Hot Dog!: A Second Helping of Westword Food & Drink, February 16-20

OPENING THIS WEEK* Avery Brewing Company Restaurant and Tap Room, 4910 Nautilus Court, Boulder Balageru Restaurant & Bar, 5707 East Colfax Avenue Gathering Grounds Cafe & Board Games, 8923 East Union Avenue, Greenwood Village Goldspot Brewing (Saturday), 4970 Lowell Boulevard NOLA Voodoo Tavern and Perks, 2231 Bruce Randolph Avenue Organic Sandwich...

By Westword Staff

February 20, 2015

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Ten years can be a lifetime in restaurant years, at least according to Steve Ballas, whose red hot joint on Colfax, Steve's Snappin' Dogs, turns ten this weekend. "It's really exciting — this is a major feat in the restaurant business," he states. "Sometimes ten feels like twenty."

Running two restaurants can certainly speed up the clock a little and Ballas can't believe it's already been a year (come March 5) since he opened a second Steve's in the B Concourse of Denver International Airport. Ballas is inviting Denver to join in the ten-year anniversary celebration this weekend at the Colfax shop with free eight-ounce pours of Steve's Snappin' Ale (the chile-infused beer Bull & Bush designed specifically to complement Steve's dogs), free Twinkies and Cupcakes and free pours of limeade for non-beer drinkers. And if the party gets snowed out this weekend, Ballas says he'll extend things into next week so that everyone will have a chance to join in. So what does the future bring for the frankfurter king? "We're looking forward to more people walking down Colfax in an area that was neglected for so long," he adds.

The wurst is yet to come though, as California sausage slingers Wurstkuche get set to slide open their doors this Monday on Broadway. Although there's plenty of tube steak competition in the Ballpark and RiNo neighborhoods nearby, owners Joseph Pitruzzelli and Tyler Wilson feel they've got something new to offer: a beer hall with 50 different beers on draft and in bottles, almost all of them German or Belgian. In other news:

OPENING THIS WEEK*
Avery Brewing Company Restaurant and Tap Room, 4910 Nautilus Court, Boulder
Balageru Restaurant & Bar, 5707 East Colfax Avenue
Gathering Grounds Cafe & Board Games, 8923 East Union Avenue, Greenwood Village
Goldspot Brewing (Saturday), 4970 Lowell Boulevard
NOLA Voodoo Tavern and Perks, 2231 Bruce Randolph Avenue
Organic Sandwich Company, 1500 Pearl Street, Boulder
Uncle Joe's: A Hong Kong Bistro, 891 14th Steet

CLOSING THIS WEEK*
Habesha Ethiopian Restaurant, 5707 East Colfax Avenue
Kings BBQ, 4601 Harlan Street, Wheat Ridge

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

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