Dan Landes

Show of Force

Denver's five best comedy venues

While it's true that a venue can make or break the show regardless of the talent on stage, this is doubly true with comedy. Location, comfort level, atmosphere, drink prices and, yes, quality of performers all play a large role in whether a comedy fan will Google your location when making Saturday n ... More >>

City, O' City is doing seriously well these days -- and comedy helps

It's easy being green these days, thanks to City, O' City and WaterCourse Foods, which are already off to a big year. "Business is really good," reports owner Dan Landes. "We're seeing newer and newer faces." But that doesn't mean they're younger faces: The biggest demographic growth has been in men ... More >>

Daniel Landes on his long-awaited novel, Joonie and the Great Harbinger Stampede

Local author (and Watercourse Foods owner) Daniel Landes will be signing copies of his new book, Joonie and the Great Harbinger Stampede, tonight at 7:30 p.m. at Tattered Cover LoDo. Portions of the novel, which features art by local painter Ravi Zupa, will be familiar to diners who've frequented Wa ... More >>

Now Showing: A Westword guide to the arts in Denver

The Narrators returns with real-life storytelling at the Deer Pile

After a hiatus, The Narrators is back. The monthly evening of truth- telling was started two years ago by writer and comedian Andrew Orvedahl at Paris Wine Bar (his efforts earned Orvedahl a MasterMind); he has now enlisted his friend and Narrators regular Robert Rutherford to co-host -- and moved t ... More >>

The City Mouse launches new online magazine with readings at Deer Pile

While it often gets overshadowed by the music scene, Denver actually has a rich history of underground literature. From the Kerouac-inspired bohemian coffee and bookshops of 1960s Colfax to the Yellow Rake readings at Old Curtis Street Tavern, our city has been spawning independent works of fiction ... More >>

Reader: Star Trek outfit at a Star Wars party? Fail!

"Comics and sci-fi are the new archetypes of our culture; we relate to Star Wars and Stan Lee's characters, and we've created new mythologies through them," says Dan Landes, restaurateur and self-confessed sci-fi geek. And on May 4, Landes's City, O' City hosted a full-on orgy of nerdness with the M ... More >>

May the 4th be with you, nerds: A collection of photos from City O' City

On the calendar of nerd holidays, May 4 is certainly below Comic Con but at least a few pegs above the pirate convention that takes place each year near the airport. Yes, "May the 4th be with you," is a day every Star Wars fan can get behind obnoxiously -- and 100 percent. One such nerd is Dan Lande ... More >>

Feel the Force

Reader: My top five sci-fi films

Dan Landes loves sci-fi. And he'll prove it on Friday, when he hosts May the Fourth Be With You -- a sci-fi extravaganza complete with costume contest, live music and movies -- at his restaurant, City, O' City. Landes wouldn't reveal what costume he'll be wearing, but in anticipation of that orgy o ... More >>

Top five sci-fi films according to Dan Landes

Science fiction isn't for everyone. But those who get it, really get it. "Comics and sci-fi are the new archetypes of our culture, we relate to Star Wars and Stan Lee's characters; we've created new mythologies through them," says Dan Landes, restaurateur and self confessed sci-fi geek. And this Fri ... More >>

Jules Bethea-Rateliff and Joe Sampson talk about Joe's first official release, Kill Our Friends

See Also: Best of Denver 2008: Best Singer-Songwriter Since moving to Denver in 2000, Joe Sampson has been a highly visible member of the scene, but it's always been either as member of bands like A Dog Paloma or Bad Weather California, or collaborating on projects like Wentworth-Kersey or playing ... More >>

A Wheel Deal

Wax Trax celebrating 33 1/3 birthday in April

For years, Ian O'Dougherty (Uphollow, Ian Cooke, TaunTaun, Eolian) thought about throwing himself a 33 1/3 birthday party and having a bunch of his friends spin records. He mentioned the idea to Wax Trax co-owner Duane Davis, and when he did, O'Dougherty discovered that he and Wax Trax were both bor ... More >>

WaterCourse dumps weekday breakfasts to focus on lunch and dinner

No more weekday morning meals at WaterCourse.​Jonesing for breakfast on 17th Avenue on a recent weekday, we stopped by WaterCourse Foods, hoping to score some breakfast tacos, a plate of French toast, even a vegan pastry. But sadly, our plans were foiled: The restaurant was dark, and new hour ... More >>

Reader: City, O' City's new menu is a winner

The newly renovated City, O' City prepares for the crowds.​After a month-long renovation and expansion project, City, O' City reopened in September to both raves and rants from fans of what had been a casual hipster hangout, and is now twice as big and much more polished. Veggie Girl had love ... More >>

Justin Cucci's Root Down garden is about to expand -- big time

Root DownA sampling of produce from the Root Down garden.​Justin Cucci, owner of Root Down and Linger, has been gardening near Root Down since it opened three years ago. But he'll be the first to deny credit for what grows there. "I'm a city person," he says. "I have no green thumb in me. We ... More >>

Kelly Whitaker tends an urban garden at Pizzeria Basta

Pizzeria BastaThe garden at Pizzeria Basta, early in the season.​Kelly Whitaker, chef-owner of Boulder's Pizzeria Basta, spent every summer of his childhood on a farm -- and he hated it. "My grandfather was a farmer, and I spent every single summer on his farm, but I hated vegetables, and my f ... More >>

Granata Farms, located in Olivéa's parking lot, serves restaurants across the city

via www.localharvest.org​When Keith Arnold and Stephanie Bonin first leased the space that would eventually house Olivéa, they realized that the property abutted a piece of land leased by a rather unusual tenant: Elaine Granata was using the lot for the very urban Granata Farms. The farmer a ... More >>

WaterCourse Foods and City O' City owner Dan Landes hauls produce from suburban Hazel Rah Farm

Aurora HendricksHazel Rah tomatoes are on the menu at WaterCourse Foods and City O' City.​When Dan Landes and his family converted their Lakewood backyard into a small farm four years ago, they started planting vegetables to use at WaterCourse Foods and City O' City, the two vegetarian eaterie ... More >>

City, O' City owner: Despite the ugly talk, I tried to build something beautiful

City, O' City's new kitchen is open -- as is owner Dan Landes.​The expanded City, O' City has been open less than a week, but people have no shortage of opinions on the new, improved space -- even if they have yet to see that space in person, and have only read about it here. The comments -- ... More >>

City O' City is ready to welcome the city of Denver today

Stephanie DeCamp​"It's pretty unprecedented, what we're doing here," says City O' City chef Brendan Doyle, who's chomping at the bit to open the restaurant's expanded space today -- after more than a month off for renovations. "And we're all super-excited about it," he continues. "We use the ... More >>

Expose yourself to the spirit of the playa at Marie Vlasic's Burning Man project fundraiser

"Candice," by Marie Vlasic.​Denver artist Marie Vlasic is no Shrinking Marie, and it shows in her striking work: full frontal, super-real portraits that don't shy away from anything, make your jaw drop and sing the body electric. That considered, Vlasic is also an aficionado of the Burning Man ... More >>

City, O' City closed for August...when it will double in size

The original dining area at City, O' City...now closed for August.​Most restaurant closings are not good news. But when City, O' City closed its doors on Sunday night, it was a cause for celebration. "In a mescal-induced dance-party frenzy, we knocked the wall down between the existing space a ... More >>

City, 'O City expansion plans go to the city today

Lori MidsonThe former Moxie space will make way for an expanded City, O' City​The plans for the new, improved City, O' City go to the city today. Dan Landes, who opened the original WaterCourse Foods in the City, O City space in 1998, has now bought the whole building, which will allow for a m ... More >>

Last night: Forecasters at Paris on the Platte predicted the future

​Last night some of Denver's creative-minded people attempted to tackle the future at the first Forcasters event, a monthly presentation series that will take place every third Thursday at Paris on the Platte. As it turns out, that's not quite as easy as one would suppose, and while there were ... More >>

Forward Thinking

City O'City nabs ex-Jonesy's chef Brendon Doyle and paves the way for a big expansion

Lori Midson​Back in September, Brendon Doyle, the head chef of Jonesy's EatBar, parted ways with Jonesy's owner Leigh Jones. "I want a chef that has kitchen manager capabilities, and that's not Brendon," said Jones at the time. Doyle, for his part, made it clear that he was looking for "some ... More >>

Mobile vendors make Wednesdays at 15th and California streets a regular stop

The Steamin' Demon leads a fleet of mobile vendors to 15th and California streets​Just two weeks ago, several of the city's food trucks added a new weekly stop to their rosters: Wednesday appearances at 15th and California, the site of the Tiri's Garden farmers' market. That crowd was led by ... More >>

City O'City and WaterCourse Foods fire up the Steamin' Demon at Civic Center Park

Photo courtesy Chris MedvedWaterCourse and City O'City owner Dan Landes (l) with sous chef Max Maxfield in the "Steamin' Demon."​Denver's mobile food scene just keeps rolling. Today's Civic Center Eats Outdoor Cafe will mark the third outing for the "Steamin' Demon," a new vegetarian and vegan ... More >>

Letters: Alan Sudduth can stay behind bars, for all most readers care

Anthony Bourdain may travel the world, but he's no culinary guide

Lard of the land: John Hinman wins cherry pie fight

Kim LongThe upper crust of pastry chefs: Elizabeth Thomas and John Hinman.​It started off so innocently: Elizabeth Thomas, pastry chef forWaterCourse Foods and City O' City, was visiting her sister, who works at Marczyk Fine Foods, and got a taste of the pie that John "Haji" Hinman had been ma ... More >>

WaterCourse makes a splash at the Aveda Academy

Beef: It's what's not for dinner when Dan Landes is in the 'Dinner Impossible' kitchen

Hippie McHipster

City, O’ City should get real about its vegetarian leanings.

In a Pickle

After planting a rumor, Colterra clarifies.

The Hard Truth

Celery, I can forgive. Bad French, never.

Green Acres

WaterCourse is a growing concern.

Changing Course

How I learned to stop worrying and love seitan.

Bite Me

Having Your Cake

Best French Toast

WaterCourse Foods

Tempeh, Tempeh

Great vegetarian food requires patience.

The Bite

Denver restaurants play musical chefs.

Best vegetarian restaurant

WaterCourse Foods

Check, Please!

Readers give our food critic something to chew on.

Go With the Flow