Bites 2013: Shabu- Shabu
Jun is the only place in the city you can find Shabu-Shabu, commonly called "Japanese fondue." You take carpaccio-thin steak cuts of your choice and quickly boil them in dashi water (dried kelp and fermented tuna flake) with optional spicy sauce and miso paste enhancement. In goes cabbage, onions and other veggies, all of which is spooned out over rice or plonked in bright, house-made Ponzu, Yuzu or sesame dips. (New York strip/$39.50, filet/$47.50, Kobe filet /$89.50)
Best of 2012: Local Venue for Live Music
Whether it's the yearly two-night run by Tech N9ne or shows by big-name artists like Foxy Shazam and Cannibal Corpse, the Black Sheep has earned its keep as Colorado Springs' perennial live music mecca. A non-stop winner in this category since 2006, the vaguely dungeon-like Platte Avenue mainstay is owned by Soda Jerk Presents, the Boulder-based company that also books Denver's Marquis Theater and Summit Music Hall. All of which makes this all-ages venue an attractive draw for national touring acts. "We regularly bring in bands that no one would ever expect to play here," says general manager Chris Huffine. "At least once a week, someone at a show will say to me, 'Wow, how did you get this band to come to Colorado Springs?'" — Bill Forman