Chris and Ariana Teigland are taking the inspiration and methods that shaped their Michelin Bib Gourmand-recognized restaurant glo Noodle House in Denver up U.S. 36, where they opened Odd Rabbit in East Boulder on April 30.
Their second restaurant, located at 5863 Arapahoe Rd., is not meant to replicate the glo experience, but instead to build on it while branching in new directions. They’re bringing a strong sushi and ramen focus, as well as other small plates, with dishes unique to Odd Rabbit and not tied to a particular tradition.
“It’s Asian food. There’s a lot of Japanese ingredients and tradition into it. But a lot of the deal was to not be stuck in a box and get to branch out a little bit,” Chris Teigland said. “We’re just taking the liberty to do what we want to, and it’s just good food at the end of the day.”
There will be a few ramen options initially, focused on a rich, hearty chicken broth, compared to the tonkotsu-style pork broth used in Denver. The menu also features around eight nigiri options and a half-dozen hand rolls, as well as a few sashimi plates and a crispy rice nigiri. Small, shareable plates include chicken wings glazed in fish sauce caramel, pickled crab claws, and a sourdough scallion pancake.
“We’re not tied down to, ‘Hey, you come here for that one specific bowl that you get in Denver, too.’ We’ll have different options here, and a chance to be creative in different ways,” he said. “I feel like the goal or vision is to see people sit down and order stuff from all over the menu and get to share and try a bunch of different things.”
There will also be large-format, non-noodle dishes, including the Teiglands’ first-ever double cheeseburger, served with American cheese, house pickles, cured cabbage, miso mayo and pepper jelly on a brioche bun.
Chris Teigland acknowledged that, in the context of their other foods, the cheeseburger is “an oddball, but there’s just so many people that come in with their friends that maybe don’t want to try raw fish or are scared to try ramen. But I think everybody loves a double cheeseburger.”
The cheeseburger typifies their approach and even the naming of Odd Rabbit.
“Part of it was coming up with a name that’s just not tied to anything so that we could be nontraditional and just do things that we wanted,” he said. “Rabbits are clever, cunning,” he said, adding that the idea was to be unexpected with the name.
“We kind of thought when people read it, they’re at least gonna say, ‘Well, I want to know what they’re doing.’ So hopefully it’s a good way to draw people in.”
The space, about 3,500 square feet, has seating for 90 guests, including a 10-seat chef’s counter, as well as an additional 1,500 square feet and 40 seats on the patio, which they plan to open for summer service.
Ariana Teigland said they went with a feel similar to glo, with some natural wood accents, pops of color and bright murals, and lanterns like those in the Denver space. “It’s upscale, but it’s really fun and approachable, too,” she said.
They looked at a number of spaces in Denver and considered different areas around Boulder before being drawn to the space on Arapahoe, just down the road from Blackbelly Market & Restaurant, where she and Chris first met.
“It’s fun to be back here and bring it full circle,” she said. “This [space] felt nice and not totally out of the way, but tucked away, a little bit quieter. There’s parking, which is something we love about glo. There’s a beautiful patio, which we love.”
There’s also a bigger kitchen than their space in Denver, which allows them to branch out and offer more variety on the menu. Odd Rabbit’s sushi chef is Stephen Nguyen, who Chris Teigland met years ago at Temaki Den and who has just finished helping Uncle in Denver start its sushi program. Sakima Isaac, who has been a part of the Boulder County culinary scene for years, is serving as chef de cuisine.
The bar manager, Ali Özkaya, is placing a strong emphasis on sake, as well as seasonal cocktails such as Orochi’s Revenge with sesame fat-washed bourbon, Bermutto sake-based vermouth, and bitters; White Rabbit with gin, mastic, Suze and tobacco bitters; Bees & Flowers with Japanese whisky, shiso, honey, lemon and soda; and Shoryuken with shochu, aquavit, kimchi and vermouth, as well as a range of zero-proof offerings.
“Our beverage program is built with the same intention as the kitchen,” Ariana Teigland said, “harnessing high-quality ingredients paired with thoughtful technique and a sense of play, whether that’s through experimental cocktails and mocktails, curated sake flights, or unexpected pairings. We want guests to feel both surprised and completely at ease.”
Odd Rabbit will be open Monday through Thursday from 4 to 9 p.m. and Friday through Saturday from 4 to 10 p.m. Reservations can be made here.
