverage: New to the drink menu at Burrowing Owl is Penrose’s Apple Valley Cider seasonal prickly pear flavor. Stop in to try a glass for a limited time.
• Principal’s Office: Our cocktails are great alone, but they’re even better with a piece of Gold Star Bakery pie. Wednesday-Sunday, get a Truancy Old Fashioned and a slice of Bourbon Pecan Pie for $15. Also, we’re celebrating our (School) Spirit of the month: Hayman's Old Tom Gin. Get a $14 Army and Navy or $12 Gin Rickey all September.
• Odyssey Gastropub: Our new fall menu released this week. Popular demand put Chicken & Waffles back on the permanent menu. The fall version is a cornmeal and bacon waffle, buttermilk fried chicken, hatch chili peach jam, hot honey and bourbon maple syrup.
• Kangaroo Coffee: Come check out our new fall-inspired barista creations: a Gooey Pumpkin Spice Breve, Banana Bread Chai, Oatmeal Cookie Latte and a Caramel Apple Red Bull. We’ll also serve at Mt. Carmel's Patriot Day Sept. 13, Sober Soiree Sept. 13 and Pawtoberfest Sept. 14. And see you at Switchbacks Soccer this Saturday.
• Red Gravy: With seven sweets on our menu, we can be your downtown dessert destination. The only question: tiramisu crème brûlée or lemoncello panna cotta? What, you’ve never had gooey buttercake before?
• Rasta Pasta: Get our beloved garlic bread as a six-piece Dippin’ Bread side with your choice of sauces: marinara, rosé or Caribbean Pineapple Curry. $7-$8.
• Bristol Brewing Company: Movie Under the Stars, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 7. (Due to licensing regulations, we can’t list what’s showing here, but you can call our pub at 719-633-2555 to find out.) BYO chair. Trivia Night, 6:30 p.m., Sept. 11; win prizes.
• Edelweiss: You only have September to come in for our seasonal Pflaumen Kuchen (plum cake). Don’t miss it. Our pastry program is legend.
• The Carter Payne: Hop Picking Party, noon to 3 p.m., Sept. 7. Member (and Member-Curious) Mixer, 5:30-8:30 p.m., Sept. 12. Local Relic Monthly Bottle Release Party, Sept. 14. Stay tuned to thecarterpayne.com/upcoming-events.
• Four by Brother Luck: Our current menu includes smoked bone marrow, a Parisian gnocchi with summer squash, and root beer flan.
• T-Byrd’s Tacos & Tequila: Come for Crystal’s Margarita, made with Codigo Cristalino, Dry Orange Curaçao, fresh lime and agave.
• Allusion Speakeasy: From our new Beetlejuice theme menu, check out Chef Mark Henry’s special creations, like Shrunken Head Scallops with black garlic emulsion, and bone marrow tartar with beef tenderloin and an activated charcoal and Dijon herb vinaigrette.
Upcoming events
• Sept. 7: COATI’s 4th Birthday Party. Noon to 11:50 p.m. Featuring a Taste of COATI tasting and a silent disco.
• Sept. 8: Fiddles, Vittles and Vino at Rock Ledge Ranch. 2:30 p.m. to late. Sample from a variety of local vendors and enjoy beers, wines and spirit pours alongside live music performances. $65 tickets benefit the historic ranch.
• Sept. 13: Sober Soiree at the Meanwhile Block. 6-10 p.m., $100 tickets benefit Homeward Pikes Peak. Samples, chefs, mixologists, live music.
• Sept. 13: Mustard’s Mystery Dinner at Colonel Mustard’s Sandwich Emporium. 6 p.m.; $40/person or $75/couple.
• Sept. 14: Pawtoberfest Beer + Spirit Fest at Printers Hill. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Featuring boozy samplings and food trucks plus pet contests and family activities, with proceeds benefitting the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region.
• Sept. 14: Palmer Lake Wine Festival. Noon to 5 p.m.; $50-$60. Sample from 25 Colorado wineries and enjoy live music and food vending.
• Sept. 14: 3rd annual Best of the West Wing Fest at the Western Museum of Mining & Industry. 1-6 p.m. $40-$80.
• Sept. 14-15: Cerberus Brewing Co.’s 8th Anniversary Extravaganza. Lots of happenings on both days, from group rides to music performances and beer releases.
• Sept. 14 and 15: Fiestas Patrias in downtown Colorado Springs.
• Sept. 15: Taste of OCC Food & Wine Festival in Bancroft Park. 1-4 p.m.; free entry, with food sampling tickets for vendors for purchase. Beer and wine for sale also.
• Sept. 26 [Early warning]: Sip with Schnip at Goat Patch Brewing. 5-9 p.m. Paid-level Side Dish subscribers can enjoy their first pint on us, and all subscribers will enjoy $2 off pints during the event. Solsage & Chuckwagon 719 will be serve, Roma Ransom will play, and cornhole, ladder golf, and bucket pong will be set up in the garden.
Parting shot
There was a coincidental cat overlap in this week’s newsletter, thanks to the cat cafe opening and the kittens running around our feet during our tap&table podcast recording. So I’m going with it, applying the law of three’s. Here’s a selfie I took with Bug, the mischievous one who chewed through or mic cord during the shoot. Consider this his mug shot. Or Bug shot, if you’re in a punning mood. And yes, I wanted to steal him and bring him home with me, but I couldn’t convince Cindy and Jeff it was a fair trade for the damaged equipment. Alas. Bye for meow, friend.
Good writing and well done in the photography department.