Lasso the Mountains!

Recently in Boulder, CO my good friend Mark and his darling girlfriend, Sarah, took the weekend to show me their fantastic city. We spent time downtown, went for a hike, and even watched Star Wars (I realize that has nothing to do with Boulder, but I’d never seen Star Wars and that’s just embarrassing). While we sampled some of the local Boulder restaurants, I think we all agreed it was a no-brainer we go to a sandwich shop to satiate my sandwich cravings.

Obviously, Boulder boasts more than one place for mounds of meat between buttery bread, but The Sink was an obvious choice. Not only is The Sink a well-known eatery catering to the hungry mouths of Boulder, but Robert Redford was once a janitor there, AND Obama signed the wall. I guess I’m into celebrities, because their past presence at the place really sealed the deal. Also, I think my friends said, “Hey, let’s go here”, and I was hungry.

The Sink is a “Boulder Burger Institution”, but offers eaters a whole lot more than that. Inside the doors, the “Sink Angel” watches over you (at least as you walk through to the restaurant), and the crazy beatnick art on the walls keeps you entertained, and guessing as to what you’re looking at. I could be wrong, but I think we sat next to a rollercoaster that turned into intestines or some other body part. Take a look at the virtual restaurant tour online and you’ll understand my inability to describe what I saw. The restaurant was low ceilinged and dark, but the artwork was fun and silly and interesting, which made it feel comfy and warm. Nobody puts baby in the corner, but that’s where we sat, and enjoyed a great view of what I assume is the main dining room.

Having recently moved from Austin, TX, I was adament that I did not want any barbecue or Mexican (or Tex-Mex or any variation of “Mex”), so one would assume that upon careful perusal of the menu, I would choose something like the Mesa Chicken, or Avocado Melt. I should not have been ordering anything with the words “Texas” in the description, but I can’t help it, the Cowboy Rueben called to me! (The Turkey Apple Brie burger called as well, but burgers are not sandwiches, and thus not allowed if on a sandwich mission.)

The Cowboy Reuben was a Reuben only in that it was on rye bread and contained coleslaw, although Reuben purists may argue that sauerkraut is a necessary Reuben component. Because I sort of hate sauerkraut, coleslaw is cool with me; it’s still cabbage, after all.

Making this Reuben a “Cowboy”, the rye bread was stacked with smoked brisket in a Texas Chipotle BBQ sauce. I’ve never been a huge Texas BBQ fan as it’s incredibly dry compared to the delicious BBQ of Detroit I grew up on, but in a sandwich, and loaded with sauce, I’m not so picky. The chipotle sauce had a mild, yet tangy flavor that paired well with the toasted rye and cheddar cheese. 

Speaking of cheddar, the toasted and buttery rye bread would have been nothing without the cheese! Remember the game “The Farmer in the Dell” where the cheese stands alone? It always made me sad to picture some poor wedge of cheddar just hanging out on a farm by its lonesome. As I’ve grown to believe a good cheese can steal the show, or sandwich, I guess the game makes sense. Cheese makes most bites better, and that was certainly the case with the Cowboy Rueben.

All melty and gooey, the cheese kept the saucy brisket in line and urged the coleslaw to join the group. Each mouthful pulled all the pieces together, but the lingering flavor was of cheddar and chipotle. I hope that was the intention because I thoroughly enjoyed it. 

I believe my friends got burgers and beers, and while I’d certainly be up for that the next time I visit The Sink, I was glad I lassoed myself a little taste of Texas in the middle of the mountains.