Editor's note: This recap was originally featured in the September 2016 issue of the Eat + Drink magazine.
Fort Collins’ best restaurant only sets up once a month. And it’s always in a different spot.
The chefs change too, rotating between the most talented of Northern Colorado food artisans.
There’s plenty of unknowns in the Coloradoan’s Secret Supper series, but customers sure leave full and satisfied.
Plus there’s always booze, and often lots of it.
This pop-up restaurant program is heaven for any Colorado foodies.
It’s a dream for chefs as well, who get full freedom on their menu without the fear of unsophisticated palates.
Each course is paired with a different drink, specifically picked to enhance each bite.
The locations switch for every dinner, with each presenting its own unique ambiance. They are often revealed just a week ahead of time, building anticipation for each experience.
And because each experience is so unique, no two Secret Suppers are ever alike.Here’s the proof:
January 15, 2015
Location: Bean Cycle
Chef: Jason Shaeffer of Chimney Park Restaurant & Bar
Appetizers: Striped bass bouillabaisse, bacon Carbonara, and vegetable Carpaccio.
Main entree: Coffee-crusted ribeye steak with a potato puree, shallots, carrots, mushrooms and spinach.
Dessert: French toast bread pudding.
March 26, 2015
Location: Horse & Dragon Brewing
Chef: Matt Smith of Door 222
Appetizers: Foraged salad, smoked trout, ashed chevre cheese with pickled radishes, turnips and carrots, and sous vide eggs topped with mushrooms.
Main entree: Braised beef cheek with turnip puree, onions, carrots and pork belly.
Dessert: Beet red velvet cake.
May 14, 2015
Location: WildWing Homes of Tinmath
Chefs: Jason Glinski of Fish and Ricky Myers of Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar
Appetizers: Russian oysters, Ahi tuna poke, Dashi soup, lemon cucumber gazpacho, cornmeal fried softshell crabs with pickled watermelon and petite radish greens, and grilled salmon with a creamed kale risotto.
Main entree: Seared scallops with tandoori cauliflower, tomato curry, smoked cashews and golden raisins.
Dessert: Lemon sabayon with spring berries and chocolate mint.
July 23, 2015
Location: Spring Kite Farm
Chefs: Trevor Burt of Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar; Brandon Spain and Tim Meador of Tramp About; Ryan Damasky and Dana DeMarco of The Kitchen
Appetizers: Cucumber gazpacho, honey glazed pork belly and a seared octopus salad.
Main entree: Striped bass with curry carrot puree, beets, leeks, turnips, candied cashews and a cilantro creme fraiche.
Dessert: Peach consomme with vanilla mousse.
September 30, 2015
Location: Bas Bleu Theatre Co.
Chefs: Amelia Mouton of Restaurant 415 and Anthony Frazier of Social.
Appetizers: Parmesan butter popcorn, vegetable terrine, burrata cheese pizza, rainbow trout and shrimp pasta, and a cucumber mint granita.
Main entree: Lamb lollipops with grilled polenta, red wine sauce and greens.
Dessert: Italian meringue cake.
October 29, 2015
Location: Downtown Artery
Chef: Nate Wyche of The Welsh Rabbit
Appetizers: Roasted tomato and cucumber salad, squash three ways (spaghetti squash, zucchini fritter and squash puree), honey roasted carrots, poached fish porridge and shrimp chowder, and escargot with brie.
Main entree: Smoked duck with candied beets.
Dessert: Mascarpone eclairs.
November 18, 2015
Location: Edwards House
Chefs: Brian Shaner and Nick Doyle of Nick’s Homestyle Italian
Appetizers: Oysters, tomato bisque, seared tuna, grilled New York strip skewers, winter vegetables salad and butternut squash Cappelletti.
Main entree: Herb crusted lamb shoulder with duch*ess potatoes and olive jus.
Dessert: Chocolate, hazelnut and raspberry bars.
January 27, 2016
Location: Wolverine Farm Letterpress
Chef: Troy Heller of Ace Gillete’s
Appetizers: Gorgonzola-stuffed and prosciutto-wrapped dates, parmesan crisps with creamy feat and candied beets, mozzarella-stuffed and capicola-wrapped cherry peppers, red lentil and kabocha squash soup, and fattoush salad with pita bread.
Main entree: Red wine-braised beef short ribs with a creamy rosemary polenta.
Dessert: Goat cheese agave vanilla yogurt with maple pickled quince, dried cherries and candied walnuts.
February 25, 2016
Location: Galvanize
Chef: Matt Smith of Door 222
Appetizers: Mushroom and goat cheese crostini, corn on the cob, corn custard, corn volute, popcorn, avocado crab salad, roasted crab legs, deviled egg and crab cioppino.
Main entree: Duck terrine, roasted smoked duck breast, duck sausage and duck confit crepe
Dessert: Cocoa nib panna cotta, peanut butter and jelly tart, hot chocolate, and chocolate cake.
March 24, 2016
Location: Pinot’s Palette
Chef: Jeff Blackwell of Hot Corner Concepts
Appetizers: Hand crafted pretzels, charcuterie, panzanella salad, white cheddar bechamel with lump crab relish, and cured pork belly with pickled mushrooms.
Main entree: Peppercorn lamb with brussel sprouts and herb ricotta dumplings.
Dessert: Brambleberry and lychee clafouti.
April 28, 2016
Location: Encompass Block One
Chef: John Lawyer of Lickskillet Catering/Corndoggies
Appetizers: Lobster corn dogs, squash tacos, pork belly grilled cheese sandwiches, sweet pea portage and spring salad with Pinot Noir-infused beets.
Main entree: Coffee lavender sous vide steak with smoked sunchoke puree and braised ramps.
Dessert: Lemon lavender sponge cake.
May 16, 2016
Location: Pateros Creek Brewing
Chef: Chrissay Pleines of Coppermuse Distilling
Appetizers: Goat milk ricotta-topped sesame and honey shortbread; Whey grain topped with mushrooms, rhubarb and a guinea fowl sauce; and German potato chowder.
Main entree: Lamb meatballs with wilted greens, fenugreek, carrot, yogurt, mint and sumac.
Dessert: Beer floats with vanilla bean ice cream, hazelnut biscotti and cocoa nibs.
June 16, 2016
Location: Center for Fine Art Photography
Chef: T.R. Shuttleworth of Sonny Lubick’s Steakhouse
Appetizers: Duck confit tostadas, pan seared scallops and curried watermelon gazpacho.
Main entree: Peppercorn crusted hanger beef steak with a celery root puree
Dessert: Brown butter crepe stuffed with blackberries, thyme, goat cheese and dark chocolate.
July 28, 2016
Location: Tapestry House in La Porte
Chef: Edward Gilbert of Morningstar
Appetizers: Fava bean and burrata crackers, chilled black bean soup, hearts of palm and heirloom tomato salad, and sous vide salmon.
Main entree: Sous vide pichana beef steak in chimichurri sauce with yuca, carrot and asparagus.
Dessert: Fig olive oil cake.
August 25, 2016
Location: Mawson Lumber & Hardware
Chef: Heather Beckman of Silver Grill Cafe
Appetizers: Chilled smoked Mediterranean vegetable soup, hummus dip, and smoked octopus salad.
Main entree: Smoked boar and lamb.
Dessert: Risotto pudding in cinnamon roll cups, and blue cheese saganaki.
September 29, 2016
Location: Lincoln Center (event included tickets to performance ofWhose Live Anyways)
Chef: Steven Nalls of The Cooking Studio
Appetizers: Ancient grains with beets and pickled mushrooms, and winter squash ravioli.
Main entree: Braised lamb with a sunchoke puree and carrots.
Dessert: Poached fall fruit in a yogurt mousse.
October 27, 2016
Location: The Merchant Room above Walnut Creek
Chef: Billy Charters of Stuft
Appetizers: Pumpkin bisque, crab cakes, and quail egg-topped chorizo slider and cauliflower croquette.
Main entree: New York strip Shepard's Pie.
Dessert: Nutella tart.
November 16, 2016
Location: Artworks Loveland
Chef: Eric Clayton of Henry's Pub
Appetizers: Butternut squash bisque, goat cheese arugula salad, andsous vide striped bass.
Main entree: Braised short ribs over cheddar grits.
Dessert: Gourmet s'more.
