DINING WINNERS
FOOD SPECIALTIES Best Hamburger
First: Noodles & More Second: Sake2U Third: Sambi Canton
First: Back Door Grill Second: Big House Burgers Third: Carl’s Tavern
Best Brew Pub/Place to Get a Beer
Best Hot Dog
First: Mahogany Ridge Brewery & Grill Second: Butcherknife Brewing Company Third: Storm Peak Brewing Co.
Best Burrito
First: Hungry Dog Second: Johnny B. Good’s Diner Third: Double Z Bar & Bar BQ
Best Ice Cream/Frozen Yogurt
Third (Tied): Alpenglow Ale, Mahogany Ridge Brewery & Grill Third (Tied): Hefeweizen, Butcherknife Brewing Company
Best Steak
Best Mexican Food
Best Sushi
First: Fiesta Jalisco Second: Vaquero’s Mexican Restaurant & Taqueria Third: La Fiesta Grill & Cantina
Best Pizza
First: Azteca Taqueria Second: Fiesta Jalisco Third: Taco Cabo
First: Blue Sage Pizza Second: Brooklynn’s Pizzeria Third: Papa Murphy’s
Best Cocktail
Best Italian Food
First: Fiery Margarita, Laundry Second: Hurricane, Sunpie’s Bistro Third: Martini, Harwigs L’apogee
First: Mambo Italiano Second: Mazzola’s Majestic Italian Diner Third: Cugino’s
First: Double Z Bar & Bar BQ Second: Moe’s Original Bar B Que Third: Steamboat Smokehouse
Best Dessert
Best Locally Brewed Beer First: Amputator, Butcherknife Brewing Company Second: 4 Wire Pale Ale, Storm Peak Brewing Co.
Best Ribs
82 | STEAMBOAT LIVING | Winter 2015-16
Best Vegetarian Menu
Best Wings First: The Tap House Sports Grill Second: Carl’s Tavern Third: Steamboat Smokehouse
Best Sandwich First: Backcountry Delicatessen Second: Cruisers Sub Shop Third: Freshies
TAP HOUSE Pressed for how many chicken wings The Tap House Sports Grill might go through in a year, owner Melissa Baker hammers at an adding machine, counting pounds by the day, the week and the month. Finally, exasperated, she settles on the only answer she can. “A lot,” she says. Indeed, The Tap House goes through a lot of wings, each dipped in one of 12 special sauces. After nearly two decades of frying up wings by the baker’s dozen, The Tap House was again selected as the top spot in Steamboat to enjoy them. It was close. Carl’s Tavern came exactly two votes shy of The Tap House in this year’s voting, but again it’s the Lincoln Street sports haven that’s standing on top. Baker says it’s taken plenty of focus to stay at the top of the heap for five consecutive years. One of the keys, she adds, is those sauces, a dozen that pack variety into the menu.
First: Sake2U Second: Noodles & More Third: YAMA First: ROOTZ Second (Tied): Freshies Second (Tied): Sweet Pea Restaurant & Market Third: Bamboo Market
First: Ciao Gelato Second: Lyon Drug Store & Soda Fountain Third: Dairy Queen
First: Cupcakes, MountainBrew Second: Creme brulee, Cafe Diva Third: Mountain mud pie, Ore House at the Pine Grove
First: Ore House at the Pine Grove Second: E3 Chophouse Third: Cafe Diva
Years ago, they were largely supplied by local sauce manufacturer Wing Time Buffalo Wing Sauce, but when Wing Time was bought by a larger company in 2013, The Tap House decided to try its own hand at sauce production. Now, all its sauces are made in-house. There are the basic options, of course: your mild, medium and hot varieties. And there are fun derivatives, such as Jamaican jerk and Sriracha honey — two of Baker’s favorites. Then, there are varieties that are different, yet popular with the local crowd, including spicy garlic parmesan. And then, there are the ones that prompt quizzical looks, such as the peanut butter and jelly sauce. “You either love those or hate them,” Baker says. “I get emails from people saying they crave them and they want me to send them some of the sauce, but they’re not really my favorite. There’s not usually a middle of the road.” Customers have given plenty of them a try. On Tuesdays’ weekly Wing
BEST WINGS Night, when wings are just 50 cents, the restaurant can go through more than 800 pounds and 5,000 wings. So while Baker has a hard time adding it all up, it all adds up to another place on the podium for Steamboat’s favorite place to get wings. — Joel Reichenberger
PHOTO BY JOEL REICHENBERGER
Best Asian Food