Dina enjoying a glass of wine in Jax's cool dining room
Wow. I cannot beLIEVE I have not updated the blog since November. Shame on me. Perhaps it is because nobody reads this so what is the point? BUT I do have about 2,000 hits, and that can’t be just from people I know. Plus, this last year of working and paying student loans has been culinarily uninspiring, especially since I have been trying to save money! But, let’s face it, I just love food too much. AND I was inspired by Julie and Julia. I actually have a lot in common with Julia Child, it was quite funny. But okay, onto the review!
My coworkers and I had to go to Boulder for training. As a fan of Top Chef , I immediately decreed we would have to go to Jax Fish House, since last season’s winner, Hosea, is the executive chef there. He was not there, but some people think that means the food is better. (Read the review to see if I agree).
The menu at Jax
Delicious oysters!
We started off with some divine Hama Hama oysters. That doesn’t really involve cooking, just the ability to get good oysters, but I was pleased. They were small, plump, and fresh, tasting like the Pacific Ocean.
Skillet cornbread
We also had this DIVINE skillet cornbread with honey butter. I just love cast iron skillets. It’s the best way to brown a chop and the best way to make cornbread. And what is cornbread without honey butter? I think that is why I don’t like jalapeno cornbread. It doesn’t go well with honey butter. Oh yeah, and I hate jalapenos. Ha!
We also ordered the Maryland blue crab cakes which came with a spicy creamy tobiko-horseradish sauce. The crab cakes were great, full of chunks of crab, and not too bready. I just took a lil bit of the sauce since horseradish overwhelms my palate.
Maryland Blue Crab Cakes
Sauvignon Blanc
My pretty but crappy scallops
Now of course, there were New Bedford sea scallops on the menu with crispy prosciutto, spring peas, and morel bread pudding, so I HAD to order it. Dina is also a huge fan of any kind of bread pudding, savory or sweet, so she ordered it too. It looked amazing, but the execution was poor to say the least. The prosciutto was good, but there was only one little square. The scallops were acceptable, they were about 5 seconds undercooked, but that was forgiveable. Sadly, what should have been the piece de resistance, the bread pudding was not good at all. And the mushy sauce under it did NOTHING for the dish. It was kind of like baby food (or what I imagine baby food would taste like haha), it was mushy and lacking in flavor. The morels in the bread pudding were sandy, and the pudding itself was bland. The spring peas on the side were crispy and fresh, but WAY too salty. I think all the salt that should have gone into the bread pudding went on the vegetables. It was a sad little plate in the end. At least I had this beautiful Sauvignon Blanc (picked by Renita) to drink and dull my pain. I just don’t understand how the morel bread pudding was so awful, especially since it’s offered as a side on the menu.
Dale's amazing lamb duo
Unfortunately everyone else chose really good dishes! (Well, I guess fortunate for them). Dale got the Colorado Lamb Duo which was AMAZING. I was super jealous and wished I ordered it. It came with a loin chop & a braised shoulder, polenta, rapini and gremolata. The shoulder fell right off the bone and the loin chop was perfectly cooked. I guess when you go to a fish house you shouldn’t order fish??
A rethinking of a classic nicoise
Then there was the seared Ahi with grilled romaine, olives, quail egg, potato, and caper dressing. It just screams nicoise (which I LOVE) and it was super tasty.
And to top it all off…. Mystery fish!!! I don’t remember exactly what this was, but it had to have been better than my scallops.
Mystery fish!
Fun with crayons at Jax
The Boulder Crew! Christine, Dale, Me, Dina, Renita, David
All in all, Boulder is a great town (my almost husband is from there). And I did go back to Jax for their $1 happy hour oysters. Overall the food was very good, albeit pricey for Boulder. Whatever you do, stay away from the morel bread pudding and scallops!!! And if you EVER see Hosea there, tell him to get out of the kitchen.
