My boyfriend and I gave each other a trip to Boulder for Xmas last year (traveled in mid-Feb), and this reservation was our foodie-splurge of the trip. I was initially a bit surprised at the exterior appearance of the restaurant (it's right in downtown Boulder, on a busy-ish street-- not overly charming at first blush), but the interior ambience did not disappoint: warm, lovely, Art-Deco inspired. Not stuffy at all, very inviting. That same inviting feel was absolutely found in the wait staff-- friendly, knowledgeable, responsive. Service was well-timed for fine dining in courses (we both had the tasting menu with standard wine pairing). On the few occasions that I had additional questions about a course or pairing, the server (there were many; theirs is the model of multiple servers/multiple tables, not a single server assigned to your table) appeared genuinely interested and excited to share info. As I view a meal like this as more of an *experience*, rather than mere food intake, this was important to me. Food was exceptionally lovely-- I was expecting beautiful presentation and thoughtful preparations, and the tasting menu delivered both. My boyfriend and I both felt that portion size was on the large side for a tasting menu-- by the end, he had to help me out with finishing a course or two. We both enjoy wine, and the standard pairings were wonderful-- since we didn't choose the "premium" pairings, I wondered if the servers would be less excited or give less info about them, but that was definitely not the case. As I said, given the price, this was certainly a splurge for two schoolteachers, but we had a truly wonderful time at Black Cat Bistro and considering all that goes into a fine dining experience (anticipating it, dressing up a little, tasting new flavor combinations, enjoying each other's company, a little wine-loveyness), it was definitely worth it. read more

I have been a few times, and I always have such nice service here. But the last time I went, my date and I ordered cocktails to start, and they took more than 15 minutes. There was only one bartender, but I did not see many cocktails leaving the bar. It didn't really matter, our meal was lovely, but that was definitely something that needed attention. The menu is small, pricey, and changes seasonally. The only thing I do not like about that is you can go and have something you really really enjoyed but when you return the items have changed. The place is smaller and feels intimate. Great place for a date or a celebration. read more

I've been wanting to go here for awhile based on a recommendation. Tonight we went all in! Be sure to make a reservation because the place isn't big and will definitely fill up. Everything they do is fresh and the definition of farm to table. We did the tasting menu which is $72/person and 6 courses plus a dessert course. All of the portions were perfect for tasting and everything was delicious. It was so well balanced and the flavors were on point. The staff was extremely friendly and accommodating. We mentioned a few things we didn't like in the beginning and didn't have any issues. Also, if we were still hungry after the 6th course, they would have prepared more for us! By the end we left incredibly satisfied and full. The owner served us our first course and explained the dish and how it was prepared. This was overall a fantastic evening. From start to finish everything was well thought out and enjoyable. If you appreciate good food and service and are prepared to pay a good price for excellent quality, come here! read more

Black Cat is one of the most incredible dining experiences I have had. I opted for the Chef's Tasting Menu. After specifying dietary restrictions/preferences, we were provided with 6 fantastic selections, each accompanied by a brief discussion from the chef and owner, Eric Skokan. Eric is far from pretentious and gave great backgrounds on not only each dish, but many of the component ingredients - vegetables from his own farm, meats selected from a neighbor's ranch. He even took notice of our curiosity towards some of the ingredients displayed in the open kitchen and taught us how to make some of the ingredients ourselves! If you do the Tasting Menu with at least two people, I suggest opting for Wine Pairing option as well. The extensive wine menu is a joy as are the seasonal craft cocktails. Definitely check out Black Cat if you are in Boulder and looking for a very special, un-rushed experience. I have had the opportunity to dine in some of the best restaurants in New York, Boston, London, Paris, Munich, Berlin, Barcelona, Singapore, Tokyo and elsewhere. Black Cat will remain among my top dining experiences. read more

We love to come here to celebrate special occasions and Black Cat is always consistently good. The service is impeccable -- the servers are knowledgeable and attentive. The food execution is solid, but I agree w/ a previous reviewer that the dishes are kinda busy and with whoever the recent chef is, the style is a little more funky and crazy than it has been in the past. And oddly enough, the same sauce "smear" was on at least three dishes, which is kind of weird (and LAZY). Also agree that the "fur" throws at the cozy table by the bar (my favorite place to sit) is a bit skeezy and unsanitary. I distinctly remember having a conversation w/ my hubs about lice. read more

We reserved a table for 4 to celebrate a good friends Birthday. We got to the restaurant just as it was opening at 5:30 pm and were seated right away in a comfortable table against the back wall. We put our guest of honor in a spot where she could see the kitchen and watch all of the prep going on during the meal. Service was spot on. Our drink orders were taken quickly and a moment later a basket of focaccia bread and olive oil showed up. We had a few questions about the menu, and were told about the farm to table subsistence that the restaurant was known for. We were delighted with the chef's amuse bouche, a small nibble of goat cheese with arugula. Wonderful taste and presentation. After enjoying our cocktails, our server appeared to take our orders. My wife and I decided to split a beet salad, and the chef plated it for us, which was very nice. We ordered the duck foie gras as an appetizer and cured trout for the table. Our entrees were a lamb trio, with a very nice two rib chop, lamb ragout and a small shoulder loin. I had the scallops with PEI Mussels. The Black Cat had a variety of wines by the glass and since I was driving I decided to only have one. I picked a Sancerre Sauvignon Blanc, which was outstanding. Sharon decided to switch from a martini to a gimlet and said it was terrific. Lime mixed well and not too much vodka to overpower the fruit. Service continued around the table, really efficiently, with used plates disappearing and new silver arriving effortlessly. The hostess, our waiter and a busser pitched in for each other so we never felt that we had to wait for any part of the service. The food arrived and it was superb. Scallops cooked perfectly, and the mussels were covered in a light tomato sauce with mixed vegetables including fresh spinach and turnips or parsnips that offered a lovely texture and crunch. Sharon's lamb, ordered rare, actually arrived that way with a lovely garnish. Yummy. After the meal, we wrapped it up with a piece of bread pudding, and a very good espresso for the drive home. The meal wasn't inexpensive, but the food and the service were exquisite. If you are looking for a wonderful experience the Black Cat Bistro offers exactly what you want. read more

This place is still going strong. What amazed me on my most recent visit was that they've been doing this for 11 years and still creating amazing experiences with impeccable attention to detail. The dinner was amazing. Do the tasting, do the wine pairing, you'll be delighted you did. read more

My husband & I were very lucky to walk into bar seats last weekend at 8 pm. We were planning on trying a new restaurant up the street, but it hadn't opened yet, so we stopped by on the off chance they could sneak us in. Lady Luck was on our side! We enjoyed 7 courses of the finest food we have ever tasted. I actually liked meats I generally hate & my husband who HATES fish loved both the ahi tuna and other fish dish. We also loved our seats which afforded us an excellent view of the chefs working in the kitchen. If you can do bar seats, do it! Five stars! read more

My absolute favorite dining experience in all of Colorado. The Chef's Tasting Menu is the only way to go. Every dish is a surprise and always spot on delicious. Locally farmed, expertly prepared, and service that is the best around. The Black Cat is hands down our first choice location for any celebration. read more

We decided to try out Black Cat during Restaurant Week as we had heard really good things. First reaction was... nice decor, cool back booth where they sat us, and nice looking menu. Then our server showed up. We asked for a wine recommendation and he spent like 5 minutes looking through it without speaking and seemed to have a really hard time giving us some choices even though we were really specific about what we were looking for. It was awkward waiting for him to come up with something. He then brings the wine and when he opens it, we see that there was a leak in the cork. Instead of taking it back as you're supposed to do, he just poured it. While the parsnip soup I had and the salads my friends got were decent, the beef appetizer was pretty dry. I ordered the pork shoulder for my entree and it was also extremely dry, which I could've gotten over if it was at least flavorful. It was heavy and bland so I left most of it on the plate. Those who ordered the beef entree also noted that it was very dry. When the server came back and saw I had barely touched my food he asked me quite rudely what was wrong and that I should have told him that I didn't like it when he checked on the table earlier when we first got our entrees. Everyone at the table became silent and I felt like I was being berated like a little kid. He then sternly asked me for feedback so he could let the chefs know. No apologies, just left. Then for dessert I had the apple crisp- it was ok, not terrible but not exciting so I left a lot of it on my plate. My friends had the chocolate cake and all thought it was very dry. See a pattern here? When the server came back, he again asked me about whether I liked it or not and again sternly asked me for feedback so he could inform the chefs. I was so uncomfortable, I wanted to run out of there. My friends all couldn't believe how awkward of a position this guy kept putting me in. In the end, the food was not good, completely overrated. If it wasn't restaurant week and I had paid full overpriced fee for this meal I would've been pissed. The service was not just poor, but awkward and kinda scary. The only reason I gave it two stars is because in the end, the server comped my meal since I didn't like it. I thought that was decent of them, although the whole table agreed that even in sharing the news, the server seemed to be rubbing it in my face. WEIRD. I'm not too picky or tend to be this sensitive about service, but COME ON! NOT GOING BACK read more

Neat-O, Frit-O -- Check yer libido! ...and I did after eating here. What can I say? Fresh, well-prepared ingredients, cool wine list, classy decor, and friendly (*read: attentive) staff, and a kick-ass chef. (long story below--if you don't make it to the end, come away with this: Eat here.) The guy and I were in Boulder recently, walking around Pearl--okay, basically imbibing at every bar, restaurant, even the nearly-empty-beer-bottle-from-the-guy-on-the-corner in Boulder--and decided to stop in for a pint of black goodness at Conor O'Neill's. It's late but as we get ready to enter the "authentic" pub next door, glittery chandeliers catch our eyes. "I haven't seen this place before..." "Huh. Me either. Strange..." (as if places exist in the universe that we don't know about) "Do you want to go in there?...actually, they look kinda closed..." "Yeah, and we aren't really dressed for it, ya know?" Suddenly, one of the hostesses spots us staring inside and politely opens the door and asks if we'd like to come in. We ask if dinner service is over and she says that the chef "hasn't closed the kitchen". I figure that when a chef is still in the mood to cook (at this time of night) it's a sign from a higher power to eat here. We enter, are seated, and are given a nice glass of wine as we look over the wine menu--just what we needed after all the swilling we'd been doing--so, of course, we ordered a bottle of red. The chef offered to make us a few plates of things he was in the mood to cook. Not only were we the only ones in the place but we were cooked for and served in a way that felt intimate and casual at the same time. The food was luxurious. (Things are a bit fuzzy so the details aren't quite what they should be) but I longingly remember duck confit, a fresh salad with blue cheese, grilled figs, and a bunch of other lovelies--not on the same plate, mind you--but everything, fuzzy or not--was fantastic. We left feeling surreal--an elusive mixture of giddyness and awe; contendedly happy and a bit ecstatic. "So, whatdya think?" he asked. "Strange night. Kinda...orgasmic..." Indeed. read more

Well-deserving of high praise. Amazing food, locally sourced when appropriate (not when it's diver scallops, oysters, or caviar), plus kind and attentive service. Recently went to the New Year's Eve seven course tasting. Had a lovely meal from Eric and his team. Thank you! read more

I highly recommend Black Cat! This was our second attempt at "Denver Restaurant Week" after a terrible experience at 1515 (Denver) the previous night. We arrived at 5:30, and were seated, and promptly greeted by our waiter Ryan, who welcomed us and offered explanations of the dinner menu(s). He returned after a few minutes to take our drink orders, and were then offered what appeared (and tasted) like homemade focaccia bread with olive oil. Both were great! The drink menu offered many eclectic options that were all pretty great. One of the drink menu options is "Barkeepers Choice", where you give a slight hint at what you'd like and they create from there! I had the Oaxacan drink with Tequila & Mezcal. The service was impeccable, and though completely attentive, the wait staff was at the same time totally unobtrusive. One of our party excused herself to the restroom just before the entrées arrived, and as they brought the other dishes out to us, another staff member waited and watched for her to return to her seat before finishing the plate, and bringing it to the table so as not to let it get cold. On to the food... There were multiple choices per course, all of which were awesome. The potato crusted Scallop was phenomenal, as was the Tagine of Lamb for starters. For the main entrées, I had the roasted beef over winter veggies, and the girls in the group had the pan seared Steelhead, which was also fantastic. In addition to the 52.80 menu, they also offered a wine pairing (3 courses) for $18 which two of our group chose, and were not disappointed. We also deviated from the special menu by ordering the Charcuterie plate from the starter menu, which was pretty tasty as well. I was a little unclear whether the assortment of duck pate, lamb confit, and shrimp/bacon terrine's were made in house or not, but they were very good. The deserts were next, and followed in the steps of the rest of meal in their awesomeness! I personally recommend the chocolate cake, though the cherry/apple cobbler came in a close second. A side note about Denver restaurant week. What I have found over the past couple of years doing this, is that restaurants seem to treat restaurant week a couple of different ways.... The first being that they think that it's a way to boost business in the short term, and therefore they create a cheaper menu option that will increase revenue with the idea of turning tables quicker, and herding the masses through the doors. The second being that this a way, again, to drive business, but in the long term and create new customers. Some places provide selections from their normal menu's, and some will showcase special items to really show what the Chef's are capable of regardless of cost. This, along with the farm to table philosophy, and Chef/owner Eric Skokan's expertise in the kitchen (as well as his staff) is why i'll return to Black Cat. Anyway, off the soapbox. Enjoy! read more

I've been to Black Cat a handful of times, and everything about this restaurant is great. Delicious food, nice service and they have done wonders with the interior - the cozy little booths sprinkled throughout make me forget that it used to be an ice-cream shop. And I must admit, if I'm going out for a romantic dinner, I like to have the option of snuggling a little with my date between courses. ;-) Minus one star for the other night when the obviously-bored hostess sent us away even though half the restaurant was empty and she only showed two reservations on her computer. She could have fit us in, but it would have involved moving some tables and she either couldn't figure out how to accomplish that or didn't want to bother. She also wouldn't say how long it would be if we wanted to wait, which made me feel a little stupid for asking. Dear restauranteur: good front-of-house staff is important, and high school girls may be cute, but sometimes they aren't the most helpful. read more

This venerable and unique farm to table restaurant is located right of the Pearl Street Mall and 13th Street, And as many times as I have passed the location I haven't given it a thought until my son mentioned that is girlfriend was looking forward to trying it. She, like any others has a particular affection for the organic/local farm to table concept and the Black Cat has done this well for 7 years. My observations? First what a wonderful couples / date night location ...intimate and perfectly lit...however I was the only individual not sitting with a partner / a member of the opposite sex. The waitstaff was knowledgeable ...I appreciate the serious nature of a Restaurant experience, crafted menu and brand...however the team that waited in us were overly formal and overly attentive...relax:) The menu rotates and the tasting menu for $64.00 is a reasonable value....we opted to go straight for entrees and smaller plates. The quail and rabbit dishes were well liked..and the charcuterie plate and especially the beet salad was awesome...I highly recommend those two. A nice experience but as I have seen in other high end niche restaurants in other cities ( Beast in Portland OR..La Belle Vie in Minneapolis) the tone , nature and stiff waitstaff make it...not as fun...and regardless of price...vibe...city....elegance ..the experience must also be fun. Still...a nice albeit slightly stiff evening out. read more

We had a reservation for a party of 4 on a Friday evening. We were seated promptly, and had a nice private table in the back of the restaurant. We started off with ordering a round of cocktails and eventually ordered the tasting menu with wine pairings. Unfortunately, we had no cocktails after 20 minutes for some strange reason. Our first course then came out without the wine pairings, so we're sort of confused at this point as the service was definitely lacking. I pulled the manager over to our table (I think his name was Michael?) and explained the situation. He apologized, and to make the situation right, he made the first course complimentary, so we would end getting 7 courses instead of 6. He also ended up upgrading some of our tasting wine to the premium selection ($25/person savings). We were very happy with how they corrected the situation. As everyone else has said, the food was absolutely fantastic. The pork sausage (that was made that morning) was some of the best sausage I have had the pleasure of tasting. The pairings also paired just wonderfully with all of our dishes that we had. We also really enjoyed that the owner/chef came by our table and explained all of the dishes. Overall, I would definitely recommend the restaurant. They really set the standard for "farm to table". read more

We've hit several of the "best restaurants" in Boulder, and this is at the top of the list... so far. We made reservations via Open Table and lucked out, receiving the private booth at the back of the dining room. Each of us did the blind tasting menu - 1 premium wine pairing, 1 standard. Everyone in our party left satisfied. In fact, the servers went out of their way to ensure we were "full." This resulted in my husband being given an additional course of lamb - which he LOVED, and I couldn't believe he finished. Middle courses were unexpected and dazzled our group. First course and dessert (if I'm going to critique) were the weakest of the bunch. Because we had the luxury of trying both the premium and standard wine pairing, I'd recommend the standard. The wine was excellent and didn't warrant the up charge. Service was impeccable. There was a slight delay with wine service at one point and the sommelier apologized profusely - and poured a little more on the final pairings. If you're looking for a restaurant for a special occasion or a fancy place for those who think CO food doesn't stack up, Black Cat Bistro won't disappoint. read more

Amazing service -wonderful staff. Comfortable seats. Chef /owner is so welcoming and comes to your table. Delicious menu and wines. The sommelier was so down to earth and sweet. Really enjoyed ourselves! read more

Dear Black Cat owners.. I'm writing this review because I want your restaurant to continue to thrive, succeed, and improve. I could have not written a review... but the more reviews you get, the more your name will show up on Yelp searches.(helps get attention) Also, I rely on reviews to help me, so I am obligated to help other Yelpers in my situation. Here is the truth... I love your concept. Farm to Table. Fresh. Local. I seek this type of restaurant out in every city I travel to. I literally vote with my dollars to support this movement, hence my visit to Black Cat. My opinion; First) The sweetbreads were extremely chewy and we could not even eat them. Second? The salad with the lentils was not executed well. The lentils themselves were very dry. The meat atop the salad was dry and had very little flavor. Third) The lamb testicles were perfectly cooked. There was no seasoning to them and the dish lacked creativity in the presentation (huge shallow bowl with a puddle of stock). The greens were well cooked and well seasoned. The service was very interesting. The staff was very helpful and friendly, yet the cursing amongst themselves and the complete lack of formality at the bar service well made it so easy to focus on the fact that the staff were not separating their personal lives with their jobs as professional servers. The service was not bad! It just wasnt worthy of more than 3 stars. Concept: 5 stars Food; 3 stars Service: 2 stars I like the restaurant and will definitely be back, because I know you're working very hard to be a great restaurant. read more

Black Cat Boulder We went to the Black Cat in Boulder on Saturday night. We arrived and were seated promptly. One thing about the restaurant is it is very "cozy" and in most cases are very close to the people eating near you, however the couch like seating at a lot of the tables make for an excellent "date" restaurant. We opted for the seven course tasting menu and I will do my best to lay out what we had below. 1. Roasted artichoke with pine nut crumbles and mint from the chefs garden. This was very tasty and just the right size. The mint flavor just mixed in very well with the flavors of the artichoke. 2. Homemade mozzarella with rosemary coulis and capers. This was VERY good. The rosemary was very prominent and the cheese was smooth and just wonderful tasting. This also included a small piece of bread and I used it to soak up the last of the coulis . 3. Diver scallop with blue crab quenelle with a lemon sauce and fresh greens from the chef's garden. Another big winner. I am not a huge scallop fan and my wife even less so (this brings up a small problem I will mention at the end) but the taste of this with the crab was great and it had a surprisingly rich texture. 4. Blue crab souffl and lump blue crab with a watercress coulis. The souffl was my wife's favorite dish of the evening and was up there with mine, never really thought of putting crab together with a pastry but darn it was good it was served nice and warm and seemed nearly like a crab desert. The lump crab teamed well with it as it was served cold and the contrasting temperatures and textures was very nice. 5. Duck comfit with red onion and barley. The duck had a great rich flavor and the barley just seemed to add to the overall taste but I did not care much for the onion that came with it. My wife's duck had a very large piece of skin and that took away a lot of the pleasure from the dish for her. 6. Braised Salmon with red lentils and curry emulsion. Ok, here was the one and only loser of the evening. The salmon did not seem well cooked at all and the curry emulsion was just way too powerful. One up side of this was the very top of the salmon. It was seared very well and if the whole dish had the flavor of that crisp top it would have been great. Another downer of this one was the server asked us if there was anything on the menu we defiantly wanted included and we pointed at a salmon dish that was on the menu but this is not what was listed. 7. Quail Farsi with toasted zucchini and fried potatoes. I loved the rich gamey flavors of the quail and the zucchini and the potatoes complimented it well 8. Ok we thought we were finished with that last dish and we were both pretty full but thought it was odd we had not received a desert. The waitress came by and replaced our silverware with a new set including a meat knife so were like "whoa there is more"? A definite double edged sword on one side as it's wonderful to get extra courses from such a talented chef but already being fairly full more rich meat courses were hard to fully enjoy. What we had for number 8 was Miso duck and a duck comfit spring roll. The miso duck for me was a big WOW, YUMMM - my favorite of the evening. My wife enjoyed the spring roll more but I found it to be a bit tough. 9. "Steak and Eggs" braised veal with a poached egg with farmhouse greens. We were very full at this point and my wife could only eat a few bites. I enjoyed the great taste of the perfectly cooked braised and of course a poached egg is always nice. 10. Desert course: Coffee ice cream, 2 small cookies and chocolate pot o crme. OK, we were stuffed up to the eyeballs but we had to find room for this, lol. The pot o crme was so very chocolaty and rich it almost made you gasp at the taste. The ice cream and cookies were both good but that chocolate was a taste bud explosion. Ok, overall a very wonderful meal and a worthwhile 3 hours (yes 3 hours). Outside the food I had one major criticism and 2 minor. The major one is that we stated at the beginning of the meal that my wife really does not want any scallops and that was forgotten and served anyway. The minor ones was the pacing. At first the courses came out very fast and almost seemed rushed then after about the 3rd they slowed down to the point that felt way too slow, but that is just minor points. I would definately come back but think I would order the five courses or not eat for a day or 2 first! Pictures can be found at my blog if you are interested read more

Black Cat Bistro - Black Cat 7 course tasting June 14 2008 - New American Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

I like to tuck into a good meal, especially at this price point so my rating is mixed. We waited for 40 minutes even with reservations which didn't help my mood. If you like spending lots of $ on multiple course of little FOOFY fancy stuff then this is the place for you! I left hungry and the 4 of us dropped $300! (with wine, but we ordered 2 $40 bottles). Service was good, but felt 'upsold' the whole time. I expected American bistro to be a bit heartier especially with the back to the farm focus and even though the food itself was excellent, the tiny portions and the relative cost leaves me not able to recommend this place. read more

Wow, just awesome! Great fresh food, served by friendly servers. Really like Black Cat Bistro. This is the first time I've heard of "Farm to Table" and I can really appreciate how that makes a difference in freshness of ingredients. Their menu is always changing and their desserts are awesome, especially the Black Sesame Cake! Yum! read more

Drew and Sarah were phenomenal!!! Awesome food and experience. Exceptional service- Chef even came out to table to explain how some menu items were cooked!!! Highly recommend!!! read more

Let me preface this by saying this is my first yelp review, because I have never really been so upset about a dining experience. My boyfriend and I had heard great things about Black Cat, so we decided to make the drive from Denver for my 30th birthday. We are vegan and on the website it advertises that it is vegan friendly. Being a farm to table restaurant, you would think that they could get vegetables right. Wrong. The staff immediately panicked when I mentioned the vegan chef's tasting with wine pairing. Instead of communicating with us and letting us know that it would be easier for them to prepare a single entree or salad they charged us $250 for radishes, soup, poorly prepared risotto (more like rice with gravy), mushrooms in a salty, poorly seasoned broth, and the final course? A salad! (with a horrible vinaigrette). Bottom line....the staff should have communicated with us that the vegan's chef tasting was not possible. I am horribly disappointed in the food and the $300 we spent on food that I could have made in my own kitchen. read more

Holy carp but this was a fantastic meal. Our waiter was totally charming and willing to hang out and chat with us as we slowly made up our minds about what to order and answer a myriad of questions about different items on the menus. I thought the restaurant was quite beautifully laid out, and would have had no idea it used to be an ice cream parlor. I certainly didn't think it was crowded or crammed together, as others have suggested. The pace of the meal is very slow -- courses are to be savoured, and you are not rushed at all. I love that! I ordered the cheese with figs; the polenta with pumpkin (it's under the polenta, so yummy!); and the diver's scallops, accompanied by a Margaux 2005 (if you like cabernet sauvignon, you will love this), and followed by a coffee press decaf. Everything was outstanding. We were given a complimentary amuse bouche, which was excellent. Everything was very enjoyable. Our tab ended up being $120 for food and $78 for wine. That was for 3 people who each ate 4 courses (a la carte). Honestly, that's really not expensive for the amount and quality of the food we received. I thought everything was outstanding. read more

The Black Cat is perfect. Food, service, decor. Lengthy, well-chosen wine list. Have the lamb with a bottle of the 2012 gigondas. Ask for Logan as your server. Enjoy! read more

Black Cat Bistro - New American Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

I love the restaurants in Boulder and Black Cat is my favorite! This restaurant is elegant and rustic at the same time. The entire staff shares a passion for food and it shows in every bite that you will savor here. Anytime I want to show the best of what Boulder has to offer, Black Cat is at the top of the list. My folks are foodies that live near NYC and travel frequently to Europe, they frequent many of the greatest restaurants from the biggest name chefs - Every time they come to Boulder they ask to go to Black Cat and are always impressed! read more

Hubby LOVES fine dining and multi-course sampling meals with wine pairings, so of course we had to come here after reading about this restaurant. They like to 'surprise' you with their sampler meal, so you don't know what's coming out until they bring it. This particular evening we had a carrot curry soup, a little salad something or other that I really have no idea what else was in it because the sauce was made of cuttlefish ink and that kind of throws you, pork belly and roe in a broth, a chicken and parsnip rollup, scallops with red beets, lamb with two types of sauces, and ice cream with a profiterole and a sliver of mousse. There may have been another dish in there but really, the cuttlefish ink is what stood out. (it wasn't nearly as interesting as you would expect it to be.) The portion sizes were just right, and I didn't roll off overstuffed into the night. Everything was good, although one of the lamb sauces was rather overwhelming, and the lamb itself too chewy for me. (I hate sitting there and chewing and chewing and chewing, so I gave up.) I'm not exactly a fan of scallops, red beets, or parsnips (or was it turnips?) but everything was quite palatable. Since I tend to get totally wasted when having a wine pairing with 5 course meals, I opted out this time, but my husband let me sip a sample of each wine they brought. The pairings were EXCELLENT with the food. Mostly french and some Italian wines, aged properly. Still, I don't really want to go back. The restaurant is a bizarre mix of grungy diner and crystal chandeliers and tablecloths. We also got seated in the worst possible spot for a nervous wreck like me - next to the kitchen. Because it's an 'open' kitchen, we were separated by a sheet clear glass, where we had a REALLY good view of the burns on the sous chef's arms. My evening was spent flinching at random spouts of fire, fighting off sweating from the heat (my left ear is still warmer than my right), and listening to the manager right behind me, giving orders and shouting for hands and new firings. I realize this may be highly entertaining for some of you, and I recommend you go if you like it, but if I'm going to be eating cuttlefish ink and lamb I don't want to feel like I'm sitting in the kitchen. (rule #3 of eating out - if you like a restaurant, never go in the kitchen.) I gave it an extra star than I wanted because I know I have issues, and they probably thought it was an honor to be able to watch the chef and owner working right alongside the crew. It doesn't mean I'm still not a bit twitchy from it all right now. Maybe I should have gotten the wine pairings . . . read more

Finally a restaurant I was blown away by. My mom and stepdad were visiting and took my boyfriend and I here for dinner. I should mention that my mom and her husband are total food and wine snobs, they gave Flagstaff a 6 of 10. Harsh critics but Black Cat past the test and were given the full 10. We did the 5 course wine pairing menu. After the server tells you it is an "experience" how could you turn it down especially when you're not paying? What set the Black Cat apart was the fact that we had a say in what would be brought out to us. There were some courses where my mom and I had something totally different from the boys, so we could try more by sharing. While it is pricey we certainly didn't leave hungry, unlike Flagstaff where we had 9 courses. The food was delish, as were the drinks, service impeccable, and ambiance very comfy and cozy. I look forward to going back asap! read more

Beautiful atmosphere - especially while it was freezing outside, the "wood-centric" decor really gives it a warm and comfortable feel. The staff was outstanding. They couldn't have been more accommodating from the first call I made to set up a reservation to the moment we stepped out of the restaurant. Servers were knowledgeable and gracious; Bartender, Eddie, was friendly and talented. He made us some great cocktails as well as mocktails. One really curious note is the way that some of the waitresses/food runners were dressed, - while all were in black and mini-skirts, one girl looked disheveled while another had an extremely low-cutting collar. But don't get me wrong, they both looked super sexy, i just thought it was worth noting... Yeah, I don't know where I was going with that one. The only reason I give it 4 stars instead of 5 is in consideration of the food. I had the root vegetable souffle and the scallopini (beef or veal, i forgot). The ingredients all tasted fresh, but the flavors were lackluster. Nothing was bad per se and the dishes were decently cooked, but nothing excited me about the food. I think there are a lot of potential here. Chef Eric seems like an extremely talented and hardworking individual. I will return one day soon to try his tasting menu and I'm sure he will win me over next time. read more

Finally got to try the Black Cat and we were not disappointed. It was an anniversary dinner, so we went with the 5-course tasting menu with paired wines. Absolutely delicious--every course was perfect. The right size serving, fresh ingredients that worked together, and a matched wine. Service was wonderful--the waiter and his helpers did a good job in describing what we were being served, and could answer all our questions about the various wines we were served. Left very happy...it was worth every penny, and we will definitely go back. read more

Good food, meh service. I went to Black Cat Saturday night with my two best girlfriends to celebrate a birthday. We had a reservation, but when we got there all the tables were full. The hostess told us it would be just a few minutes. We ended up standing in the doorway for a half hour in our high heels. Luckily the bartender took pity on us and gave us a free glass of Prosecco while we waited. If I wasn't drinking and talking with my friends I would have gotten pretty annoyed. Finally we were seated. The decor of the restaurant is really great. It's comfortable and cozy with perfect lighting. They offer a fun looking tasting menu and we wanted to try it. I asked our server if it would be okay for a vegetarian and he said "no". I noticed at the bottom of the menu it said "most dietary restrictions can be accommodated" so I found that rather odd. I suspect that our server either 1. didn't want to deal with the tasting menu or 2. gave us poor information. In either case we ordered regular entrees. I started off with the beet salad, but when it arrived it had no beets. Luckily the server gave me a side dish full to compensate. For my entree I had a steak of butternut squash with mixed greens and beets. All the ingredients tasted "farm fresh" just as promised. My friends also really enjoyed their orders: a fish for one and duck for the other. The wine prices were even more inflated than usual for this type of restaurant, but we enjoyed a bottle of Pinot Noir nonetheless. Even though the experience was far from perfect, we had a nice evening and I'll probably go back; one of my friends said she's been there several times and had better experiences. And I'd still like to find out if they'd do the tasting menu for vegetarians... read more

Exquisite! Menu changes daily, everything is organic, the owner has 70 acres of fresh fruits and vegetables, extraordinary customer service, beautiful ambiance, and you can watch the owner cook through a looking glass. Had the duck salad appetizer and could taste the flavor of every ingredient--juicy mushroom, hunt of citrus, perfect duck and zing of arugula. read more

If this is farm living, I'm in! This food is incredible. The farm-to-table movement finds beautiful expression here as well (see The Kitchen). Not only in the delectable dishes, but also in it's lovely presentation. We sat next to a window into the kitchen, so we watched the artists in the kitchen create one attractive plate after another. (Ask me about the cool high school kid they were mentoring.) We began with a cold coconut and leek soup and a salad of fresh vegetables. The soup's unique flavor combo and smooth texture brought audible "oohs" and "ahhs." We couldn't help ourselves. I noticed that soon after, the table next to ours had several bowls delivered to them as well. My delight must have sold a few more servings. The entrées were even more interesting. Tam ordered tofu fritters, surrounded by more fresh veggies. Not just fresh veggies, but beautiful veggies. The colors, aromas and arrangement could convince almost anyone to go meatless. Almost, anyone. I chose duck served two ways; a perfectly cooked breast and an accompanying confit. The plate was a flavor pileup; I hardly knew where to begin with the couscous, cooked greens and "special sauces." I kept touring my plate, stopping at every flavor station. Every bite was fun. We topped the meal with a hickory smoked chocolate tartlet. Amazing new flavor to me. And the fresh ice cream brought out the best in the chocolate. I'd have all of that again. And again. read more

We went there for birthday dinners last night. Everything was absolutely delicious. Nobody did the tasting menu but all of the individual entrees and such were perfectly executed. This is a farm-to-table restaurant and it shows in the care that is taken to serve totally fresh produce and ingredients. Recipes are Innovative but not over the top. So many flavors and delicious special touches. I highly recommend. read more

Love the concept of this place - they grow and raise a lot of the food themselves and locally source the rest. More importantly, a really good meal on our first visit. The charcuterie, although relatively small for three people (I'm the big eater), was excellent. The beet salad was also terrific. Great combinations of flavors and textures. For the mains, we share the chicken (awesome!) and the vegetable tagine (quite good). The service was relaxed and helpful and overall this was a great meal. I will go back, without doubt. The seating itself I found a little uncomfortable - they have love seats which were too laid back and deep for me for eating a meal. When I return, I'll sit on the 'chair side'. Great to find a new place with this much going for it, can't wait to give it another try. We were too full for dessert, but they did mention it is possible to stop by just for dessert, if you time it right. read more

We had dinner for 7 the night of our wedding. We ate at the farm. It was an unbelievable experience for all of our guests. Food was great.

I wavered on assigning two stars rather than three. First the pros: Ambiance: It's a somewhat cozy place, as has been stated, but comfortable. The couch seating along the walls is a nice touch. We didn't sit there, but those who did looked comfortable. I liked the lighting. There is a little alcove in the back that looked good for more privacy. Nice art, quite a few nude portraits. It's fun being able to see the kitchen and the chef in action. Service: quite attentive. We had friendly hostesses, too. Amuse bouche: One of the best I've had. It was a celery root soup with a creme fraiche topping, I think. It was really good. Actually, nothing else we ordered surpassed the amuse. The Food: Blue crab cakes - tasty. Salad - while fresh and well-presented, there was a paltry amount of dressing, and only on the bottom of the plate, so it was difficult to get a little bit with every bite. The salad description included roasted/glazed pistachios of some sort, but we had a small amount of ground nut which provided good texture, but didn't have the robust flavor of a full nut. Pork - the Berkshire pork had great flavor. Unfortunately it was quite dry. The house-cured bacon was delicious. This dish was served on polenta. It needed some more zip of some sort, maybe some acidity to cut through the fat? It was such a heavy dish. Duck - well cooked, good flavor. Served with goat cheese polenta. But, like the pork, we both felt it needed another layer, another flavor to complement it and bring out the ducky goodness. We didn't have dessert. Overall, we are unlikely to return. There are so many good restaurants in Boulder. We felt this was over-priced, and definitely not worth it, since the dishes, apart from the amuse, were not hits. Again, I almost rated this a two. I gave it a three for the effort to use local produce and seasonal ingredients, the ambiance, and the service. I had high hopes, based on the chef's awards when he was at Alice's Gold Lake Resort. Too bad. I'd much rather go to Jax (where we just went and had a lovely dinner for fewer $$$ than Black Cat), The Kitchen, Q's at the Boulderado, Radda, or Frasca. read more

Farm to table can be a great thing, if well executed. Unfortunately, on my visit, Black Cat wasn't living up to hype. Mind you, nothing was terrible, it's just that nothing really seemed like a finished thought. To start, the decor is awkward. We were seated in one of the booths, which consists of two large leather sofas and a table. The sofas are large and cushy, which would be great for watching a game with a brewsky, but make it difficult to eat since you constantly have to strain forward to reach the table. I'm 5'10", 165lbs, but I felt a little bit like a child who'd snuck into dad's easy chair. The rest of the decor--minimalist crystal chandeliers, black leather, exposed brick, rustic wood hutches--somehow just didn't work together. Likewise, I couldn't make sense of the food. We ate a smoked salmon panzanella which was delicious except that the salmon was completely overwhelmed by the vinegar of the dressing. We had a striped bass with squash puree which was nicely cooked, but bland. In the end, we left a bit confused. We'd only heard great things about Black Cat, but nothing about the experience was extraordinary. We'll go back, but we won't rush. read more

Had the tasting menu at Black Cat this evening, and strongly recommend it. It's a farm to table place, and they don't tell you in advance what courses will be coming, altering them as needed for people with specific dislikes (e.g. rosemary). The first course was yellowtail with an avocado puree, an onion escabeche, coconut foam, and a dash of chili oil. Then a bonus course of something prosciutto-like that starts with an el? Anyone? Second course was a pork chorizo with baba ghanoush and parsley. Next was fois gras with a bit of apricot, paired with a nice Sauterne. I added two glasses of wine with my meal, but there were pairing options available for the tasting menu as well, which I elected against this time. Fourth course was Colorado striped bass with white beans, carrots and pea shoots, with a tasty remoulade whose ingredients I am failing to recall. Fifth course was the best so far, grass fed filet with sauce chasseur, turnips, fingering potatoes and pea puree. Hard to say whether the beef or the vegatables were the star of that dish, and it was one of the best pieces of beef I've ever had. Final savory course was a Colorado lamb duo, a chop and some sliced leg of lamb, with farro, a pistachio puree, and the best single item I ate tonight: beets. Apparently they are the first of the season, and were picked today. Really wonderful. Dessert was nice and light, with some chocolate, bourbon cherries, chantilly cream and almond tuille. Staff was very friendly, and service was very good. Definitely want to come back the next time I'm in Boulder. read more