Dining critic candidate No. 23

PLATE World Cuisine

Pine Creek Village Shopping Center

9420 Briar Village Pt.

719-475-8000

NE corner of Briargate Pkwy & Chapel Hills Drive

OVERALL RATING : 3 stars

THE BACKGROUND: For those of you who live, work and play in the northern end of C-Springs, you’re going to love your new neighbor! Walter Iser and Chef Ryan Blanchard (Walter’s Bistro, Cheyenne Mtn Blvd) have opened a sensational, affordable new restaurant in the Briargate area.

THE FOOD: The menu features an excellent variety of foods from around the world. Our adventure started with calamari. The batter was light and well seasoned. The dish was served with three dipping sauces, aioli, marinara, and chipotle. The aioli was the best, buttery, tangy and just a hint of garlic. The chipotle was too powerful for the delicate calamari, and the marinara—Olive Garden boring!

Our entrees were, the Grilled Kobe Burger ($8), Baby Field Greens Salad ($5), Chicken Satay ($6), and Grilled Jumbo Shrimp ($10). The burger was a little dry, but the fries were crispy and wonderfully seasoned. The salad was a nice mixture of tender greens, topped with goat cheese. It got high points for freshness in the middle of winter, but the vinaigrette was sharp and overwhelmed the greens. The sauce on the Chicken Satay, was perfect, not too pea-nutty, started out smooth and ended with a fiery Thai kick. The Grilled Jumbo Shrimp was served on top of a bed of lemon risotto and a balsamic glaze. The risotto was the star of this dish. It was creamy, velvety, and cheesy, yet perfectly balanced with lemon. It was fantastic!

We wrapped up our excursion with two distinct desserts. Our Lemon in Meringue ($7), was a meringue cookie, with lemon custard/pudding in the middle, surrounded by whipped cream and variety of berries. The meringue was light, crisp, and airy. The lemon custard had a tart, fresh taste, and the berries brought a sinful sweetness to the dish. The Vanilla Bean Crème Brule ($7), (easily fed 2) was bursting with vanilla beans. Unfortunately, the sugar had been slightly over-torched, causing some burnt spots in the corners. The over-zealous torching caused the custard underneath to get too warm, loosing some of its creamy texture. Torches are fun, but discretion is advised!

THE ATMOSPHERE & SERVICE: The interior was perfect modern bistro, sleek clean lines accented in ivory tones. The front and sides were a “wall of windows”, providing an excellent view of the Front Range. The staff was friendly and gorgeous. Two private rooms are available, the Bamboo room (50 guests) or the Chef’s room (12 guests). The highlight of the lounge/bar area is a unique waterfall.

DETAILS: Lunch - Mon-Sat 11:00 - 2:00

Dinner- Mon-Thurs 5-9, Fri & Sat 5-10, Sun 5:30-9

Sunday Brunch - 10:00 - 3:00

Lunch for four (2 adults, 2 kids), Cost $58.00

We’ll be heading back to check out their dinner and brunch menus.