Fennel and Sausage Pizza
Pizza Rev, 1650 28th St., Boulder; 520 W. South Boulder Road, Lafayette, pizzarev.com
Pizza Rev allows guests to walk down an assembly line of fresh toppings to compile their own thin-crust, wood-fired pizza. However, they also offer a menu of staple pizzas in case you can’t make up your mind. We couldn’t resist the fennel and sausage pizza if only for the simple fact that it’s bold and wonderful for a fast-casual chain to put whole fennel seeds on one of its signature dishes. But it ends up making the pizza, elevating the base of buffalo mozzarella, ricotta and olive oil with its sweet, herbaceous flavor. $7.
Jackfruit Quesadilla
SOS Catering, Mobile, soscatering.vistaprintdigital.com
We appreciate any business that seeks to make vegan comfort food. For those who abstain from animal products, all too often that means abstaining from indulgence. But SOS Catering proves that need not be the case. Their jackfruit quesadilla is an exemplar of how to make vegan food please the soul. It starts with the seasoned jackfruit, which is commonly used as a substitute for pulled pork due to its slightly chewy consistency and earthy flavor. SOS adds that to a sweet BBQ sauce, and puts it between tortillas with a three-cheese dairy-free blend and fresh jalapenos. The jalapeños are wickedly hot, adding more fun to the vegan party, and the cheese cools the palate off. $11.
Meatball Parm Sub
D’Angelo’s Italian Deli, 3325 28th St., Boulder, dangelosdeli.com
This is how a meatball parm(igiana) sub should look. Hulking, sliced meatballs with flecks of herb and onion, nestled into a thin, chewy hoagie roll and slathered in punchy marinara sauce. D’Angelo’s is one of a few East Coast-style delis in Boulder County, and they take that responsibility seriously by putting out quality cheesesteaks, subs, parms and more. Their meatball sub is as good as it gets, and the meatballs themselves are irresistible — moist, well-seasoned with pepper and basil, and uber-dense. With some melted cheese on top, life is good. $9.
Flower Grow Kombucha
Rowdy Mermaid Kombucha, on tap and in bottles throughout Boulder County, rowdymermaid.com
We stopped by the Rowdy Mermaid taproom at the Rayback Collective and sampled the Flower Grow kombucha, which was billed as “basically every flower you can think of mixed in with rooibos tea.” Believe it or not, the taste is not overwhelming, and the sensation of all of those flavors on the tongue — chrysanthemum, lavender, chamomile and holy basil — is unlike anything you’ve ever experienced. Try it on tap or in the bottle and be wowed. Prices vary.
