Fair Game

As for accusations of out-of-state vendors coming in, Menos says, "We're always looking for -- and will always give preference to -- Colorado restaurants." But sometimes Colorado restaurateurs aren't interested. When Philadelphia Filly left, Menos says they asked several local restaurants if they wanted to fill the spot. None did.

As for the Taste's cut of the proceeds, Menos says it all goes back into the Taste. "We view this event as a kind of forty-plus-hour fiscal year," he explains. Although the fees may be a bit higher than at other festivals, the Taste also provides its vendors, and guests, with more services, hiring somewhere between 2,000 and 3,000 people over the course of the event.

Location Info

Map

1515 Restaurant

1515 Market St.
Denver, CO 80202

Category: Restaurant > American

Region: Downtown Denver

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Samba Room

1460 Larimer St.
Denver, CO 80202

Category: Restaurant > Seafood

Region: Downtown Denver

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Damascus Grill

1399 W. Littleton Blvd.
Littleton, CO 80120

Category: Restaurant > Greek

Region: Southwest Denver Suburbs

J's Noodles & New Thai

1842 S. Parker Road
Denver, CO 80231

Category: Restaurant > Thai

Region: Southeast Denver

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• Sally Rock
• Steve Gjevre
• Dale Goin
• Eating Out
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Bottom line, the Taste is a huge amount of work under grueling conditions. The hours are long, the work demanding, the ultimate payoff a crapshoot. In short, it's a four-day weekend that exactly mirrors the restaurant industry as a whole. There are winners and losers, guys who make it and guys who don't, good years and bad.

The only big difference is that come Monday, it'll all be over -- until Taste of Colorado 2007.