When I attended the University of Colorado at Boulder in the early 1980´s, the Boulder restaurant scene was mostly a mix of college bars and health-food shops. So you can understand my surprise when I returned for a visit last year and discovered an amazing contemporary Italian restaurant called Frasca Food & Wine (please see my review). We were so impressed that this year we decided to return to Boulder after the Aspen Food & Wine Festival and check out more of the Boulder dining scene. I can say without doubt that Boulder has officially became foodie-friendly. While Frasca is still my local favorite (I am a little biased towards Italian style restaurants), Brasserie Ten Ten clearly stands on its own as a worthwhile destination for any serious foodie.

The menu is ostensibly French brasserie, but they have more than enough variety to satisfy almost anyone. We tried a variety of items from the menu and everything was simply fantastic. To wit, the seared Foie Gras was cooked to perfection and the Moelle Osseuse (roasted bone marrow) appetizer was one of the best presentations I have seen of this dish (they cut the bone lengthwise to expose all of the marrow). But what surprised me most was the Coq Au Vin. If you have read my book, you will know that I used to believe that I made a great Coq Au Vin until one day I had the pleasure of having Eric Cousin´s classic version that his grandmother taught him. From that day forward I have held Eric´s version in the highest esteem. While Eric has clearly mastered the classic version of this dish, Brasserie Ten Ten has set the bar for contemporary Coq Au Vin. The flavors were much more bolder than the classic version, yet maintained the signature ingredients of sautéed mushrooms and caramelized pearl onions. The preparations for this braised farm fresh chicken took over 48 hours, and the dish was served over thinly sliced roasted red potatoes and garnished with Chèvre cheese. While it´s rare for us to order one chicken dish, let alone two, on this night we also tried the Briquet Poulet (crusted chicken breast). This was a much simpler dish than the Coq Au Vin, but was no less satisfying. This dish is extremely flavorful and the chicken breast is surprisingly moist. The farm fresh chicken breast was salted and herbed dusted, crisped on the outside and served with a buerre blanc sauce, which at the recommendation of our server we had the sauce served on the side rather than layered over the top of the chicken. I think this dish would have been too rich with the sauce served over the top, but when used sparingly, the sauce elevated the flavors of this beautifully prepared dish.

The decor is a little dark, but reminds me of the quintessential French bistro´s that we have visited in Paris with a casual yet elegant flair. There is outdoor seating available (weather permitting) and I particularly like their open kitchen. The wine list is well rounded and includes a nice selection of French bottlings, complemented by wines from California, Italy, Australia, Spain and Germany, and nearly thirty pours by the glass. I was also impressed by the overall value of their wine selections as they did not mark up their wines to the level that other restaurants of this quality typically do.

Brasserie Ten Ten has given me one more reason to return to Boulder so we can visit this restaurant again. I highly recommend this fantastic French bistro to my foodie friends.

Wednesday - June 20, 2012