The Ridge Bar & Grill at Castle Pines
You’re in the hands of a savvy veteran at The Ridge Bar & Grill— Bill Goers, Director of Food and Beverage, has worked at The Ridge at Castle Pines for 17 years. The Ridge used to close on Halloween, but for the last decade it has maintained winter hours. The restaurant is open three nights a week from 5 to 8 p.m., a schedule anchored by “Two Dollah Thursdays” (for kids’ menu items), “Walleye Fridays” and “Prime Rib Saturdays,” and breakfast is served on Saturday and Sunday mornings. During the off-season, Bill pulls off the neat trick of halving the summer menu but keeping it fresh for the locals, “a little something of everything.”
On a recent visit, we learned our waitress, Chelsey, hails from Dardanelle, Ark.—home of John Daly, the famously overfed golfer, which I took as a sign. But we did a lot better than burgers, doughnuts and M&Ms. For appetizers, we sampled Root Beer Sliders; the soda tenderizes the pulled pork and gives a hint of sweetness; the mounds are grilled with onions, chili sauce and cheddar cheese. But everyone comes for the Borrachos Nachos. Bill himself smokes the “Ridge blend cheese” (grated cheddar and pepper jack), the delicious glue that holds the sour cream, guacamole and jalapeño together.
He’s been making Jumbo Wings “Billy Bob style” since the early ’80s; under interrogation, he gives up the minimum intel required about marinating the wings in Cajun sauce for 24 hours, then frying and tossing them in Frank’s Hot Sauce with other seasonings to make it his own. The ten lip-smacking wing sections come with bleu cheese and ranch dressing—my thanks for not making me choose. If you think “Gluteny” is one of the Seven Deadly Sins, you’ll be happy here, as all of the Ridge’s sauces are gluten-free.
Crab Stuffed Chicken led the weekly specials, with a silky, luxurious tarragon cream sauce lending a faint anise flavor to the poultry. The “Ridge Favorites” category featured Fish and Chips and Homemade Meatloaf; I dug into the Steak and Enchilada, an 8 oz. New York with two cheese enchiladas smothered with a country-style green chili, not too hot. A bottle of Terrazas Reserve malbec from Argentina brimmed with jammy fruit on the nose. For dessert, the Apple Crisp paired a buttery, crunchy oat topping and tender apples—a simple and essential approach that infers Bill’s skills and knowledge.
For breakfast, try the Stuffed French Toast, made with thick sliced Hawaiian bread, sweet and tender (made special by a local bakery, inspired by Bill’s yearly vacation), dipped in cinnamon egg batter and stuffed with warm strawberries and blueberries. Bill put migas on the menu when a server told him about the way they make the Mexican breakfast in Austin—two eggs scrambled with bacon, onion, jalapeño, corn tortillas and cheddar cheese topped with avocado and sour cream, served with hashbrowns and salsa. He named the Terry Omelet after a guy from the neighborhood who comes to breakfast every morning at 10:45 for egg whites, turkey, onion, tomato and fontina cheese. Obviously, the guy listens. Now, about that Gary James Huevos Rancheros.
1414 Castle Pines Parkway, Castle Pines; 303-688-4575; playtheridge.com
Colorado AvidGolfer is the state’s leading resource for golf and the lifestyle that surrounds it. It publishes eight issues annually and proudly delivers daily content via www.coloradoavidgolfer.com.
