Reviving the Columbine
A historic Green Mountain Falls eatery returns after decades dark; Noma's brutal industry reckoning hits home for some chefs and industry workers + news briefs, beer Hoppenings & culinary events
Green Mountain Falls should see the opening of a new eatery/drink spot on March 20 (pending final health department inspection), in the form of Columbine Pour House. It’s located inside The Green Mountain Falls Lodge, a 115-year-old, nine-room property set along the upper end of Ute Pass Avenue, the main road through town.
Shannon and Bobby Jackson are behind the project, and bring a wealth of industry experience with them. Bobby’s been teaching a variety of foundational food classes at Paragon Culinary School for a decade, where Shannon’s also given bar and wine instruction for six years. They both graduated from the school and have also both worked with Chef Victor Matthews — who’s getting closer himself to opening Tava House in Woodland Park, which I first told you about here.
The Jacksons have been familiar faces at the Black Bear Distillery, also located on Green Mountain Falls’ main drag. Bobby will stay in his role as the lead distiller there after Columbine opens. Shannon formerly managed the tasting room. Matthews decided to close that sipping spot this past fall to focus on Tava, so Columbine Pour House plans to carry the distillery’s full lineup and act as an unofficial tasting room. (Side note: You might recall hearing plans for something named Belmont Whiskey House in Woodland Park a few years ago. The Jacksons were behind it, but plans fell through after a building code requirement skyrocketed projected costs.)
Columbine Pour House gets its name from The Green Mountain Falls Lodge’s prior moniker: Columbine Lodge and Hotel, explains Bobby. That’s what the place was called when he was growing up in town, and he shows me a photo of himself as a toddler in 1983, alongside his whole extended family posed along the lodge’s front steps. He remembers last eating at a restaurant named the Columbine inside the hotel in the early ’90s, and that’s the same space on the first level that the Pour House will occupy. It’s only been used intermittently for events in more recent years, he says. Shannon notes they’ll also offer private event bookings in addition to regular restaurant service, which will launch as just Fridays and Saturdays (11 a.m. to 7 p.m.) until May’s end, and then extend to 8 p.m. and five days a week thereafter.
Expect a cozy mountain cabin vibe, featuring original stacked stone and beefy woodwork throughout the long dining room, which has a natural banquet-space feel. A fireplace at one end will lend ambiance in winter months; there’s a tiny stage near it for live music periodically (definitely for the grand opening says Shannon); a large TV for sport viewing; and wall space to display local artists. A special photography display will honor Bobby’s dad Robert H. Jackson, who won a Pulitzer Prize for Photography in 1964 for snapping the famous pic of Jack Ruby shooting Lee Harvey Oswald at the Dallas police station. He was working for the Dallas Times Herald back then, as was later a photographer for the Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph. The Jacksons are excited to display some of his more modern landscape photos and such the public hasn’t seen before.
Okay, that coolest side detail ever in a food story now out of the way, let’s get back to business: The Pour House will seat 40 inside and another 20 on a side patio with a fantastic mountain view. As for comestibles and libations (wow, who am I? I never use those dated words…) the Jacksons are limited by a less than full kitchen space. Which is to say no hoods and big equipment, so they’ll be largely countertop cooking and hot-holding soups and such prepped at the Black Bear’s nearby kitchen, using it as a commissary. They can also grill outside on the patio for special items as needed.
I’m actually glad when I see their pared-down menu that it’s not another spot serving burgers, wings and pizza. Shannon shows me the menu she’s still finalizing with Bobby, which looks more like a wine bar’s easy tapas-style offerings. There’s half a dozen “Boards & Bites” spanning charcuterie and crostini plates, one with mascarpone- or goat cheese-smeared toast points drizzled with local wildflower honey. There’s also a plant-based cheese board with fruit as well as vegan salad and sandwich options. Tomato-basil soup will be a mainstay, and the sandwiches range from chicken salad to deli-meat creations like the Alpine Melt, a ham, Brie, apple and arugula construct with honey mustard on toasted ciabatta. Down the road, Bobby mentions wanting to roast pork for a house Cuban.
Shannon wants you to finish your meal with her grandmother’s Oklahoma-style banana pudding. They’ll also make a trifle with vegan shortbread, strawberry compote and homemade vegan whipped cream. And they’ll curate some cookies and bars from Woodland Park’s Secret Desires Dessert Co.
For drinks, expect an expansive N/A beverage menu upon opening, with the full bar offerings to come hopefully by Mother’s Day, says Shannon, as they’re awaiting their liquor license. Knowing the recent trends toward sober offerings, she says they were planning a robust alcohol-free program anyway, with good N/A wine and beer choices plus her own creative mocktails. Once it’s game-on for hooch, though, they plan to spotlight the Black Bear products alongside other Colorado distilleries, and curate a smart craft can and bottle list of brews and wines, both local and national. Shannon’s signature cocktail, she says, is her smoked old fashioned, made with a choice of the Black Bear Distillery’s Irish-style or Colorado Caribbean Cask whiskies, housemade smoked cherries and cherrywood smoke to finish.
When I ask the “why” behind Columbine for Shannon and Bobby, he cites being ready to work for himself after decades in the industry. Shannon says it’s partly about “sharing what we’ve learned in our craft” and “building a legacy for our three kids” (a 21-year-old and twin 19-year-olds). “We want to create a place where people can come together, and everyone is welcome. What better place than where Bobby grew up?”
A dish best served cold (another industry reckoning)
Perhaps you’ve been following the meltdown this past week of the internationally famous Noma brand across major media platforms. I’ve been tracking it via the New York Times, who first posted this story on March 7: “Punching, Slamming, Screaming: A Chef’s Past Abuse Haunts Noma, the World’s Top-Rated Restaurant.”
Three days later, major sponsors began dropping their support of the 16-week Los Angeles Noma popup. Then on March 11, a protest by past employees and industry people heightened the drama. By that evening, the uproar made its mark, compelling Noma Chef René Redzepi to step down and resign from the board of a nonprofit he founded.
While all that may feel far away to most readers, it hits painfully close to home for others. One of them is Colorado Springs-based private chef and consultant Hannah Cupples. Thanks to Hannah, I was actually tracking this whole story the week prior to it making national news, as she was filling me in and getting prepared to leave for L.A. and take part in the protest. In this link, you can see her among the marchers; she’s the one holding the “No Michelin Stars for Violence” sign.
Hannah is a longtime industry acquaintance and friend, and she let me know that she planned to document her experiences — from back in her days in area kitchens to updates from the L.A. protest — in a newly created Substack page called For Chef’s Sake, which is also the name of her business. We discussed her writing a guest column for Side Dish, but decided that since everything was happening real-time over the past many days, it would be best for her to post her own stories from which I could excerpt.
Which is what I plan to do briefly below. Because I encourage you to visit Hannah’s page and support her work directly by reading her full accounting of everything. Read: Old School Mentality Gets 86’d: PART 1 & Old School Mentality Gets 86’d: PART 2. Her posts include collected stories from herself and others, detailing abuses they say they endured while on the job. In sharing them, Hannah says her intent “is not to take down any singular ‘bad guy,’ but rather to insist on real change in the industry. Most restaurants don’t have HR Departments or any resources to turn to when abuse happens, and there’s the ever-present dialogue of ‘earning your stripes.’”
She says “It’s not just Noma, it’s not just fine dining, and it’s not just a handful of bad Chefs. This issue is systemic… Our responsibility as chefs, employees, or as a readers and supporters of restaurants, is to insist on meaningful change down to a microscopic level, and to give people the space to hold their aggressors accountable without fear of retaliation. This is the beginning of the conversation, not the end.”
Speaking more to her “why,” Hannah writes “Anyone who has worked with me knows that I am nothing if not outspoken, particularly when I believe there has been some instance of injustice or wrongdoing… coupling Colorado Springs’ newfound potential for Michelin recognition with the widespread allegations of abuse and exploitation in the service industry, I’ve decided that there is no better time to speak up.”
Coincidentally, while I was putting this story on page my good chef pal Shane Lyons called me on his way home to Colorado Springs from Los Angeles, where he resides and co-owns and -operates Vesti, among other culinary projects. Knowing that he saw some shit as a young buck back in his day in kitchens too, I asked him his thoughts on the Noma situation.
“I’m happy that the empire is crumbling,” Shane says. “It gives me hope for the world. Many folks in our industry knew about the allegations. Of course this behavior is not limited to Noma and its leadership. It’s like the same as the Weinstein fallout. Maybe not to the degree and severity of the abuse, but people knew. It’s similar to David Chang at his height, when everyone tolerated the manic abuse because the guy is a genius.”
Shane worked for Chang at Momofuku in New York, and cites Chang’s book Lucky Peach, where Chang addresses some of his own past bad behavior. “He’s aware, and he’s sorry, sure. But that doesn’t heal the scar felt by a myriad of folks,” Shane says. “René’s response was much the same: remorse but not shame. To be truly apologetic is to feel shame. I’m not in the guy’s head, but I don’t personally sense that shame in any of the written responses. Also I believe he is still an owner? Stepping down as chef seems like optics. He needs to divest completely if he hasn’t already. Out of respect for his crew and the next generation of leadership. Maybe what he should do is invite anyone back who was harmed by his actions to deliver the same treatment on him. They could all bring their own barbecue forks.”
Relatedly, Shane experienced toxic working conditions in the film industry, as well, as a child actor. In mid 2024 he appeared on HBO Max’s Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV to share part of his story. (We wrote about it at the time, here.)
Bigger picture to all this: “It’s the hierarchy of servitude,” Shane concluded. “The wellbeing of servants has never been the concern of the ultra-rich.”
Tickets to the Noma popup in L.A. were $1,500 for the all-included tasting menu. They’re sold out.
Bites & Bits
• In late January, I’d told you that the highly popular Porkbutt BBQ had gone up for sale. Then, a couple weeks ago I noted their final day of service on Feb. 28, as they’d found a then-unnamed buyer. Since that time, I’ve been able to confirm that the person who procured their equipment and assumed their lease is a known local quantity: Brian Fortinberry, proprietor of 25-year-old Front Range Barbeque in Old Colorado City. You might recall that Front Range has been closed for renovations since this past November, with plans to reopen soon(ish) this spring. Fortinberry tells Side Dish that he hopes to also be open in Porkbutt’s space sometime in April, tentatively. Stay tuned for more details and updates.
• Last week, I shared news of My Cellar Wine Bar’s closure up north to relocate downtown. At the time, I wasn’t able to glean info on exactly what space they were moving to. But this week, I learned they’ll be going into Chef Brother Luck’s former Eleven18 spot at 334 E. Colorado Ave., next door to Rebel Rebel. The plan is to be open by early April, if possible.
• I appeared with Chef Brother Luck on a recent episode of Visit Colorado Springs’ Peak Into COS podcast. With the news of The Michelin Guide coming to town, we examine our food scene’s evolution, and what everyone — restaurateurs, chefs, industry workers, eaters — should be looking ahead to in the coming months and years. Give us a watch or listen:
• Stage Stop Cantina announced that it will open earlier than usual this year at its seasonal 6620 Old Stage Road location, a little over a 30-minute drive from downtown Colorado Springs. Expect the first services from March 13-15 (3-8 p.m. Friday; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday), with a limited barbecue menu and canned beers plus craft cocktails until full programming ramps up. If you still aren’t familiar with Stage Stop Cantina, check out my original review here, and updated info on their mobile units that permanently serve Mash Mechanix and Urban Animal Beer Co.’s Star Ranch Road location (in this section of news briefs).
• The French Kitchen celebrates its six-year Queenet Anniversary and honors its top-selling pastry (their version of a traditional French pastry, the Kouign-amann) on March 14, with a special crème brûlée flavor. You can preorder boxes here, and catch a discounted Queenet-iversary mixed box with the crème brûlée flavor plus a classic, Nutella, lemon curd, cinnamon cream and salted butter caramel Queenet.
Hoppenings of the week
Beer Events
Live music at 105 West Brewing: Mar, 15. 2 p.m. The Castlewood Lion Pipe Band.
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at Goat Patch – Monument: March 14, noon onward. An all-day party featuring live music, performances, food trucks and family-friendly fun.
Karma on Tap – Comedy Night at Bristol Brewing: March, 14, 6 p.m. Come for big laughs in the Barrel Room while helping Safe Place for Pets raise funds. Includes comedy performances and a silent auction.
Beer Releases
Twin Suns Amber at Nano 108 Brewery: Smooth, balanced and brewed for easy drinking. With rich notes of toasted malt, light caramel sweetness and a crisp, clean finish this lager brings warmth without being heavy.
Honey, I’m Bock! Lager at Peaks N Pines brewery: Brewed with traditional Munich and Vienna grains complemented by honey malt to add just enough sweetness to its smooth lager finish.
Strata Pale Ale at Fossil Craft Beer Co: Bursting with Strata hops, this brew is the perfect showcase for Strata’s strawberry- and melon-forward flavors.
Curated by Brandon Heid and Gerry Reyes. For full listings of beer-related events and releases download the free Hoppenings app on Apple on Google.
Side Dish Dozen happenings
Edelweiss: Make your Easter and graduation party reservations early, as we fill up fast! Come check out our new dessert sampler, featuring three of our most beloved cakes on one plate for sharing: Hazelnut, Black Forest and German Chocolate tortes.
Gold Star Bakery: 3.14 Pi Day is this Saturday. Get free a la mode with every slice of pie ordered at Gold Star Bakery at Ivywild School on March 14. Slices and whole pies are available at the bakery March 11-15, and flavors include: Tart Cherry, Mint & Oreo Grasshopper, Wild Blueberry, Bourbon Pecan and Dutch Apple.
Wobbly Olive: Every weekday happy hour at both locations is 4-6 p.m.; all cocktails and beers half off, plus $5 house wines. We have a fantastic N/A cocktail menu, too. Current themes at Allusion Speakeasy are Lord of the Rings at our Powers location and Bar-kini Bottom (SpongeBob SquarePants) downtown.
Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar: Our fantastic new lineup of Weekly Specials means different daily deals, like All Night Happy Hour on Mondays, Po Boys on Wednesdays, a bundled $65 Friday Date Night for two, and $1 oysters on Locals Sunday. Also, March is Oyster Month, with features like 90s Hip Hop Tuesdays with East and West Coast oyster specials. (Take a sneak peek here.)
Kangaroo Coffee: Our PikeRide Kangaroo Coffee “Caffeine Central” Station is now open! Stop by the Hillside Coffee House, grab your favorite drink, rent a bike from PikeRide and enjoy the beautiful weather. Also pick up our organic coffee grounds for your garden. Coffee, community and a perfect day outdoors, all in one stop.
Goat Patch Brewing: Download our app to stay in the know! Order from Grazing Goat Kitchen at Uber Eats. Come enjoy a pint at our Mellow Mondays Coloring Nights at our Northgate and Monument locations. Check out our Bleating Heart give-back nights at our Lincoln Center location on Wednesdays.
Evergreen Restaurant: Join us for lunch, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tuesdays-Saturdays and Sunday brunch during the same hours. For lunch find salads, pastas, flatbreads and mains like our lamb burger and crab cake BLT. Brunch items include our popular Croissant Benedict, crepes and our Chicken Kiev Piada. We have a robust bar, with N/A options and espresso drinks.
Upcoming events
March 12: Ash & Ale cigar-pairing experience at Voodoo Brewing Co. Two seatings: 5-7 p.m. and 7-9 p.m.; $95 includes two cocktails, one entrée and one premium cigar.
March 14: Equinox, A Culinary Scholarship Fundraiser at The Broadmoor’s Cheyenne Lodge. 5-8 p.m.; $125-$150. Benefitting Pikes Peak State College’s culinary program.
March 15: Murder is All Blarney — Murder Mystery Dinner at Ephemera. 5 p.m.; $122 buffet meal includes a first drink.
March 18: Colorado Restaurant Association government affairs legislative update at Lebowski’s Taproom. 3-5 p.m.; free apps and drinks. A valuable convo for anyone running or supporting a restaurant business. RSVP by March 12 to ashley@ppcra.com.
March 19: Georgian Wine Tasting Evening at Evergreen Restaurant. 6 p.m.; $75 includes six wines and share appetizers.
March 19: Open Mic Storytelling at Kangaroo Coffee Hillside. 6-8 p.m.
March 26: Proverbs & Old Adages Wine Tasting Dinner at Margarita at PineCreek. 6:30 p.m.; $85. Reserve at 719-598-8667.
March 28: 2nd Annual Greek Bake Sale at Archangel Michael Greek Orthodox Church. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Featuring items like baklava, spanakopita and Greek coffee.
March 31: National Oysters on the Half Shell Day Sip with Schnip at Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar. 3 p.m. onward. Join us for a 1994 Throwback Night. The first 100 oyster dozens will be sold at 1994 prices: 50 cents an oyster! Enjoy our ’90s East Coast & West Coast hip hop playlist, ’94 trivia, swag and giveaways. ’90s attire strongly encouraged!
March 31: Passport to Italy wine dinner at Pizzeria Rustica. $89, five courses.
[Save the date] April 18: Pikes Peak Library District Foundation’s annual Night at the Library at Library 21c. 6-8 p.m; $150 benefits PPLD. Featuring 20 local food and drink vendors serving snacks inspired by classic and modern storybook themes.
Parting shot(s)
Chef Ashley Brown and her talented team at Four by Brother Luck invited me by this week to check out their newly released and significantly expanded happy hour menu. It runs 3-6 p.m., Tuesdays-Sundays.
The intent with growing the food selections, Sous Chef Geri Woessner tells me, is to better highlight Bar Manager Kyle Mcnerny’s creative cocktail menu and earn him the crowd his drinks deserve.
While in, I sample his refreshing mocktail named Scarlet Roots (pictured middled row,) made with N/A basil-grapefruit spirit, persimmon simple syrup and carrot shrub. I also enjoy his potently playful I Blame The Industry (pictured bottom row), which blends Fernet Branca, Cynar 30, allspice dram, Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur and lemon. During HH’s, cocktails are $10 and mocktails are just $5-$6.
Pictured above on the top row you see oysters; shrimp swimming in a thin tomatillo gazpacho punctuated by horseradish crema and chile oil; and the Four Corners Caesar salad with Manchego, pepitas, charred lemon, and blue corn croutons in a vegetarian dressing this skips the traditional anchovy paste in favor of miso.
On the middle row: chorizo queso fundido with red chile tortilla chips exudes deep earthy spices, while the clever hominy hummus with green chile vinaigrette delivers something like pozole out of soup form and gone Mediterranean. I love it; it’s a must-get, fresh with cucumber, tomato and onion salad and flatbread chips.
Bottom row: crispy pork belly sliders in New Mexico barbecue aioli with pickled cabbage and a side of bacon fat-chipotle popcorn (which can be ordered solo for $3 as a snack). And Pastry Chef Marjorie Furio’s poached pear sorbet garnished with a slice of dried fruit, cherry gel and flower petal, lavender oil and coconut foam.
Note this is just a portion of the menu, with small plates mostly in the $8 range and bigger items like duck chile poutine and Brother Luck’s bacon jam burger for $10-$13. Overall, it’s quite approachable and affordable, as one desires from a good happy hour.
UPDATE...or should I say, Side Note? The Karma on Tap event at Bristol for Safe Place for Pets is already sold out! (Good for them, bad for anyone who didn't get tix.)
BUT there's another chance to eat/drink to benefit SP4P on May 2 at Public House at the Alexander. "Buffet dinner, full bar, giant silent auction and plenty of fun and games! This is a western-theme party so dust off your hats and boots and saddle up for an evening of serious fun!"
www.safeplacepets.org/upcoming
That patio at Columbine is CALLING. MY. NAME. yes please
Great info, as always! Hoping to get back to the Springs and visit some of the new spots this year.