I am officially doing my first "restaurant review" of sorts. Dane and I just returned from a week-long work trip to Colorado, where we dined to our heart's desires--no fast food allowed--and it was just glorious! After 8 days of eating on the road though, tonight's home-put-together taco soup was a great, fast option for getting back to some homemade food. I must say that after 2 weeks of eating in some fabulous little joints this month, I am excited to put my culinary skills (what little I have) to the test! (Dane is pretty excited about my new-found desire for making some beautiful meals too.)
Anyway, (back to the point) the first restaurant we tried was in Aspen, Colorado, and it was called Junk. Dane and I happened upon the chic little outdoor restaurant during our personal, self-guided tour of the city after arriving. There was a large outdoor fire pit which drew us closer to the restaurant like moths to a flame (is that how the saying goes?).
And here are the reviews (remember that this is coming from a native Idahoan). Each rating is based on a 5-point scale, 1 meaning poor and 5 meaning excellent.
Location: 5
Easy to spot and right in the middle of town, the restaurant is located right smack dab in the center of all that is happening. In fact, with the large outdoor pit, it is hard to overlook even with all of the beautiful restaurants around. You can't miss that it is right across from one of Aspen's oldest buildings, which houses musical and theater performances.
Atmosphere: 5
Okay, so the atmosphere really embodied the "junk" theme. Water was served in glass mason jars; the seats were made of recycled jeans; canned drinks were covered in small brown paper bags; work lamps were used to spotlight areas; camping lanterns adorned the tables; fries were served in empty tin cans; and industrial work lightbulbs hung around the premises. Though everything looked like it could be purchased at a local "Home Depot" and could seem trashy, it was really a uniquely beautiful environment set for a great dining experience.
Taste: 4
Dane sampled the $13 burger, which he remarked was fairly run-of-the-mill and typical. Disappointment ensued as no fries accompanied the smaller-than-usual entree. I chose a $5 taco because I really wasn't hungry and ended up with two amazing bites of a very tiny taco. The taco had an asian flair, with cucumber and cabbage and a tangy, spicy asian sauce on the shredded beef taco. I was amazed with the flavor! It was very unique and tasty too.
Price: 3
Remember, this is where an Idaho girls speaks. Food in Aspen is usually significantly above the typical price-point in Pocatello, but we were surprised with the amount of food we actually got for the price. If fries had come with the smaller burger, it might have felt more affordable. Thought the food was good, we finished up with a yummy chicken alfredo pizza at Belly Up to satisfy our appetites. We left the restaurant still feeling a bit hungry.
Service: 5
The employees were fabulous, giving us directions and recommendations for many of Aspen's must-see spots. They were so friendly and helpful, a trademark of this fabulous town!
There it was, my very first online food critique. The food was fun, and the atmosphere was a blast. Dane and I enjoyed chatting it up with locals and other visitors. We even met a teenage magician who was featured in a documentary being played in Aspen's film festival. Never a dull moment!
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