Barolo

Reader: Can't wait to eat Brian Laird's food again

There have been several big restaurant openings in the past month -- including Old Major and Beast Bottle -- but diners are already setting their sights on fall, when Brian Laird, longtime chef at Barolo (and most recently at Sketch and consulting with the Armoury), will open his own place, Sarto' ... More >>

Exclusive: Brian Laird opening Sarto's, a restaurant and pantry, this fall in Jefferson Park

For months, Brian Laird has been plotting under the radar, slowly and methodically working on lease negotiations for a new restaurant in Jefferson Park, and finally, just last week, Laird and his business partners, Taylor Swallow and Kajsa Gotlin, inked a deal on a century-old corner space at 2500 W ... More >>

Local restaurants plan fundraiser for former Denver chef Drew Inman, who's battling cancer

On Tuesday, February 19, several Denver restaurants -- Mizuna, Luca d'Italia, Bones, Osteria Marco, Russell's Smokehouse, Green Russell, Lou's Food Bar, Vesper Lounge, Barolo Grill and Potager -- will contribute a portion of their sales to Drew Inman, a former Denver chef, now in New York, who's bat ... More >>

Culinary calendar: plenty of beer to ring in the new year

The thirteenth annual Big Beers, Belgians and Barleywines Festival takes place in Vail this Thursday through Saturday, January 12. This winter fest features some of the most unique and rare craft beers in the country; check the website for the full lineup of participating breweries, the schedule of ... More >>

Part one: Denver and Boulder's most quotable chefs

Check back tomorrow to see another round of our favorite Chef and Tell quotes. Thanksgiving is a day that gives us food for thought and time to reflect on the things for which we're thankful - our health, our friends, our kids, our jobs and dogs, wine, and the family master baster whose glossy gol ... More >>

Photos: Barolo Grill unleashes its annual truffle feast

'Tis the season of decadence at Barolo Grill, Blair Taylor's lovely Italian restaurant in Cherry Creek North that, each year, bestows truffles upon Denver diners during its two-week truffle festival, an annual tribute to fresh black Burgundy truffles and the fall harvest of the coveted -- and far mo ... More >>

Round two with Darrel Truett, exec chef of Barolo Grill

Darrel Truett Barolo Grill 3030 East Sixth Avenue 303-393-1040 www.barologrilldenver.com This is part two of my interview with Darrel Truett, exec chef of Barolo Grill. Part one of our chat ran yesterday. What do you enjoy most about your craft? The instant gratification of pleasing a guest. I c ... More >>

Darrel Truett, exec chef of Barolo Grill, on bacon everything, truffles and "Insalata 21, 31, 41, 51"

Darrel Truett Barolo Grill 3030 East Sixth Avenue 303-393-1040 www.barologrilldenver.com This is part one of my interview with Darrel Truett, exec chef of Barolo Grill. Part two of our chat will run tomorrow. Darrel Truett has spent the entire morning on the horn, negotiating the price of black ... More >>

Joy Wine & Spirits will host a chili extravaganza this Sunday

Joy Wine & Spirits's second annual Chili Cook-off will take place this Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. in the parking lot behind the shop at 1302 East Sixth Avenue. The family-friendly block party and competition features an impressive lineup of local restaurants: Fruition, Barolo, Mizuna, Table 6, Potag ... More >>

Harvest Week launches a Platte River Luau tonight

Harvest Week is under way at the GrowHaus, the incredible cool interactive urban farm/marketplace in north Denver. The series, which is organized by Eat Denver, a group of independent restaurateurs, started with a "Praise the Lard" gospel brunch on Sunday; last night, it was "The Hedonist's Guide t ... More >>

Four Denver restaurants that deliver stellar wine service

Last week we ruffled a few feathers (and piqued some serious ire for not naming names) with our post on a recent spate of rather unfortunate Denver restaurant-based wine service fails. And while that handful of experiences ran the gamut from mildly annoying to straight-up shitshow, we can confidentl ... More >>

Round two with Pete Marczyk, chef-owner of Marczyk Fine Foods

Pete Marczyk Marczyk Fine Foods 770 East 17th Avenue, 303-894-9499 5100 East Colfax Avenue, 303-243-3355 www.marczykfinefoods.com This is part two of my interview with Pete Marczyk; read part one of Pete Marczyk's interview Rules of conduct in your kitchen: Show up; try hard; think; keep making it ... More >>

Big names on the menu for tonight's Hot Rocks Griller Challenge at Elway's

The fourth annual Hot Rocks Griller Challenge heats up this evening at Elway's Cherry Creek, 2500 East First Avenue. The party, which runs from 6 to 9 p.m., pits fifteen of Denver's top chefs against each other in a friendly competition benefiting the Denver Health Foundation.

Denver's ten best Italian restaurants

Denver has a strong Italian history -- but until the last decade or so, this town's Italian restaurants were mostly run-of-the-mill red-sauce joints that you went to more for the convenience than the food. That's changed, though, and today's dining scene is rich with inventive and stylish fare from ... More >>

Four ways to conquer your fear of Lambrusco (and the wines that'll help you do it)

Remember a couple of weeks ago, when we systematically broke down the entirely undeserved bad rap (pun intended) on moscato? That put us in the mindset of another, equally beleaguered wine that we now feel compelled to turn you onto. We already know this one's gonna be a tougher sell, because people ... More >>

Capitol Hill and LoHi face off in the elite eight of our Street 16 tourney

The choice was easy for many Cafe Society readers last week when they voted for Capitol Hill to beat out the Bluebird district in the first round of the Street 16 tournament. Now Cap Hill goes up against burgeoning LoHi in this elite eight match-up. Industry folks, eaters and supporters: Now's the t ... More >>

Capitol Hill vs. the Bluebird District in our Street 16 match-up

Capitol Hill -- specifically, Capitol Hill between Sixth and Seventh avenues -- and the Bluebird District. Each area of town has its own flavor and character, but if you had to choose one over the other, what would you pick and why? Vote below and sound off in the comments!

Denver Restaurant Week tables available at Barolo Grill, Luca d'Italia, Lola, Row 14 and more

Denver Restaurant Half Month, not surprisingly, is bringing out the glutton in all of us, and while rezzies are filling up fast, it's not too late to stamp your name on a seat at one of the 340 feedlots offering multi-course feasts between now and March 9, when the culinary orgy comes to a halt. Ton ... More >>

Reader: Besides 1120 East Sixth Avenue, what are the biggest black holes in this city?

Campagna has closed for "remodeling," leaving a gap on an otherwise hot restaurant strip. But this spot at 1120 East Sixth Avenue has been dark before; it's been revamped more times than Joan Rivers. It was the home of the legendary Dudley's, then became Chives. But after Blair Taylor closed that to ... More >>

Our favorite neighborhood liquor stores for stocking up for New Year's Eve

We're in the home stretch of the holiday season, but we've still got one more big blow-out before the post-festivity depression sets in: that epic drink-fest that is New Year's Eve. We fully acknowledge that by the time we ring in the new year, we'll be too, um, happy to taste the difference between ... More >>

With an updated menu, the revamped Barolo Grill is flying high

Slide show: Barolo Grill is flying high

Ten favorite dishes from 2011...and maybe ever in Denver

Mark Manger​There comes a moment every year -- and it's usually an alcohol-inspired moment during the holidays -- when I, after a bottle or two of wine, declare that THIS year is the BEST YEAR EVER in Denver dining, and then commence to deliver a highly passionate, self-indulgent speech about ... More >>

Photos: Barolo Grill, reviewed this week

Mark MangerInsalata di barbabietole​The last review of 2011 took me back to Barolo Grill, where a year ago I had some very mediocre meals at soaring prices -- which made me think that Barolo's star was tarnished, and the legendary restaurant no longer lived up to its reputation. When I return ... More >>

Barolo Grill and a year of changes

Mark Manger​ A year ago, after a series of lackluster meals at Barolo Grill, I begrudgingly paid a $200 tab and doubted that I'd ever return, concluding that Blair Taylor's iconic restaurant was past its prime. "Barolo Grill," I wrote, "needs to try a little harder to be Barolo Grill."

Readers: Write about fireplaces without proper photos, and you could get burned!

Jim Wills​Brrr! As the temperature plummeted last week, Laura Shunk quickly pulled together a warming list of "Denver's five best restaurant fireplaces", including the one at Barolo Grill (above). But because we wanted to post that list in time to heat up that night's dinner reservations, we ... More >>

Coffee appearances, Candy Cane Festival and more on this week's culinary calendar

​There's plenty for java junkies this week, with events celebrating new coffee partnerships and expansions in our great state. But that's just start of the food fun, which also includes the annual Candy Cane Festival and much more. Here's a taste of what's on the menu:

EatDenver's Harvest Week will sprout pop-up brunches and dinners at GrowHaus urban farm

​Tickets for Harvest Week, an annual culinary bonanza that's the innovation of EatDenver, a collection of locally owned, independent restaurants, go on sale today, but instead of Denver restaurants hosting the dinners, GrowHaus, an urban farm and marketplace at 4751 York Street (the farm rece ... More >>

Wine Spectator's top cellars award list includes 103 Colorado restaurants

​It's that time of year again. Wine Spectator has just unveiled its annual list of restaurants with admirable cellars, bestowing the eateries with tiered awards of excellence -- and giving anyone who chooses a restaurant for its wine list a handy place to start. Of the 3,700 places worldwide ... More >>

Reader: Was Brian Laird too good for Russo's?

​The news that Brian Laird, who lasted a decade at Barolo, is out after just a few months at at Russo's Kitchen Tavern , the restaurant that Peter Kudla put in his Vallagio project, has generated lots of response, including this from Tico: Know the feeling, I once ran a place where the owne ... More >>

Brian Laird says he wasn't "a good fit" at Russo's Kitchen Tavern

Lori MidsonDon't blame Brian Laird for leaving Russo's Kitchen Tavern: Blame the decor​Several months ago, Brian Laird, who'd been spearheading the burners at Barolo Grill for more than a decade, parted ways, amicably, with Barolo owner Blair Taylor and his venerable Italian restaurant. Lair ... More >>

Ex-Barolo Grill chef Brian Laird tapped to be the new exec chef of Russo's Kitchen Tavern

Lori Midson​Six months ago, Mark Dym, the owner of Marco's Coal-Fired Pizza, 2129 Larimer Street, was interviewing potential chefs to oversee a new temple of gastronomy at Vallagio at Inverness, an urbanized, retail, restaurant and residence development spearheaded by Peter Kudla, the COO of ... More >>

After thirteen years, Brian Laird breaks up with Barolo Grill

Lori Midson​Last February, fourteen Denver chefs congregated inside the Stranahan's Whiskey distillery as part of a 50top feast, an invite-only, underbelly dinner club that gives chefs the opportunity to cook whatever the hell they want for an appreciative cluster of foodniks who never know w ... More >>

Unapologetic: The need for criticism in art and entertainment.

Mark MangerChef Brian Laird visits two fans at Barolo Grill.​Laura Shunk's recent review of Barolo Grill prompted dozens of responses -- some agreeing that Blair Taylor's iconic restaurant needed to try harder, but many more incensed with Shunk's criticism. After reading both the review and ... More >>

Letters: Readers attack and defend the Highlands Mommies

Reader: Laura Shunk's post-Barolo restaurant list was rude

​In her Barolo Grill review, Laura Shunk said that she could think of three dozen places in the area where she'd rather drop $200 on dinner for two. And then she put her mouth where her money was, and offered a list of those restaurants. There's been plenty of discussion about the names on t ... More >>

Barolo Grill -- best fireplace table in Denver?

Mark MangerBarolo Grill hosts an enchanting table along that far wall.​Yes, that Barolo Grill -- the same restaurant I reviewed this week, tacking on an addendum of 36 restaurants where I'd rather drop $200 instead. Some of you call that classless. I'd rather call it putting my money where my ... More >>

$200 limit: A dozen restaurants worth the bill

Barolo Grill needs to try a little harder to live up to its reputation

Two dozen more restaurants where I'd rather drop $200 on dinner for two than Barolo Grill

Mark MangerBarolo Grill needs to try a little harder to be Barolo Grill​In this week's review of Barolo Grill, I wrote about my regret at dropping $200 on dinner for two there -- when there were three dozen restaurants in the area where I'd rather spend that kind of cash. And then I decided ... More >>

Barolo Grill and the sea of stars

Mark Manger​I can hardly believe how much the Denver dining scene has changed over the last few years. What was once a town with just a few options has become a sea of stars, with great new restaurants giving diners better choices than they've ever had before. It's an exciting time to be eatin ... More >>

Barolo Grill gets fragrant with its truffle festival: UPDATE

Photo: Kyle GarrattBarolo Grill's truffle festival is in full swing.​There was a time when diners desiring truffles would have to grab their specially trained pig or dog and hunt the ripe grounds of Italy or France. That, or fork over upwards of $2,200 a pound for white truffles. Luckily for ... More >>

Food porn: Behold last night's beast feast at the MCA

Lori Midson​Two nights ago at the MCA Denver Art Meets Beast butchering demonstration, Pete Marczyk and Jimmy "the Butcher" Cross, both of Marczyk Fine Foods, deftly dismembered a medieval-size bison carcass in front of a mesmerized crowd. The various cuts -- shanks, ribs, tenderloin, strip l ... More >>

Tonight: March of Dimes Signature Chefs Auction

​Tonight, the Colorado Chapter of the March of Dimes will host its annual Signature Chefs Auction at 6 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Denver, 650 15th Street. Tickets to the event are $150 per person and include small plates from many of Denver's top chefs, as well as live music and an auction th ... More >>

The Bite

Tofu Duty

The Bite

Bleu in the face.

Now, That's Italian

Mouthing Off

Mouthing Off

MOUTHING OFF

MOUTHING OFF