Hi everyone! I hope tou all had an amazing spring break. For those of you on the Denver trip, I KNOW you probably had a very exciting break. This will probably not come as a shock to absolutely anyone, but this week my blog will be about Denver…specifically the food. I always love every event on PLA trips, but the food really stole the show this time around. Here is my top five favorite foods from Denver (and the surrounding area…)
1. Boulder Dushanbe Tea House
I love small bites. There is a reason that the charcuterie board turned into a huge hit recently…I think we all like grazing! The tea house was like an elevated charcuterie experience in my mind. On the plate is a variety of sweets and savory bites, but some I want to highlight my favorites! In the upper right corner is a ginger and raspberry chocolate cake. I am a big ginger person and I never thought about combining it with chocolate, but it may be my new favorite flavor combination! On the savory side, the best thing on the plate by far was the artichoke pinwheel (middle top). Spinach artichoke dip is a favorite in my books, but making it in the form of a flaky pastry elevates the experience 1000%
2. Central Rail – cauliflower “steak”
I really hate when people call non-meat “steak”, but this cauliflower was out of this world. The gree mole with FERMENTED KUMQUATS?! I never even knew kumquats were real, but now I’m obsessed. How you ferment the fruit? That is beyond me, but the sweet-sour punch with the charred “steak” was heaven in a single bite.
3. Sahara Café – Schwarama Wrap
I was in a huge rush getting out of Manitou Springs to catch the bus, but thank goodness I waiting the extra few minutes to get this wrap. Shaved lamb + falafel + tzatziki + banana peppers was a combination of punchy and savory that puts the Halal cart in State College to shame! Who knew Colorado mountains would bring me good Mediterranean food!
4. Pike’s Peak Café – Cinnamon Donuts
I’m not sure if anyone else had this issue, but Pikes Peak made me feel EXTREMELY sick. Lightheaded, nauseous, dizzy…you name it I was probably feeling it. What made it all worth it was the hot and crispy cinnamon donuts. I’m not sure how they have to modify the recipe for the altitute, but these were impressively delicious! Working at a donut shop in high school spoiled me with fresh donuts, but these may have topped the charts.
5. Milk Tea People – Ube Waffles
The trek through Denver at 10 pm was not my favorite experience. I got lost as least twice, walked into the wrong store, and still didn’t think I had found the correct place when I walked in. However, this mochi-based waffle was well worth the troubles betting there! Ube, a purple yam that is common in Southeast Asia, is a beautifully starchy and sweet flavor that I get every chance I can. The chewy interior with a crispy exterior topped with a coconut ice cream was the perfect sweet treat to end a long day of networking and adventures!
Thank you for taking a little trip through Denver with me through food! I am incredibly thankful for all the experiences I get to have with PLA and I cannot wait to go on more adventures in the future 🙂
Follow Us!