Gratuitous food porn: Masterpiece Delicatessen's cassoulet

It may be an unseasonably warm winter in Denver this year, but we're still craving cassoulet, the bean and meat stew that's chock full of sausage and duck confit. Normally, that means braving the wait for a table at Z Cuisine, 2239 West 30th Avenue, where cassoulet is on the...

By Laura Shunk

December 27, 2010

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It may be an unseasonably warm winter in Denver this year, but we're still craving cassoulet, the bean and meat stew that's chock full of sausage and duck confit. Normally, that means braving the wait for a table at Z Cuisine, 2239 West 30th Avenue, where cassoulet is on the menu year-round.

But now that we've sampled the rendition made at Masterpiece Delicatessen, 1575 Central Street, we'll run over there every time it's run as a special.

The sandwich shop makes a near perfect version of the stuff: toothsome white beans bathed in a thick, buttery broth. That was topped with a couple of crisp strips of bacon and a crunchy fat-roasted duck leg.

We're pretty much always fans of the Masterpiece Delicatessen specials, but this was a gratifying way to kick off our holiday weekend last Thursday, and we're looking forward to the cassoulet's return.

Find the Masterpiece Delicatessen specials on Twitter.

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Laura Shunk was Westword's restaurant critic from 2010 to 2012; she's also been food editor at the Village Voice and a dining columnist in Beijing. Her toughest assignment had her drinking ten martinis and eating ten Caesar salads over the course of 48 hours. She still drinks martinis, but remains lukewarm on Caesar salads.

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