Now you can munch a light, in-store lunch at Par Avion

Gazette, The (Colorado Springs), Apr 22, 2005 by TERESA FARNEY THE GAZETTE

Jim Sebastiani just can't help himself: He has to feed people.

The owner of Par Avion, 1872 Southgate Road, the gourmet grocery store in the Broadmoor Towne Center, has rolled up his sleeves, pushed back some shelving and set up the Par Avion Cafe. He's put up four stylish gazebo tents, added some table and chairs and presto -- he's in the restaurant business.

There's a nice menu of soups, salads and sandwiches. We spotted Iberian Salad with Manchego ($5.99), which sounded interesting with field greens, Roma tomatoes, red onion, Manchego (Spanish cheese), Pappadew sweet peppers, and sliced almonds topped with pimiento olive dressing.

Then there was the tempting Tuscan Veggie Sandwich ($5.99), in which freshly grilled zucchini, eggplant, squash, and red, green and orange peppers were placed on focaccia with a layer of Swiss cheese. The sandwich was grilled until the Swiss cheese center melted and sealed it all together.

Sandwiches come with a choice of sides, including Red Potato Salad, Cous Cous Tabuleh or Honey Pineapple Cole Slaw.

Tracking a favorite chef

There are several reasons you should know about Udi's, an artisan bread bakery in Denver. The bread is used by the top restaurants in Boulder and Denver. A section of the bakery houses a cafe, where you can get wonderful breakfast treats and sandwiches at lunch. And the chef behind the eatery is John Broening, the shining star formerly of Primitivo.

On a recent visit to Udi's on Broadway, 7000 N. Broadway, workers were hoisting the sign on the bakery and cafe. Word must have traveled fast; there was a line out the door of folks in business suits taking a break for lunch.

Broening seems to have landed in the perfect culinary family. Udi Baron, from Israel, opened Udi the Sandwichman in 1994 in the old Northglenn Mall. He made the sandwiches, and his wife, Fran, was the delivery person. Udi was a stickler for quality bread, and when he couldn't find what he wanted he started making it with the help of third-generation bread maker, Maurizio Negrini. Udi added Yasmin Lozada-Hissom, a South Americanborn pastry chef, to the staff. She is the creator of Udi's amazing gourmet granola and the spectacular desserts in the pastry cabinet. When Broening went looking for work, after the closing of the fabulous Brasserie Rouge, Udi didn't skip a beat adding him to the staff.

"It was just perfect timing," says Broening, who also is the mastermind behind the restaurant design. "Udi was getting ready to expand his operation to include more seated restaurant space. He and his wife have been wonderful to me."

There will be another location in the Stapleton Town Center at E. 29th Ave. and Quebec Street open in July, called Udi's at Stapleton.

All aboard

If you haven't taken one of the gourmet lunch or dinner Royal Gorge train rides, what are you waiting for?

The lunch trains operate daily during the summer season starting May 28 and Saturdays and Sundays during the rest of the year. You load up at the Santa Fe Depot in Caon City for the two-hour roundtrip through the famous gorge. Lunch entrees include a choice of Osso Bucco, Fruit Glazed Stuffed Cornish Game Hen, or New England Crab Cakes. Cost is $59.95 for adults and $39.95 for children (ages 3 to 12) which includes the train ride, lunch and a complimentary glass of champagne or sparkling cider.

New this year is a Murder Mystery Dinner Train option. The Red Herring Productions of Colorado Springs will perform such productions as "Murder in Buffalo Chip" and "Murder Speaks Easy." Guests choose from two entrees: Prime Rib or Salmon. Cost is $95 per person and includes the train ride, four-course dinner and glass of champagne or sparkling cider. Dates for the Murder Mystery Dinners are May 7; June 3 and 10; July 7 and 14; August 4 and 11; Sept. 3; Oct. 1; and Nov. 5, 12, 19 and 26.

The regular dinner trains, with the same entree selection, are available on other weekends and cost $79.95 per person.

Call 1-888-RAILS4U (724-5748) or visit www.royalgorgeroute.com to make reservations.

Swing doors

The former home of McKelvey's Victorian Coffee and Tea Parlor at 2 S. 25th Street in Old Colorado City has become Unique Boutique and Cafe/Tea Room. Owner Loraine Mace has moved her boutique to the top floor and created a cozy restaurant on the ground floor. She is in the process of surrounding the house with patios and bubbling fountains. The menu consists of soups, salads and sandwiches. We tried a cup of the housemade French onion soup ($3.50) topped with melted Swiss cheese and found it black-peppery tasty. The turkey bacon club wrap with lettuce, tomato and avocado on whole wheat tortilla with mango habanero dipping sauce ($7.25) was a filling meal. Cafe hours are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Saturday; 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. High Tea (by reservation) is 3 to 5 p.m. daily. The boutique is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Call 473-4243 for reservations.