L'Absinthe

[mike k]

Anyone know about a restaurant called L'Absinthe in Aspen? They are apparently going to open a place in One Boulder Plaza. Google only shows me one in NYC.

[rlm]

I was recently in Aspen and brought back The Official Menu Guide, Restaurants of the Roaring Fork Valley, Mountain Connoisseur, and a la Car for Aspen/Snowmass. None of these mention a restaurant with this name.

[mike k]

Perhaps L'Absinthe is the name of the planned place in Boulder but not an existing one in Aspen, or just a parent company name. The Colorado Real Estate Journal briefly said, "L'Absinthe, an Aspen eatery, will open a restaurant at One Boulder Plaza. The company signed a lease for 4,608 sf at 1801 13th St." We'll see what sprouts there.

[AmyH]

Looks like us Boulderites are slated to get a couple of new dining options. Next to L'Absinthe there is a coming soon sign for a presumably Indian restaurant "Bombay . . . ." and signs for Aqua Pazza next door to the Reef. Anyone have any info on either of these two?

[mongo_jones]

Looks like us Boulderites are slated to get a couple of new dining options. Next to L'Absinthe there is a coming soon sign for a presumably Indian restaurant "Bombay . . . ." and signs for Aqua Pazza next door to the Reef. Anyone have any info on either of these two?

if this "bombay..." place is the same as the also coming soon south indian restaurant then we're in trouble. seeing as how bombay isn't exactly south india. but if there's two new indian restaurants scheduled to open there might be a shake-out coming as well. how many indian restaurants can a town of 100,000 outside india support?

[afoodnut]

if this "bombay..." place is the same as the also coming soon south indian restaurant then we're in trouble. seeing as how bombay isn't exactly south india. but if there's two new indian restaurants scheduled to open there might be a shake-out coming as well. how many indian restaurants can a town of 100,000 outside india support?

...and how many angels can dance on the head of a pin? (Sorry if my question doesn't meet rigorous philosophical guidelines, but you get the drift...we're in colorado, it snows.)

Between the the vegetarians, the yuppies, the old hippies, the bujews, (or jubus, or whatever label you might come up with; did'ja know that boulder is home to the largest collection/congregation? of jewish buddhists/buddhist jews in the world?...don't ask for the backup documentation, unless you want a whole lot more of boulder esotericism, naropa stuff, etc.) the just plain "like exotic, but safe", a walk on the wild side on the edge of urban, ...if any place in this country can support that many indian restaurants, it's Boulder.

My question is...

Would Boulder support a *good* Indian restaurant? Is there one here yet? If not, why not? If there is, which one is it? Most important... what can we do to help make it happen?

edit to add: Better bring it back on topic... absinthe is rumored to induce hallucinations, no? L'absinthe/Aspen a figment of imagination, perhaps real in Boulder?

Edited August 3, 2004 by afoodnut (log)

[jess mebane]

a walk on the wild side on the edge of urban, ...if any place in this country can support that many indian restaurants, it's Boulder.

word. And the first question on opening day would not be, "How are the green mangos," but rather, "Can I bring in my dog?"

[rlm]

Looks like The Daily Camera has answered some of our questions this morning about L'Absinthe, Acqua Pazza, and Bombay Bistro.

Not as excited about Acqua Pazza now that I know it is brought to us by the Antica Roma folks.

L'Absinthe comes from the owner of Ute City Bar and Grill in Aspen, which is listed in Aspen's Official Menu Guide with the tagline, "A Taste of New Orleans."

Bombay Bistro will blend "Indian, Thai, Italian and Mexican cooking." Hmmm.

[mongo_jones]

Bombay Bistro will blend "Indian, Thai, Italian and Mexican cooking." Hmmm.

italian is the weird one in the list--please, please, no macaroni with keema and paneer.

i'm given more pause by this:

Bombay Bistro's interior is designed to play on visual themes from India's past as a British colony and styles from the 1920s and 1930s.

ah, raj nostalgia...always whets my appetite

[mike k]

Thanks for the link!

Not as excited about Acqua Pazza now that I know it is brought to us by the Antica Roma folks.

I hadn't been there in years before they closed, but I used to love their tomato soup with spinach, garlic and olive oil. Great reminder to make some!

Bombay Bistro will blend "Indian, Thai, Italian and Mexican cooking." Hmmm.

Indeed, the mind reels at the possibilities. What's the proper dipping sauce for curried prosciutto jalapeno spring rolls?

[TheMatt]

QUOTE

Bombay Bistro will blend "Indian, Thai, Italian and Mexican cooking." Hmmm.

Indeed, the mind reels at the possibilities. What's the proper dipping sauce for curried prosciutto jalapeno spring rolls?

I actually started thinking of mongo's naan-zaa's, or pesto carnitas in naan--sort of a fuuuusion taco. And just think of all the godawful salsas they could come up with: Chipotle-basil-nam pla-mango chutney using curry powder, oregano, galangal, and huitlacoche.

[rlm]

Anyone heard any updates on L'Absinthe or Bombay Bistro? Are these places close to opening?

[TheMatt]

Anyone heard any updates on L'Absinthe or Bombay Bistro? Are these places close to opening?

←

Well, I know Bombay Bistro's site is up. You can look at a menu. Haven't been there, and with no bindhi to be seen, I'm not sure when I would (I need bindhi if I go to an Indian restaurant).

The Bollywood Sunday sounds interesting. Maybe they'll get Veer-Zaara so I can finally see it. Oddly, the movie starts at 8 and they close at 10. I'm not sure I've seen a Bollywood movie that ran under two hours...maybe I've only seen long epics?

As for L'Absinthe, haven't seen much yet.

Edited December 2, 2004 by TheMatt (log)

[pepperedpalate]

Hi, All--

Have any of you been to L'Absinthe yet? Bombay Bistro? If so, what are your thoughts?

Thanks,

Lori

[afoodnut]

Hi, All--

Have any of you been to L'Absinthe yet? Bombay Bistro? If so, what are your thoughts?

Thanks,

Lori

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Haven't yet tried Bombay Bistro; According to a column in today's Camera, L'Absinthe should be opening soon:

Over on "restaurant row" at Boulder One Plaza, Bombay Bistro, 1800 Broadway, officially opened its doors last month. The lush interior is alluring and owner Paul Gill is pretty proud of his menu featuring grain-fed filet mignon and flown-in Alaskan salmon in traditional north Indian preparations like Madras, Masala and Tandoori. Chefs are Andrea McGrath and Gill's mother, a seasoned restaurant veteran (the family also owns Star of India in Denver). L'Absinthe, Maurice Couturier's French place next door to Bombay, is getting closer and closer by the looks of it.

[afoodnut]

Okay, I still haven't been to Bombay Bistro, but I've read a review of it that makes it unlikely that I'll be choosing to eat there...

Review of Boulder's Bombay Bistro

[thenextmeal]

Would Boulder support a *good* Indian restaurant? Is there one here yet? If not, why not? If there is, which one is it? Most important... what can we do to help make it happen?

I ate at Bombay Bistyo one Sunday a few weeks ago, and spoke with the (very earnest) owner, so got the back story...He is related to the folks who own Tandori Grill (brother-in-law of chef/owner I think it was) and so couldn't open a normal Indian rest in town unless he wanted to be banished from the family - hence the upscale/fusion concept. TG is, by the way, my favorite Indian in town.

As I said, very earnest fellow, with I think a serious cooking school background (or maybe it was the head chef? - anyway, somebody is a Culinary Inst or similar grad) trying to do something interesting a la the fushion Indian trend hapening in major cities (at least NY/LA/Chicago.) Alas, everything just missed. Conceptually interesting dishes (mostly) that were so-so on the plate. And as others remarked, standard high-end prices (upper teens, lower twenties for entrees) meant the prices for the trad Indian items on the menu were a bit silly. Server was very amateurish (though, again, very earnest and trying hard) as well. Swami predicts: "Bombay Bistro not long for this world. Space on Broadway and Spruce shall not achieve Nirvana, but will experience reincarnation in near future as expression of unfufilled desire to be successful eatery."

By the way, Swami did find a decent $40 Pinot there he had never tried before - Chandon - Cali sparkling wine folks - I think 2002. On sale (retail) for $15 or so, I'd say it's worth it. $20 or more you can do better.

[afoodnut]

Would Boulder support a *good* Indian restaurant? Is there one here yet? If not, why not? If there is, which one is it? Most important... what can we do to help make it happen?

I ate at Bombay Bistyo one Sunday a few weeks ago, and spoke with the (very earnest) owner, so got the back story...He is related to the folks who own Tandori Grill (brother-in-law of chef/owner I think it was) and so couldn't open a normal Indian rest in town unless he wanted to be banished from the family - hence the upscale/fusion concept. TG is, by the way, my favorite Indian in town.

As I said, very earnest fellow, with I think a serious cooking school background (or maybe it was the head chef? - anyway, somebody is a Culinary Inst or similar grad) trying to do something interesting a la the fushion Indian trend hapening in major cities (at least NY/LA/Chicago.) Alas, everything just missed. Conceptually interesting dishes (mostly) that were so-so on the plate. And as others remarked, standard high-end prices (upper teens, lower twenties for entrees) meant the prices for the trad Indian items on the menu were a bit silly. Server was very amateurish (though, again, very earnest and trying hard) as well. Swami predicts: "Bombay Bistro not long for this world. Space on Broadway and Spruce shall not achieve Nirvana, but will experience reincarnation in near future as expression of unfufilled desire to be successful eatery."

By the way, Swami did find a decent $40 Pinot there he had never tried before - Chandon - Cali sparkling wine folks - I think 2002. On sale (retail) for $15 or so, I'd say it's worth it. $20 or more you can do better.

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Thanks for your review, thenextmeal. Your opinion about the food seems right in line with others I've been hearing. At least I know I won't bother trying Bombay Bistro in my quest for good food in boulder. Welcome to egullet.