Fifteen Twentyone

We finally had our opportunity to eat at Fifteen Twentyone. I took advantage of the weekend and took Joshua out for dinner. When we arrived just before 7:00, the restaurant had about 8 tables seated (of probably 20 tables). During the course of the dinner, almost all of them filled up. Business has been pretty steady, according to Nancy.

We sampled the soup -- celery and smoked mussel and the bibb salad for starters. Then we ordered a seared salmon on risotto and the Colorado lamb.

After the starters, we waited for our dinner and started chatting about our next steps in our careers. I'm looking at different Dietetic Internships, and we talked about the options, pros, cons, and risks.

Nancy, co-owner of Fifteen Twentyone, brought us an appetizer plate of shrimp wrapped in prociutto balanced atop lemon vinaigrette spinach and fresh tomatoes. Delish! Even better, they were compliments of the chef -- probably because I admire their work so much and had written a dazzling review of the restaurant for That's Natural and The Pueblo PULP.

We were talking and talking... and didn't really realize that the dinner was taking a long time. The tables around us filled up, and their starters arrived. Then our server, laden with a large bowl, approached and placed the dish in front of us. It was teaming with mussels that had been steamed in a light white wine, roasted tomato and basil sauce. He explained that the lamb was taking longer than the chef intended and that the mussels were complimentary. Woohoo!

The lamb was medium rare, garnished with a light balsamic vinaigrette, tender and moist. The typically unpopular mutton taste was not even in the background. It was accompanied by a Gorgonzola mashed potato -- rustic and flavorful. Eating the two items together brought the sense of wild mountain fields to the lamb, which was sweet, and the Gorgonzola potatoes, which were just mashed enough to be called mashed potatoes but still possessing the heartiness of a perfectly-cooked potato. The beets that rested alongside the salmon were fresh and earthy -- but in the

Josh's salmon dish was brightly colored, crispy, and sweet. It was garnished with a squash puree which gave the plate a whimsical artsy appearance. The risotto was dense in flavor, sweet, and rich. The rice was firm to the bite but settled smoothly into the cream. I admit to stealing more than just a few bites.

Well, the rest was history, and it was absolutely splendid. We ended the perfect dinner with cups of dark coffee lightened by heavy cream.

I can't wait to go back!

Restaurant Fifteen Twentyone - one of the best ever

Very few restaurants and fewer menus can shock me. Brand new Restaurant Fifteen Twentyone did just that. It has set up a neighborhood bistro that is anything but ordinary. Professionally-trained and highly-experienced Chef Duy Pham and Nancy Nguyen bring big city dining to our smaller city and offer selections that both tantalize the senses and enhance the natural qualities of ingredients presented. Not only does the menu feature Colorado’s finest products from our varied region, Chef Duy expertly layers the ingredients in such a way that each one can be experienced as it exists alone and as it enhances the dish. State gourmet treasures such as Haystack Mountain Goat Dairy cheese, Pueblo County vegetables, and Colorado lamb are featured on the menu, which changes daily. Even better, these resources are not squandered on run-of-the-mill dishes but are crafted in a way that exemplifies the expertise of chef and farmer while still exceeding all expectations.

Seasonality of food and traditional values of classical French cuisine fuse seamlessly under the light touch of Chef Duy, and modern values of conscientious consumption and contemporary health concerns are honored without the all-too-frequent loss of flavor and pleasure. The offerings that appear on each night’s menu reflect the season and bounty of our land, and local businesses – farmers, ranches, and product-based business men and women - can rejoice that their work is being enjoyed within a few miles of their homes. Not only are edgy, eclectic items offered, Fifteen Twentyone also provides comfort foods such as burgers and meatloaf dishes. However, don’t walk into the restaurant expecting average dishes, even the simplest item will stimulate every sense and your palette will never have a chance to fatigue.

The dish I was honored to sample seemed like a humble enough item: Celery Root and Blue Point Oyster Soup. The luxuriously rich, pale cream soup teemed with flavor, and the scent of sweet celery, rich chicken stock, and fresh oysters mingled with the bright minced chives and chive oil. The whole oysters, nestled in the velvety soup, were moist and tender, and although the soup seemed rich enough to wash me away in creamy fat, there were no extraneous ingredients or excessive portions of butter. Only a few players were selected for this smash-hit dish, and careful tasting could allow for a relatively accurate guess at the contributing ingredients. Chef Duy scratch-cooks all of his dishes, and short cuts are not found in his kitchen. Even the oysters and mussels are shucked to order, and no partially cooked foods languish in the refrigerator.

Few restaurants could satisfy the desire for fine dining that many have felt obligated to travel to Denver to appreciate, but Fifteen Twentyone changes all of that. Chef Duy and Nancy were invited as Guest Chefs of Chef Ben Bedard during April’s Pueblo Junior League Chef Tasting Fundraiser. “We fell in love with the peacefulness,” Chef Duy explained, “and we wanted to establish a restaurant in a city that had long term potential.” So Chef Duy and Nancy left the popular Aqua Restaurant in Denver and came to Pueblo. The Colorado Springs Independent recently ran an article expressing the shock of loss that Denver’s restaurant-goers are feeling, and the question “Why Pueblo” has been foremost in their minds. Welcomed from the beginning, Chef Duy and Nancy asked, “Why not Pueblo,” as they worked hard to renovate a historical building to become the fine bistro it is. And if anyone wondered about the selection of the name, it is a reminder of a Parisian restaurant that inspired them to open their own restaurant and share their passion for food and relationship with others. We are privileged that they selected our town. “Where else can you really get to know your customers but in a smaller community?” Nancy added.

The renovations in the building were extensive, but they were remarkably able to stay within a reasonable restaurant start-up budget. The general contractor they selected worked closely with them and was able to develop the vision they had in mind, and they also preserved the integrity of the building by maintaining the lovely hardwood floor and original layout. The challenges faced by Chef Duy and Nancy in opening the restaurant were “normal issues in opening the restaurant,” Chef Duy explained, “and this was the first time that I opened a restaurant independently.” Now that they are opened, “the challenges are behind us,” Nancy said.

The menu will enthuse a guest to try something unfamiliar, and Chef Duy even indulges special requests from the guests. Don’t even think of asking him to recreate a favorite from another’s kitchen; all of the offerings coming from Fifteen Twentyone are originals. However, feel free to notify him in advance if there is a special occasion or particular dietary restriction that needs consideration. Imagination and innovation are not strange to him. A true culinary artist, Chef Duy creates his masterpieces in his mind before he even steps into the kitchen. “I know the flavor profiles and qualities of ingredients and techniques before I use them, and I develop recipes all the time.” Guests in his restaurant will have the opportunity to sample his creations in upcoming events.

Chef Duy and Nancy plan on hosting Chef Tastings, much like the occasion that brought them to Pueblo. Selecting from the best ingredients in the house, Chef Duy will compose a feast that is holistic in its offerings – spanning from light to heavy, from cold to hot, and from soft to crisp. Each item will allow the guest to enjoy the tastes, never fatiguing the palette or numbing the taste buds.

The vision for Fifteen Twentyone is to share the passion of food with guests, and Chef Duy and Nancy masterfully offer their expertly created dishes that bring a much needed fine dining experience to the developing downtown of Pueblo. The linen tables, Parisian bistro décor, the potted food plants, and jazzy music work together to develop the big city experience in our fresh neighborhood fine dining bistro. Lunch is served from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., seven days per week. Dinner is provided Sunday through Thursday from 4:30 to 9:00 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 4:30 to 10:00. Orders can be taken to go. Reservations for special events are highly encouraged. Fifteen Twentyone is located at 123 N. Main and can be contacted at (719) 542-9999.