We had advance reservations with friends for Saturday, Nov. 14 (Sugarbeet in Longmont, click here for our experience) and for Saturday, Nov. 21 (Trattoria on Pearl, click here), but with a fairly full calendar in between, we had no other plans for this annual eatathon. When my husband came home from work on Friday, we impulsively decided to see whether we could snag a last-minute table at another restaurant we love. The line was busy when I phoned Arugula Bar e Ristorante, so I left a hopeful message. Paul Shuler, who captains the front of the house for his son, owner/chef Alec Shuler, called back in a couple of minutes and said, "You're in luck. I was on the phone taking a cancellation." Joy!
Arugula's FBB formula is a little different from the rest. The $26/three courses pricing is the same, but rather than one each starter/entree/dessert, they generously offered two dishes from three small plate listings (six Soups & Salads, seven Appetizers and six Primi-Sized Pasta, Gnocchi and Risotto) and then one of six Main Courses. We ordered wines by the glass (Fontannafredda, Briccontanda, Barbera Langhe 2007, and Le Rote, Vernaccia di San Gimignano 2007). Had we wished to sample more or drink even more modestly, we could have selected half-glasses too, for Argula offers house wines by the 1/2 glass, glass and a variety of carafe sizes to one liter.
Starter/Appetizer Courses
For the first course, my husband and I both selected soups. The beautiful winter squash soup surrounds a dense cranberry/apple/bacon nugget.
The tomato/fennel bisque also appears on the current regular menu. A fennel island is encircled by a flavor float of Balsamic reduction.
House-made gnocchi with shrimp comes in a tomato/vodka sauce that is light in texture but robustly spiced. It is a regular menu item, priced at $19, again a reminder of what a value First Bite Boulder is.
Polenta that is soft inside but seared until crisp-crusted is a perfect accompaniment for warm mushrooms and chunks of Gorgonzola. On the regular menu, Gorgonzola mushrooms is one appetizer and seared polenta with lamb is another. The FBB combination was excellent.
Herb-rubbed mahi-mahi is perfectly grilled and topped with a salsa crudo in the classic summer combination of tomatoes, basil and capers that plays well on a cool fall evening too. Haricots verts provide a color and flavor contrast.
My husband ordered the grilled Harris Ranch hanger steak with Marsala/shallot sauce -- but without the
Gorgonzola dulce. He was fine with the toasted red potatoes. On the regular menu, this hanger steak entree is $21.
As I noted earlier, Arugula's First Bite Boulder did not include dessert, but we had to share one to close the meal, making it a 3 1/2-course dinner for each of us. Our choice was the moist Olive Oil Cake served with a wonderful blood orange sorbet, fresh whipped cream, a blackberry and the obligatory mint leaf.
