Everybody, every place, and everything has its ups and downs. Everything can be beautiful in its perfection. True love comes from the love of imperfections. It’s easy to love the climate of your home when the sun is shining, but when you truly love where you live, you find yourself endeared to the days in between. As a Colorado native, I have grown to love the type of cold, dry nights that one only finds during winters in the Great Plains.
Bitterly cold walk
It was on a night such as this that I ventured to Boulder to meet up with Riley and explore PMG. The lights of Pearl Street shone brightly as we parked downtown and began our bitterly cold walk. Decked out for the holidays with Christmas lights, Pearl Street hummed in its beautiful and unique way. The streets were dry and covered in a dusting of salt and sand from a previous snow that had melted and refrozen several times, leaving small patches of ice scattered about. The windows of restaurants glowed warmly and irresistibly as the cold stillness of the night left us craving warm food and warm company.
Located on 8th and Pearl, PMG is tucked just out of sight of the main drag. We hurried in and bee-lined straight to the bar. The décor of this new restaurant immediately struck me. Warm, hard hardwood floors and exposed brick immediately made me forget about the cold stillness of the outside world. The most striking feature, however, was a large art piece that hung behind the bar. A massive shape made almost entirely of wine corks covered most of the wall.
A casual and friendly bartender came by after a minute or two, pouring us water and offering drinks and menus. He had an air about him that made you feel as though you were instant friends the moment he noticed you. A comprehensive by-the-glass wine list gave us several options. With its light body and strong, seemed like the perfect choice, and we settled on a to start with.
Very hungry and still a bit cold, we were eager to jump straight into some appetizers and asked our bartender for suggestions. He launched into a description of how the menu was designed and the best way to order. He explained that although the menu was very small, it was changed on an almost daily basis. The menu was a creative and yet predictable representation of classic wine bar fare. Heavy on cheeses and meats, it also contained pasta and two meat dishes.
We began with a plate of prosciutto. While I normally expect to see prosciutto on the menu at a wine-centric restaurant, the presentation on this particular plate was far from expected. Served with apple butter and delicatessen squash, we were delighted by the flavors presented. The apple butter provided a wonderful and creamy sweetness that sharply juxtaposed the salt and texture of the meat while accentuating the richness of the squash. Interesting and balanced, it left us fighting over the last bite before the next plate arrived.
Two other appetizers followed the prosciutto and squash. The first of which was burrata cheese with roasted rose turnips and grilled bread. Mozzarella with additional cream folded in the cheese was just as rich as promised and beautifully complemented by the sweet and earthy turnips. The last appetizer was a dish of baby octopus. It was served with the most fantastically cooked fingerling potatoes and accompanied by aioli and fresh red onions that added spice and texture. Although underprepared and slightly tough, the octopus had a wonderful char to them.
Bartender for suggestions
We finished the meal with a plate. Fresh, house-made tagliatelle created the foundation. Firm and structured without being chewy, it was extremely well-made. The addition of cream to the sauce made it rich and filling, perfect for a cold winter’s night. The part of this dish, however, that made it stand out was the itself. Bold and the flavor of the lamb was rich, expressive, and hearty. It stood in the forefront of the flavors with an aggressive heartiness.
stands for which is a French expression used to describe a private or personal stash of wine reserved for friends and family. Simple, friendly, and boldly confident in its identity, PMG lives up to the implications of its name. Wine bars can be a tough sell in today’s modern restaurant world, but after a wonderful meal there, I am hoping this one sticks around. With creative and simple food paired with reasonably priced wine, PMG is the perfect place to ward off winter chills.
