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CHOICE CITY BUTCHER & DELI
ADDRESS: 104 West Olive Street, Fort Collins
TELEPHONE: 490-2489
HOURS: 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Tuesday; 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday; 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday
RATING (Out of 4 stars): Four
It’s a fairly rare occasion that I see my husband, Mike, become absolutely giddy over something. Events that come to mind include the birth of our daughters, Tiger Woods winning a major, or watching a particularly funny episode of The Simpsons.
Little did I know that a trip to the Choice City Butcher and Deli in Fort Collins would elicit a response to rival all of these. The reason? A beer list to end all beer lists.
Everything from Fat Tire to Weihenstephaner Korbinian Dopplebock can be had here, but it was the Belgium Trappist Ale known as St. Bernardous ($6) that nearly brought tears to Mike’s eyes.
Beyond the impressive beer list, Choice City is one gem of a restaurant. With its butcher/deli section off to one side of this small eatery, a myriad of gourmet grocery items lining the surrounding shelves, and a delightfully casual yet elegant dining area, Choice City exudes warmth and coziness.
Under Chef Chris Larson’s direction, it also serves up one of the finest meals I’ve ever had the pleasure to consume.
Because it is a butcher shop at heart, one option when dining here is to choose one of the meats displayed in the deli case for dinner, have it cooked to order, and add $9 to its market price to accommodate the side dishes.
Choices the night we dined included ostrich, filet mignon, lamb loin, tri tip, buffalo, venison, duck and chicken among others.
Because the descriptions were just too amazing-sounding to pass up, both Mike and I opted for one of the specialty dinners which vary nightly.
First, however, we began with the outrageously delicious Artichoke Ramekin appetizer ($5). It was warm, creamy, cheesy and filled with artichoke heart pieces in nearly every bite. The accompanying buttery round toasts were perfectly matched to the texture and taste of the dip.
With a bit of hesitation, I ordered the Colorado Rack of Lamb ($25). I wavered slightly because I’m sometimes disappointed in how small a dish this can be. Not here.
These were generous sized pieces which were flawlessly cooked, served with sautéed spinach and crispy pancetta pieces and liberally drizzled with a sweet, barrel-aged balsamic glaze.
The addition of garlic mashed potatoes, skins and all, and sautéed squash, were excellent side dishes to the meal.
Still reeling from his new found love, the St. Bernardous, even Mike couldn’t help but be distracted when his dinner plate arrived.
The Steak and Shrimp Bluez ($25) is near perfection on a plate. Beginning with one of the juiciest cut of meats around, the Ribeye, this seemingly simple slab of beef is brought to new levels with the addition of umbo sautéed shrimp and a Maytag Blue cheese sauce that is out of this world.
Oven roasted potato wedges and delicately seasoned asparagus spears serve as a delicious afterthought.
In my opinion, dessert should always be the exclamation point to a meal. Choice City’s Dessert Crepes filled with mixed berries and cream cheese ($10.50) are just that. A wonderfully delicious berry sauce was the “piece de resistance” to this delectably sweet ending.
Part of what made our meal so special was interacting with our extremely knowledgeable host, server, and sommelier all rolled into one. He regaled us with stories about the Australian vineyard my wine came from and how the Saint that Mike’s beer was named after had connections to the Knights of Templar. I’ve rarely had such an entertaining and informative evening.
And to think that it all began with a beer.
Shannon Teslow has lived in Windsor since 1995. If you have comments you’d like to share, e-mail: shannon_tribunereviews@yahoo.com
ADDRESS: 104 West Olive Street, Fort Collins
TELEPHONE: 490-2489
HOURS: 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Tuesday; 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday; 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday
RATING (Out of 4 stars): Four
It’s a fairly rare occasion that I see my husband, Mike, become absolutely giddy over something. Events that come to mind include the birth of our daughters, Tiger Woods winning a major, or watching a particularly funny episode of The Simpsons.
Little did I know that a trip to the Choice City Butcher and Deli in Fort Collins would elicit a response to rival all of these. The reason? A beer list to end all beer lists.
Everything from Fat Tire to Weihenstephaner Korbinian Dopplebock can be had here, but it was the Belgium Trappist Ale known as St. Bernardous ($6) that nearly brought tears to Mike’s eyes.
Beyond the impressive beer list, Choice City is one gem of a restaurant. With its butcher/deli section off to one side of this small eatery, a myriad of gourmet grocery items lining the surrounding shelves, and a delightfully casual yet elegant dining area, Choice City exudes warmth and coziness.
Under Chef Chris Larson’s direction, it also serves up one of the finest meals I’ve ever had the pleasure to consume.
Because it is a butcher shop at heart, one option when dining here is to choose one of the meats displayed in the deli case for dinner, have it cooked to order, and add $9 to its market price to accommodate the side dishes.
Choices the night we dined included ostrich, filet mignon, lamb loin, tri tip, buffalo, venison, duck and chicken among others.
Because the descriptions were just too amazing-sounding to pass up, both Mike and I opted for one of the specialty dinners which vary nightly.
First, however, we began with the outrageously delicious Artichoke Ramekin appetizer ($5). It was warm, creamy, cheesy and filled with artichoke heart pieces in nearly every bite. The accompanying buttery round toasts were perfectly matched to the texture and taste of the dip.
With a bit of hesitation, I ordered the Colorado Rack of Lamb ($25). I wavered slightly because I’m sometimes disappointed in how small a dish this can be. Not here.
These were generous sized pieces which were flawlessly cooked, served with sautéed spinach and crispy pancetta pieces and liberally drizzled with a sweet, barrel-aged balsamic glaze.
The addition of garlic mashed potatoes, skins and all, and sautéed squash, were excellent side dishes to the meal.
Still reeling from his new found love, the St. Bernardous, even Mike couldn’t help but be distracted when his dinner plate arrived.
The Steak and Shrimp Bluez ($25) is near perfection on a plate. Beginning with one of the juiciest cut of meats around, the Ribeye, this seemingly simple slab of beef is brought to new levels with the addition of umbo sautéed shrimp and a Maytag Blue cheese sauce that is out of this world.
Oven roasted potato wedges and delicately seasoned asparagus spears serve as a delicious afterthought.
In my opinion, dessert should always be the exclamation point to a meal. Choice City’s Dessert Crepes filled with mixed berries and cream cheese ($10.50) are just that. A wonderfully delicious berry sauce was the “piece de resistance” to this delectably sweet ending.
Part of what made our meal so special was interacting with our extremely knowledgeable host, server, and sommelier all rolled into one. He regaled us with stories about the Australian vineyard my wine came from and how the Saint that Mike’s beer was named after had connections to the Knights of Templar. I’ve rarely had such an entertaining and informative evening.
And to think that it all began with a beer.
Shannon Teslow has lived in Windsor since 1995. If you have comments you’d like to share, e-mail: shannon_tribunereviews@yahoo.com
