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ADDRESS: 123 N. College Ave., Fort Collins
TELEPHONE: (970) 682-2275
HOURS: Open daily for dinner from 4 p.m.; Friday-Saturday lunch from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.; Sunday brunch from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
RATING (Out of 4 stars): Four Stars
Before even trying anything on the menu at Jax Fish House in downtown Fort Collins, I was already a fan of their “green” approach to running a restaurant. They support environmentally conscious fisheries, compost their food waste, offset 100 percent of their energy with wind power and make use of local, organic vegetable farms for their produce.
The bonus for Jax is that the food is as good as the restaurant is green. My husband, Mike, and I found this out the other night when we decided to stop in for a little happy hour and dinner.
I like the look of the Jax with its exposed brick walls, circular bar area, and simple, dark furniture. It actually has the feel of an East Coast seafood restaurant.
While I do highly recommend that you try one of the fabulous dinners here, I will also say that Jax has a fantastic happy hour. A delicious meal can be made without breaking the bank.
Happy hour drink specials abound from 4-6 p.m. For instance, the cucumber martini ($4), with cucumber-infused vodka, cucumber puree and agave nectar, may sound strange, but it’s actually a refreshingly unique drink that’s not too sweet.
A great appetizer to go with such a drink is the P.E.I. Mussels ($5). I don’t find mussels to have great taste on their own so much depends on the preparation. Ours were steamed in a delicious garlic, lemon and chardonnay broth. What sauce was leftover, we sopped up with the side of sourdough bread pieces that came with our meal.
I will readily admit to not being an oyster connoisseur, but I can appreciate a deal on oysters when I see one. One-dollar oysters on the half shell is definitely a deal. Plus, they are just pretty to look at in their pearly and grey-colored shells on a bed of crushed ice.
My favorite happy hour starter course was the Red Curry Shrimp Egg roll ($3). It had a light, crispy wonton exterior which enveloped a superbly flavorful filling of curried, minced shrimp and soft vegetables. The sweet and sour drizzle was just the right addition.
We also loved the thick and creamy Shrimp and Corn Chowder ($3), full of fresh shellfish, Yukon potato, bell pepper, pork belly pieces and lots of sweet corn.
On to the main courses, Mike ordered the Griddled Crab Cake Burger ($16) from the “Jax Favorites” list while I opted for the Colorado Striped Bass ($21) from the “Late Summer Specials” listing.
The menu obviously changes with the seasons here and you get the feeling that it may even change weekly based on what is fresh.
My sea bass was outstanding. Not only was the flesh cooked to a perfect, delicate, buttery texture, but the skin was seared to a deliciously crisp treat. That little bit of crunch worked expertly with the flaky bass, basil pesto cream sauce, sautéed spaetzle and sweet, macerated cherry tomatoes.
Mike’s Crab Cake Burger was a bit simpler, but also very good. The burger itself consisted of a hearty portion of lump crab meat mixed with subtle seasonings and minced onions.
The accompanying purple slaw mix (sour cream dollop included), was a nice, crunchy addition and the house potato chips were excellent.
Jax combines the best of two worlds — fresh produce from Colorado with fresh seafood from the East Coast. How nice is it that a 20-minute drive will get you a meal worthy of a three-hour plane ride.
Shannon Teslow has lived in Windsor since 1995. If you have comments you’d like to share, e-mail Shannon at:
teslowreviews4windsornow@yahoo.com
TELEPHONE: (970) 682-2275
HOURS: Open daily for dinner from 4 p.m.; Friday-Saturday lunch from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.; Sunday brunch from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
RATING (Out of 4 stars): Four Stars
Before even trying anything on the menu at Jax Fish House in downtown Fort Collins, I was already a fan of their “green” approach to running a restaurant. They support environmentally conscious fisheries, compost their food waste, offset 100 percent of their energy with wind power and make use of local, organic vegetable farms for their produce.
The bonus for Jax is that the food is as good as the restaurant is green. My husband, Mike, and I found this out the other night when we decided to stop in for a little happy hour and dinner.
I like the look of the Jax with its exposed brick walls, circular bar area, and simple, dark furniture. It actually has the feel of an East Coast seafood restaurant.
While I do highly recommend that you try one of the fabulous dinners here, I will also say that Jax has a fantastic happy hour. A delicious meal can be made without breaking the bank.
Happy hour drink specials abound from 4-6 p.m. For instance, the cucumber martini ($4), with cucumber-infused vodka, cucumber puree and agave nectar, may sound strange, but it’s actually a refreshingly unique drink that’s not too sweet.
A great appetizer to go with such a drink is the P.E.I. Mussels ($5). I don’t find mussels to have great taste on their own so much depends on the preparation. Ours were steamed in a delicious garlic, lemon and chardonnay broth. What sauce was leftover, we sopped up with the side of sourdough bread pieces that came with our meal.
I will readily admit to not being an oyster connoisseur, but I can appreciate a deal on oysters when I see one. One-dollar oysters on the half shell is definitely a deal. Plus, they are just pretty to look at in their pearly and grey-colored shells on a bed of crushed ice.
My favorite happy hour starter course was the Red Curry Shrimp Egg roll ($3). It had a light, crispy wonton exterior which enveloped a superbly flavorful filling of curried, minced shrimp and soft vegetables. The sweet and sour drizzle was just the right addition.
We also loved the thick and creamy Shrimp and Corn Chowder ($3), full of fresh shellfish, Yukon potato, bell pepper, pork belly pieces and lots of sweet corn.
On to the main courses, Mike ordered the Griddled Crab Cake Burger ($16) from the “Jax Favorites” list while I opted for the Colorado Striped Bass ($21) from the “Late Summer Specials” listing.
The menu obviously changes with the seasons here and you get the feeling that it may even change weekly based on what is fresh.
My sea bass was outstanding. Not only was the flesh cooked to a perfect, delicate, buttery texture, but the skin was seared to a deliciously crisp treat. That little bit of crunch worked expertly with the flaky bass, basil pesto cream sauce, sautéed spaetzle and sweet, macerated cherry tomatoes.
Mike’s Crab Cake Burger was a bit simpler, but also very good. The burger itself consisted of a hearty portion of lump crab meat mixed with subtle seasonings and minced onions.
The accompanying purple slaw mix (sour cream dollop included), was a nice, crunchy addition and the house potato chips were excellent.
Jax combines the best of two worlds — fresh produce from Colorado with fresh seafood from the East Coast. How nice is it that a 20-minute drive will get you a meal worthy of a three-hour plane ride.
Shannon Teslow has lived in Windsor since 1995. If you have comments you’d like to share, e-mail Shannon at:
teslowreviews4windsornow@yahoo.com
