Summer is for Denverlicious rambles to other Coloradical locations, and if you’re down for a weekend where cell service doesn’t exist and the wifi is spotty, find your way past the burgeoning metropolis that is Carbondale and drive up the winding, two-lane, river-hugging highway to the town of Marble. The giant chunks of the eponymous mineral will let you know you’re headed in the right direction, and their slow transformation from raw stony heaps into sculptured behemoths will confirm it.
Whether you opt to lodge a few miles back in the gorgeous, one-street town of Redstone, or get yourself an Airbnb in Marble itself, your first stop absolutely must be a spot on the porch at Slow Groovin BBQ.
You’ll want to order the burnt ends if they haven’t sold out of them already, and of course take your pick of the meaty delights (your vegetarian friend can settle in with one of their hearty salads), but do not sleep on their version of that Canadian delight, goopy fries.
Slow Groovin’s take won’t win any awards for innovation (thank goodness). When it hits your table, you’re not going to look at it and think, “Wow, this is something new.” But that’s not the point. Hell, it’s not even really a “poutine” per se — the cheese is melty, not squeaky, which would be a cardinal sin in Vancouver or Toronto.
But that’s okay, because the combination of all the yummy stuff makes this comfort food dish just what you want in your belly after three-plus hungry hours in the car.
The star of the show is the diced crumbles of savory brisket, with their charred caramelized edges and beefy, burly flavor (yeah, you’ll want to order a plate of the sliced brisket on its own). This pile of goodness is drizzled with an herby gravy and held together with melty cheese, all overlaying a bed of fries that are still mostly crispy — it’s a whole thing.
Finish composing each gooey bite with crisp, acidic pickled onion slivers and you’ll have a mouthful of happiness every time.
You’ll want a cold beer to complement your dining experience and a shit-ton of wet wipes by the time you’re done. And then you’ll likely take a stroll through town and around the lake to let your stomach settle.
Let those delightful brisket burps fly free in the clear Rocky Mountain air.
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