From the moment Frasca Food and Wine opened last August, lines at the door have been a testament to the inventive northern Italian fare. The kitchen, spearheaded by chef Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson, spins out a variety of seasonal dishes with innovative and memorable twists.
Dishes such as a hearty chowder brimming with Hawaiian parrot fish, squash, and arugula complement more whimsical flavor combinations, like the bigeye tuna salad crowned with a deviled egg sauce. A rich rib-eye steak is bolstered by master sommelier Bobby Stuckey's 37-page roster of boutique wines. Add an intimate interior with a glass-encased wine wall, a sleek bar for casual dining, and a dessert display perched in the center of the dining room, and it's no wonder Pearl Street is buzzing. ― L.M.
Dine out
Frasca Food and Wine ($$$; dinner Mon–Sat; 1738 Pearl St., Boulder; 303/442-6966)
