Check, Please!

Q:Where can I find breaded mushrooms?

A:It seems like breaded mushrooms should have gone out of fashion at the end of the ’70s along with Jell-O molds, hash brownies and wrapping everything in bacon — which, by the way, is making a huge comeback — but despite health issues and the fact that there are simply more munchie choices available these days, many places in town still carry the fun-guys, dressed in all manner of breaded attire. The problem, then, is finding good breaded mushrooms that aren’t too watery or too greasy.

Recently I tried a paper-lined basketful of ’em at Spanky’s Roadhouse (1800 East Evans Avenue, 303-733-6886), very small and cute button ’shrooms surrounded by a thin shell of a batter that held a fair amount of good grease and let out a little puff of air at the first bite (watch out, though — those suckers stayed hot for a while). The Park Tavern (921 East 11th Avenue, 303-832-7667) also makes a mean mushroom, with deep-fried baubles more in the big and meaty category. Bonus: The Tavern has them on its late-night menu, which is served until 1 a.m.