Rhein Haus Gets Buggy With Grasshopper-Topped Hot Dog

Rhein Haus feels like a quintessentially Denver restaurant — house-cranked sausages, beer by the liter, indoor bocce ball courts for the active set — but the LoDo restaurant actually has its origins in Seattle. The owners of Rhein Haus also run a Mexican joint there called Poquitos, which has become famous (or infamous, depending on how you feel about eating bugs) for serving seasoned and toasted grasshoppers called chapulines at a concession at Safeco Field, where the Seattle Mariners play baseball. The Oaxacan specialty has even been mentioned on Denver sports radio as one of the country's unique ballpark snacks — so move over, Rocky Mountain oysters, you've got some serious competition.

The Mariners are coming to Coors Field for a four-game series against our own Colorado Rockies from May 29 to June 1, so Rhein Haus is bringing the Poquitos chapulines to town to help welcome Seattle fans and give Denverites a taste of buggy fun. From May 26 through June 1, you'll be able to crunch your way through a handful of chile-lime grasshoppers at the restaurant at 1415 Market Street; they'll be topping the Ballpark Brat, a kicked-up version of a Sonoran hot dog.

In addition to the six-legged snack, the dog is also dressed with avocado cream, pico de gallo, sour cream and a housemade habanero cheddarwurst. The creation will set you back $14, which beats hopping a plane to Seattle to get your grasshopper fix.