COME TO LIFE industry trends across the nation at the time, Niernberg’s restaurants showcase contemporary Southwestern foods. He frequently uses corn, peppers, bison and Colorado lamb, while being conscious of food systems as a whole. Fruit is worked into the menu starting at the summer solstice through September and October. Local favorites, including the region’s famous Palisade peaches, are woven into recipes, while more obscure finds like small harvests of the rare elephant heart plums found in a single orchard over the past century make special appearances. Staples to the Bin 707 Foodbar and Tacoparty menus include two types of beans unique to the region. The Fremont bean which comes from the Fremont people of eastern Utah that once inhabited western Colorado. And conversely, the Mayocoba bean from the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe comes from reservation land south of Grand Junction. “So we’ve got several hundred years of history through two different types of beans that we use on the menus at the two restaurants,” Niernberg said. For Luck, his signature blue cornbread is the best depiction of this history. Telling the story of Colorado, Luck sources blue corn from the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe Farm & Ranch ’s Bow & Arrow Brand near the Four Corners region and pairs it with buffalo chili made from Pueblo chiles farmed just south of the Springs. The dish is then finished with a black-forest honey from a farm just 20 minutes from the restaurant and served with a Mojave jam, a Native American recipe of berries that have been cooked down with agave or sherry. “It’s such a beautiful dish, but it just kind of captures what this region is about,” Luck said, noting that each time he jets off across the world for cooking appearances, he shares a piece of Colorado through his blue cornbread. “Most people outside of this region don’t know those flavor profiles, they’ve never had a true roasted green chile, and it blows their mind,” Luck said. “I love to serve that dish and tell that story because I think it captures what our entire concept is about.” As for must-tries, the tempura jalapeño poppers are another signature dish that have been a staple to his menus over the past 10 years. Roasted jalapeños are paired with a cilantro-spiced cheese and dipped in a very light tempura batter. Fried and served hot, this dish is an elevated rendition of a classic bar appetizer. “It’s crazy, I’ve cooked it on ‘Top Chef,’ I’ve traveled with it, it’s just one of those dishes I would never be able to take off the menu because it has such a strong following and it’s one of the best things I’ve ever eaten,” Luck said. While Niernberg and Luck focus on spotlighting the region’s flavors, Rodriguez and Vigil use local ingredients to bring international fare to Colorado. Just outside Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Vigil serves Italian fare blended harmoniously with Colorado classics like their famous lamb shank. Meanwhile, Rodriguez is cooking up flavors from South America, the Mediterranean and the American South across her restaurants — Work & Class and Super Mega Bien . However, at the newly reopened Casa Bonita, she is striving for her first James Beard Award with a completely revamped menu. Stepping away from Tex-Mex fare, she’s bringing in traditional Mexican dishes reminiscent of her upbringing in Chihuahua, Mexico. Learn more about Rodriguez and Vigil at Colorado.com/ElevatedDining. Casa Bonita Continue reading on Colorado.com 98 1-800-COLORADO CASA BONITA
Colorado Official State Vacation Guide 2024: Page 98
