Comments (0) Best southwestern restaurant - 2000
Table Mountain Inn Restaurant
1310 Washington Ave.
Golden, CO 80401
303-216-8040
The tastes of the Southwest have become such a caricature of themselves that it's hard to know what's really Southwestern anymore. But a stop at the Table Mountain Inn, a quaintly decorated getaway that's eye-catching without being kitschy, will quickly help clarify things. The restaurant is a casual spot that feels upscale but remains comfortable, filled with well-chosen art and appealing upholstery that evokes the Southwest without satirizing it. The food follows suit. The menu is a carefully chosen array of gourmet dishes and Old West favorites with a twist -- in the spirit of true Southwestern cuisine -- and the cooking is done with flair. Try the deep-fried tortilla shells filled with lobster and minced vegetables, or the heady wild-mushroom "tamales," or a house-cured, tequila-spiked trout that sports a nice citrus tang. Then head straight for the chiles rellenos, pepper-Jack-packed Anaheims covered with a crispy shell and smothered in a sweet green chile. Just be sure to leave room for the killer chocolate taco. Or simply decide to stay the night and start eating all over again at brunch, when all of the classic Southwestern ingredients -- chiles, avocado, cheese, onions, spicy meats -- often land in one dish.
