100 Favorite Dishes: Super Pass Key Special at Pass Key

No. 64: Super Pass Key Special at Pass Key The Colorado State Fair is back in Pueblo, which means you do not want to pass up one of the first vendors you see as you enter the fairgrounds: Pass Key on the Go. For more than fifty years, the Pagano...

By Patricia Calhoun

September 2, 2016

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No. 64: Super Pass Key Special at Pass Key
The Colorado State Fair is back in Pueblo, which means you do not want to pass up one of the first vendors you see as you enter the fairgrounds: Pass Key on the Go. For more than fifty years, the Pagano family has been serving classic red-sauce Italian fare at the Pass Key 50 West Restaurant in Pueblo, and for almost as long, family members have been bringing their mobile kitchen to the fair, where they sell thousands of Pass Key Specials.

And special this sandwich is: A big patty of spicy, homemade Italian sausage lands on a mini-loaf of Italian bread, grilled on the flat top to a golden brown, then is topped with lettuce, mustard and mild peppers (adding cheese makes the sandwich a Super, and also glues the ingredients together nicely).

At the fair, the Pass Key Special comes wrapped in paper — with a heaping side of down-home ambience. But if you want that added flavor, you'll have to hurry down south: The Colorado State Fair ends on Labor Day. Fortunately, Pass Key 50 West is open year-round, Monday through Saturday.

Hungry for more? All the dishes in our 2016 countdown are linked below.

No. 100: Masala Beef at Biju's Little Curry Shop
No. 99: Bacon Shrimp and Grits at Bacon Social House
No. 98: Porchetta and Kimchi Sandwich at Brider
No. 97: Squab-and-Sunchoke Tortellini at Abejas
No. 96: Housemade Burrata at Viand
No. 95: Schweinshaxe at Rhein Haus
No. 94 Kimchi Jeon at Seoul BBQ
No. 93: Zuppa Pomodoro at Parisi Italian Market & Deli
No. 92: The Ocean Salad at Sushi-Rama
No. 91: The Signature Bowl from Churn & Burn
No. 90: Green Chorizo at Los Compadres
No. 89: The Diavola Calzone at Pino's Neighborhood Pizzeria
No. 88: Biscuits and Green Chile at the Noshery
No. 87: Chirashi at Izu Sushi
No. 86: Brisket and Ribs at GQue Championship BBQ
No. 85: The Tornado at the Chowder Room
No. 84: Korean Fried Chicken Wings at Yong Gung
No. 83: A Meatball Hero at Lil' Ricci's New York Pizzeria
No. 82: Shakshuka at Stowaway Coffee + Kitchen
No. 81: Late-Night Ramen at Brazen
No. 80: Potato Tacos at El Tejado
No. 79: Corned Beef Heart at theWay Back
No. 78: The Fried Bologna Sandwich at Snarfburger
No. 77: Sweet Corn Mezzaluna at Bar Dough
No. 76: Duck Confit at Table 6
No. 75: Croque Monsieur at Fire
No. 74: Tahini Cookies at the Preservery
No. 73: The Alferd Packer Salad at MAD Greens
No. 72: The Tuna Poke Bowl at Ohana Island Kitchen
No. 71: Mini Chile Rellenos at La Loma
No. 70: The Combination Banh Mi at Vinh Xuong Bakery
No. 69: The Falafel Waffle at Moxie Eatery
No. 68: Korean Fried Duck Wings at Chow Urban Grill
No. 67: Spaghetti Alla Carbonara at Spatola
No. 66: The Classic Burger from Skirted Heifer
No 65: The Chicken Salad Stuffed Avocado at Poppies

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Patricia Calhoun is editor-in-chief of Westword, the alt-weekly she co-founded in September 1977. She’s been inducted into the Colorado Press Association Hall of Fame, the Association of Alternative Newsmedia Hall of Fame and the Colorado Restaurant Association Hall of Fame. She’s also received dozens of local, state and national awards for writing, including first place for feature writing and first place for column writing with the Society of Professional Journalists. Patricia is a weekly commentator on Colorado Inside Out, PBS 12's public affairs roundtable, which has won two Emmys.

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