Ill-advised under most circumstances, billing your business as an “Adventurers’ Restaurant and Bar” is a safe play in Boulder, where high-altitude sportsmen and physical extremists of all stripes are local heroes. The Nepalese/Indian fare here is authentic, aromatic and tasty, and if it comes borne on the arms of half-distracted but genial guys who sometimes seem more like mountain guides than servers, well, that’s what the culinary adventurer signed up for.
Tikka, tandoori, korma. Vindaloo, saag, biryani. All muster at basecamp, ready for the ascent. And while none stand out, demanding pride of place in the inevitable snapshot over the summit flag, none disappoint. (Would you have it any other way in your climbing party?) Shuck your pack outdoors on the comfortable patio if possible. When storm clouds gather, the converted Victorian interior possesses its own weathered charm. Bottom line — at 5,400 feet, Sherpa’s is just the place to soothe the muscles after a long hike into thin air, or a short one from the Pearl St. Mall.