Antonio’s, subtitled A Taste of Mexico, is a new addition to Longmont’s Main Street dining scene. Ambience here is upscale, with contemporary Southwestern art and dark woods, creating a sense of elegant intimacy. Yet Antonio’s is still the kind of welcoming spot that features a children’s menu and prices more reasonable than the trappings would indicate.

Nowadays Zolo’s lunch menu doesn’t stray too far from the basics of Southwestern cuisine and would still be accessible to the ’90s diner. There’s a certain comforting culinary classicism inherent in a menu showcasing such items as tortilla soup, blue corn fried oysters, rellenos and chicken enchiladas.

"Smoke gets in your food," declared John, considered by many to be the dean of local food scribes. Indeed, our lunch courses at the recently opened FATE Brewing Company were adhering to a certain fire-seasoned theme. A rich aroma of smoke wafted off our chicken wing starter, and John’s soon-to-arrive pastrami Rueben promised to continue the smoky motif.

At lunch, sandwich selections range from a grilled cheese featuring Swiss, cheddar and brie to a Bistro burger highlighting natural beef and blue cheese. There’s also a meatless sandwich adorned with mushroom, tomato and pesto goat cheese.

Unfortunately this led to a few service delays, although she gamely tried her best. Later, a few management-looking types picked up the slack, although our starters arrived after the entrees. However, there are likely far more pressing issues in the world to worry about.

South Boulder’s Southern Sun, cousin to downtown’s Mountain Sun, has been a local’s destination for beers, burgers and other relaxed fare. Now, another related eatery, Under the Sun, has recently opened beneath this landmark getaway. This new venue creates more of a fully realized dining, rather than a pub, experience.

Sometimes hunger can sneak up on you like a pouncing cat or a stealthy ninja, and this is precisely the dilemma colleague Carin found herself in one fair weekday morning.

Exploring the basement food court on University Hill, I recently encountered an eatery with the unlikely moniker of Goody Monster. I was mildly disappointed to discover that the person behind the counter wasn’t a furry blue puppet with ping-pong ball eyes.

Attached to Longmont’s Plaza Hotel, Harold’s Restaurant & Lounge ups the ante on this town’s fine dining with retro-styled cocktails and original farm-to-table preparations.

My reaction to the cupcake’s resurgence in popularity isn’t all that different to my response to REM’s popularity when I was in college. I get how others might like a red velvet cupcake and/or Michael Stipe, but personally, neither one’s my cup of tea.