Gray's Coors Tavern
Pueblo, Colorado
Found myself in Pueblo, Colorado this month for the big to-do. The annual Colorado State Fair. Last time I had been to Pueblo was about 7 years ago and that was for a backyard barbeque and then we zipped back up to Denver. I've always vowed to get back to Pueblo and actually SEE the city.
We crossed the Arkansas River into the fairgrounds (did you know the Arkansas River was the former Mexican border?) and had a great day at the State Fair. Saw a lot of cows, horses, chickens, but the food was your typical funnel cakes and cotton candy, and that's not going to cut it. I did see some folks selling some Pueblo style sausage called Kolbase (not to be confused with Kielbasa), but I'm in Southern Colorado and all I can think about is GREEN CHILI.
For years my Pueblo friends, who now live in Denver, have been raving about Gray's Coors Tavern. Some simply call it Gray's Tavern or Gray's. They went on to tell me about this steelmill bar and how they serve up the Slopper. This food item is found in Pueblo and a few parts of Colorado Springs. A burger, served in a bowl covered in green chili. Sounds like a hot mess! Even searching for photographs on the internet of what a slopper is all about, not one picture made the dish look remotely appetizing. But again, friends from Pueblo, and friends who just had been down there from time to time, said hit up Gray's Tavern, you will not be sorry!
Entering Gray's parking lot, it's your typical divey looking place in a blue collar part of the city. They did have a patio area, but we needed some shade inside. Enter 1935, ok maybe 1975. The place was built in the 1930s, but maybe had a remodel in the early 70's. And by saying that, I'm meaning that it's very cool! Something to be said for a place with history, retro signs, wooden booths, and a friendly waitstaff that will tell you what else you NEED to hit up in Pueblo (hello Taffy's... loved your Orange Aid slushy drink that the girls at Gray's told me about... but that's another story!).
Browsed the menu, but who am I kidding, there was not a question in my mind on what I was ordering. The only questions asked were if I wanted a double or single, and if I needed onions and cheese on top. My party of 3 ordered three singles (in our case one double to share, and one single to save a few bucks). That's plenty, right? They also have these schooner glasses of Coors Banquet but sadly we didn't partake. Hey, I have to drive 2 hours back to Denver. I'm responsible!
So out comes the SLOPPER. It looks totally like crap in a plastic bowl. I swear my high school cafeteria in the 1980s had the same style bowls and red plastic water cups... anyhooooo... I take a quick photograph, see below. Gross right? Waitress comes back with a bag of oyster crackers. I'm like I didn't order any soup. She explains they go on top. OK. Not messing with tradition in Pueblo.
My first bite. I finally understood what the fuss was all about. This slopper put me back in my childhood home having a burger in my Mom's kitchen, where she had buttered a pan and seared the edges all crispy and almost a charred flavor. Then the green chili hits you, loaded with pork. Spicy! You remember Yes, Yes You Are, in PUEBLO. Homeland to the green chili of Colorado. The cheese is American and perfectly right in this combination and on top, onions and oyster crackers. All this sits on a hamburger bun buried on the bottom. It's there sopping up all that green chili. It's heaven.
I devour my Slopper in 5 minutes and then have one regret. I didn't order the double. I totally should have ordered the double!! I Facebooked the whole experience, and my pal back in Denver from Pueblo, basically tells me "I thought I told you... always order a double".
The bill comes and you realize how cool Pueblo is. Our lunch was like $14.00 (again, no schooners of beer, but if we did I'm sure it would have still been like under $25). Is this 1975?????? I love this city. When was the last time you ate out with two of your pals, at a bar, for 14 bucks?
It was time to go and I make a promise to myself to visit Pueblo again soon. There's too much that we didn't get to see. Mauro Farms to get Pueblo's famous pastries, the Riverwalk boat tour, and the farms where the Pueblo chilies are grown. I will be back Gray's Tavern, I mean Pueblo!
So taco lovers, if you find yourself in Pueblo, maybe this one time put the tacos on the back burner and seek out a Slopper. Think of it as a taco burger in a bowl. The flavors will be very recognizable and you will not be disappointed.
Info on Gray's Coors Tavern:
515 W. 4th
Pueblo, CO 81003
(no website, however they do have a presence on Yelp! at - http://www.yelp.com/biz/grays-coors-tavern-pueblo )
Slopper info on wikipedia too:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slopper
