Here’s something you won’t want to miss: the Farewell Fiesta at Salsa Brava Fresh Mexican Grill, located at Dublin and North Powers boulevards, celebrating the legacy the eatery built over 24 years.

As part of the celebration, Randy Price, founder of Rocky Mountain Restaurant Group, which started with the opening of the first Salsa Brava in the Rockrimmon neighborhood in 2002, is reviving favorites from its original menu, including Margarita Chicken Enchiladas.

The nostalgic dish recalls another Colorado restaurant staple from the 1980s and ’90s: Enchiladas Suizas, those creamy, cheese-smothered chicken enchiladas that once appeared on nearly every Tex-Mex menu.

Price leveled up the famous retro cheese-focused dish, which became a go-to for Salsa Brava and landed the eatery in the perennial ring of winners of The Gazette’s Best of the Springs. Price’s version comes with fresh corn tortillas rolled over a filling of steamed spinach and gooey Jack cheese, topped with tomatillo-lime sauce, fajita-marinated chicken, cilantro cream, cotija and the restaurant’s signature pepper-onion mix. It’s a hearty meal rounded out with Spanish rice and a crispy tortilla bowl filled with refried beans.

Enjoy this dish alongside a 12-ounce house or perfect Patron margarita for $5 or $8, respectively. The Farewell Fiesta continues through Aug. 29 when Salsa Brava will close permanently.

As for why Salsa Brava is closing, Price said in a phone interview before the announcement was released, “This chapter is bittersweet for my family and me. Salsa Brava is where it all began. But we see a way forward with the momentum of growth for Urban Egg.”

Price went on to elaborate that for several years, Salsa Brava and Urban Egg successfully operated side by side from their shared kitchen and dining on Dublin Boulevard.

“We saw opportunity for expanding Urban Egg into a full restaurant footprint,” Price said.

He added that with the increased seating, there is less wait time and an opportunity to test new menu ideas to help shape the future of the Urban Egg brand. Some of Salsa Brava’s fan favorites like its signature green chile, its iconic pineapple-infused vodka and Rocky Mountain Restaurant Group’s commitment to Teachers First, local philanthropy and community partnerships will remain an important part of the company’s future.

Hours at Salsa Brava are 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Details: 719-591-6177, facebook.com/salsabravaco.

A toast to Chef Sigi Krauss
Chef Sigi Krauss has been named a 2026 Honorary Inductee into the American Academy of Chefs Culinary Hall of Fame, one of the profession’s highest honors. The national recognition places the longtime Briarhurst Manor chef and mentor among a select group of more than 100 culinary leaders honored by the Academy.

Family and friends gathered July 26 at MacKenzie Place, where Chef Jay Marshall, vice president of the Western Region American Academy of Chefs, presented Krauss with his Hall of Fame certificate and draped the Academy’s signature red satin ribbon and medal around his neck.

We raise our glasses in celebration of Chef Sigi’s decades of dedication to culinary excellence and mentoring generations of chefs. To learn more about his remarkable legacy, visit the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum Archives and Special Collections, which houses Krauss’ scrapbooks documenting the history of the American Culinary Federation Pikes Peak Chapter and the region’s culinary community.