Business trip to Denver, taking advantage to try some Triple D places - Part 1

Just after the new year my manager at work told me that there would be a Safety Conference in Denver for mid April. I looked over my work calendar and saw that I could go a few days early to try some more places on my Triple D travels.  There were several places that had visited in both the Denver and Colorado Springs areas.

We would not have to be in Denver until Tuesday afternoon and when I was told I could fly out on Sunday morning I started planning to get to a lot of places in the area.  The plans were all set I knew exactly what I wanted to do and I just waited for the day to come. The Friday night before the trip I decide to check the weather in Denver for the week I would be out there and they are calling for a huge snow storm the very next day and with that United decided to cancel the entire day of flights for Saturday!  I almost went into a panic and was about to change my flight.  The flight on Sunday was still showing on time and operating.  I decided to just wait it out and see what happens.  All day on Saturday I check my emails and texts to see if the flight had been cancelled, it had not and The Weather Channel was reporting that the snow was bad but it would end early Sunday morning.  After packing for all 4 seasons (the weather in Denver for the 5 days I would be there would start with snow and end with 80 degree temps, gotta love that Denver weather!

The flight operated on time and we arrived in the light snow of Denver early.  They had a pretty significant amount of snow but the roads were clear pretty much just wet. After getting my car for the week I headed south out of Denver for the 90 minute drive to Colorado Springs.  As I drove the snow was getting lighter and lighter and as I arrived in "The Springs" the sun was out, roads were dry and there was hardly any snow on the ground!

I drive into an area of Colorado Springs called "Old Colorado City".  This is an area northwest of the city and is made of older houses and classic 1900s style buildings.

Where I made my first Colorado Springs stops

I pulled up to a place that looked like a house but is a popular breakfast place.  "Mountain Shadows Restaurant" has several small rooms and was very busy when I arrived, in fact there were some people waiting for seats.  They immediately seated me at the bar.  I was warmly greeted by my server and when she saw the book we chatted for a few minutes and she told me that her and her dad had opened Mountain Shadows in the early 1990s.

Mountain Shadows Restaurant in Old Colorado City - Colorado Springs

Very Homey!

I decided to try their Sausage Gravy Biscuit with Hash Browns.  The meal came very fast and it was pretty good.  The best thing about Mountain Shadows was the attentive service, all of the staff was extremely friendly  Half the staff came over to sign my book, which was really awesome!  I headed out for my next stop which was only a few hundred yards away.

My Mountain Shadows breakfast

"Front Range Barbecue" is also in an old house.  The place is pretty small and divided into three or four rooms with porch seating in the back.  Inside it seemed pretty dark.  I looked over the menu and decided to try the wings.  They serve whole wings that are fried, sauced and then finished on the grill. 

Front Range Barbecue - Colorado Springs

The wings were some of he best I have ever had.  I chose the barbecue sauce wings which came with really god bleu cheese dipping sauce.  The whole wings area actually 2 wings in one of the popular wing restaurants.  They were huge and meaty.

Barbecue Wings at Front Range

That's One Wing!

I really liked Front Range although I found the staff to be efficient but thee was something missing in the service and I'm not sure what it was they were friendly but a bit aloof.

My next stop would be about a mile away in what looked like an old office building.  "Paravicini's Italian Bistro" looked to be a small but there are several rooms that make up the place.  They have a large back room and a party room called "The Sinatra Room"

Paravicini's Italian Bistro in Old Colorado City - Colorado Springs

I was seated at a small table by the door.  After being seated I placed my book on the table and before the Waiter returned I over heard the waiters talking about me and the book, although probably not eh best thing to do I took it as a compliment and when he returned I told the waiter about my travels.  I chose the Aranachini which is a popular appetizer on Triple D episodes.  This is a rice ball that has filling, usually ham and peas served with tomato sauce, but Paravicini's was filled with cheese and peas and accompanied with a Pesto and Parmesan sauce.

Inside Paravicni's

Arannacini with Pesto cheese sauce

Inside the Arannichini

The manager came over to sign my book and we chatted about the restaurant and Guy's visit.  He told me that although business before the episode was good it has really exploded since they were featured.  He also told me that Guy had a great time with the staff and especially coking with the owner, they have the same sense of humor.  I had a really nice visit and if you like good Italian then visit Paravicini's when you are in the Colorado Springs area.

After a break I headed out to the last few places in Colorado Springs.  The other places were located in the downtown area.  My first stop was at "Spice Island Grill"  As I planned my trip I saw it would be open on Sunday until 7p and closed on Mondays.  I arrived on Sunday about5p and there was only one or two cars in the parking lot.  I walked around and noticed that the place was closed, despite the website and the sign on the door stating otherwise! Oh well, I guess it was on to the next!

Spice Island Grill in Colorado Springs - It says it's pen but seems to be closed!

I arrived at the next place just a few miles away and it was packed.  "The Skirted Heifer" specializes in huge organic beef burgers.  They proudly state that all the beef and produce and cheeses are locally sourced.  Their namesake sandwich "The Skirted Heifer" is just like those at Sacramento's Squeeze Inn, which Guy visited in the first season of the show.  It's a burger that is covered by Cheddar Cheese so heavy that the cheese creates a round "skirt" of burnt cheese around the burger.  I decided to just get a drink as I was not hungry for such a big burger but I could see that the burgers wee Guy would like to call "run down the arm juicy burgers".  They also make some pretty good looking French Fries and Sweet Potato Fries.

My last Colorado Springs stop was at a very unique place called "Rasta Pasta".  This place has a Jamaican theme but also fuses Italian and American pasta dishes.  The place is Jamaican themed and features Island inspired drinks and dishes. 

Rasta Pasta in Colorado Springs

 

 Cool Jamaican décor

I chose a dish that I wasn't sure I would like but it looked very intriguing to me.  Jamaica Mon pasta is a cheese tortellini and rotini pasta dish with a white wine sauce mixed with bananas, pineapple's and red seedless grapes.  I have never been more blown away by a meal, it was awesome.  The savory sauce mixed with the sweet fruits was perfect!  The grapes were a perfect sweet for the savory and the bananas really made the dish.  The manager came over to sin my book and we talked for a few minutes mostly about my travels and about the restaurant and the cuisine, especially the meal I had.  They specialize in Vegan and vegetarian meals.  It was a wonderful visit and I headed back to my hotel to rest after a long day and to prepare for another day of Triple D stops .  My Triple D count stands at 485!