Reader: Squeaky Bean shows that Denver is not on the cutting edge of the food scene

Is the food at Squeaky Bean overrated? Gretchen Kurtz loved almost everything she tried there while dining out for this week's review (not the fried chicken ballontine, however), but other diners have a few bones to pick with her. See also: - Review: Squeaky Bean could write the book on...

By Patricia Calhoun

October 19, 2012

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Is the food at Squeaky Bean overrated? Gretchen Kurtz loved almost everything she tried there while dining out for this week's review (not the fried chicken ballontine, however), but other diners have a few bones to pick with her.

Says Den_Food:

To even speak French Laundry in the same breath as Squeaky Bean is an abomination to foodies everywhere. I have to agree with Cap_Hill_Cowboy in the sense that yes, the food was good, inconsistent yes, and to be honest, didn't necessarily blow my mind.

I hate to break it to my fellow Denver-ites, but we are simply not on the cutting edge of the food scene here. I travel to NY and LA regularly, and have to admit; ideas such as Squeaky, Linger and Green Russell have been institutions in these cities for 5-10 years.

Let's just pump the brakes a bit and perhaps get some additional experience under our collective belts before we go espousing on how ground-breaking our copy-cat chefs are here in the mile-high city.

Is Den_Food being too harsh? Or did Kurtz go too easy on Denver's "copy-cat" chefs? Meow...

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Patricia Calhoun is editor-in-chief of Westword, the alt-weekly she co-founded in September 1977. She’s been inducted into the Colorado Press Association Hall of Fame, the Association of Alternative Newsmedia Hall of Fame and the Colorado Restaurant Association Hall of Fame. She’s also received dozens of local, state and national awards for writing, including first place for feature writing and first place for column writing with the Society of Professional Journalists. Patricia is a weekly commentator on Colorado Inside Out, PBS 12's public affairs roundtable, which has won two Emmys.

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