Oak at Fourteenth

Every time I visit my kids in Boulder I am treated to fine food, whether it's at home or at a restaurant. My last trip found Deborah and I walking down Pearl street with Elsa just around lunch time. Deborah mentioned that there was a wonderful new restaurant on Pearl Street that she thought I would love. She was right. I wish it were closer, as I eat there often. It's called Oak, and it might just be my new favorite dining spot in Boulder, for lunch or dinner. I'll tell you just a little more about it. It's not really new. It opened 69 weeks ago. Each week's menu changes, and they tell you at the top of the menu how long they've been opened. Actually, they were open for several months before, but had a fire, closed for a while and rethought the menu, coming up with what they now have: a restaurant that melds elements of Colorado's rustic backdrop with Boulder's hip and contemporary dining scene, featuring local and seasonal New American Cuisine in a friendly and professional atmosphere. Chef/Owner Steven Redzikowski focuses his seasonally inspired menus areound Oak's one of a kind, oak fired oven and grill. He offers selections from Colorado's abundant agriculatural landscape. Redzikowski went to cooking school in New York, then served in various capacities at Le Cirque and Jean Georges. He then moved to Aspen and took a position at Little Nell. In 2004 he had an opportunity to help open Frasca, and while there, met his future partner, Bryan Dayton. Deborah and I were there for lunch. We started out with fried pickles, with a wonderful tarragon flavored dipping sauce. Deborah also ordered the sweet tea, which she loved. I had buratta, wrapped in a circular baguette, topped with green olive tapenade and a wonderful marmalede. Spectacular. Deborah had the po boy shrimp sandwich on a freshly baked roll, topped with cole slaw. She said it's her new favorite lunch item. Burgers looked outsanding, the spit fired lamb sandwich also sounded good. Oak also makes homemade donuts, and as you walk into the restaurant, you see the donuts piled high on a counter on the bar. They're hard to resist, but we did. They have a different flavor everyday. The dinner menu is quite extensive. I have not eaten dinner there, but on the recommendation of Phil and Deborah, I know it's good. They have three sections to the menu: shared plates, small plates and large plates. The shared plates section includes: 1. crispy farm egg, chicken confit and wild mushroom toast 2. grilled eggplant, feta cheese, romesco, mint 3. wood roasted brussel sprouts, garlic chips 4. wood oven roasted beef marrow, anchovy chimichurri, herb salad 5. manilla clams and house made chorizo, harissa, crispy potatoes. Small plates include salads, like a apple and kale salad with candied almonds, red pepper and fennel soup with goat cheese panna cotta and fennel crumbs, and an Asian pear salad. Large plates include wood oven roasted chicken, beef shortribs, ricotta cheese ravioli, oak grilled peking duck, with forbidden rice and duck cracklings. If you find yourself in Boulder, try Oak for lunch or Dinner. You'll be amazed at the variety of food items on the menu, and the deliciousness of everything they serve. Once you go there, you'll be hooked.