Frasca Food and Wine: Buon Appetito in Boulder.

One step inside the doors of Frasca Food and Wine in Boulder, Colorado and you can immediately sense that you will more than enjoy your experience. The atmosphere is a mix of casual and elegant, the decor clean-lined modern mixed with rustic touches and a large wall of wine bottles serves as the perfect backdrop to the overall ambiance.

Opened in late 2003 by business partners Master Sommelier Bobby Stuckey and Chef Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson, the pair met while working at Thomas Keller's The French Laundry in California. Inspired by the northeast Italian region of Friuli, of which they both shared a passion (well, of that and wine!), they set out to create a little spot reminiscent of the area and named it Frasca. Historically found in Friuli was what was known as the neighborhood Frasca, "a friendly and informal gathering place, a destination to share a meal and a bottle of wine. Identified by a tree branch hanging over a doorway portal, they were a symbol of local farm cuisine, wine, and warm hospitality (adapted from the Frasca Food and Wine website)."

With history and inspiration at it's helm, I had the amazing opportunity to dine here on our last night in Colorado. So, on to our deliciously memorable experience -

Upon our arrival, Bobby greeted us with the warmest of hospitality (even remembering one person in our party from a visit a a few months back!). Since we were waiting for a fourth to arrive, he immediately provided us with an aperitif (a lovely crisp white wine) and upon being led to our table we were served an amuse bouche of a fried squash blossom. Which, little did we know, was a tiny preview of the menu we were about to enjoy.

Our four-course meal of "Zucchini E Fiore Di Zucca" or Zucchini and Blossoms (loosely translated) - focused on the beauty of the squash that's so prevalent this time of year. Our server also stressed that all other ingredients are sourced as locally as possible, to showcase the culinary offerings of Colorado. As expected, the menu was broken out into Anitpasti (appetizer), Primi (first course), Secondi (second course) and Dolci (dessert). We had the pleasure of getting some menu and wine recommendations from our very knowledgeable servers, chose wine based on our preferences (I like white, the rest of my table chose a bottle of red), then we selected each of our courses.

I hope that the following pictures and descriptions captured the experience for you -  because it was phenomenal!

The Antipasti:
As explained by our server, I assumed that this dish would feature zucchini, but this was done to perfection and like nothing I've had before. The delicate flavors of the squash came through beautifully, but the richness of the addition of brown butter added a lusciousness to this custard-like presentation. I can still taste it now as I write this! Obvously, this one will be unforgettable for a long time to come.

The Primi: 
Think of this dish as a deconstructed lasagna - a smaller portion, but still on the decadent side, the thin fresh pasta was layered with creamy bechamel sauce, thin slices of fried eggplant, grilled summer squash and fire roasted cherry tomatoes. Talk about melt-in-your-mouth goodness! As a side note, I must also mention that all savory courses were accompanied by unending servings of fresh-baked, rustic Italian bread and whipped butter. I think we each had 4-5 pieces - talk about a carb lover's dream!

The Secondi:
I could talk about this dish for hours, but I don't think I could keep your attention that long :o). Simply put, it's Poached Cod, wrapped in a thin piece of squash, pickled onion, the plate dotted with Squash and Squid Ink Bechamel, and garnished with a fried squash blossom. This is the art of presentation at it's best - and the combination of flavors was no less impressive.

The Dolci:
Being someone who is no longer used to such indulgence for so many days in a row, I chose to go the lighter route and chose a trio of house-made gelato and sorbet for dessert. Nonetheless, the simple dish still impressed as the sorbet was uber-fresh and the custard added a richness to the flavor profiles. Also, it came with a surprise as the trio was dusted with a light crumbling of white chocolate. Yum!

The Dolci Bonus: 
Two of my party ordered the torta below, and I just had to include it due to it's sheer beauty. The cake had a creamy texture with a creme brulee-like finish. The fresh berries, sauce, house-made chocolate gelato and dusting of white chocolate added dimension and an artistic quality to the dessert - which got rave reviews from our table! I had a taste as well - and I concede that it was delicious! 

I just had to take a picture of the James Beard Nominations and Awards that lined the walls and a rustic piece that I loved. And finally, here we are with our VERY full bellies!

If you've gotten to end of this post, I am 99% sure that you can deduce that I LOVED this restaurant! Frasca serves up everything - environment, wine and food that combine to transport even the most untraveled to a small neighborhood haunt in Italy. I HIGHLY recommend you visit if and when you get to Boulder - you will not be disappointed!