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Life and Death

The re-animator resurrects traditional tapas at The 9th Door.

A A A Comments By Jason Sheehan Thursday, Jul 7 2005

...continued from page 2

Mark Manger

Open invitation: The 9th Door is a welcome addition to Denver's tapas restaurants.

Location Info

Map

The 9th Door

1808 Blake St.
Denver, CO 80202

Category: Bars/Clubs

Region: Downtown Denver

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Details

1808 Blake Street, 303-292-2229. Hours: 4:30 p.m to 2 a.m. Monday-Saturday

Ensaladilla: $5
Pimientos: $5
Alcachofas: $5
Patatas bravas: $3< br>Serrano y membrillo: $5
Serrano y manchego: $5
Serrano and asparagus: $3
Calamares: $7
Albondigas: $6
Morunos: $8
Gambas: $8
Fried goat cheese: $2

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In adapting the theme of drunken, lazy, artistic Spanish dining, the 9th Door has deliberately painted itself into a good culinary corner -- forcing the kitchen to stay true to the influences of Spanish cuisine and the bar to the ideal of fully-tanked Spanish drinking habits. Perhaps the best trick Wahaltere and company borrowed in their creation of this eatery was the near-magical ability of some restaurants to generate a constant buzz in the frisson between a casual, comfortable space and a kitchen capable of performing just above the expectations of their customers. Nearly every plate on this menu -- from the tiny fried balls of goat cheese drizzled in spiced honey on the happy-hour menu to the plate of gambas al ajilloamong the tapas calientesthat mixes garlic, chile pequin and huge shrimp in a tangle of aggressive yet complimentary flavors, to blood orange sorbet drizzled with chocolate sauce for dessert -- offers something unexpected, some combination of flavor and texture you never saw coming.

But then, that's the last, best trick of the zombie movie, too. You never see the monsters coming until they're right on top of you. And by then, it's too late. You're caught.

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