Oak at Fourteenth, Pearl Street, Boulder

One of my favorite restaurants in Boulder is Oak at Fourteenth. I’m not just saying that because they are a featured stop on Local Table Tours. I’m sayig that because… well, because of a number of reasons.

First, the Fried Pickles. I’m serious. I could eat fried pickles from Oak every day for the rest of my life. The panko battered pickles are perfectly fried, subtly crunchy, and paired with a Green Goddess Ailoli that compliments the pickled taste of pickles.

I recently enjoyed a number of small plates at Oak on their midday menu, which, by the way, is another reason to love this place. It is open for midday food, which is somewhat of a rarity in Boulder amongst restaurants of their acclaim. My friends and I snacked on some Fried Pickles, Wood Oven Roasted Cauliflower, and my meat loving friends split the Meatballs (and then talked about them all afternoon as the best meatballs they’d ever had).

Everything was so fantastic. We kept placing orders…

I could have eaten the Crispy Rock Shrimp all day.

And I think the biggest mistake I made was sharing the Yellow Fin Tuna Tataki with friends. I mean that! This is worth trying. It comes on a bed of cucumbers and is so light, fresh, and delicious.

But, what I find coolest about Oak at Fourteenth is you can tell a man in a vest which spirits you prefer and he can create something unique with flavor profiles you enjoy.

I am a big fan of Rye and like to taste new cocktail creations beyond the sazerac. New cocktail creations is what you’ll get at Oak. Besides their pre-prohibition-era cocktail menu, the beverage manager, Greg, is talented enough to ask you a few questions about your tastes and then create something unique for you. I have never had the same cocktail twice while at Oak.

Greg knows I like rye, and though I can’t remember the ingredients he told me were in my cocktail (there was port, I recall), he used local Denver-based, small batch Leopold Brothers Maryland Style Rye Whiskey. I love supporting local restaurants when I dine and when I bring small groups on culinary walking tours. I especially like to see the restaurants support other local businesses as well.