Table games
707 Pizza Co. launches next to Ed Robson Arena on CC's campus with high tech smart tables; stellar tandoori at downtown newbie Masala Mingle + food & drink news briefs and events galore
If you’ve read me for a while — like back into the old CS Indy days — you might remember that I’ve said nice things for years now about Penrose Pizzeria & Pub, located in the apple orchard-growing region near Florence and Cañon City. Their pizza dough rates memorable, and the pies feature more interesting ingredients than just the usual suspects, striking gourmet notes with everything from pine nuts, dates and honey to truffle oil and housemade lemon or garlic aioli. People drive from afar for it.
Okay, great. Why am I telling you this?
Because the folks behind PP&P — Kristina Bradley and her sons Kevyn and Kylor — just soft opened 707 Pizza Co. next to Ed Robson Arena on the Colorado College campus. (The grand opening is July 19.) And they’re leveling up with their concept, specifically by utilizing high tech, interactive tabletops that offer a totally unique dining experience in town. On the tables, you can open up menus and see photos and dish descriptions; play games (including air hockey); do puzzles; draw (great for kids); customize your wallpaper and desktop with graphics that respond to your touch; and I’m probably missing something undiscovered by me. (Watch us goofing with my tabletop here for a moment.)
Kristina tells me she and Kevyn found the smart tables while searching online one day while researching digital ordering platforms. “Once we saw them,” she says, “we were like, ‘this is sick.’” (If you’re detecting a regional jargon there, yes, they spent 20 years in California, specifically in Sonoma (area code 707, hence the name). She worked in compliance for Gallo. But she’s from Cañon City and moved back there in 2019.)
The tables are produced in Europe. Because there were no demos to check out anywhere in the U.S., she and her boys flew to Barcelona to meet with suppliers and they spent three days exploring what the systems are capable of, at a spot called NÜA Smart Restaurant. (Best travel write-off ever!) They’ve since put nearly a year into programming them to their desires, working with an IT person to customize displays so it’s not just the out-of-the-box standards to play with. (Not that we’d know.)
As for why they chose to expand into Colorado Springs and occupy this long vacant spot at CC (which was just a shell and dirt floors since late 2021), she says that Penrose only has 4,000 people and they needed to reach a bigger community. Business has been booming at PP&P since it opened in early 2020, but they’re limited by its kitchen size, too. So, they’ve been looking in this area for some time now, considering a number of locations around town, but none quite met their criteria until they toured CC’s space. It’s big, with a mezzanine seating area above the wide, ground-floor dining room and bar space. The decor is eclectic, modern and lightly industrial due to the high ceiling, but it doesn’t scream futuristic in any way to backup the smart table tops. (Those would be right at home at Chiba Bar, who could do some cool Cyberpunk shit with them, I imagine.)
I’ve digressed. Let’s talk about food, drink and more stuff to know before you go:
• The menu is significantly expanded from PP&P, although many of the same stone-cooked, Neapolitan-style pizzas are consistent between the two. Sandwiches, made with bread from the same lovely pizza dough, have returned. They were once a part of PP&P’s menu but fell off as burgers came on. Beyond pies you can order a number of appetizers and “shareables” plus salads and entrées that include pastas. Kevyn, the chef, makes homemade meatballs and all the house sauces, and his remarkable dough cold proofs for three days. He’s worked in restaurants for more than 15 years, ranging from a fine pizzeria to winery-attached eateries and a high-end steakhouse.
• I get the new Chupacabra pizza, which typically comes on a gluten-free cauliflower crust, but during soft opening they’re only serving their house dough. This pie’s underpinned by a bright and tangy barbecue sauce and hosts crisp bacon pieces, jalapeño coins, big goat cheese crumbles, candied apple slivers and Polynesian pineapple chunks. All that combines for a wonderful sweet-heat punch that’s well balanced between the two, concluding with a punctuation of pineapple zing and earthy chile spice. The crust starts thin at the core and gradually raises to a bubbly, cracker-y edge. It’s chewy throughout and airy at the thickest, char-marked points, and there’s a mild saltiness you can also perceive in the finish if you’re paying attention. (Hey! Quit putzing with the tabletop games and eat! They request that guests get their dining done inside of an hour and a half to keep tables turning.)
• 707 sets cloth napkins, but — curveball — inside them are commercially compostable, black plastic silverware. They’re thankfully more sturdy than the cheap shit that breaks when forking into even modestly sturdy foods (like what too many food trucks give out). They’re also shaped kinda cool, and would fitting for gourmet to-go business. Kristina tells me they’re a zero waste facility, that recycling and composting everything is important to them.
• Kylor acts as bar manager among FOH duties, and I pepper him with questions as I sit at the bar awaiting my pizza. (I must give grace on day one, with an army of trainees underfoot, because my order gets misplaced once, possibly twice based on staff who repeat check in with me, and it takes over an hour to arrive.) Kylor says he’s excited to be in the Springs for “more city life” like what he got used to in Sonoma. He’s pieced together an opening drink menu that has some holes he’s well aware of, which will be filled soon. So there’s no N/A beers just yet or mocktails designed, and top shelf spirits haven’t yet arrived, nor have finer wine selections from their friends in California at Ehret winery. There’s more affordable house wines for now and a draft list that includes a handful of mass market imports and domestics plus big Brewery Colorado options (i.e. New Belgium labels) and a couple locals: Red Leg Howitzer Amber and Bristol’s Beehive Honey Wheat. Though they serve Apple Valley Cider at PP&P since they’re direct neighbors in Penrose, Kylor says they want to form some new relationships with other Colorado cideries to differentiate offerings at 707.
China to India
Masala Mingle opened a couple months ago in the former China Town Restaurant location at 326 S. Nevada Ave., making for a rare one-two-three business expansion inside of just a year and half.
It all started in late 2023 with the opening of King Restaurant Indian Kitchen & Bar off Barnes Road. Then continued in mid 2024 when Curry Culture launched off Platte Avenue, later to relocate off North Gate Boulevard. The couple behind the ventures, Amar Singh Mand and Jasdeep Kaur Mand, told the Gazette recently that they were drawn to downtown for their third spot due to high vehicle and foot traffic.
I haven’t seen such an aggressive restaurant group expansion in a while (probably not since Altitude Hospitality launched Vine & Wheel and Trainwreck in quick succession in 2022). But considering the quality Northern Indian food, let me say I’m totally up for it. I had hit Curry Culture shortly after it opened for its bountiful lunch buffet, and it didn’t disappoint in any way.
Last week, I met an industry friend — currently a private chef, who worked in some prominent local kitchens back in the day — for lunch at Masala Mingle. The takeaway is we were both impressed overall, praising some high points and finding only one dish that could use some improvements.
Firstly, I’ll say the space looks sharp, and a multi-month renovation has transformed it from feeling dated and drab to quite modern and sleek. You won’t recognize it. Over some gray carpeting you’ll now find olive green vinyl chairs with pointy black legs, mustard yellow napkins set on shiny black tabletops with gold-colored edges, fine tile work extending into a rear open bar area, and neat overhead lights shaped like swooping infinity symbols. Wide windows bring in ample daylight. Bonus: there’s a free parking lot for guests on the eatery’s north side.
We sip thick, rich mango and strawberry lassis while we await a spread of too much food to eat for two of us. (I’ve planned leftovers for a second meal at home. Note if you want a boozy drink, you’ll find some alluring Indian-spun cocktails among offerings.) First arrives a plate of papadum for dipping through the house chutneys. While it’s nice to see the pop of color and vegetal freshness from garnishing red onion and tomato choppings, their little bit of moisture sogs the area of the delicate lentil wafer it touches. (Life’s tradeoffs.)
The cumin-heavy mint, clove-y and almost smoky mango, and spicy-tart tamarind relishes are wonderfully vibrant and satisfying, though. They come in handy as later courses arrive, too, as does a cooling ramekin of raita. You might need it, as even dishes ordered medium bring significant heat. Only order hot if your’e ready to sweat.
The garlic naan hits a perfect texture of soft and chewy with lightly charred, crunchy edges, plus the minced garlic is sharp, as it is in our Bhindi Masala vegetarian dish. That’s sautéed okra with tomatoes and onions, and let’s be clear it’s not the okra I remember growing up with in the South — which is to say it’s not snotty and off-putting. Rather, it’s nicely pan toasted to a drier consistency with crispy edges, with light seed spice in a dark “onions sauce.”
Lamb Kadahi is the dish we find faults with, starting with the meat being on the dry and under-seasoned side. Its lightly oily onion sauce gets ginger and “a whisky of cream” and the meat gets paired with tomatoes, bell peppers and sautéed onions. If you add the mint chutney liberally to bites the lamb comes alive, but my chef friend points out it should stand on its own ideally, as delicious as it is with the assist.
The good news is that from the tandoori menu section we discover a phenomenal dish: Hariyali Tikka, which is cilantro-, yogurt- and mint-marinated chicken thigh with Serrano peppers. The yogurt has tenderized the chicken beautifully, rendering it superlatively juicy inside. Aromatic spices cling to the meat and accompanying red onions and bell peppers. Bites with the raita or chutneys, wrapped in the naan bread, practically send my eyeballs rolling back in my head.
The menu’s big, so our tasting bites off only a small fraction of it. But we’ve seen enough to say Masala Mingle is worth a visit, whether you’ve yet hit the other two businesses in this Indian portfolio or not.
Bites & Bits
• Nominations for the Colorado Restaurant Association’s HOSPYS Hospitality Awards are now open. The awards, which will be handed out Nov. 10 in Denver at a gala dinner and reception, feature 11 categories that range from restaurant, food truck and bartender of the year to front- and back-of-the-house employee of the year.
Submit your nominations here before Aug. 6. (In 2024, Red Gravy’s Eric Brenner was among CRA HOSPYS Chef of the Year nominees.)
• Dale St. Cafe announced “the end of an era” on July 1, which is to say they appear to have closed after more than 20 years in business. The business didn’t cite a reason for shuttering, and a message I left last week went unanswered for follow-up info. It’s also a bit confusing that a sign posted on the door says “We will be closed for the month of July.” (… and then?) I did reach a Real Estate agent for the property, who confirmed that the space is available for lease, as per a newly planted sign out front. They also said the business owners are the same as the property owners, but they weren’t able to comment on said owners future plans.
• Last week, Downtown Partnership announced a privately funded, 19-month Clean & Safe pilot program “to improve safety, cleanliness, and the overall experience for businesses, residents, and visitors in Downtown Colorado Springs.” The task force involved in the effort includes “CSPD, the city’s Housing and Homelessness Response department, VisitCOS, and the Chamber and EDC” according to a release. In August, 2024, I wrote about downtown restaurateurs and retailers sounding off at public input meeting for City’s homeless response plan, citing “the extreme situation of things happening downtown” at the time.
• Forrester Jeurgens III was recently promoted to Head Brewer at Bristol Brewing Co. (a Side Dish Dozen member). Prior to this appointment by owners Mike and Amanda Bristol, the Texas native, who’s been in the Springs a decade, worked his way up at the company from the packaging department to Assistant Brewer. In a Bristol newsletter this week, he says what he likes most about his job is “watching people enjoy the beer that I made.” (If you want to be on their mailing list, head to Bristol’s homepage and scroll down to the bottom to sign up.)
• Cerberus Brewing Co. put out a press release earlier this week seeking to clarify rumors and recent reporting (by the Gazette) regarding how the business has been listed for sale. GM Melisa LeFebvre says there’s been “a noticeable uptick in guests thinking we might be closing. That’s not the case … Cerberus Brewing remains fully open for business and we’re not going anywhere just yet… the Cerberus team remains focused on doing what they do best: making damn good beer and building community.” Perhaps some of the confusion came from the aforementioned Gazette article in which co-owner Jerry Morris is quoted: “We’re not counting on it selling anytime soon,” Morris said. “And if we’re going to stay in it” — however long that may be — “we’re going to kill it. Then we’re handing over something that has a great life, and great potential, for somebody else.” So maybe some folks — you know the type at work, who never read fully through your email before responding to some fraction of it (ergo the “as per my last email” meme) — keyed in on the phrase “we’re going to kill it” as literal versus figurative (as in we’re gonna kick-ass and keep on keepin’ on)? Who knows. People love scuttlebutt, and it’s a delicate dance for a business to list itself for sale while still conveying a sense of calm to clientele. Often the public assumes that must mean a place is no longer financially viable. But that fails to account for people just wanting to retire sometimes — which is exactly what Morris also said in the article: “We’ve worked our asses off our whole lives, and it would be nice to be able to relax and enjoy life.” Lastly, I’ll observe that it didn’t help that Cogstone Brewing Co. was also featured for sale in the article, and that its owners indicated their business would shutter in February 2026, when their lease is up, if a buyer wasn’t found. (Takeaway: Two breweries are for sale, but only one of them faces a real, imminent closure potential.)
• In celebration of its 1-year anniversary Evergreen Restaurant is serving a La Dolce Estate Italian prix fixe menu though July 27 (alongside the regular menu). They’ve also released a series of limited-time desserts, including one that looks exactly like a tomato. However, inside the red icing is a whipped mousse with basil and cashews, tomato, raspberry and grapefruit filling and “crispy cashew pillow.” (Their desserts are next-level.) Almost the equivalent of a mug club at a brewery, the restaurant says it’s also offering a 25% off lifetime gift card, with unlimited visits and no expiration.
• Cocktail After Dusk is seeking folks interested in competing in their Fight Night cocktail competitions; anyone above 21 years old can apply here.
• The Mile Long Table is exactly what it sounds like, and will be set up on Denver’s Auraria Campus on July 26. Organizers say the family-style lunch for 5,280 people “will be one of the most powerful, connective and hope-filled gatherings our city (and the nation) will see this year!” The event is hosted by Longer Tables. Tagline: “Cultivating humanity through connection and belonging.” Suggested donations to be seated start at $5.28, and go up to $528 for those wishing to “help us set more tables across Denver.”
• Hospitality workforce development firm Auguste Escoffier Global Solutions released a report last month titled 2025 Hospitality Hiring Trends: What Employers Need to Know. Go ahead and click through and read the whole damn thing — I’ll wait. … Or I’ve cherrypicked a few tidbits from the report and an accompanying press release; consider it an amuse bouche. First: Labor costs have risen upwards of 34 percent, “outpacing inflation by 8.6 percent.” Second: While restaurant positions “are reaching pre-pandemic levels,” the report says there’s also “a significant softening in the restaurant industry,” and that Q1 of 2025 saw a loss of 25,500 jobs, “the worst performance since Q4 2020.” Third: Understaffing is leading to considerations for where to implement automation. “Labor shortages ripple through hospitality operations, affecting everything from employee well-being to guest satisfaction.”
• Want to contribute to Texas flood relief, or one of the many other disaster responses globally? Just a reminder that World Central Kitchen, launched by humanitarian badass Chef José Andrés, provides impactful food responses on the frontlines and your dollars can directly fund meals for the most vulnerable.
Side Dish Dozen happenings
Bristol Brewing Company: Join our annual Color Fight this Saturday, July 19! Your $7 ticket gets you a crisp white t-shirt and all the colored powder you need to hurl at friends, family and strangers alike. Separate battles for little kids, big kids and adults. Plus our free Music in the Yard series wraps up with Rafiel and the Roomshakers July 18 and Red Rocks Rebellion July 25.
Eleven18: We’re doing two more Lucky Dumpling popups with Chef Brother Luck, reviving favorite bites from the past menu with fresh interpretations. Six courses include tuna tartare, crab fried rice and two rounds of dumplings, with seatings on July 25 and 26 — reserve a table here. Four by Brother Luck: Book now for our six-course Top Chef Dinner with Jamie Lynch and Brother Luck, July 31. Plus: our new summer menu is live, celebrating the bright flavors of this season.
Rasta Pasta: Mix Tape Music Bingo every Monday, 7-9 p.m. Listen to music, play bingo, have fun, win prizes! Kids eat free every Monday! You may have heard that we’re looking to pass our legacy onto new owners, that Rasta Pasta is for sale. It’s true, but it’s business as usual meanwhile, so don’t be a stranger and come see us for your favorite dish. (Tortellini Jamaica Mon fans we’re looking at you.)
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. Our unbeatable $11.99 lunch special comes with chips & salsa, two tacos, rice, beans and a fountain drink; 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. Also check out the new Late Night Bites menu at District Elleven, with dishes like Ranch Foods Direct beef sliders, fig and bourbon-glazed pork belly bites and Korean barbecue wings.
Red Gravy: Make us your lunch spot. Our Red Gravy Mix gives you a choice of soup or salad and a half order of pasta for $14.99. Enjoy happy hours from 4-6 p.m., Mondays-Thursdays, with half-off glass wines, drafts and well drinks plus apps on special.
The Chuckwagon 719: We’re open Thursdays through Sundays, noon until we sell out! Specials this week include smoked chicken salad, smokey Joe's (our housemade, smoked sloppy Joe), smoked meatloaf, and pastrami (Saturday and Sunday only). Lemon Love Colorado will be on site with us July 17 and 18. On July 19, contribute to our Buckets to Backpacks Central Texas Flood Relief effort. We’re collecting school supplies and backpacks plus non-perishable foods to send to affected families.
Upcoming events
July 17: 2025 Taste of Pikes Peak. 5-9 p.m. in front of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum. $65-$125. Side Dish Dozen members will compose the VIP area! Use code SIDEDISH for $5 off GA tickets.
July 18-20: WestFax Springs 1st Anniversary Weekend. Live music, food trucks and exclusive beer releases like a Banana Split Smoothie Sour and a Dubai Chocolate bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout. Full schedule at the link above; check out our Tap&Table episode with owner Anthony Martuscello.
July 19: Field of Drinks Brew Festival at Fountain’s Metcalfe Park. Noon to 4 p.m.
July 21: Cocktails After Dusk's Fight Nights presents Unfinished Business: The Redemption Round! 6-8:30 p.m. $25 includes three full-sized cocktails.
*July 24: Sip with Schnip Grazing Goat Pizza Party at Goat Patch Northgate. 6-9 p.m. Kicking off Goat Patch’s 8th Anniversary Weekend. First beer free for paid-level Side Dish subscribers. $2 off all additional beers for paid subscribers. $2 off beers for all free-level subscribers. Special pizza: spent-grain dough with bacon and a ricotta spread made with garlic, Calabrian peppers, Goat Patch Hazy IPA and lemon oil; garnished with arugula and hot honey.
July 24: The Big Eat 2025 at the Denver Performing Arts Complex. 6-9 p.m.
July 24: Dine Out for Ukraine at all Big Red F locations, including Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar Colorado Springs. A portion of proceeds from sales all day support Sunflower Seeds Ukraine. The funds are used to provide medical aid, protective gear and humanitarian assistance.
July 26: Tag-Ulan (rainy season) dinner with Baon Supper Club at Good Neighbors Meeting House. 6 p.m; five Filipino courses, $85.
July 26: Hillside Neighborhood Brunch and Fundraiser at the Hillside Community Center. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Brunch, vendors, games, music, prizes and more. Tickets: $12.51 to $17.85.
July 27: Culinary Deep Dive, Coastal Mexico dinner at The Carter Payne. 6 p.m.; $120.
July 31: Weenies & Tinis Kick Off Party at ICONS. 4-6 p.m.; free entry, custom sticker and other giveaways, live performances. Plus hotdogs and cocktails! Sign up for your free passport ahead of the event. Weenies & Tinis runs Aug. 1-17.
July 31: (Road trip!) Rebirth Brass Band Dinner and a Show at The Post Boulder and Velvet Elk Lounge. Join Big Red F brands for a fun night out — three pre-show courses include Andouille Sausage Hush Puppies, Blackened Chicken Étouffee and Sweet Potato Pie.
Parting shot(s)
Last week I joined a biker gang. Well, actually more of a bicycle gang.
Tough stuff. Take the initiation for example: a chill ride to Shuga’s for N/A beverages and a bite. (Dangerously delicious.)
The short of it is The French Kitchen’s owner (and my friend and alumni Side Dish Dozen member) Blandine Mazéran and her partner Brad (you may have seen him repping the biz during Bike to Work Day on June 25) invited me along for an adventure to sample items at Shuga’s that utilized TFK bread.
Specifically oversized baguettes custom made just for Shuga’s for the past couple of years. Shuga’s goes through around 225 of them a week owner Kevin Dexter tells me. He’s joined us on the patio to say hi as we sip our colorful shrubs, spritzers and fizzes (only $4-$5!).
Anything on Shuga’s menu listed with “French baguette” features the TFK bread. (Other items that list “French bread” means bread from Denver’s Blue Point Bakery.)
From Blandine’s own writeup on TFK’s Facebook page: “We ordered a Bruschetta assortment of 5, all very pleasant to the eye and the palate. I gotta say the grape one was the most surprising, like a little bit of art on a slice of bread. The Baguette slices accompanied the flavors perfectly and the half soft/half crispy texture of the bread simply worked great. The Stanton St. Station and the Montreal Village sandwiches were our next choice, one toasted, one grilled on Baguette… the Montreal Village has got melted brie inside... so as a French person, that's a great start! What was really fun and tasty to try was how our Baguette got pressed to create a perfect texture and "toastiness" but also how a simple seasoning on the grilled part really added an excellent touch to a Baguette I already love.”
The Stanton St. Station, by the way, features porchetta, mozzarella, pistachio pecorino romano, roasted garlic and basil-scallion butter. It’s a rich bite kicked off by the crunchy baguette crust and punctuated beautifully by the herbal elements.
Lastly, you’ll notice the photo of the soup above, which has nothing to do with TFK breads, but I had to order it. Why? Because it’s a summer seasonal special called the Shrimp Soup Plot Twist. It takes Shuga’s award-winning Spicy Brazilian Coconut Shrimp Soup and turns it into a bowl of ramen with all the classic fixings. You gotta try it while you can, as Dexter tells me Shuga’s beloved ramen will return in place of it in the fall. The clock’s ticking.
Do you have any idea what's going on with China Village on Union? They have been temporarily closed for months.