Attention all Boulderites! 

Exotic, fine dining has just arrived at Boulder Village Shopping Center’s newest restaurant, Volta. The combination of  the chic and illuminous ambiance, creatively designed silverware placement, and art-inspired entrees has already won the hearts of many at last night’s Grand Opening. 

Volta–a latin term meaning “trip” or “excursion”–is well-suited for this modern Mediterranean eatery. The food items compile a fusion of styles from France, Italy, Spain, Greece, and Morocco. And I’m telling you, the seafood dishes trick your taste buds into thinking they’re on a catamaran off the cost of Santorini.  

I figured the best way to know whether this restaurant has what it takes to succeed in this “Little New York”-restaurant styled town, was to order daringly–so I asked for the duck, octopus, and trout. As we all know, ordering seafood here in our landlocked, mountainous haven can sometimes be risky. 

But it wasn’t (Thank the Lord). 

The octopus, though tiny tender bites, was delectable, generously spiced, and perfect for a starter dish. The duck salad, crunchy with frisee, hazelnuts, and rich meat looked simple, yet exploded with flavor. For the entree, buttery, seared steelhead trout, chewy farro salad, and something I’d never heard before: “sunchokes”, a root-resembling, warm potato-like vegetable. Delicious. 

You know that a menu with the phrases “retsina reduction”, “fennel emulsion”, or “gorgonzola dolce” has to be tasty. 

Not only were the plates enticingly tasteful, but brilliantly colored. The arugula pesto in the vegetarian dish was lime green, with light purple beet flan–(yes, flan. Very interesting)–and vibrant orange carrots that looked as if Bugs Bunny had been the chef. The lamb plate (above) had an incredibly bright orange squash sauce that tasted magnificent. The fruit tart for dessert was ruby red with strawberry sauce and fresh strawberries sliced on top. I had to question whether it was food, or art. Either way, we licked our plates clean. 

Volta opens tomorrow, October 10th. Go visit next time you need a “trip” to Tastebud Paradiso.