Never let it be said that Ted Turner sidesteps
big challenges. Everybody laughed when he started the
first 24-hour news channel, and we know how well that
one turned out.
Now Turner has taken on the forbidding
task of convincing Americans to eat bison.
The multi-billionaire does have a vested
interest, the 30,000 bison he grazes in the West. The
pulpit to preach the bison gospel is Ted's Montana Grill.
The new chain - launched with LongHorn
Steakhouse magnate George McKerrow - opened recently
in Littleton and Larimer Square.
First, it is bison, not buffalo. Technically,
buffalo are water buffalo, the docile beast whose milk
is made into genuine Italian fresh mozzarella di bufala.
Bison are the hard-headed animals that roamed the plains.
Never try to milk a bison, the poster animal for anger
management.
Ted's Montana Grill is designed to look
like a turn-of-the-century saloon. The meticulous detailing
includes mahogany paneling, Tiffany-style lamps, a pressed-tin
ceiling and small tile floors. Cowboy songs, Western
art and cowboy quotes add ambience.
I went to lunch with a burger-loving friend
at the Littleton Ted's and we happily sat on stools
in front of the cooking area.
The ground chuck and bison burgers are
made-to-order from seven ounces of freshly ground meat.
The cooks gently form the meat into big, thick patties.
They don't overwork the meat and when they cook the
burgers on a hot griddle - not a flaming grill - they
never press them down with a spatula daring the juice
from them. The burgers cook covered with metal domes
that tend to steam them a bit.
My bison cheeseburger was a juicy, crumble-in-the-mouth
joy cooked medium rare as specified. It tasted great,
very much like a beef burger.
All of the burgers come with a bowl of
notable half-sour pickle slices and are served on big
Kaiser buns. The cooks "float the bun," meaning
it's browned on the griddle under a board. Also truly
exceptional are the long, hot French fries cut to order
from Idaho spuds.
The 20 topping variations range from the
New Mexico Burger cheese, green chili and guacamole,
to the Kitchen Sink Burger with ham, fried egg, bacon,
mushrooms, onion and cheese. We heard good things about
Ted's "brick-pressed" chicken sandwiches served
with the same toppings.
When I returned for dinner at Ted's in
Larimer Square, I brought along diverse company. Larry
is a strident conservative who hates trying anything
new. Laura is an unapologetic, lifelong gourmand who
has never met a new food she wouldn't taste. Kim takes
a more intellectual middle approach to food.
Everybody loved the lean and tender 12-ounce
bison prime rib. The beer can chicken offered exceptionally
juicy rotisserie-roasted meat thoroughly infused with
beer, garlic and herbs. For dessert, the folks at the
counter whip up thick, four-star chocolate and vanilla
ice cream shakes and malts served in stainless steel
mixer cups.
While the wine list does include Opus
One, go with a glass of Rancho Zabaco Zinfandel or a
pitcher of Anchor Steam beer. Coke products are served
in bottles and the fresh lemonade is top-notch.