Get Your Irish Up: A Second Helping of Cafe Society, May 25-29

This week saw a number of openings and closings haunted by the spirits of Denver restaurant history. Spruce Tap House closed without notice after only seven months on Blake Street, the victim of a redevelopment project that will result in new condos. The space had seen a fair amount of turnover over the past few years, with occupants including the Blake Street Tavern (which vacated for bigger digs), Braun's and the short-lived RiNo's. The space that was quickly becoming a black hole for bars and restaurants will swallow no more eateries, though, since the entire stretch, including the River North Brewery (which is currently looking for a new home), will fall under the wrecking ball.

Across town in Wheat Ridge, Clancy's Irish Tavern re-opened in the former home of Cebiche (a Peruvian restaurant unrelated to the LoHi Cebiche) on West 38th Avenue. Clancy's had been a low-key but lovable neighborhood bar that closed last year after more than forty years on West 37th Avenue; it was also forced out because of redevelopment. The town of Wheat Ridge was happy enough to see Clancy's return that Mayor Joyce Jay and members of the city council showed up for a ribbon-cutting ceremony yesterday.

Meanwhile, Gretchen Kurtz considered the tonkotsu at Katsu Ramen, a jam-packed Japanese joint that opened earlier this year in Aurora. While she enjoyed most of the offerings, the ramen didn't leave her spellbound like the pork-heavy versions she slurped while on vacation. Instead she turned to modern broth master Jeff Osaka to find out how he gets the most out of his bones at Osaka Ramen. In other news:

RESTAURANTS/BARS OPENING THIS WEEK*
Farm House Restaurant at Breckenridge Brewery, 2990 Brewery Lane, Littleton
First Watch, 100 East 120th Avenue, Northglenn
Pourtions, 1612 Wazee Street
Union Lodge No. 1, 1543 Champa Street
Zivix Five Points, 2736 Welton Street, Suite 103

RESTAURANTS/BARS REOPENING THIS WEEK*
Clancy's Irish Pub, 7000 West 38th Avenue, Wheat Ridge

RESTAURANTS/BARS CLOSING THIS WEEK*
Centennial Tavern at Jonesy's, 400 East 20th Avenue (Closing Saturday)
Denver Deep Dish (inside the Bar Car),  819 Colorado Boulevard
Spruce Tap House, 2401 Blake Street
Sullivan's Steak House, 1745 Wazee Street (Closing Saturday)

*Or earlier, and not reported in a previous Second Helping.

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