PRRP installment 21: Tangerine

For our FINAL installment, we walked over to Tangerine, which opened not quite a month ago in the space at Public Road and Cannon that has been home to so many short-lived restaurants. When it first opened, it was Rocky Mountain Joe's, and in between (I'm sure I am missing some), I recall Pulcinella, Mataam Fez, Angelo's, and Apeizzo. Let's hope Tangerine has some staying power! It probably will because the one in Boulder is very popular, and this location has been busy since it opened. 

I ordered something I'd never tried before (having often been to the Boulder Tangerine), poached eggs over polenta with roasted local Hazel Dell mushrooms, charred asparagus, and pecorino romano cheese. It was different and delicious! G had the two-egg breakfast with bacon, potatoes, and toast and also enjoyed his meal. We were especially impressed by the homemade jams (blackberry and strawberry). 

The space is pleasant with lots of natural light, but it's also quite noisy. You might have to wait if you visit at the peak lunchtime or on a weekend, but at 10:45 a.m. on Thursday, we got a table immediately.

G's bacon-and-egg breakfast and coffee

Roasted local Hazel Dell mushrooms and charred asparagus with poached eggs over polenta 

We didn't order any of these, but the menu looked appealing.

A nice bright interior, but noisy

Brightening this corner of Public Road

PRRP installment 20: Senor Gomez

We visited Senor Gomez for a midmorning weekday breakfast (actually last Tuesday, but it has taken me this long to get around to posting). We had never been there before, partly because it is only open for breakfast and lunch. When we first moved to Lafayette, it was still the Plum Tree, which we remember well because we could both eat dinner there for less than $10. I was also fond of its next incarnation, Nikko Cucina. We visited often because we loved the crusty Italian bread and the chocolate-hazelnut cake, but it only lasted a year or so. It might have been something else in between, but Senor Gomez has hung in there for a long time now. 

I had read reviews praising the green chile, so I got the huevos ranchero with the green chile on the side, just in case it was too hot for me (I tend to prefer medium-spicy). It was definitely hot, but not intolerably so, and it was delicious. G got the chilaquiles and ended up with a huge plate of food and leftovers to bring home. We liked the cozy booths and the sunny interior and even ran into some neighbors who were enjoying brunch in the next booth.

We liked the sunny space and cozy booths.

Huevos rancheros with green chile, and (background) chilaquiles

G's chilaquiles

PRRP installment 19: Udon Kaisha

Udon Kaisha is technically not on Public Road, but since it is right next door to several other restaurants that are, we included it on the list. We have been here quite a few times since it opened and have always liked the food, but it had been a while since our last visit. We were actually there on Saturday, but it took me a while to get around to posting. 

We decided to try an appetizer we had never had before, okonomiyaki (sweet potato cakes with cabbage, green onions, and a crunchy flour-and-egg crust), and it may be my new favorite thing there. Next, we ordered some sushi rolls that were also new to us: spicy shrimp roll, crunchy tiger roll, and sweet potato roll. They were all good, but the sweet potato roll (tempura fried sweet potato with sweet soy and spicy mayo) was my favorite. 

Finally, G had a bowl of shoyu udon soup, which is an old favorite. I remember getting a takeout order of this soup and the spicy ramen once when we were both sick, and they were amazing then too!

Okonomiyaki. We broke up the round cake before I remembered to photograph it. It looks kind of greenish here, but I promise it is delicious.

Sushi rolls: sweet potato, crunchy tiger, spicy shrimp

Shoyu udon noodle soup

PRRP installment 18: Baseline Italian Bistro (CLOSED)

Update January 2022: This restaurant later became Mon Cherie, which closed during the pandemic shutdown before we could review it and then closed permanently. It was replaced by Casian Seafood. 

We were down to our last two dinner places, and we actually drew the other one, but it turned out to be closed on Tuesday, so we ended up at Baseline Italian Bistro.

This place has been an Italian restaurant for years, first as the Sweet Tomato, to which we frequently walked for dinner, then under new ownership as Pinocchio's, and now under new ownership again. I had not been there since before the latest name change. 

I ordered pizza because it occurred to me that it is now the only place on Public Road that serves pizza, but after dinner our server told us that they are about one week away from having a bakery and a new menu, and pizza will not be on the new menu. So get over there in the next few days if you are a fan of the pizza! The new menu, which will be mostly (but not exclusively) Italian, will still have calzones. 

We each had a salad (caesar for me, with anchovies added for a small upcharge, and garden salad for G), and G had a pasta sampler with ravioli, spaghetti, and chicken parmesan. The pizza was a build-your-own with sausage, mushrooms, and black olives, and we brought three-quarters of it home (I just had some for breakfast). Everything was good. For dessert, we shared a dish of spumoni. We noticed on the sign out front that Thursday is still all-you-can-eat spaghetti night, so perhaps that tradition will continue after the menu change!

If you don't like anchovies, sorry they are kind of the focal point here! Caesar salad and garden salad. We liked the squishy hot rolls.

Build-your-own pizza with sausage, mushrooms, and black olives and a pasta sampler with ravioli, spaghetti topped with Italian sausage, and chicken parmesan.

Pizza with restaurant background

Me with pizza and Peroni

We started eating the spumoni before I remembered to photograph it, so this is an action shot of G digging in.

PRRP installment 17: The Post

We picked the Post instead of drawing from our remaining restaurants because we wanted to use our coupon for $10 off that came as a door hanger a month or two ago and expires 2/9. Thanks, Post! 

As many of you know, the Post used to be the Lafayette VFW Post building before it was renovated to its current brewpubbery glory. It is technically half a block off Public Road, but close enough! I walked by it for many years on my route to the PO when the VFW just had a couple of picnic tables in the side yard, and you never saw anyone out there. Of course, there was no reason for it to be busy, as it was not a restaurant, but it's just interesting to contrast the atmosphere then and now! These days it is almost always hopping, even on a Monday night. 

Why Monday? BURGER NIGHT. I promise you, the Post has an awesome burger. Kat introduced me to this phenomenon a year or so ago, and it ratcheted my general liking for the Post up to a recurring Monday-night obsession. The burger (which is not served other nights of the week) comes with a Thousand Island sauce and onion jam, and the bun is a house-made English muffin. It is a good idea to split the burger to leave room for dessert! 

We also shared a big house salad, one of my favorite things there, and some garlic fries and topped it off with a show-stopping kahlua bread pudding with candied almonds and chocolate ice cream. I had a Howdy beer because I am a fan of pilsners. See photo captions for more food details.

The big salad comes with big chunks of chewy bacon, tomatoes, pepitas, croutons, blue cheese, and cucumber chunks. I just noticed the menu says it also has apples and boiled eggs, but I didn't spot any of those tonight. Oddly, on my one visit to the Post in Boulder, the big salad did not live up to my expectations based on how good it is at the Lafayette location. I don't think the Boulder kitchen had the vinaigrette right.

The burger is not huge, but it is big enough to share! The bun is a house-made English muffin, and it is topped with Thousand Island dressing and onion jam. It does not need any other condiments. It comes with a garnish of pickled veggies; sides are a la carte. 

Garlic fries with cheese crumbles

This out-of-focus photo shows how excited Kat was about her half of the burger.

Make sure you get over to the Post before this dessert rotates off the menu. Kahlua bread pudding with candied almonds and chocolate ice cream. It was amazing!

PRRP installment 16: Efrain's (and Chocolaterie Stam)

From our few remaining dinner places, we drew Efrain's. This is probably the best-known restaurant on Public Road and also the longest-lived except for the Fortune Cookie and Ting's. We vaguely remember the restaurant that was there before Efrain's, which had a name that started with a T and an eclectic menu that included things like roast duck, but we can't recall the name--or the place that was there before that one. At any rate, we hadn't been to Efrain's in several years. 

We walked up at 5 p.m. to avoid the long waits that are typical of weekend dinnertimes there. We enjoyed our meals, and the service was brisk, friendly, and competent. G had chicken fajitas, and I had the tamale plate. The tamales came from the kitchen very hot and were smothered in a flavorful red chile sauce. 

Afterward, we walked across the street to Chocolaterie Stam for dessert (a truffle for G and gelato for me). It was quiet when we first got there, as it was still only 6:15 p.m., but several groups were coming in when we left. And there was a piano player!

I thought the  margarita was pretty.

The tamales were hot and tasty, especially because I liked the red chile sauce. G liked the fajitas but thought the meat should have come on a sizzling plate accompanied by grilled onions and peppers. 

Photo of me and the restaurant in the mirror that we were seated next to. 

Dessert at Stam: cookies and cream gelato and a dark chocolate truffle. You can see the piano player waaaay in the background.

Stam has the most beautiful counter.

PRRP installment 15: Eats & Sweets

From our few remaining breakfast/lunch places, we drew Eats & Sweets. E&S actually stays open until 8 pm Sun-Thurs and 9 pm Fri and Sat, but I put it in my breakfast/lunch group because its menu is mainly salads/sandwiches/soups and I thought we'd like to visit it at lunchtime. It was hopping today! We have been there quite a few times over the years but not recently, so it was nice to see it so busy. 

Everything was very good, and G said it is his new favorite because he liked his Dave's Roast Beef sandwich so much (it is one of the house creations, and you can also build your own sandwich). He had a cup of carrot-ginger soup with it, and I had clam chowder and a salad topped with chicken salad. Note that if you add extra ingredients to your salad from the list of ingredients that cost extra, you get sizable portions! I ended up with a full half of an avocado along with this giant scoop of chicken salad. 

We also tried two chocolate cupcakes, one with white frosting and one with chocolate. Delicious!

Lots of both eats and sweets that we haven't tried yet! 

Eats & Sweets was hopping at lunchtime.

For me: salad topped with chicken salad and a cup of clam chowder. For G, Dave's Roast Beef and carrot-ginger soup. The soups were peppery, but we like them that way! Note the ice cream happy hour sign in the background.

Delicious cupcakes!

PRRP addendum: French Twist Food Truck at Odd 13 (CLOSED)

Update January 2022: Closed during the pandemic when the owner got a job elsewhere, although who knows, it may return someday!

Two food posts in two days! This one was not officially a PRRP installment, but I consider it a PRRP detour because it is only two blocks off Public Road. 

Kat and I finally synced our schedules and the French Twist Food Truck's schedule at Odd13 (every Saturday and every other Sunday, 12:30-8:30) and had lunch there. First, we took a longish walk with the dogs to work up an appetite; then we dropped the dogs off and wandered over a little after 12:30. 

I ordered the croque madame and Kat ordered the salmon madame, and we traded a few bites and found them both so amazing that we agreed we should have split them down the middle. The croque madame is ham and swiss with a mushroom-bechamel sauce. The salmon madame has smoked salmon mixed with cream cheese with tomatoes and a lemon-caper cream sauce. They paired well with Odd beer! We also split a creme brulee that was so good that we cleaned out every angle of the container.

Note that at first we expected to see the truck parked on the street and thought it wasn't there for a second until we remembered that it would be inside the courtyard.

You can have dogs on the Odd 13 patio, but we weren't sure it was warm enough to sit outside for long, and we did move indoors when the temperature dropped, so we dropped them off before we went over. Kat had one of the IPAs, and I had the Mark Lark unfiltered lager and liked it a lot.

Croque madame and salmon croque (they look the same from the outside but are quite different inside!). The waffle-cut potato chips were delicious and just the right degree of saltiness. They also came with a side of ratatouille.

Creme brulee--AMAZING.

Louise the French Twist Food Truck

PRRP installment 14: Ting's Place (CLOSED)

Ting's Place closed permanently in 2023.

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Ting's has been around since 1988, a year before we moved to Lafayette, and we used to eat there frequently when it was in what used to be called (I think) Coal Creek Plaza. From the days of those visits, we even have a goofy inside joke where we say "Ting's" instead of "Thanks." (Don't judge; I said it was goofy!) 

We had stopped going in recent years, for no reason except that we favored restaurants in easier walking distance, and we had only been to the newer location a couple of times before. We ordered the Mandarin meal for two and got soup (wonton for both), assorted appetizers (eggrolls, fried wontons, ribs), an entree (spicy tangy chicken and cashew shrimp), and ice cream for a fixed price. It was all good, and we enjoyed revisiting this old favorite.

Appetizer assortment: all good!

Wonton soup, fried wontons (which we did not actually eat but were brought when we sat down), tea, and Tsingtao 

Spicy tangy chicken and cashew shrimp with fried rice. We had never tried either of these before, and they were both good. G might like something even spicier than the spicy tangy chicken next time.

G got a mysterious fortune. Mine was more straightforward.

PRRP installment 13: Asian King Buffet (CLOSED)

Update January 2022: Closed even before the pandemic and replaced by Tandoori Kitchen.

I included Asian King Buffet on the list, even though it is technically on South Boulder Road, because it is at the Public Road end of the church mall, next to other restaurants with Public Road addresses. We had never been there even though it has been around for a while ... and now it has been checked off the list! 

It is a dark and mysterious place, although the buffet section is well lit. I tried a few bites of quite a few different things, and I thought the hot & sour soup, fried wontons, Mongolian beef, lo mein, and grilled chicken were OK. I didn't see steamed rice, so I asked a staff member, and she got me some from behind the counter.

[2019 update: This place is now gone, so I admit that it was OK but not a place we would have returned to. Tandoori Kitchen is now in this location.]

It looks like the moon, but it is really the Flatirons Church logo.

The buffet area

Wonton soup and hot & sour soup. I wanted to try the h&s soup because someone recommended it if you are sick, and I have a cold. It was pretty good.

G's first try at the buffet: jalapeno beef, grilled mussels, and sesame chicken. He did not recommend the mussels but said the other two were OK. He also did not recommend using the restroom. 

G's second shot at the buffet (background) and my plate with a few bites of various things on steamed rice (foreground).