Restaurant Week In Boulder

It seems every major city has at least one restaurant week per year, and on my recent trip to Colorado it was restaurant week in Denver and Boulder. My kids have a favorite restaurant, Arugula, which we went to on a Saturday night. 7 week old Elsa slept in her cradle on the floor the whole time we were there, so we all got to enjoy the evening.

The restaurant is in a small strip center, and consists of two rooms, one with a small bar. The tables are separated so that you're not listening to the conversation at the next table. I like that. Our three course meal for $24.95 consisted of a starter, first course and entree. If you by some remote chance still had room for dessert, it was extra. I started with a beet salad with greens, cheese and nuts. Phil had the house made chicken liver pate, which he just loved. Other appetizers included fennel salad with lemon and olive oil with cherry tomatoes, basil, pine nuts and feta cheese. An arugula and dried fruit salad was fabulous too.

The next course was a pasta course. My favorite dish (I sampled everyone's food) was apple and squash penne. It was a little bit sweet, with a fruity sauce. Deborah's favorite pasta is lemon and garlic shrimp orecchette, which she says is better every time she goes there.

The final course was a small sized entree. I was already full but managed to eat a few bites of the hanger steak, cooked to perfection and topped with Marsala shallot sauce and Gorgonzola Dolce. Most of it went in a take home box. Another delicious entree was the seared sea scallops. They were topped with a Romanesco sauce and were served with a lemon and oil dressing on the celery salad.

In all a wonderful dinner, great price, and good service. I can't wait to go back again. Every night Arugula serves a regular menu plus specials, so there's always something new to look forward. This is a great choice next time you're in Boulder...