If you want one of the best meals in the country, head to Boulder. So says Gourmet magazine.
In the October issue, Gourmet names Frasca the 33rd-best restaurant in the country, the only Colorado eatery to make the roster of 50. It comes in just ahead of Gramercy Tavern in NYC. The last listing was in 2001 – and zero Colorado restaurants made that one.
“Chef Lachlan MacKinnon-Patterson and sommelier Bobby Stuckey are both French Laundry alums, but independent-minded Colorado diners don’t much care. Talent matters more than pedigree here.”
Frasca’s food is no secret to Post readers. Former eats critic Kyle Wagner (now our travel editor) wrote last year, “From now on, my life will be divided into two time periods: before I ate at Frasca and after I ate at Frasca.
“This restaurant exudes a generosity of spirit and the diner feels ministered to, inspiring this critic to write an unprecedented rave.”
Current critic Tucker Shaw weighed in this year, writing, “Frasca is utterly spectacular. World-class staff, masterful cooking and unbearably good wine service.”
So how you gonna get in the place? Frasca saves 14-seats every night for walk-ins, four salumi bar seats, six bar seats and two deuces.
Growing up Vail
A bunch of Vail townies woke up one morning and discovered they were spending more time at board meetings than riding boards, more time at the PTA than party. So they started the Millennium Society, a group of sub-60 Vailsters who want to raise money for good causes while partying in ways more refined than shooting Red Bulls and vodka.
The gang holds its first fete Saturday night, $125-a-head at the Vilar Center with Big Head Todd and the Monsters, grub from Sato Sushi and Ray’s (a.k.a. The Cougar Den), all washed down with Silver Oak.
The founder members include Kristin Williams, Jill Alfond and Ryan and Trista Sutter. Tix at 970-479-1192.
For sale
Rodney Utz is ready to move on. He’s run his three successful Rodney’s restaurants a total of 38 years, which is a lotta steaks and martinis. They make money on 2nd Ave., in Tamarac Square and Castle Pines – but he’s just tired.
“I still don’t know what I want to do when I grow up,” he says, noting he turned 65 on 9/11. “I’m starting to feel like I have a job and my wife does, too.”
Utz has taken ads in the Post-News classifieds, for which he gets a lot of tire-kickers. “But they have no experience and I don’t want them to lose the money.”
And he’s just taken an ad in a paper in Beijing, China. A broker sold him on placing it. “She’s had a lot of luck with this,” Utz says.
City spirit
Robert and Judi Newman win the first Florence Ruston Award Oct. 5 at the opening night celebration for “Amadeus” … Al Jarreau is booked to sing at the Nov. 18 Heart of Hearts Gala … Look for some film fest news at tonight’s Scene Stealers fashion show at Mile High Station … Sez who: “I have the necessary lack of tact.” Ted Koppel
Bill Husted’s column appears Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Husted also appears Tuesdays and Fridays on “Good Day Colorado” on Fox 31. You can reach him at 303-954-1486 or at bhusted@denverpost.com.
