Chautauqua Dining Hall History
It's hard to imagine when you're sitting on the beautiful porch at Chautauqua Dining Hall, that in 1898 the building was constructed in less than two months. The opening day was July 4, 1898, and 4,000 people came to celebrate. In the late 1800's there were 300 Chautauquas in America. One of the really amazing facts about Boulder's Chautauqua is that it is the only one still in operation west of the Mississippi. It was originally built as a place to educate teachers, and this gave many local people jobs. Boulder was chosen because it was a cool climate at the base of the beautiful Rocky Mountains. Eventually, this became a community for summer vacationers who wanted to enjoy a variety of programs such as concerts, debates, and recreational activities. On the 40 acres you will find an Auditorium, the Dining Hall, the Academic Hall, Community House, Missions House Lodge, and the Columbine Lodge. There are also 99 cottages, 39 of them are privately owned. This is one of the many treasures in Boulder. Colorado.
Our dad, Bradford Heap, ran Chautauqua Dining Hall from January, 1997 to October, 2006. He was important in many of the restaurant's improvements. One very significant addition was that he winterized the dining hall and now the dining hall is open year-round. We are very proud of all of his hard work and for keeping this landmark a special place.
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It's hard to imagine when you're sitting on the beautiful porch at Chautauqua Dining Hall, that in 1898 the building was constructed in less than two months. The opening day was July 4, 1898, and 4,000 people came to celebrate. In the late 1800's there were 300 Chautauquas in America. One of the really amazing facts about Boulder's Chautauqua is that it is the only one still in operation west of the Mississippi. It was originally built as a place to educate teachers, and this gave many local people jobs. Boulder was chosen because it was a cool climate at the base of the beautiful Rocky Mountains. Eventually, this became a community for summer vacationers who wanted to enjoy a variety of programs such as concerts, debates, and recreational activities. On the 40 acres you will find an Auditorium, the Dining Hall, the Academic Hall, Community House, Missions House Lodge, and the Columbine Lodge. There are also 99 cottages, 39 of them are privately owned. This is one of the many treasures in Boulder. Colorado.
Our dad, Bradford Heap, ran Chautauqua Dining Hall from January, 1997 to October, 2006. He was important in many of the restaurant's improvements. One very significant addition was that he winterized the dining hall and now the dining hall is open year-round. We are very proud of all of his hard work and for keeping this landmark a special place.
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OUR DINING EXPERIENCE
We chose Chautauqua Dining Hall as our first experience because people do not usually think about bringing their kids to this restaurant. We decided to try to experiment with making this place as kid-friendly as possible. We began by tossing our frisbee around on the grass in front of the Dining Hall. It was a beautiful Autumn day and playing outside was a good start to the experience. Little kids could also play on the playground, and families could enjoy a beautiful hike before their meal.
We were seated on the corner of the wrap-around porch. We had an extraordinary view of the Flatirons and of the park. We could see why this restaurant is known for it's exceptional location and why it was built in this spot 118 years ago. Sitting here watching the people playing in the park and looking at the town of Boulder below really added nicely to our dining experience.
We were seated on the corner of the wrap-around porch. We had an extraordinary view of the Flatirons and of the park. We could see why this restaurant is known for it's exceptional location and why it was built in this spot 118 years ago. Sitting here watching the people playing in the park and looking at the town of Boulder below really added nicely to our dining experience.
Maryn and Colter tossing the frisbee outside of the Dining Hall.
MARYN'S OPINION:
I am a vegetarian, a kid, and a VERY picky eater. Therefore, I am a good person to make delicious vegetarian selections for other kids. The menu at Chautauqua Dining Hall had a good number of vegetarian items. First I started out with looking at the drink menu, and I ordered the Cucumber Mint Cooler. It was a beautiful light green beverage with a mint and lemon garnish. When I tasted it, I couldn't taste any mint. I got the cucumber, but the mint was noticeably absent. It was, however, very refreshing. I talked my brother into letting me have a taste of his hot chai. It had a great creamy texture and was the perfect temperature. It wasn't too spicy which was good for my palate. I think other kids would enjoy it. There was also a free refill. I moved on to the Crispy Brussels sprouts from the "Shared Plates" section of the menu. Most kids don't usually like Brussels sprouts, but we decided to take one for the team and see if it was a good option for kids. The server brought them to the table, and they smelled amazing. When I tasted it I was shocked. The Brussels sprouts had a perfect crispy texture, and the flavors just exploded in my mouth! This dish is made with Calabrian chili, preserved lemon, basil, and Agrodolce. Agrodolce is an Italian sweet and sour sauce. There was just the right amount of sweet, and the sour was not overpowering. It was definitely worth the $7.00! The Brussels sprouts might be one of the best foods I have ever eaten! Definitely my favorite part of the meal. For kids in general, I would give this dish two thumbs up! We shared two main dishes: The Three Leaf Farm Salad, and The Applewood Smoked Bacon & Pear Flatbread. I passed on the flatbread because I'm a vegetarian. But I am going to "kritique" the other dish. The Three Leaf Farm Salad looked colorful and fresh. I started with the falafels that were on the plate. They looked appetizing; the falafel were light brown with white and black sesame seeds. The falafels were delicious! The outside was crunchy, and inside was moist and warm. The falafels had a lot of flavorful spices that really complemented them. After that delight, I tried the flat bread. It was very crunchy and nicely grilled and the inside was very soft and delicious. There was also some cheese to go with the flatbread. The cheese was very creamy and I loved the flavor combination of a flatbread and cheese. Next I had the greens. I really liked the dressing, but I wish there was more of it. The greens were very fresh and full of flavor. I would recommend this for kids if they are fans of salad. Now on to the desserts! First we ordered the Five Layer Chocolate Cake. The cake was very moist and full of flavor. The frosting was very creamy and melted in my mouth. The second dessert we ordered was The New York Cheesecake. The cheesecake was very soft and creamy. There was a beautiful little dollop of blackberry jam that really complemented the rich cream cheese frosting. Did I mention these are both house-made?!?! |
COLTER'S OPINION:
Unlike Maryn, I eat meat and I like it! I am 12 years old so I think I am a good person to critique food for kids my age. I want to help them have a fun dining experience and to expand their pallets. By this age any self-respecting 12-year-old should be long off the training wheels of the kids menu and on the two-wheeled bike of the adult menu. When trying new foods, kids might fall a couple times, but once they get cruising, it's all worth it! Maryn and I will be the brave experimenters and try all the stuff that sounds weird. This way we can help you cruise along while trying to discover new and delicious foods. I started out my meal with a Hot Chai. It was warm, sweet and creamy with just the right amount of cinnamon. It started the meal off wonderfully. I began to look at the menu of appetizers and, believe it or not, the Brussels sprouts caught my eye. I decided to take a leap of faith and order them. When the dish came out I could smell the delicious aroma before it reached the table. The waiter set the plate down on the table, and the fragrance rolled over me. I was pleasantly surprised. For a moment I just gawked at these beautiful Brussels sprouts. I was expecting a pile of mush, but instead these beautifully caramelized mini-cabbages were in front of me. Then in one blur of motion we all took out our forks and dug in. I put one of the Brussels sprouts in my mouth and my taste buds exploded with flavor. It was sweet, yet savory. Soft, yet crunchy. Also on the plate were Calabrian chili, basil, preserved lemon and Agrodolce. The chilis were spicy, but tolerable. The preserved lemons added a nice new flavor contrast to the plate. In a couple minutes all of the Brussels sprouts were devoured. This delicious dish was only $7.00! I recommend this dish for kids. Next I had the Three Leaf Farm Salad. The dressing tasted good, but I would have liked more dressing on the greens. The falafel balls were nice and crunchy with sesame seeds sprinkled on them. They were appetizing. We ordered a side of grilled chicken with the salad, and it was pretty good. This salad was also served with flatbread and a bit of house-made farm cheese. For my main dish I ordered the Applewood Smoked Bacon & Pear Flatbread. The flatbread crust was appropriately thin and had a nice crunch to it. The sage was pleasant and paired well with the bacon. The walnuts were spicy, but they added nicely to the flatbread. The thinly sliced pears complimented the flatbread and really tied the dish to together. I would recommend this dish to kids. For dessert I had a slice of New York Cheesecake. This was extremely good! It was rich and creamy. The tart black berry sauce worked well with the sweet filling. The bottom crust was crumbly and tasty. I strongly endorse this dessert for kids. |
DRESS: No need to dust off your old wedding tux. This is a pretty casual place, but not to the point where you could wear your soccer uniform. We recommend a nice ironed shirt and some jeans for the boys and something casual/nice for the girls. You could maybe get by with decent hiking clothes.
AMBIENCE: Chautauqua Dining Hall felt like it belonged in the 1890's....in a wonderful way. The porch was our favorite part. It was old-fashioned, but not stuffy. It was clean and polished. The inside was charming and we thought the fireplace would be nice on a cool day.
SERVICE: We were seated quickly and we felt lucky to get such a great spot on the porch. Our servers were friendly and gave us plenty of time to order. The food came out warm. Our water glasses were filled almost instantly when we emptied them.
AMBIENCE: Chautauqua Dining Hall felt like it belonged in the 1890's....in a wonderful way. The porch was our favorite part. It was old-fashioned, but not stuffy. It was clean and polished. The inside was charming and we thought the fireplace would be nice on a cool day.
SERVICE: We were seated quickly and we felt lucky to get such a great spot on the porch. Our servers were friendly and gave us plenty of time to order. The food came out warm. Our water glasses were filled almost instantly when we emptied them.