Supekhana International

The reputation of this restaurant preceded it.  Born of the long time and very popular popup, Bombay Breakdown, Chefs Yoshi Yamada and Zeeshan Shah joined forces with Jason Hammel to open Superkhana International, a restaurant opened on a stretch of Diversey Avenue that has become wildly international (Tiki bar Lost Lake,  Bakery Cellar Door Provisions, and Fat Rice, an award winning restaurant focusing on the cuisine of Macau).  The stretch is very diverse and an on the surface, an Indian Restaurant would fit right in, the thing about that though is that the chefs do not serve classic Indian food, and don't even serve rice as a dish on it's own.  The menu combines American comfort food with Indian flavors to make some really diverse and creative dishes that make them an even better fit for the stretch of Diversey where they are located.  From the shape of the restaurant and the curves in the interior, my first thought was that the restaurant was located in a former furniture or carpet store.  I was told however that the space was too small for either ind it was actually formerly a crappy pizza joint.  The interior of the restaurant is concealed from the entrance by a colorful curtain.  The bar is located just inside the door which is where I sat.  The bar was light colored stone and the walls of the space were light brick with a lot of curves, though there was another very colorful painting on the wall across the bar from where I was sitting.  I was sitting at the end of the bar and had to look completely across the length of the bar to study it.  In the bar area, aside from the windows, light was provided from hanging globes above the bar.  The drinks served at the bar focused on beer and some reasonably priced Highballs and Spritzers.  I started things off with a Highball, A Gin & Tonic using City of London Gin and E. Imperial Tonic.  I was actually kind of surprised at the size of the drink considering the price.  City of London Gin is a London Dry style and with the tonic, the drink was very dry and crisp.  It was also pretty bitter, so I didn't drink it quickly.

For my food, I started things off with the Beans.  Now Beans do not typically come to mind when thinking about Indian cuisine, particularly Green and Yellow Beans.  These however, were coated with Toasted Coconut, Toasted Almonds, and Yogurt.  This was very good.  The beans were very fresh and crisp with some additional crunch being provided by the coconut and almonds.  The Yogurt tied everything together and made for a great dish.  While this did get me excited for what would be coming next, this was good enough, that I would have been happy for another plate of these beans.

The main course was called Achaari Pork Pao and what it was was essentially a pulled pork sandwich.  It was a Braised and Pulled Pork Shoulder spiced with typical of Indian Cuisine such as Fenugreek, Anise, Cumin, Onion, and Chili Powder, with Tamarind, Fried Shallots, and Lettuce on a Pao (Portuguese for Bread, Pao or Pav is a Soft White Bun).  The food was very flavorful and bright.  Again, I could have eaten a couple of these.  I did not, however, want to eat two of these because there was still dessert to be had.

 The dessert menu was very small, consisting of two items, an Ice Cream Sandwich and Shahi Tookray.  I had no idea what Shahi Tookray was and was told besides that the Ice Cream Sandwich was small, so I decided to try the item, that I had no idea about except to be told that the description doesn't do it justice and I had to try it.  Considering my other dishes, I was sure that the Ice Cream Sandwich was good, but I decided to try to try the Shahi Tookray, which was just described on the menu as a list of ingredients:  Ricotta, Sultanas, and Almonds.  What I received was not at all what I expected, not the least of which was because it had a layer of silver foil on top.  It was was really good and similar to a fruit crisp.  To go with the dessert, I had a digestif called Townshend Kashmiri Amaro which, while I had never seen it before, was really good.  It combined flavors of Indian Chai and Italian Amaro.  It was really good and went well with the Shahi Tookray.

I liked everything about this place.  The place was cute, colorful and welcoming, the service was outstanding with my questions answered well, and the food was outstanding.  I would say that I would return to this place, except that I already have.  What I will do is continue returning and introducing friends to this place that combines Indian Flavors with American Comfort Food.  

Flora Fauna - Tasting Collective Dinner

The day after I returned from Colorado, I did another dinner with Tasting Collective.  It was a brand new restaurant that had opened in the space formerly occupied by Bohemian House called Flora Fauna.  Located in the same building, it is likely going to look the same from the outside (except for the sign).  The entrance into the restaurant is also very similar, though there is now a very colorful mural of a parrot outside the heavy wooden door leading into the restaurant.  There is a menu outside the entrance that shows that the menu has completely changed.  What was formerly a restaurant focused on Bohemian cuisine (Austrian, German, Czech) is now very much an International restaurant with an eclectic menu focused primarily on the cuisine of Mexico, the Caribbean, and Southeast Asia.  I did not get a chance to see the menu of the dinner that we would be served before I came, so I was kind of excited to see what we would be served.  Walking into the dining room, I found the layout largely the same with a large room with a high ceiling and a large bar on the wall opposite the entrance, kitchen in the back, and a large booth in the wall on the same side as the entrance.  There had been a lot of tile on the back wall and a brick wall on the bar side, but the tile had been removed with the wall painted a neutral color and the brick drywalled and given a green paint job.  There were still hanging lights, though the lights were now given a wicker basket cover.  We were seated at the front near the large windows.  After looking over the menu of what we would be eating, I then looked over the cocktails and started off with a cocktail called Basic Beach with Los Vecinos Mezcal, Coconut, Lime, Strawberry and Soda.  It was very tropical and refreshing with a lot of tart fruitiness and a sparkling finish.  I liked it and I thought the carbonation would be a good start because I figured that it would open up my taste buds as champagne does when you drink it at the beginning of a meal.   

We started with a spin on many types of Asian Cuisine, Braised Jackfruit Dandan with Papaya Noodles, Crushed Cashews, and Chili Oil.  Dandan is a noodle dish form the Sichuan region of China, Jackfruit is from Southern India, though is found in many cuisines of Southeast Asia, and Papaya Salad is a standard of Vietnamese cuisine.  As I was not familiar with Dandan, but was with papaya salad, that is how I related to it.  I really liked this.  It was spicy, tart, and crisp, and the jackfruit added a savory and  almost meaty side.  Dandan is frequently spicy, but so is papaya salad, and this was as well, but it wasn't overwhelming and added another flavor element to this dish. 

While I wouldn't call the second course strictly Indian, I will say that that is want it reminded me of, despite the fact that the ingredients used were largely Midwestern.  It was grilled Cauliflower and Broccolini with Goat's Milk Yogurt, and Mustard Seed Chow Chow (a pickled relish with varying ingredients with North American origins that is related to chutney).  The vegetables were tender and tasted very fresh with a lot of spicy flavor from what tasted like curry, though that may have simply come from the chow chow. 

For course number three, I would say that it was a spin Indian Cuisine which was pretty good.  We were served Seafood Fritters made from Octopus, Scallops, and Crab Meat, served with Kerala Curry, Chinese Broccoli, and Coconut Crema.  Kerala is a state in Southern India whose cuisines focus on vegetables and seafood.  The curry is made to go with vegetables and seafood and also includes a lot of coconut.   

The idea of the next course reminded me of Ssam, a Korean dish, or style of eating in which meat and vegetables are wrapped in a Sesame or Perilla Leaf.  In the Ssam that I have had, pork has been used.  This replaced the pork with a Fried Skate Wing and the Perilla with Lettuce.  Included with the Skate wing were a variety of vegetables including Carrots, Cucumbers, Mushrooms, Jicama, Lime, Tamari, and a Scotch Bonnet Vinaigrette.  This was really good and it was fun to see how the different flavors worked together.  The problem was to be able to fit everything on the lettuce leaf.  Many times I overloaded and had to eat over my plate so the vegetables spilling out didn't land in my lap.  The scotch bonnet vinaigrette could have potentially been so hot as to be inedible.  While there was some heat, it was not unbearable and did add some flavor to the fish and vegetables.

Our entree was largely Caribbean with the accompaniments reminding me of Cajun cuisine and the protein itself, Quail, North American.  We were served Jerked Quail with Dirty Ancient Grains, Braised Greens, and Mushrooms.  Jerk is a method of meat preparation native to Jamaica in which the meat is dry rubbed or wet marinated with a hot spice mixture including allspice, Scotch Bonnet Peppers, Cinnamon, Ginger, Thyme, and Garlic.  The dish was spicy, but it was also very good and while quail are small, there was enough meat and vegetables to go around.

We finished off with a Mexican favorite, a Chocolate Taquito with Korean Chili and Tangerine Whipped Cream.  I love the combination of sweet and spicy and Mexican and Korean cuisines seem to go together well, so this was a great combo.  The tangerine whipped cream added a hint of tang to the whole thing and made for a great finish.

I enjoyed my meal here and liked the combinations.  When we came, the chef mentioned that they were brand new and were still trying some things out.  A few of the dishes that we had are still on the menu, so I assume that it was found that they work.  I would happy to return to see what other combinations that they do.

Cafe Bluebird - Fort Collins - Brunch

 

 

I did eat other things besides brunch, but those things were largely burgers in bars. While they were good, they weren't really much to write about.  While many of the brunch places served many of the same things, the atmosphere and decor of the places made them very different.  The place I stopped at in Ft. Collins, Cafe Bluebird, was small, relatively cozy, and brightly colored, so it reminded me of spring.  Located across the street from Colorado State University, it is part of a small retail establishment called Laurel Street Station.  The front is light brick and surrounded by trees and plantlife and the entrance is located above a large and solid half-round awning.  Walking in, you encounter a small alcove in front of the host station where Housemade preserves are sold.  There were three rows of seating in the dining room.  Booths were next to the light blue wall, round tables were in the center, and rectangular four tops were located next to the large windows.  Aside from the windows, lighting was from hanging lights affixed to the wall mounted on a streetlight-like fixture and hanging lights above the tables beside the windows.  Even without the lights, the space is very bright.

 

In addition to the standard eggs, omelettes, pancakes, and French Toast, the menu also included a variety of breakfast burritos, crepes, and salads.  I ordered a Hobo Skillet, which contained Home Fries, Onions, Green Pepper, Maple Ham, Turkey, Bacon, Cheddar, Two Eggs Over Easy, and Wheat Toast.  It was very savory and flavorful, everything went together well, and I liked it a lot.  Paired with the skillet, I ordered a cup of coffee which was the house blend of a local roaster.  It was a flavorful medium roast that was very satisfying.  It was very filling and a good start to what ended being a very long day.   

Tangerine - Longmont - Brunch

After Denver, I ran up to Longmont, in Boulder County, to visit some friends.  I met them in the evening and we enjoyed burgers and beer, but decided to see the mountains and The Stanley Hotel (inspiration for The Shining) in Estes Park.  Before we went up, though, I needed a good meal to start things off.  We met at Tangerine, in downtown Longmont, a breakfast, brunch, and lunch restaurant.  It had a nice patio in front, but as I was going to be outside all day and it would be hot, I decided to get a little shade and air conditioning.  The space was narrow with the bar on one side, a row of high sided booths in the middle of the space, and a row of two tops against the wall opposite the bar.  The space was largely white with hanging lights with orange globes.  The booths had decorative glass barriers between each other, so the booths, while open on one side, felt pretty private.  While the place had a dineresque feel, there was a design element above the bar that reminded me of either whitewashed industrial equipment or the Death Star from Star Wars.  As it wasn't really prominent unless you actually looked above the bar, it didn't really change the vibe of the space, but it was kind of funny.

 

For drinks, they served Juice, Coffee of all sorts, Beer, Wine, and a variety of Breakfast Cocktails.  As I imagined that I would have enough beer to last me, I decided to hold off on the alcohol and to hydrate and energize myself with some Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice and some Coffee.  The coffee was a medium dark roast, but pretty tasty and the orange juice was very fresh, tart, and sweet.

 

For my main course I had Corned Beef Hash with House Made Corned Beef, Onions, Bacon, Potatoes, House Spice Blend, 2 Sunny Side Up Eggs, House Made Butter Pickles, and Wheat Toast and a Fruit Cup on the side.  This was really good.  The pickles were unusual in that I have never had pickles that came with Corned Beef Hash.  The hash was tasty and filling, the bacon, in addition to the corned beef, was a nice touch and the eggs were perfectly cooked.  I felt really lucky with the Fruit Cup because for the second time I had ordered it recently, it contained no Cantaloupe.  It had Grapes, Pineapple, Strawberries, Blueberries, and Watermelon.  It was fresh, sweet, and juicy, and a nice finish to a great breakfast.