Jon Nicholls is no stranger to making rescues flying medevac helicopters out of Buckley Air Force Base with the Colorado National Guard. But recently he found himself in need of a helping hand.

He purchased the Brickhouse Bar & Grill, 424 S. Nevada Ave., about a year ago and was quickly sinking into debt. That’s when he sent a SOS to the producers of “Bar Rescue,” a reality TV series on Spike. It stars Jon Taffer, a longtime food and beverage industry consultant specializing in nightclubs and pubs, who offers his professional expertise plus renovations and equipment to desperately failing bars in order to save them from closing.

“I’ve sunk my life savings into this bar and now I’m almost $300,000 in debt,” Nicholls wrote in his appeal for a spot on the show. “I’m in a rough spot. I am asking, no I am begging, for you to come help us turn this place around. I’ve done hundreds of rescues in medevac operations overseas and now I’m asking for a rescue of our own.”

His ask worked.

Taffer showed up July 28 to Aug. 9 to get the bar back on the rails. The result is a new name: Garrison Tavern. Other changes include the decor being polished up, featuring a Colorado theme with outdoor sporting photos, and new furniture that gives the feeling of a mountain cabin. Future plans include a patio in the front and a double-deck patio in the back. Expect dueling pianos on Wednesday evenings and brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. The menu got an overhaul, too, with a small selection of items including a burger, wings, loaded hash brown skillet, Philly rolls and cheesy waffle sticks with smoky tomato soup.

Nicholls has hired Jayz Wingz Catering to operate a to-go menu available 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily with delivery within 20 minutes or less in a four-mile radius of the bar. Details: 645-8904, facebook.com/garrisontavern.

Some like it hot

Can’t decide what level of heat you’d like for your roasted green chilies?

Alice Robinson, one of the family owners of Spencer’s Lawn and Garden Center, 1430 S. Tejon St., is here to help. Spencer’s Chili Fest takes place at the Tejon Street location 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sept. 10. Cheese and roasted green chili quesadillas are made with the five varieties of chilies they sell. You can sample the heat level of the chilies before you buy. Roasted green chilies are available at the Fountain location at 4720 Center Valley Drive, too. Details: 632-2788, spencersgardens.com.

Taste gets upgrades

Taste, the restaurant at the Fine Arts Center, 30 W. Dale St., is closed for a month for renovations and acoustic improvements. The eatery will reopen Sept. 22 for pre-theater dining only. Lunch has been discontinued.

Saucy cook-off

The much anticipated pasta sauce cook-off during the TESSA Pasta in the Park event proved to be a tasty affair again this year. Firefighters are legendary for the hearty food they prepare during duty shifts. So, not surprisingly the Colorado Springs Fire Department gathered the most gold token votes for its “Three Alarms” team.

Team members included new Fire Chief Ted Collas. Angela Hines, Diane Dillinger and Collas’ wife, Stacy, who prepared their “Spicy Vodka Sauce with Italian Sausage.”

Second place went to the Partners in Housing team led by Common Cause Catering’s Jeff Zearfoss and Melissa Lofton for their “Local Relic Beer Bolognese.” Ziebelli’s Cucina’s “Enchantment Under the Sea(food) Lobster Cream Sauce” took third place and was created by Merri and Butch Ziebell and Madelyn Fleckenstein.

Lunch and prime rib deals

At Rocco’s Italian Restaurant, 3802 Maizeland Road, for lunch you can choose from five entrée specials for $5.95 each, including chicken parmigiana, fettuccine Alfredo, lasagna with sausage or meatball, sausage sub or meatball sub. Lunch deals are offered 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays. Wednesdays starting at 4 p.m. it’s Prime Rib Two for One while supply lasts. For $21.95 you get two 8-ounce servings.

Details: 574-1426, roccoscolorado.com.

Smoke ’em if ya got ’em

A Steak and Cigar Dinner takes place on the patio of Paravicini’s, 2802 W. Colorado Ave., 1 p.m. Sept. 18. For $50 per person you get salad, bread, a hand-cut 14-ounce rib-eye steak, vegetables, potatoes, pasta, fried hot peppers and cigars. Details: 471-8200, paravicinis.com.

‘KVOR Table Talk’

The “KVOR Table Talk” radio show at 1 p.m. Saturday is benched for the AFA football game against the Abilene Christian Wildcats. Go Falcons!

–

Send tips about restaurant openings, closings and specials to teresa.farney@gazettedev.gazette.com, 636-0271, Twitter: @tffoodie or Facebook Teresa Farney.