My husband and I connected through Match.com in the late 1990s, and our first date was at Bookend Cafe, Boulder. We frequented the coffee house over the years, including on several wedding anniversaries. So naturally, we were sad when the Bookend's closed its doors earlier this year and anxious to see what would come next for the coveted retail space on the Pearl Street Mall.
But you can't go wrong with this combination: John Platt, of Q's Restaurant and the Corner Bar, and Phil Shul, of Deneuve Construction and the Bookend Cafe. They've created a smart new restaurant venue, Riffs Urban Fare, featuring mostly small plates, all with creative twists. And we were there to check it out on opening weekend. We were seated at table across from serving station so we had a chance to view a variety of dishes. We thoroughly enjoyed the the green “pea” hummus, gnocchi with chanterelles and parmesan foam, and Kentucky hot brown sandwich. Can't wait to check out the libations and desserts!
Congrats to John Platt, Phil Shul and the rest of the Riffs team. We'll be back soon.