My husband had a rare Saturday off last week, which enabled us to go to one of my favorite local Farmers Market at Bancroft Park. The weather was perfect, the fruits and vegetables were beautiful (I had to make sure I didn’t buy more than we could possibly eat), not to mention the fabulous breads, cheeses, tamales, and everything else the market had to offer. It was just a lovely way to spend a late Saturday morning. As usual, I had skipped breakfast so by the time we had loaded up on all our favorite items and were headed to the car, my stomach was growling and I needed to eat. Earlier we had passed Cucuru Gallery Café, right across the street from Bancroft Park and I had mentioned we should try the food one of these days and so we decided today was the day.
I had never read any reviews about it, didn’t know anyone who had eaten there before, had no clue as to what foods they served, nor did my husband, so we went in hoping for something decent (we’re both kind of picky because we can cook good food at home for a fraction of eating out so when we do eat out, we want something better than mediocre, which is sometimes hard to find, in my personal opinion, around here.)
The restaurant is housed in an Old Colorado City house with lots of different smaller rooms, with comfy seating and tons of local art, which you can also purchase. As soon as we walked in, the atmosphere was welcoming and I felt like we were on “vacation.” It was charming and I really wanted to like the food because it just “felt” like a place I’d want to return to. We made our way to the back of the house towards the patio, which is what had caught my eye in the first place. Dazzling colors from all the beautiful plants and flowers, bistro style seating and hey, anytime I can find a restaurant with a patio, that’s where I want to spend some time, where we can appreciate the beautiful outdoors of Colorado.
We were greeted by a friendly server, chose a table where we could look at the park and people-watch, ordered a glass of Freixenet, one of my very favorite sparkling wines, and proceeded to peruse the menu. One thing I immediately liked was the menu itself. It was limited but still had plenty to choose from (they specialize in tapas and sandwiches.) We’re always leery of restaurants with menus that look more like a phone book, we’d rather have a more concise menu where the foods they make really shine. Of course, that’s just us and our personal likes.
My husband ordered the Gambas Aquate and I ordered the Taquitos. We sipped our wine, explored the café while we waited for our food and since I was starving by that point, I was really hoping the food would be good.
Paul’s Gambas Aquate ($9.25) was a sliced avocado paired with Madrid salad of cucumber, green pepper and red onion lightly tossed in Aoli dressing and served with 3 grilled shrimp. The presentation was lovely and fresh looking.
My plate of Taquitos (2 for $5.75 or 3 for $7.75) consisted of delicious marinated, tender pork placed on white corn tortillas, with chopped Jalapeno, white onions and sliced avocado, served with Salsa De Casa and a wedge of lime. Again, beautifully plated and both plates looked as if the produce had just been picked from a garden. Vibrant colors, crisp vegetables and I couldn’t wait to dig in!
Now let me just say, we’re not food critics. And even if we were, just because we like or dislike a certain item, doesn’t mean you’d fee the same way. We all have different food likes and palettes so I don’t see how everyone can agree on how food tastes. Paul thought his Gambas Aquate was ok. It wasn’t bad, it wasn’t fabulous. Of course we grill shrimp all the time, and I do have to admit, we’re pretty good with our shrimp dishes. He also thought the plate a bit small, yes we know they are tapas (small plates), for the price.
I on the other hand, really enjoyed my taquitos. I’m particular when it comes to meats because I don’t like fat, and if I see it, I won’t eat it (it’s a texture thing.) I thought my pork was very tender, and actually appreciated that it wasn’t overly seasoned, which I thought paired well with the spicy Salsa De Casa. I liked the freshness of everything on my plate, allowing for the flavors of the food itself to shine.
We ordered another glass of wine, finished our meal and headed back home. Later that day we talked about our experience and both agreed, we’d go back. We went in late morning and want to go back in the evening, while the weather’s still nice and we can enjoy the live music while relaxing on the patio. Here’s our personal thoughts on dining out…we’ve eaten at some spectacular restaurants where the food is 4 Diamond fabulous, with some of the most famous Chefs around. Some we return to and some we don’t because even though the food might be perfect, the experience itself might not have been. And then we’ve eaten at other places where the food was so-so but the atmosphere so inviting, we go back again and again. For us, dining out is not just about the food, it’s how we feel while we’re there. It’s the whole “dining experience” which includes the staff, atmosphere, lighting, music, presentation….the “feel”. We both agreed that our experience was reminiscent of when we travel, walk around having a good time, enjoying each other’s company and happen upon a restaurant that embodies the way we are feeling.
After coming home I actually went online to read the reviews and I’d say, they were pretty mixed. Some loved it and had only positive things to say while others thought it wasn’t worth returning to. Like I said earlier, everyone’s tastes are different. My intention of sharing our experience is not to find the faults or pick apart anything and everything, but I also can’t lie. Was it perfect? No. I enjoyed my food much more than my husband did, but we also have very different food likes. Will we go back? Like I said earlier, definitely. Would I recommend it to my friends? Absolutely. In fact, I think both my husband and I agree that it was one of the most pleasant ways we’ve spent a Saturday the entire summer.
So if you’re looking for a new place to dine, I do think it’s worth your while to check Cucuru out. It’s charming, with a cool, laid-back vibe, filled with other patrons who seem to be having a good time, with a decent drink menu that includes some good wines. And with most items being under $10, even if it’s not to your liking, it’s not like you’ll have spent a ton of money. And you can enjoy some unique art while you’re there. I give it a thumbs up!
*When we first got there, there was only one other couple dining, but then it was still relatively early. By the time we left, the place was packed…