The Village Cork, a hidden gem located on Old South Pearl in Denver, offers an exquisite, yet comfortable atmosphere for dates, happy hour or catching up with an old friend.  With a focus on ENJOYING a meal, rather than just eating a meal, the Village Cork encourages you to come in, relax and sample foods from local farms paired with wines from around the world.

If you fancy a good glass of wine, or several of them, with dinner, The Village Cork has you covered whether you lean heavily towards wines of the New World, the Old World, or a combination of both.  On the wine list here, you will find a simple selection of wines from France, Italy, South America and California of the red, the white and the bubbly varietals.  Choose from wines by the glass, which are offered at half price during happy hour, by the bottle or by the half bottle to accompany your dinner or simply help you to settle into your evening.  If you are feeling a little risqué, delve into one of the exclusive selections on the reserve list.

For dinner, either jump into an entrée of Boulder-raised roasted chicken breast, pan seared, Colorado-raised striped bass or a Salmon Creek Farms Pork Porterhouse.  If you would like to take the advice of the owners and spend the evening exploring different tastes and wine pairings, start small on the appetizer list.  Begin with the cheese or antipasto plate with a recommended glass of wine before moving into the pate trio.  Next, extend your exploration into the PEI Mussels in white wine garlic broth and also inquire as to the chef’s selection of soup and salad for the day.  For one last warm up before the entrée, try the vegetarian trio; a cambozola and roasted leek soufflé, purple pommes frites and spinach salad with quinoa.

If you find yourself drawn to the Village Cork on a Monday, bring a donation of dog food, treats, kitty litter or the like and receive 15% off your total bill!

Stop in for dinner Monday through Saturday or for Sunday brunch at The Village Cork at 1300 South Pearl Street.

SALT the Bistro at the corner of 11^th and Pearl in Boulder is a delectable spot to indulge in out-of-the-box cocktails to ease the heat this week.  Let’s face it:  Its 100 degrees in the shade, but liquid libations sometimes make it feel a bit more bearable and Salt has you covered on all bases.

The mix masters at SALT have designed a unique approach to “build your own” cocktail by constructing a menu that allows you to choose your own poison, flavor and style.   You select from tequila, vodka, rum, gin, bourbon or scotch in the first column of the menu and then tell them what size you would like, a single or a double.  From there, move to the flavors selection in the second column.  Pair your tequila with strawberry and basil, chipotle or cilantro.  Mix your rum with lychee, peach or mango or your bourbon with peach, cherry or mint.  Your last mind evoking chore will be to choose your style.  In the third column of the heavily animated menu illustrates rickeys, fizzes, sangrias, sours, boilermakers and Collins, to name a few.

If the fool proof guidance of the menu still leaves you at a loss, or you just don’t feel like working for your liquid lunch, ask the in house mixologist for a custom creation.  They will be sure to oblige and with their skill set and all of the fresh, local ingredients at their fingertips, they are sure to create something you will order time and time again.  Currently, the mixologist’s feature is the Chupacabra; a refreshing summer mix of Imperial Oak Aged Gin, Luxardo Cherry Liquor, Sweet Vermouth and orange juice served shaken and strained in a cocktail glass.

Stop into SALT this week for happy hour from three to five pm daily.  SALT is located on the  corner of 11^th and Pearl in Boulder.

If you’re wandering around Aspen this weekend and are looking for a break from the sunshine, mosey over to Gisella at 415 East Main Street and escape to Northern Italy.  Former soccer player turned chef, Michel Wahaltere, and skilled restaurateur, Marcello Ferreira have created an elegant Italian gem in downtown Aspen.  With an elaborate menu encapsulating the Liguira and Campagnia regions of Northwestern and Southwestern Italy, a 20 page wine list and breathtaking views of the mountains, Gisella creates the ultimate dining experience.

Wahaltere creates a rotating menu each season and the current Summer menu invites you to sample seafood, fresh produce and cheeses and all natural meats.  To get your meal started, try the Affettati Di Mare (sliced sea), an assortment of seafood featuring cured albacore tuna belly, caviar, shrimp and salmon.  Or, try the seasonal gazpacho, a chilled white asparagus soup.  The California Water Buffalo Mozzarella is featured on this summer menu as well and is one of their Campagnia-inspired specialties.  Also, be sure to ask your server about the nightly “raw” appetizer special.

If you’re having problems choosing from the vast selection of wines, summon the in-house sommelier for bottle recommendations or for help with pairing glasses with each course.  For dinner, Gisella offers nine pasta dishes ranging from 19-24 dollars.  You may have some trouble choosing from this list as well, however, as it boasts every pasta under the sun.  House made ravioli, penne, fettuccine, risotto, gnocchi and pappardelle are featured, to name a few.  If carbs, no matter how delicious, don’t suit your mood you can also ponder the eight entrees on the summer menu.  Colorado Angus Steak, free range veal, Scottish salmon, striped bass and a all-natural half chicken are all prepared with a delicate Italian flare.  The Colorado lamb sirloin is a favorite and sure to tantalize your taste buds.

Gisella is located at 415 East Main Street in Aspen, CO, (970) – 925-8222.

This week, if you’re looking to add a little variety to your libation repertoire, head over to Lucky Pie Pizza and experience a true beer drinker’s delight.  One of the newer tap houses in downtown Denver offers 27 unique tap handles to those seeking samplings of brews from around the world.

Even the most adventurous of beer guzzlers may find some selections at Lucky Pie that they have yet to encounter. Riddled among a few of the local staples such as Mama’s Little Yella Pils (Oskar Blues), Left Handed Milk Stout (Left Handed), Avery IPA (Avery) and 90 Shilling (Odells), lie brewskies from Belgium, California, Oregon, Sri Lanka, New York, Idaho and Delaware.  Brews typically unheard of as draft selections flow freely from the taps at Lucky Pie.

If you have a hankering for an IPA, they’ve got you covered with Firestone Double Jack, Dogfish Head 60 Minute, Green Flash West Coast, Ska Modus Hoperandi, Odell Myrcenary or Stone Cali-Begique.  If your palate desires Belgian yeast, choose from Ommegang Rare Vos, Lucifer Strong Pale Ale, Delirium Tremens or Russian River Damnation.  If you want to dwell outside of the box, shoot for Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barley Wine, Ceylon La Lion Stout or Verhaeghe Duchesse DeBourgogne Flemish Red.

The beer selection at Lucky Pie is definitely the main attraction, but what drinking establishment is complete without a signature cocktail list?  Several of their libations are twists on classic cocktails such as the Lucky Gimlet, made from Leoplod’s Gin, St. Germain and Fresh Lime, or the Ward Cleaver, a spin on the classic Old Fashioned.   For something different, try The Duchess, a unique combo of Duchess de Bourgogne Flemish Red Ale, St. Germaine and Prosecco.

Lucky hosts Happy Hour from 4-6 daily and is located at 1610 16^th Street in LoDo with the original location still residing at 637 Front Street in Old Town Louisville.

If you have a case of the “what to do this weekend’s” and the city heat is getting you down, take a drive over Independence Pass for the Aspen Wine and Food Classic.  This week on Culinary Connectors, we will be recommending where to drink and where to eat and, most importantly, where to get quality drinks and food without breaking the bank.

Jimmy’s American Bistro at 205 South Mill Street in Aspen not only prides itself on a locally-priced drink menu (a VERY important phrase in Aspen) , but also on deliciously crafted cocktails and being the place of employment of a star studded bartender.  Erin Harris, resident libations creationist recently placed third at the Speed Rack finals, a national cocktail competition featuring top female bartenders, in New York City.

If south of the border variety is your spice of life, consider this your one-stop shop.  Jimmy’s is known to offer the largest selection of Tequila in the country, with an astounding list of over 100 agave based spirits, including many high end mezcals.  Jimmy, who you will most likely find behind the bar, doesn’t stop there, however.  A five page list of vodkas, whiskeys, bourbons, cognacs, scotches and cocktails, offset by an extensive wine list, will leave you pondering for hours.  Just point and click, as they say…or ask your bartender.  They all know their stuff and will be quick to counsel you through the vast list of libations.

Most of the Tequilas are priced under 12 dollars and signature cocktails, all 16 of them, are priced at $12 and under, featuring several house tequila infusions, unique vodka concoctions and spins on a few classics.  Stop by on Sunday, as the end to the Food & Wine always finds its way on Jimmy’s patio, and you may be surprised to see who stops by.

Jimmy’s is located 205 South Mill Street in Aspen, CO.

If you’re into trying something new this weekend, but aren’t sure what that something new might be, stop in the kitchen community’s new location in Lodo at 16^th and Wazee.  The Kitchen originally opened in Boulder on April 15, 2004, based on the foundation of creating a community environment revolving around local and wholesome fresh foods, cocktails and brews.  After opening The Kitchen {Upstairs}, featuring community wine, beers and cocktails,  in 2005 and The Kitchen {Next Door}, a community pub, in 2011, The Kitchen Community has traveled south, bringing an old home place vibe to the space previously occupied by Gumbo’s.

For those who visited Gumbo’s, you will find a transformation has taken place.  Three rooms house wooden tables, a community dining space, a beautiful bar, an open kitchen and a seafood bar, decorated simply with bowls of lemons, fresh flowers and very little artwork.  The simplicity of the space reflects their take on food.  They use fresh, seasonal ingredients and play on their flavors, rather than overpowering them.

The seafood bar offers clams, whole lobsters, crab legs, mussels and oysters from all coastal points in the country.  Additionally, this is one of the few places in Denver to get delicious caviar served with potato blini, crème fraiche and shallot and chive.  Not in a seafood mood?  Choose from a plethora of simply prepared cheeses, produce, meats and nuts on the starter menu such as Humboldt Fog and Candied Almonds or Bleu D’Auvergne and Honey.  Or, skip to the “Mains” section of the menu for a sampling of chicken, tuna, lamb or steak accompanied by items such as red pepper relish, harissa, fava beans, hazel dell mushrooms and quinoa.

Whatever your pleasure for dinner this weekend, the Kitchen is sure to deliver.  Stop by The Kitchen at 16^th and Wazee to experience a community gathering of food and drink.

This week, if you’re looking to add a little variety to your libation repertoire, head over to Lucky Pie Pizza and experience a true beer drinker’s delight.  One of the newer tap houses in downtown Denver offers 27 unique tap handles to those seeking samplings of brews from around the world.

Even the most adventurous of beer guzzlers may find some selections at Lucky Pie that they have yet to encounter. Riddled among a few of the local staples such as Mama’s Little Yella Pils (Oskar Blues), Left Handed Milk Stout (Left Handed), Avery IPA (Avery) and 90 Shilling (Odells), lie brewskies from Belgium, California, Oregon, Sri Lanka, New York, Idaho and Delaware.  Brews typically unheard of as draft selections flow freely from the taps at Lucky Pie.

If you have a hankering for an IPA, they’ve got you covered with Firestone Double Jack, Dogfish Head 60 Minute, Green Flash West Coast, Ska Modus Hoperandi, Odell Myrcenary or Stone Cali-Begique.  If your palate desires Belgian yeast, choose from Ommegang Rare Vos, Lucifer Strong Pale Ale, Delirium Tremens or Russian River Damnation.  If you want to dwell outside of the box, shoot for Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barley Wine, Ceylon La Lion Stout or Verhaeghe Duchesse DeBourgogne Flemish Red.

The beer selection at Lucky Pie is definitely the main attraction, but what drinking establishment is complete without a signature cocktail list?  Several of their libations are twists on classic cocktails such as the Lucky Gimlet, made from Leoplod’s Gin, St. Germain and Fresh Lime, or the Ward Cleaver, a spin on the classic Old Fashioned.   For something different, try The Duchess, a unique combo of Duchess de Bourgogne Flemish Red Ale, St. Germaine and Prosecco.

Lucky hosts Happy Hour from 4-6 daily and is located at 1610 16^th Street in LoDo with the original location still residing at 637 Front Street in Old Town Louisville.