This weekend's featured events: Harvest Week loves that good, old-time home cookin'

Last night, I ate at the Washington Park Grille, an old standby where you maybe have to watch what you order, but where it's always pleasant, kinda like Cheers with Italian-ish food. Like a slew of Denver eateries, WPG has a special Harvest Week menu, served either as a pricey...

By Susan Froyd

September 14, 2009

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Last night, I ate at the Washington Park Grille, an old standby where you maybe have to watch what you order, but where it's always pleasant, kinda like Cheers with Italian-ish food. Like a slew of Denver eateries, WPG has a special Harvest Week menu, served either as a pricey multi-course package or in a la carte increments. Though it sounded delicious, we forewent the pan-roasted Colorado rack of lamb with Palisade peach/mint chutney, roasted Ouray potatoes and asparagus, with an intriguing Rocky Ford cantaloupe grilled cheese appetizer, Colorado grown field greens salad and Olathe sweet corn chowder. It was just too darned much food! But we did share the special dessert: a peach and walnut upside-down spice cake with vanilla bean gelato and peach-caramel sauce that was rustic but to die for; it was also studded with plump walnut halves and a caramelized layer of peaches.

That, hungry friends, is just a needle in the haystack that is Harvest Week: my slice of cake for the week. And you still have until Friday to sample local foods prepared in just about any cuisine you can think of at any of a long list of participating restaurants. Celebrate Colorado: Get a complete listing of other places to sample at Eat Denver.

For more ways to rock the night and kill the day, go to westword.com/calendar.

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Susan Froyd started writing for Westword as the "Thrills" editor in 1992 and never quite left the fold. These days she still freelances for the paper in addition to walking her dogs, enjoying cheap ethnic food and reading voraciously. Sometimes she writes poetry.

Contact: Susan Froyd

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