Sarah^ Boyum(^2)Quiero Arepas’
La Havana
sandwich and
refreshing
coconut water& WHAT’S HOT
Where We’re Eating
The restaurants, dishes, and drinks on our dining radar.
—CHLOE BARRETT, DENISE MICKELSEN & CALLIE SUMLINTEA TIME
Find unique blends
and varieties from
around the world at
a new, locally owned
Cherry Creek shop.If you consider tea a
ho-hum alternative to
coffee, 14-year-old Ku
Cha House of Tea is here
to change your mind.
Husband-and-wife own-
ers Rong Pan and Qin
Liu (pictured) opened
their Cherry Creek loca-
tion—the brand’s third,
after Boulder and Fort
Collins—in May, and the
bright new emporium
showcases more than 170
varieties from across the
globe. The shop’s loose-
leaf lineup is second in
impressiveness only to
the expertise of Pan,
Liu, and their staffers,
who will lead you to the
products that will benefit
you most. For example:
To sooth migraines, Pan
recommends a balancing
tea combo with corian-
der and rose. Or, build
a custom mixture at Ku
Cha’s blend-your-own-tea
station ($4.45 per ounce)
and take home treats,
flavored with Ku Cha’s
wares, made by Fort
Collins’ I d’Eclair Pastry.
Soon, you’ll be turning
down that cup of joe—or,
at the very least, dipping
a lemon blossom oolong
cookie into it. —CB$
1
5
The cost of an
annual mem-
bership to Ku
Cha House
of Tea. Mem-
bers receive
a 10 percent
discount on
items in the
store and a
variety of teas
online as well
as access to
special tea-
centric events.SANDWICHES,
VENEZUELA-STYLEQuiero Arepas
Platt ParkWe can think of no better
replacement for Makan Ma-
laysian Cafe on South Pearl
Street (which closed late last
year) than Quiero Arepas’ first
brick-and-mortar spot, which
opened there in April. The
Venezuelan corn flatbreads,
or “arepas,” that co-owners
Igor and Beckie Panasewicz
have made in their food truck
since 2011 and Avanti Food
& Beverage stall since 2015
are, of course, on the menu,
stuffed with everything from
smoked salmon to shredded
beef and fried plantains. But
a new home called for new
filling combinations. We es-
pecially love their La Havana,
a Cuban sandwich riff that
marries slow-roasted pork
loin, ham, queso enchilado,
and a creamy mayo-mustard-
pickle sauce. Thirsty? Order
fresh coconut water served
straight from the shell.MIDDLE EASTERN MECCA
Yahya’s Mediterranean
Grill & Pastries
City Park West
Yahya Ameen’s journey to res-
taurant owner was long: Born
in Turkey, he moved to Iraq
when he was six, then to Texas
when he was 14, where he be-
gan working as a dishwasher,
server, manager, and eventu-
ally chef. In March, he opened
his own place, which he runs
with his wife, Sanjita, and his
brother-in-law Pujan Shrestha.
There, in a simple room that
seats 40, the family treats
customers to warm hospital-
ity and bold Mediterranean
fare. They personally deliver
plates of crisp falafel patties,
silky hummus, and citrusy
chicken shawarma that Yahya
carves from a vertical roasting
spit. Juicy kebabs of all kinds
come off the grill, but the beef
“koobideh”—ground tender-
loin seasoned with onions,
cayenne, coriander, paprika,
and red chile flakes—is the
star. Don’t leave without trying
one of Sanjita’s pastries (par-
ticularly the nutty baklava and
buttery semolina cake).
MAKE IT GRAIN
Dry Storage
BoulderAt first glance, Dry Stor-
age appears to be a simple
bakehouse and coffeeshop
at the southeast corner of the
Peloton condo complex on
Boulder’s Arapahoe Avenue.
But, as with most of Id Est
Hospitality’s ventures (which
include Basta on the same
campus and the Wolf’s Tailor,
BØH, and Brutø in Denver),
you can’t always tell a cafe by
its cover. Every fine-crumbed
Pullman loaf and brown-butter
masa cake baked at Dry Stor-
age is made with one (or
more) of the six to 10 varieties
of grains milled on-site each
day. It’s also a production
hub, crafting noodles for the
Wolf’s Tailor and pizza dough
for Basta. Exquisite espresso
drinks and Boulder-based
Fortuna chocolates are avail-
able too, as are bags of fresh
flour for your home baking
projects. The entire endeavor
crystallizes into a single grain
of truth: Everything at this
tucked-away cafe is delicious
and purposeful.58 |^5280 |^ AUGUST^2019