Nestled in the foothills of Morrison, Colorado is an adobe style home built by two historians, Bay [Elizabeth] and Sam Arnold, for their family to reside in the early 1960's. The inspiration for the building came from Bent's Old Fort, a famous Colorado fur trade fort from the 1830's. What is now known as The Fort is a historical landmark that serves as a cultural center, private event space and restaurant. Holly Arnold Kinney, the daughter of Bay and Sam, took over the business in 2006 after her father's passing and is the proprietress of The Fort and Executive Director for the Tesoro Cultural Center™.
THE FOOD:
Every evening at 5 o'clock sharp, the bells chime and the doors open to the public for a feast. The Fort is a western-themed restaurant and serves "new foods of the old west". What does that mean? The menu includes wild game, beef, and exotic fare such as bison, buffalo, quail, elk and Damiana (an reputed aphrodisiac herb). The dishes are inspired from Holly's 3,000 volume rare cookbook and western history library such as:
Roased Bison Marrow Bones - known as "Prairie Butter" to early pioneers
Braised Bison Tongue - slowly braised, peeled and sliced.
The Fort's Game Plate - a bone-in Elk chop, Buffalo sirloin medallion and a grilled teriyaki Quail. Served with seasonal vegetables, Fort potatoes and wild Montana huckleberry preserves
The Bowl of the Wife of Kit Carson - Rich smoky chipotle turkey broth, with dark and light roasted turkey meat, rice garbanzos and melted cheese, served in a cast iron pot with avocado and lime slices on top
I had the The Fort's Game Plate and Neil had the $39 Stock Show T-Bone Steak Dinner Special in honor of the Colorado Stock Show. If you are visiting during the Stock Show or just want to sink your teeth into a delicious 16oz Beef T-Bone steak then make a reservation at The Fort before the Stock Show special ends on April 30, 2018. Otherwise, lucky Coloradoan's like myself can enjoy The Fort year round. The views of Denver to the East and mountains to the West are incredible. You can enjoy appetizers and drinks around the fire pits (burning year-round) or transport yourself back to the Wild West days by dining inside.
THE HISTORY:
I have been mentioning a little bit about The Fort's history, but one of the exciting features of dining at the restaurant is that Historians walk around and are happy to tell you stories about the adobe, the Arnold family, the historical library, Native American rituals, and more. You can also enjoy 19th century Southwestern history at the Tesoro Cultural Center™, inside The Fort. It is open to the public and there are
Get Social with The Fort:
Website: http://thefort.com
Address: 19192 Colorado 8, Morrison, CO 80465
Phone: 303-697-4771
Reservations: Click Here
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