I’m 18 rounds in, staring down the rows of shot cups lined up in front of me, and I’m going back for more. Don’t worry; it’s mustard that I’m here to taste, and now it’s time to check my notes and rank my favorites as part of the National Mustard Museum’s annual World-Wide Mustard Competition. I’m here at Colonel Mustard’s Sandwich Emporium with a team of testers comprised of local media and mustard-loving patrons brought together by owners Karrie Williams and husband, Mark Jakusovszky.
It’s just the kind of playful yet significant gathering that has made the small, independent Westside eatery much more than another deli. Thanks to their creativity and heart for the local community, Williams and Jakusovsky have created a unique restaurant and market and layered it with generosity and a welcoming community of their own.
The question is: Is Colonel Mustard’s a sandwich shop that sells mustard or a mustard shop that sells sandwiches?
“We’re an emporium,” Williams says. “That’s the way we came up with to make it more like an experience. Because when we have lines out the door, I just go and get that tray of mustard samples and keep talking to people about it.”
Get a Clue About Colonel Mustard’s
Williams and Jakusovsky opened Colonel Mustard’s in the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic after a whole lot of DIY effort. They drew the name and theme from the character in the classic board game Clue. “The characters are not trademarked; the name Clue is,” Williams tells me.
Colonel Mustard’s menu is comprised of a wide range of excellent sandwiches. Williams says it is quality ingredients that set them apart. The meats are Boar’s Head and sliced to order. Breads are baked locally by Delicias Bakery. Pretzels come from Wimbergers Old World Bakery & Deli. Gluten-free pierogis come from a local maker in Black Forest. And the breakfast sandwiches are as good as the lunch sandwiches.
“The wraps are always a fave and the cool case has exceptionally nice desserts and other offerings,” says long-time regular customer Barbara Fanning. “Now and then there are soups made by other local businesses, all wonderful as well. My personal favorite is the Ginger Curry Chicken Salad. I regularly get a double order to bring home and enjoy.”
Colonel Mustard’s sandwiches have become favorites of many locals, catering clients and visitors to Colorado Springs, especially those that search for nearby restaurants after riding a shuttle bus back to nearby Norris Penrose Event Center after visiting Cheyenne Mountain Zoo or Seven Falls.
But the restaurant concept all came together around mustard, at a baseball game.
Sandwiches With a Spin
Williams had been managing the market at the former Garden of the Gods Cafe and mulling with Jakusovsky how she could open her own restaurant.
“We started thinking about what would make us different than just a sandwich shop,” she says. “We had to have some other angle, something nobody else had.”
They were at a ballpark eating hot dogs when inspiration struck. “I just looked down and went, ‘Mustard. We can sell mustard,’” Williams says. “I had no idea there were 6,000 mustards. I didn’t know so many countries made mustard. I just knew that baseball players made [signature] mustard after they retired. I like mustard. I always have liked mustard. But I started doing some research and said, ‘Wow, I can fill a lot of shelves.’”
Fill them she has.
Colonel Mustard’s now sells 120 varieties of mustard. As Williams gives me a tour around the restaurant, she points out mustards from all over the U.S. and around the world: France, Ireland, Germany, Poland, Denmark, Sweden, Canada (the largest mustard seed exporter in the world, she says) and more.
“I lived in New Mexico, so I have a green chile, a red chile and a Hatchup. It’s made with Hatch chile ketchup,” she says. “So I am an equal opportunity condiment provider.”
But in reality, the mustards rule by far.
“We have mustard soda pop. We have mustard popcorn. We have mustard potato salad. We have mustard ice cream,” Williams says.
That ice cream? It shouldn’t work, but it does. And it’s delicious.
Friends and customers now bring her mustards from their travels, and there is a display case of unusual mustards and mustard paraphernalia from all over the world.
“Mustard is so versatile,” Williams says. “We’ve got burgundy peppercorn, ginger curry. I’ve tried to find some weird ones that are hard to find.”
There is definitely a wide variety of mustards in our group tasting. Through Williams ties to the National Mustard Museum, Colonel Mustard’s and their invitees have served as some of the judges from around the U.S. who help select the Grand Champion. The contest began with 600 entries. Those were judged at the museum with winners chosen for each of the 18 categories.
Our tasting began with those 18. Our task: Rank them all in order of our favorites. Categories ranged from American Yellow and Deli to Dijon, Coarse-Grained, Sweet-Hot to Fruit, Spirit, Garlic and Exotic. And that is just a few. After Jakusovsky compiled the votes from all 13 judges and ran them through some complex math and statistical analysis, our group winner was the Exotic, which boasted a savory blend of ginger and curry. Runners-up were Herb/Veggie and Deli.
The Grand Champion and all the winners’ identities will be announced and revealed on National Mustard Day, Aug. 1. Yes, there will be a celebration that doubles as Colonel Mustard’s birthday.
Bringing People Together
Our small event is quintessentially Colonel Mustard’s: a small, fun gathering of colleagues, neighbors and friends, old and new, revolving around food.
“We do mustard theme dinner parties, and that’s a lot of fun,” Williams says. “Every course has mustard in it.”
Those seat 16. There’s been a murder mystery dinner with the Clue theme. There has been a mustard cocktail called Colonel Mustard in the Library with a Dagger. There are holiday dinners. Watch Colonel Mustard’s social media for those to pop up, but act fast, they sell out quickly.
There are also cribbage events on the 15th of every month. They are ticketed, and all the money goes to a local nonprofit host.
“We give it away,” Williams says. “Not that we have tons to give away, but this community is important to me. I’ve lived here over 30 years, and there are so many good organizations that benefit.”
It’s all part of the Colonel Mustard’s way. Share the love. Pass the mustard.
Explore the menu and find hours and details at colmustardsandwich.com. And don’t miss the covered patio in back of the restaurant with a surprisingly great view of Pikes Peak.
