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Culinary obsession and traditions in Boulder are making news in this week’s Nibbles. I visited the geeks at The Coffee Ride for a deep dive into biscuits, caffeine, biking and community.
Plus: Exciting new dining spots on the way include Taverna Laudisio, BuffHouse Sports Eatery and Wellness Counter.
By the way, April 21 is National Chickpea Day. Celebrate accordingly with hummus, aquafaba, falafel, socca or chana masala.
Send information about Boulder restaurants and food events to nibbles@boulderreportinglab.org.
— John Lehndorff
Bicycles fill the front yard of East Boulder’s coffee oasis, set against a picturesque view of the Flatirons. Some visitors line up for lattes at Boulder’s only bike-through coffee window at The Coffee Ride. Expert bicycle repair advice is easily available.
Since I last stopped by for a pour-over, The Coffee Ride has expanded to also feature cozy indoor seating, house-baked goodies, artisan instant coffee and a national fan base.
I settled inside with a sensational cup of organic Ethiopia Guji Uraga, wafting hints of tropical fruit my way. Besides adding a significant oomph to my day, this cup was a case study in why obsessive attention to detail in sourcing, roasting and brewing truly matters.
Just off the bike path, The Coffee Ride is surrounded by other semi-industrial businesses. Guests seated inside help each other assemble wooden jigsaw puzzles from The Coffee Ride’s next-door neighbor, Liberty Puzzles.
According to Crane, who co-owns The Coffee Ride with Joel Gilmore, coffee is the great leveler.
“Whether you are an executive or somebody fixing cars, you can have coffee together. It allows everybody a chance to just be a human being,” Crane says.
Opened in 2014 in a Boulder garage, Crane drew inspiration from his grandfather Jerry who woke at 4 a.m. daily during the 1950s to deliver Borden’s best to homes in Milwaukee.
According to Crane, The Coffee Ride has focused on sustainability and community, from sourcing ethically grown beans and making flavored syrups in-house to using compostable packaging and sending bean chaff and used grounds to local farms.
The Coffee Ride now roasts more than 1,500 pounds of beans per week.
“We have a crew of 15 people in our rider pool who deliver coffee to customers in Boulder by bicycle. They are paid and also receive pounds of coffee every month,” Crane says. The riders use their own bikes or the in-house pedal-assist bicycles funded in part by a sustainability grant from Boulder County.
Most of The Coffee Ride’s subscriptions for blends are shipped weekly to dozens of states from Alaska to New York. The beans can be ground precisely for diverse brewing devices from pour-over to espresso.
What has also changed since the company opened in Boulder is the cost of doing business, in part because of tariffs, whether actual or threatened.
“The result is that some varieties of coffee from the Middle East will become unavailable for a while. The cost of a pound of beans has doubled in price recently,” he says.
“You can only raise coffee prices so much before it is unaffordable, so we end up eating it. It’s so frustrating.”
Close encounters of the biscuit kind
Joel Gilmore shares Joshua Crane’s focus on bicycles and coffee but also has a culinary degree and a background as a restaurant sous chef. He is also a serious nerd about baking.
Three months ago, The Coffee Ride started baking its own sweet and savory treats in-house.
“I spent months playing with a buttermilk biscuit recipe that just uses a little bit of butter,” Gilmore says.
His sweet biscuit, laced with dried fruit, or savory version infused with cheddar and roasted green chile, is caramel-crunchy on the edges but lighter and moister than scones. Other baked goods include homestyle cookies and gluten-free banana bread.
“Really, the baked goods are designed to complement the flavors in the coffee.”
Joshua Crane has at least one more unrealized goal for The Coffee Ride: The rise of a more enlightened view of bicyclists by locals.
“Too many people do not see bicyclists as human beings, and it makes it very dangerous on the road,” he says.
Instant coffee that doesn’t insult you
I grew up drinking instant coffee smoothed with powdered Coffee-Mate while my mother smoked Pall Malls at the kitchen table. It seemed like the thing to do at the time.
Later, my coffee taste got serious, and I forgot about Folgers crystals and learned how to brew. I was dubious when I read the box for The Coffee Ride’s Quick Brew Coffee, which bears this query: “What if instant didn’t taste like an insult?”
This instant coffee actually identifies the grower, Finca El Centro de Brumas del Zurquí, as well as the variety, Costa Rica Kenia Natural.
Instant coffee has taken a quantum leap forward in flavor, based on my first taste of instant crafted in Boulder at The Coffee Ride.
I made it black with hot water, and from the first sip it sang in the cup — rich, smooth, aromatic with a slew of flavors including berries and dark chocolate. It didn’t taste over-roasted and bitter.
If you are serious about your coffee, life can be full of bad cup moments when camping, at work and while traveling. This instant solves the problem.
The directions note that the packet can be added to hot or cold water, milk, hot cocoa and even whiskey. It could also be a major upgrade when making tiramisu and ice cream.
Market Meals: Local greens with a snappy vinaigrette
A great early season salad is the second recipe in our Market Meals series, a collaboration between Boulder Reporting Lab and Boulder County Farmers Markets spotlighting fresh, local ingredients.
Spring market salad
- 4 ounces spring greens mix
- 1-3 finely grated carrots
- ¼ cup thinly sliced radishes
- ¼ cup goat milk feta, crumbled
- Optional: green onion, fresh herbs, toasted cashews
Dressing
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ½ teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper
Laudisio returns, a Big Boy sports bar, and a new sushi counter
Chef Antonio Laudisio called last week with the surprise news that Taverna Laudisio will open soon at 121 2nd Avenue in Niwot, the former site of The 1914 House and Rev. Taylor’s Restaurant.
“At the age of 85, I wasn’t planning to open another place. I’m going to do this with my son and grandson — three generations. It won’t be a fancy place — casual like The Med,” Laudisio says.
With his brothers Raimondo and Leonardo, chef Antonio Laudisio opened Laudisio Ristorante Italiano in 1989. They introduced several generations to the joy of regional Italian cookery and were repeatedly voted the best Italian restaurant in Boulder — and in Denver.
The restaurant closed in 2013 after moving to Boulder’s 29th Street Mall. Laudisio was also a partner in another now-closed favorite, The Med in downtown Boulder.
Another Boulder eatery opening announcement drove me down an odd architectural/dining rabbit hole. Who knew that the empty old sports bar at 2860 Arapahoe Avenue is actually a landmark building?
Constructed in 1968 as an Azar’s Big Boy restaurant, the Boulder site is one of the few surviving swoop-roofed, “Googie-style” roadside coffee shops in Colorado, according to a website devoted to roadside architecture. It boasted a Big Boy sculpture, which was frequently stolen by high schoolers as a senior prank.
Later, the location housed Hooter’s in the 1990s, followed by sports bars Harpo’s and Ralphie’s.
That swoop will get a new lease on life later this year when award-winning Denver chef Oscar Padilla opens the BuffHouse Sports Eatery. Wellness Counter, a sushi bar and chef’s tasting experience, is set to open May 7 at 1117 Pearl Street, the former home of High Country and the legendary New York Deli.
Free Yellow Barn fest gathers local food and families
The Spring Regeneration Fest, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 19 at Yellow Barn Farm north of Boulder, is a unique collaboration between Slow Food Boulder County, Boulder County Farmers Markets, Soil Boulder, MASA Seed Foundation and other organizations. The idea is to connect families to the local foodscape through activities that link community, health and the environment with food. Free events include farm tours, a seed planting table, farmer Olympics, ecstatic dance and games, as well as two food trucks. RSVP here.
(Get your upcoming food event, festival or class listed free on Boulder Reporting Lab using the self-submission form here.)
“My favorite time of day is to get up and eat leftovers from dinner, especially spicy food.” — Musician David Byrne
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🍅 4,000 showed up. Boulder Farmers Market is back.
