Walnut to open new location
A deal and tentative August opening date are in the works for a third location of the Walnut Café: the Super Mini Walnut Café.
The newest branch will be located in the Atlas Valley Shopping Center at 2270 Arapahoe Rd., Suite #116, in Lafayette, in the spot formerly occupied by the Canopy Grill.
The site is roughly 2,000 square feet and is near the YMCA and several neighborhoods.
Nicole Plotkin, a long-time employee of both existing Walnut Cafés (the Walnut Café and South Side Walnut Café), will step up as the owner and operator of the newest location.
Working alongside Plotkin will be Dana Derichsweiler, who owns the Walnut Café and who, along with Julia Buonanno, co-owns the South Side Walnut Café and Walnut-a-gogo.
The kitchen next door
The Kitchen on Pearl Street in Boulder is opening a new restaurant next door on June 9.
The casual, farm-to-table community pub will be called, appropriately, The Kitchen [Next Door].
The restaurant will serve “slow food super fast,” farm-fresh food within 10 minutes of ordering, and it will have a zero plastic, zero aluminum and zero glass waste program. All beer and wine will be served directly from barrels.
In preparation for the opening, the restaurant will be holding a staff training at Cure Organic Farm at the end of May.
For more information about The Kitchen, see www.thekitchencafe.com.
Reading for nachos
Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant is encouraging kids to read with a summer program called “Reading for Nachos.”
In a partnership with the Boulder Public Library, the Rio is inviting young readers to meet reading goals and bring a completed tracking sheet to the restaurant for a free kids meal.
Tracking sheets are available at the Rio, the Boulder Public Library and at www.riograndemexican.com/boulder/ special-events.
The program runs from May 30 through July 15.
Jax hosts benefit dinner
Jax Fish House will be hosting a benefit dinner for Colorado Aquaponics and GrowHaus on Thursday, May 26, at 7:30 p.m. that will showcase sustainably farmed Denver rainbow trout, watercress, greens and more, prepared by Chef Adam Watts.
GrowHaus, a nonprofit indoor farm, marketplace and education center in Denver, has partnered with Colorado Aquaponics to both provide the meal and educate the staff at Jax Fish House on how their sustainable farm operates.
The staff of Colorado Aquaponics has raised the trout in a closed system that also produced the greens provided at the dinner.
A special wine pairing of Jax- Maurtison Sauvignon Blanc and Jax- Sineann Pinot Noir will also be available for $15.
For reservations in Boulder, call 303-444-1811.
For more information on Colorado Aquaponics visit www.coloradoaquaponics.com.
For more information about the dinner, visit www.jaxfishhouseboulder. com
New Smiling Moose Deli opening
The Smiling Moose Deli will be adding Boulder to its list of Colorado locations.
On June 2, the Smiling Moose Deli will open in the southwest village area of the Twenty Ninth Street mall.
The deli’s menu includes wraps, hot and cold sandwiches, soups, salads and breakfast.
The deli first opened in Vail Valley in 2003 and has continued to gain momentum with more than 10 Colorado locations and various locations soon to open in Texas, Wyoming and Montana.
The deli already has locations in Erie and Louisville.
Chipotle fundraises for schools
Both Boulder Chipotle locations are working to help raise funds for the Boulder Valley School Districts (BVSD) School Food Project, a program that works to provide children in the BVSD area with daily access to fresh and nutritious food made from wholesome and local ingredients.
In an effort to fundraise for the program, both Boulder Chipotle locations will be donating 50 percent of their proceeds made between 4 and 10 p.m. on Thursday, May 26, and Friday, May 27, to the School Food Project.
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