I have previously extolled the virtues of Kachina Grill over at Hungry, so my passion for the restaurant is no secret.
Frankly, I just reread that piece and lost 5 or 6 minutes to thoughts of beignets and Navajo tacos…. Mmmmmm. Puffy tacos….
Woops, happened again.
It is true, I’d push The Mr. outside into a snowbank right now if he was trying to take the last Gaucho taco (slow braised lamb, smoked tomato aioli, brussel slaw, cowboy beans) off the plate. I have no shame when it comes to those things.
Kachina’s cool-not-kitchy southwestern inspired décor is great for cocktails with the girls, or date-night with your sweetie (hello, Valentine’s Day – you are creeping up, aren’t you,) or even an “I’ve got the perfect restaurant for that business lunch/dinner boss,” suggestion that will make you the hero of the office.
The cocktail and happy hour snack menus are fun and funky; and people, there is an actual tamale cart that gets pushed around peddling extra deliciousness from within. (The answer is YES, you would like to try one. Or two. Or more.)
Oh, and also, Wild West Brunch. So yeah. Yum.
Kachina is a good idea any time, on any normal-run-of-the-mill kind of day.
However, the real reason for my latest round of adoration for the Sage Hospitality managed restaurant is all about one really amazing, and really big, meal from the mind of Kachina Executive Chef Jeff Bolton (who previously held that title at Second Home in Cherry Creek, another of Sage’s concepts that turns Keri into a shameless foodie fangirl.)
We were fortunate to have the opportunity to attend Kachina’s 2nd annual Bison and Beer dinner at the end of January, for which the restaurant partnered with Prairie Ridge Buffalo Ranch (Limon CO,) and New Belgium Brewing.
Kachina sources whole animals from Prairie Ridge, butchering in-house. From the bone marrow crostini (my favorite of the appetizers,) and the skirt steak tostadas (The Mr.’s fave,) right through until the dessert of carmel apple and pepita bread pudding with bison bacon gelato, it just got better and better (and better, and better… and… )
The passed appetizers were paired with a margarita made from New Belgium’s soon-to-be-released Snapshot wheat beer, and let’s just say that plans were INSTANTLY in the works for the many shameless excuses entertaining opportunities I will find to recreate that particular beverage during the summer months.
Bison Carpaccio and greens paired with Spring Blonde Ale, was my favorite of the pairings, although all were delicious. During the second course of short rib braised in the paired beer (a Lips of Faith collaboration with Cigar City Brewing,) accompanied by tepary beans and jalapeno cornbread I swear The Mr closed his eyes and I heard a low-but-audible “mmmmmmmmm” escape his lips.
The ranchers and brewery reps (“Beer Rangers”) mingled throughout the dinner, and Chef Bolton offered his insight into the dishes and beer pairings during each course. His conscious efforts at relationship building with local resources are paying off in the dishes at Kachina, and this year’s Bison and Beer dinner was a wonderful example of that.
The Mr. did manage to pry the spoon out of my hand and roll me to the car after that bacon gelato incident – but it wasn’t without a bit of a fight. Want. More.
———————————————————-
Kachina Southwestern Grill
10600 Westminster Blvd
Westminster, CO 80020
Reluctantly Suburban 