State of the scene
My thoughts on all the recent restaurant closures; ICONS on tap&table; Lebowski's launches its own coffee liqueur; P74 celebrates 50 + more food & drink news
I’m kicking us off this week with an opinion piece. My own. Call it a state-of-the-scene editorial if you wish. Here goes:
This just in: No, the sky is not falling. Yes, I’ve seen all the same local restaurant closures lately that you have and read much of the subsequent online commentary. I’ve talked to most of those who’ve shut down and a wider group of industry people, as well as Side Dish readers and friends who’ve contacted me to ask what I think. So that’s my takeaway: the end times aren’t upon us. All might not be well across the board, if we’re taking a community pulse, but restaurants and bars continue to show commendable resiliency to adapt and survive, just as they did during the pandemic.
Think back to August of last year, when Colorado ranked No. 1 for restaurant inflation. The Colorado Restaurant Association speculated it was due to rising costs of living and increasing labor costs. Our local chapter VP Jenny Sherman (of Odyssey Gastropub) cited additional factors: from current Colorado minimum wage ($14.42/hr, and $11.40/hr for tipped employees) to newer laws requiring paid sick time and the offering of a 401(k) plan, which requires admin fees from businesses. (FWIW I’ve heard more than one operator tell me about abuse of sick time pay by less than scrupulous employees.)
All that’s still in play today. So yes, it’s hard out there, and restaurants operate on tight margins perpetually, living on a knife’s edge. If online sources I’m seeing are accurate, National Restaurant Association data cites only a 20 percent success rate for restaurants, with as much as 60 percent failing inside of a year and 80 percent going under within five years. Up to 40 percent of all types of businesses fail within the first three years, purportedly.
What else are we experiencing in not-so Smallorado Springs, Olympic City USA? Fast-rising rents and dare I say greedy landlords. Actually, I don’t have to say it, because influential people like James Proby already have: "It’s pretty clear that the landowners in downtown Colorado Springs don’t want us to be here. They want businesses that are going to be able to pay a much higher market rate than we can. That’s the reality of it,” said the owner of The Men’s Xchange last month during a live Facebook post.
Put all that together and I’ll revise my earlier comment to say it’s not just hard, but really-really-damn-difficult to operate a successful restaurant/bar in this climate. But guess what? A shitload of places here are. Some, like aforementioned Odyssey (with it’s upcoming nacho concept) and Urban Animal (soon to open in Red Swing’s old spot) are even expanding. New places are regularly opening, with much construction underway for still more. Legacy places are celebrating decades-old anniversaries and even some of the priciest places I can think of downtown are packed with patrons regularly right now. Sure, we’re increasingly being divided into a world of haves and have nots, which let’s just acknowledge fucking sucks and is a supremely great injustice. And this isn’t to rub success in the faces of any businesses out there struggling (hang in there, we love you guys), but it’s to say the marketplace is much wider than the dozen places that happened to have met the reaper recently.
Can I say what some others have said, and others are surely thinking? Here it is: Not everyone’s cut out to operate a business and some people actually suck quite hard at it. That’s absolutely not directed specifically at the recent closures (I’m not that much of a dick). I’m saying it generally to acknowledge that not every boo-hoo story you hear is because a place had a perfectly amazing product to sell at the right price, and had nailed the other key elements of being awesome (from atmosphere to service, etc.). Some places close because marketplace cannibalism exists and better places eat the lesser places’ lunch. Or dinner. May the best burrito win. Huzzah!
Take the Tolstoy approach of all happy families being alike, but each unhappy family being unhappy in its own way: All these restaurants/bars lace up their laces, neatly bow their apron strings, polish the glassware and do 99 other things the same way daily, but each one operates in a unique space that must take into account a multitude of factors that inform success — location probably chief among them. But there’s also distance to nearby competition; degree of originality (are you one of two Ethiopian spots, one of a dozen or so Indian eateries, or one of the 800 places that serves a burger?); overall execution of flavors and hospitality and so many other nuanced aspects that either fuel or hinder success and longterm viability.
So back to recent closures: a few common threads, but some different reasons. The deep-pocketed community foundations behind The Well pulled the plug on the food hall. I’m told the Perk Downtown’s owners were looking to retire and facing a big rent increase. Batch Slapped Brewery/Cidery cited financial challenges they couldn’t overcome. Same with Red Swing Brewhouse, whose expenses outpaced their earnings. (Find my recent reporting on all of those here.) Heirloom Bar & Grill retreated back to their Scratch Mobile Kitchen food truck due to “costs going up (our rent, food costs, labor, etc.), and sales lower than anticipated.” I missed speaking to Mushashi Japanese Restaurant to learn more about their closure.
Then, this week, the online doom-and-gloom posts fired back up after the announced closures of neighboring outfits Dog Haus and Momma Pearl’s Cajun Kitchen off North Gate Blvd. I couldn’t reach Dog Haus for comment directly but heard they were facing a very steep rent increase due in-part to the impending arrival of the nearby Ford Amphitheater (spearheaded by one of the new owners of the Colorado Springs Independent.) I did reach Chef Robert Brunet, who confirmed that rent had increased for both businesses by nearly $1,000 a month at the beginning of 2024 to cover new property taxes. He didn’t wish to comment further because of backlash to his outro Facebook post, a mix of a nostalgic swan song and an inflammatory political statement. That reinforced the feelings that much of our local populace had established for him after his prior disparagement of the nation’s Vice President — in an act of online self-immolation so profound it underscored his prior appearance on Food Network’s Restaurant: Impossible and inclusion into celebrity Chef/Host Robert Irvine’s book (Overcoming Impossible) as a case study. (Read my Sept., 2023 interview with Irvine, during which we discuss Brunet, here.) You’ll learn more on the whole Momma Pearl’s situation from this FOX21 News comment thread (despite the article’s inane “beloved” lead sentence, which 400 comments totally undermine) than you will from this Gazette recap. (Grab some popcorn. And maybe milk. Because it’s spicy!)
To be fair, online comments are often troll fodder and shots from the hip that fail to take into account all the complexities of running a business. I firmly believe everyone should have to work in the hospitality industry for a stint — much like compulsory military service, but tastier! — to gain understanding of and empathy for the gig before they get to mouth off too much about the way it is. But I also believe everyone’s a critic, with a unique subjective opinion when it comes to rating food and drink, so I say keep the constructive, honest, tactful mini-reviews coming. That just helps the community weigh best where to spend their limited dollars wisely.
Anyway, I take online comments from inside the industry, particularly from owner/operators, as a pretty true and valuable metric when it comes to sizing up the zeitgeist. A couple have recently stood out, worth quoting here. Farley McDonough, of the longstanding, actually beloved Adam’s Mountain Cafe (other local media please take note of the proper use of “beloved” — you’re welcome), wrote on my post: “… Is it still hard? Hell yes. The restaurant industry, as it was 5 years ago, is gone. This is a new game and small, independent restaurants are at a disadvantage from every angle except one — solid, consistent, genuine customer service. No corporation or chain can take that away from us, or do better at it.”
It’s also worth reading what Red Gravy’s Chef/Owner Eric Brenner wrote last week regarding the recent town closures. In part, he said: “The attrition rate in our industry has always been high. I personally believe this city has been somewhat insulated from outside forces. I would argue that we are doing better than many many places of equivalent size or even much larger. We are experiencing change and growth. This requires constant innovation and creativity.”
I’ll wrap up here by nothing that several people have asked me about what our Mayor and the City (or State) can do to help struggling small businesses right now. They want to know about potential tax credits, or grants, etc., that could be directed at vulnerable outfits, much how federal PPP loans were doled out during the pandemic. (Check out Exponential Impact’s Survive & Thrive Program for one local model.) More than one person has mentioned to me that it feels unfair to them that City entities direct all kinds of resources to attract big corporations from outside, but don’t spend commensurate energy helping our homegrown businesses grow. (Just talk to Todd Baldwin at Red Leg Brewing Company for more on that.)
So are we done seeing closures in 2024? Probably not. But let’s keep them in perspective. The sky isn’t falling, but natural selection is at work.
Something to sing about — tap&table interviews ICONS
"At the end of the day, you can't live your life letting hate win. You've gotta put love out there and just hope for the best. All we have is today, and that's true for anyone." That’s ICONS co-owner John Wolfe speaking on the queer community’s response to the Club Q shooting in late 2022 and the tragedy’s residual impact. It’s just one impactful part of our most recent tap&table episode, during which we get a sneak peek of the ICONS’ space in development; learn what fans should expect at the new space, and talk about the significance of keeping a gay bar’s presence downtown. Oh, and you know we wouldn’t let the guys go without a song. Tune in, share it, donate to ICONS’ cause, and subscribe to tap&table wherever you’re listening.
*Please subscribe to our tap&table YouTube channel to help us build our audience. And/or follow us on your favorite podcast platform, to include Apple, Google, Amazon, Spotify.
Be a cowboy with Ranch Foods Direct
What makes tomahawk steaks unique? “It’s what gives these bone-in steaks their name, the bone itself,” writes Chef Jason Miller. “Not only is the rib section bone attached, but a very long portion of it. This gives the appearance of the handle of a tomahawk axe. This long bone adds the best flavor as it roasts.” Indeed a tomahawk steak is a beautiful thing to behold, feeding up to four people. Chef Miller, a Culinary Instructor at The French Kitchen and co-founder of Season Two Taste, contributed this recipe for a reverse seared tomahawk. Don’t be intimidated by that culinary term; it just means slow-cooking the steak first then quick-searing it in a pan with high heat to brown it. Learn more about a tomahawk steak and get the recipe here. Ranch Foods Direct sells tomahawk steaks at both retail locations’ fresh butcher counters.
Lebowski’s Taproom launches own coffee liqueur
I had given Lebowski’s Taproom a “lukewarm” review last October, a couple months after it’d opened, in the words of owner David Kowalski. He recently emailed me to invite me back in to “change my mind for the better,” noting “we’ve refined some of our pricing and food menu structuring since that time.” He also said that Lebowski’s is essentially killing it, with steady growth monthly and their best month of sales yet in May, with June shaping up equally strong towards the finish line. They’ve already earned a following, and have added popular programming like trivia, comedy nights and Thursday night Bingo, where they typically have an alcohol sponsor and do merch giveaways and such. There’s also a fresh Summer Sips cocktail menu and rotating food specials that turn over on Wednesdays.
“The theme brings people in the first time,” he says, “and the food, atmosphere and people bring them back again and again.” Some patrons return to complete the 12-drink White Russian World Tour (to earn a t-shirt and Polaroid on the wall). The punchcard takes you through nine house flagship White Russians plus a seasonal pick and two guest drinks. One’s a recipe from a Big Lebowski-themed bar in Glasgow, Scotland and the other’s from Reykjavik, Iceland (and incorporates absinthe). The Reykjavik location’s where Kowalski and his wife Monica visited in recent years and it inspired them to open their own Lebowski bar here, incorporating a 50s-diner look and feel, which they’d already been toying with, he says.
You can’t make a good White Russian without a good coffee liqueur, obviously, and Lebowski’s Taproom began making their own early on, utilizing a recipe from Monica’s father — coincidentally named Donny, like the Steve Buscemi character in the film. David says the recipe is from the 70s, that Donny would take it hunting and also make batches for Christmas presents. Recently, Lebowski’s coordinated with Blackhat Distillery to begin bottling their “Lebowski's Kool-Luah Coffee Liqueur” for the masses. You can purchase up to two bottles on site, including a limited-release one that comes with an amusing Folgers Coffee can challenge coin. It’s also available at Cheers Liquor Mart, Twins Wine & Liquor and Coaltrain, currently. And Cerberus Brewing will be among the first restaurants to carry it behind their bar as Lebowski’s seeks to expand across bar shelves. David, calling it a “huge success,” says more than 750 bottles have sold at the restaurant alone within the first six weeks of pre-orders.
On the topic of success, David and Monica recently competed on a reality TV show on Prime Video “about entrepreneurship” called The Blox. To find out how they fared against 113 competitors across many business sectors, he says to tune in around late August/early September — or come to watch parties at Lebowski’s. He says they workshopped their Kool-Luah liqueur on the show and gained many fans while in Tulsa for the week to film.
While we chatted, I sipped on a Huck It Huckleberry Blonde from Missoula’s Big Sky Brewing Co., which I must praise as a pretty perfect summer beer. (It also triggered fond memories of past personal adventures in Montana and the wide array of huckleberry products found up there, from lattes and smoothies to syrups and craft brews.) Lebowki’s has a respectable tap list, supporting a good mix of our locals and some regional brands.
David served me the special pulled pork sandwich prepped by house chef Lourdes Garcia and he insisted I re-try The Donny burger, topped in green chile, which I’d complained earlier had been presented in a way as to totally sog out the bottom bun. They’ve fixed that and I still like the bite of Monica’s family-recipe Hatch green chile that tops the patty. The house “dust” seasoning they sprinkle on the fries gives an earthy red chile vibe that pays homage to New Mexico, where David and Monica attended college. On the whole, taking into account my VIP treatment, I would call the bites improved since my first visit and fully bar food competent by way of bliss-point-hitting comfort food. Nice work, Dudes.
Bites and Bits
• P74 The Downtown Panino’s celebrates its 50th anniversary this year — along with José Muldoons, who I reported on in early May and Margarita at Pine Creek, who sprinkled throwback dishes on their menu during spring but plans to do more celebrations in the fall after busy summer season. But back to P74: radio personality Mike Boyle is hosting a Boyle Lunch Bunch pop-up from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., June 22 during which the original Panino’s location will offer 10 popular plates for half off. I spoke with co-owner Bobby Lashwood, whose wife Christina comes from the Frasca family. He told me that Christina’s grandparents opened the spot and her parents later took over, making her a third generation operator. Her grandfather Tony was a known local athlete and coach in his day and Bobby says they still “honor the traditions” and hold true to Tony’s community-forward philosophy, often donating food to schools, first responders, etc. Panino’s signature item, for the uninitiated, is the Panino sandwich, which begins with pizza dough rolled flat and topped with ingredients that receive an oven bake. Next the dough gets rolled up, further garnished, halved and eaten like a wrap. (Gluten-free option available.) Look for more anniversary celebration specials throughout the year.
• Doki Doki Food Truck announced this week that it will go on a long hiatus as of June 30. “The concept has proven to be fantastically successful, but it's time to focus on being a dad and husband. That's about it,” wrote proprietor John Koenig. Pursuant to recent restaurant closures in town (our lead story above), he did note “margins aren't nearly what they used to be but that's not why I'm hanging things up… I fully intend to revisit this concept again once food prices and commercial real estate prices simmer the eff down.”
• Boards & Barrels just opened in the former Swiss Chalet spot in Woodland Park. I’ve reached out for an interview for a near-future newsletter. As for the name, it’s a nod to house whiskies and charcuterie boards.
• Golden Hour bar has now opened next to Blk Mgk coffee counter in the lobby of The Mining Exchange Hotel. It runs daily from 3-10 p.m. (11 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays) with a fairly robust food menu — everything from mussels to bison steak frites and hamachi crudo — and a drink list featuring Champagnes, limited local craft beer taps, mocktails and cocktails (ranging from $12.50 to $19.50). What I might try first when I get there: the Hatch Me Outside, with Superbird Reposado, orange liqueur, hatch chili liqueur, lime and jalapeño. Catch live jazz performances, organized by Dizzy Charlie’s, from 5 to 8 p.m. on Thursdays.
• Mochi Thai’m Donuts has soft opened its second location at 1856 Democracy Pt. in the Victory Ridge Shopping Center off Interquest Parkway.
• File this in the under-the-radar category: A pizza pop-up named PizzAria now serves out of Nightingale Bread on Sundays only, from 4-8 p.m. They start taking orders at 3 p.m., day-of, and recommend calling ahead in order to have a better chance of snagging a pie before selling out. I’m told by a friend that they are excellent pizzas, which is no surprise since Nightingale has been a house of magic since it opened, earning its long lines daily. Check out the short menu here.
• Look for the opening of Happy Eats Pasta in early July at 1536 S. Nevada Ave., adjacent to Natural Grocers. The business has prior been operating as a food truck and offers build-your-own pasta options.
• The Gazette reported two businesses taking over the former T-Byrd’s Tacos & Tequila/Dirty Byrd spaces at 24 and 26 E. Kiowa Ave.: Haole Hawaiian Grindz will move from the CO.A.T.I. food hall after a successful incubation period and a new Mexican place named Azteca Urbano will spring up via a former construction industry worker.
• Springs Magazine highlighted how “Colorado Restaurants Win Big at 2024 James Beard Awards” this week.
• As I noted a couple weeks ago, WestFax Brewing soft opens June 28.
Side Dish Dozen happenings
• Allusion Speakeasy: Holy bananas look at the crazy-ass glassware Inez bought this time for the Super Bario theme at both locations:
• Chef Brother Luck: Char Siu Bao Buns cooking class, 7 p.m., June 28. Aperol Spritz Brunch on the Patio at Eleven18 Latin Tapas Bar, 10 a.m., June 22. Chopped watch party for Four By Brother Luck Chef Ashley Brown, 6 p.m., June 25 at Eleven18.
• The French Kitchen: Join us at two breakfast stations on Bike to Work Day, June 26: get Queenets outside City Hall and our Chocolatine Bites at the intersection of the Santa Fe and Cottonwood Creek trails. Celebrate National Chocolate Éclair Day with us and buy-3-get-1-free on June 22 only. Cordon Bleu special 20% off through June 26.
• Kangaroo Coffee: June 22 we're supporting the Legacy Race Battling Cancer. June 26 we’ll have two Bike to Work stations at our Hillside Coffee House and Criterium Bicycles. Join us June 26 at Moonlight on the Mountain, and June 29 at Weidner Field for Switchbacks Soccer.
• Edelweiss: We offer traditional live music every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening from 5:30pm-8:30pm courtesy of our wonderful accordion players.
• Rasta Pasta: The Chicken Montego Bay is Rasta Pasta’s best seller for good reason: House-made jerk chicken, freshly sautéed veggies, pineapple, penne pasta and Alfredo sauce folded with white wine and pineapple juice.
• Odyssey Gastropub: Come in for the Cuban Flank Steak:Mojo marinated steak, corn and black bean salad with avocado salsa verde.
• Blue Star Group: Empanadas are Back at Ivywild School! Starting June 24, Decent Pizza Co. will be offering the empanadas you love and have been missing on its menu permanently. Choose from Spicy Ground Beef, Steak Quesadilla, Spicy Chicken, Chicken Caprese, Spinach & Cheese, and Ground Beef plus freshly made Chimichurri.
• Red Gravy: Come in for our unbeatable lunch deal: the $14.99 Red Gravy Mix, where you choose a soup or salad and any half portion of pasta. Maybe Cobb and Carbonara?
• Goat Patch Brewing: Crisball Adult Prom Fundraiser, 5-9 p.m. June 23. Bleating Heart Night, 5-9 p.m., June 25; $1 from each pint sold benefits The Lockwood Foundation. Trivia, 6:30-8:30 p.m., June 26. Goatflix & Chill, 8-10 p.m., June 28.
• Local Relic Artisan Ales: On draft right now: Petite peach saison, sumac dill saison and many more. Member Mixer Dinner, 5-8 p.m., June 25. Not a member? Become a monthly or annual member here and gain access to member-only release beers.
• Ascent Beverage: Come say hi to James and try free samples of Robb's Red Rumm and Arcola whiskey with us from 3:30 to 5:30 on June 21 at Monument Cork’n Bottle Liquor.
• Bristol Brewing Company: SofaKillers play Bristol’s Music in the Yard on Friday, June 21st, 6-8pm. Also, throw bright colors with your friends and family at our annual Color Fight on Saturday, June 22nd starting at 2:00. Kids throw at 2:30, adults at 3:00. Your $7 ticket gets you a white Bristol t-shirt to play in. Walk-ins also welcome!
• District Elleven: Happy Hours, 4-6 p.m., Tuesdays-Fridays. $6 tapas, $6 wines, $8 Old Fashioned cocktails, $5 wells, $4 beers.
Upcoming events
*Support local farmers markets. Use Visit COS’ handy online guide to find the market(s) nearest you.
• June 22: 2nd annual Summa Solstice Block Party, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Live music all day, raffles, guest brewery Goat Patch to help raise funds for One Dog At A Time Colorado.
• June 23: Paella on the Patio at Tapateria. Three seatings between noon and 5 p.m. $39 includes a first wine, beer or sangria. June’s paella style: La Tomatina. (Reserve early for future dates: July 21, Aug. 18, Sept. 22 and Oct. 20.)
• June 27: Moonlight on the Mountain at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. 6-10 p.m.; $79.75-$119.75. Includes all-inclusive food and drink samplings, live music, SkyRides ($5 extra) and of course, giraffe feeding. (21 and-up.)
• June 29: 10 Year Anniversary Celebration at FH Beerworks. Noon to 10 p.m.
• June 29: Revel ReMix: AdAmAn Alley Dance Party: By way of eats, look for grab-and-go items from Red Gravy (toasted ravioli) Jack Quinn’s (steak & mushroom hand pies) and Colorado Craft (mac & cheese).
Parting shot(s)
Last Saturday was a packed day, with our Snack with Schnip pop-up event at The French Kitchen followed by Bristol Brewing Company’s 30-year anniversary party. TFK’s Blandine Mazéran and her crew stuffed us with samples (including crêpes!). Then Bristol saturated us in suds; my good pal Carrie Simison and I had a blast beertending together. Thanks to those of you who came out and we look forward to seeing you all again next month. I’ll be announcing July’s Sip with Schnip in next week’s newsletter. Meanwhile, here’s a fun photo dump from the day:
What a beloved newsletter!
Beautifully written ( conveys a picture worth noting as it captures thoughts into well thought out sentences).