Subject:

Food and Cooking

  • Blogs

    April 16, 2013

    DJ's Toad-in-a-Hole: Dishes with funny names can be seriously delicious

    While doing research - i.e., eating out a lot - for this week's review of DJ's 9th Avenue Café, I encountered Toad-in-a-Hole pancakes. And ever since, I've had fun thinking of other foods with humorous names. See also: - Photos: DJ's 9th Avenue Cafe opens in the Golden Triangle - Best Eggs Benedi ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 16, 2013

    100 Favorite Dishes: Lobster macaroni and cheese from Mizuna

    Suffice it to say that I eat out more than the general population, unless, of course, the general population can catalogue more than 450 restaurant meals in a year -- which is about the number of breakfasts, lunches and dinners that I stomached in 2012. Pathetic, isn't it? But all those food dates a ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 15, 2013

    Guess where you're eating? At an EatDenver restaurant if you're GTice

    Cafe Society served up five Guess Where? contests last week, ranging from a crock of macaroni and cheese topped with Chex Mix from ViewHouse, to a huge mound of green chile-smothered carne asada fries from El Alamo Mexican Bakery, a taqueria and panaderia at 3165 West 38th Avenue, to a stellar panin ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 15, 2013

    100 Favorite Dishes: Fried rice from Benihana

    Suffice it to say that I eat out more than the general population, unless, of course, the general population can catalogue more than 450 restaurant meals in a year -- which is about the number of breakfasts, lunches and dinners that I stomached in 2012. Pathetic, isn't it? But all those food dates a ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 13, 2013

    A second helping of this week's Cafe Society

    Here's a second helping of some of what we served on Cafe Society this past week: Gretchen Kurtz reviewed Punch Bowl - Social Food & Drink, and found a lot to like...even if she's not in love with the place. Mark Antonat continued his travels up Federal Boulevard, and stopped off at Pho 555. And ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 12, 2013

    Restaurants, like baseball teams, need time to work out the kinks

    People often ask why Westword's policy is to wait three months after a restaurant opens before going in for a review, rather than jumping in while the paint's still fresh. I'm sympathetic to the argument that if a restaurant is charging full price for food, it's fair game. But if fairness is the iss ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 12, 2013

    The new happy hour at Trillium makes me ecstatic

    You can sink a cheap drink at just about every watering hole in Denver, a city that's indisputably obsessed with the ritual of happy hour. The bar at Interstate Kitchen & Bar features a late-night happy hour, wherein a cooler of cold beers in cans -- barkeep's choice -- are a mere $9; the duo of dai ... More >>

  • Dining

    April 11, 2013

    Punch Bowl - Social Food & Drink: From bowling to burgers, there's a lot to like

    See also: Behind the Scenes at Punch Bowl - Social Food & Drink

  • Blogs

    April 11, 2013

    Colorado-based Tokyo Joe's is a fast-food chain that needs to slow down

    Fast-casual Japanese food like rice bowls, udon noodles and simple sushi rolls at cheap prices, served in a compact bistro environment that encourages come-as-you-are, quick-service dine-in or even faster carry-out: That's a golden dragon of a concept. But the unfortunate reality I saw while recentl ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 11, 2013

    Round two with Jose Guerrero, exec chef of ViewHouse

    Jose Guerrero ViewHouse Eatery, Bar & Rooftop 2015 Market Street 720-878-2015 viewhouseco.com This is part two of my interview with Jose Guerrero, exec chef of ViewHouse Eatery, Bar & Rooftop; part one of our chat ran yesterday. Favorite Denver/Boulder restaurant(s) other than your own: Oak at Fo ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 11, 2013

    Cliff Young adds a chef de cuisine -- and a weekly menu -- at CY Steak

    Back in the early '80s, Cliff Young's eponymous spot at 700 East 17th Avenue (today the home of Hamburger Mary's) was about the swankiest spot in town, during an era when swank was definitely in. But price point isn't the only thing that's changed in Denver over the past three decades. "Back then, w ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 11, 2013

    ChoLon refreshes its menu for spring

    Blustering snow and winter temperatures may have blown into Denver this week, but that didn't stop ChoLon from shedding its winter coat and lightening up both its lunch and dinner menus for spring -- swapping out celery root soup for asparagus soup with soy-glazed mushrooms and spring onion, for exa ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 10, 2013

    Reader: Sad to see Little Italy fall restaurant by restaurant

    Over the past year, we've lost three more of the Italian restaurants that used to blanket northwest Denver like red sauce. Pagliacci's shuttered last August, after 66 years in business; Longo's Subway Tavern closed in September, after 52 years; and Carbone's, the iconic Italian sandwich shop and mar ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 10, 2013

    Variety's not the spice at Pho 555 on Federal

    In A Federal Case, I'll be eating my way up Federal Boulevard -- south to north -- within Denver city limits. I'll be skipping the national chains and per-scoop Chinese joints, but otherwise I'll report from every vinyl booth, walk-up window and bar stool where food is served. Here's the report on t ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 10, 2013

    Denver's five best patios to celebrate the arrival of spring (despite the snow)

    The crew at Crimson & Gold, a bar near the University of Denver, apparently didn't venture outside yesterday, because while Denver's finest meteorologists had it all wrong when they predicted that the city would be snowballed by Snowzilla-Snowmageddon-Snowpocalypse, it was definitely not "patio weat ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 9, 2013

    The veggie pho at Pho Lee is just as good as at Pho 95...any Pho 95

    For vegetarians, the southeast metro area hasn't provided nearly as many options as Federal Boulevard. But now there's a new noodle house in town: Pho Lee, a sibling restaurant to the insanely popular Pho 95 outposts. And the veggie pho at Pho Lee is just as good as it is at any Pho 95 location. S ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 9, 2013

    Guess where I'm eating a pork chop...in Vail?

    I'll admit that I've never been terribly impressed with the restaurant climate in Vail, and let's face it: In a resort town like this, where a fickle public chews up their restaurants and then spits them out just as fast, you've got to be better than good to survive (unlike, apparently, our meteorol ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 9, 2013

    Does a diner label put a lid on what people will pay for a burger?

    The price tag on the burgers at Tom's Urban 24, which I reviewed last week, resulted in a flurry of comments -- a bigger flurry than we've seen in the skies today, in fact. Some readers thought the price was too high -- "$13 for a friggin cheeseburger?" -- while others said it was the going rate for ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 9, 2013

    100 Favorite Dishes: Jajangmyeon from Yong Gung Dragon Palace Chinese Restaurant

    Suffice it to say that I eat out more than the general population, unless, of course, the general population can catalogue more than 450 restaurant meals in a year -- which is about the number of breakfasts, lunches and dinners that I stomached in 2012. Pathetic, isn't it? But all those food dates a ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 9, 2013

    South Denver Beer Fest in Littleton will feature breweries-in-planning alongside the pros

    Colorado breweries continue to open at a rapid pace in 2013 -- and they're typically swamped the minute they open by beer fans eager to sample their brews. But breweries-in-planning don't usually get a chance to put their products in front of customers (paying customers, anyway) ahead of time. That ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 8, 2013

    Brunch at Beast Bottle, a beer dinner for The Jerk and more on this week's calendar

    Snow may hit late tonight -- what better place to hole up than Beast Bottle? The new restaurant just introduced a mid-day brunch menu in anticipation of nice weather, but it should work just fine on a snowy day, too. Brunch service currently runs Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a..m. to 2:30 p.m. C ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 8, 2013

    Reader: If you pollute your body with piercings and tattoos, expect low-paying service jobs

    While it sometimes seems that hip new restaurants require that employees have cool tattoos and piercings, other spots have strict policies against piercing, tattoos and other body ornamentation. Jenn Wohletz went after such prudey-pants policies last week, in her list of five reasons restaurant empl ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 8, 2013

    Vegan ginger muffins for a soothing breakfast on Meatless Monday

    Breakfast might very well be the most important meal of the day, but some people just can't find the time for breakfast -- or don't feel like eating that early. These light, fluffy muffins are one solution: Packed full of ginger (and with an accompanying bite), you can make them and then stash them ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 8, 2013

    Guess where you're eating? At an EatDenver restaurant if you're AyPapi

    Cafe Society served up five Guess Where? contests last week, ranging from a classy cocktail from the newly remodeled Jax Fish House, to a flight of several beers from the aptly named World of Beer, to a French toast torta from a diminutive Mexican sandwich shop that also turns out tricked-out breakf ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 8, 2013

    Guess where I'm eating a meat-centric molcajete?

    There are plenty of usual suspect dishes at this Mexican restaurant, but there's also a whole section devoted to seafood, much of it excellent, and lurking somewhere between the whole snapper and the enchiladas is the smoking molcajete crowned with every meat imaginable. Can you guess where I'm eat ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 5, 2013

    Five reasons restaurant employees should be allowed to have tattoos and piercings

    Being stylish has its price: For restaurant employees, having a tongue barbell, ear plugs, bright pink locks or an anime tattoo on their arms could get them fired, bitched at -- or not hired in the first place. An unconventional look with body modifications and Manic Panic really should not be a det ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 5, 2013

    Little Carmine's Italian Sandwiches opens on Penn

    For nearly twenty years, Carmine's on Penn Italian Restaurant has been stuffing Denver with its heaping bowls of gourmet pasta. Though Carmine's pricing is often as bloated as its patrons' bellies -- largely due to serving sizes that are injurious for a single person to consume -- the restaurant jas ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 5, 2013

    Guess where I'm drinking a Soiled Dove?

    I used to love this rough bar back before it was turned into a restaurant. It was the only place in town that would serve you up to 1:59 a.m. Now that it's remodeled, I love sitting at the bar to eat. And it's not just any bar -- it's ginormous with booths around the exterior and a cocktail program ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 4, 2013

    Tonight: Great Minds Drink Alike at Central Bistro & Bar

    Central Bistro & Bar, 1691 Central Street, is hosting a beer dinner featuring Great Divide Brewery at 6:30 p.m. this evening. The restaurant still has seats available; but space is limited, so call 303-477-4582 to check availability. Keep reading to view the menu. See also: - Best Barrel-Aged Cockt ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 4, 2013

    No free munch: Blue Bonnet, the readers' choice, does charge for chips and salsa

    The Food & Drink section of the Best of Denver 2013 contained more than a hundred categories (with a dozen more food-related awards in Shopping & Services); many of those also featured Readers' choice picks. And although readers showed good taste in choosing Smashburger over McDonald's for Best Fren ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 4, 2013

    Round two with Jonathan Power, exec chef of the Populist

    Jonathan Power The Populist 3163 Larimer Street 720-432-3163 thepopulistdenver.com This is part two of my interview with Jonathan Power, executive chef of the Populist. Part one of our chat ran yesterday. Favorite Denver/Boulder restaurant(s) other than your own: I don't make it up there often ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 4, 2013

    Five Star Burgers earns its five stars with Hatch green chile -- and deep-fried banana bread!

    There is almost nothing better in the world than really good green chile spread on top of a juicy beef patty or slathered over a pile of hand-cut fries. Five Star Burgers is a transplant from Taos, and even with this city's staggering number of burger joints, Five Star manages to shine because of it ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 3, 2013

    Pho 96 keeps it warm and simple

    In A Federal Case, I'll be eating my way up Federal Boulevard -- south to north -- within Denver city limits. I'll be skipping the national chains and per-scoop Chinese joints, but otherwise I'll report from every vinyl booth, walk-up window and bar stool where food is served. Here's the report on t ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 3, 2013

    Jonathan Power, exec chef of the Populist, on fungus, the sea bass bomb and "no salt"

    Jonathan Power The Populist 3163 Larimer Street 720-432-3163 thepopulistdenver.com This is part one of my interview with Jonathan Power, executive chef of the Populist. In part two of our chat, which runs tomorrow, Power reveals his favorite Denver restaurants, his fantasy splurge and what he loo ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 3, 2013

    First Look: CHUBurger bringing "craft casual" to Longmont this week

    "We're basically coining the term 'craft casual,'" says Jason Rogers, the executive chef at the newest dining concept from Oskar Blues, CHUBurger, which is slated to open April 5. The term defines CHUBurger's approach to fast-casual dining -- sure, you walk up to the counter and put in your order ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 3, 2013

    Bonanno Brothers Pizzeria will open soon in Park Meadows -- and is hiring now

    The dining scene at Park Meadows has taken a few hits lately, with Grand Lux Cafe the most recent to leave the area. But it's about to get a heck of a consolation prize: Frank and Jacqueline Bonanno will be opening Bonanno Brothers Pizzeria, named in honor of their two sons, inside The Vistas at Par ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 2, 2013

    Euclid Hall dishes up vegetarian options for Best of Denver reader

    While some people puzzle over the readers' pick for Best Fried Chicken, Leah wants to know the specific dish readers voted for when they awarded Euclid Hall the prize for Best Vegetarian Dish in a Non-Vegetarian Restaurant. "They have pretty much nothing vegetarian on their menu," she writes, "so if ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 2, 2013

    The five best vegetarian/vegan dishes in Denver

    Denver's a great town for vegetarians and vegans, as the Best of Denver 2013 attests. In that issue, you'll find accolades for Best Vegetarian Green Chile and Best Vegan Market, as well as many more green categories. But if you're looking for the best plant-based dishes in the city, look no further ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 2, 2013

    Two Rock Bottom brewers will open Lowdown Brewery and Pizzeria on Lincoln Street

    Two brewmasters with the Colorado-based Rock Bottom chain will strike out on their own this fall by opening a full-scale brewpub and pizzeria in a high-profile spot between Capitol Hill and the Golden Triangle neighborhoods. Unlike most of the tap rooms that have opened recently around Denver, Lowd ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 2, 2013

    Burger King's spring menu: "Game-changing" turkey burger scores a few points

    I am always skeptical when anyone calls anything unrelated to sports a "game changer." And when the allegedly "game-changing" item is a turkey burger at Burger King, my eyebrow hits my hairline. I caught this description in a random Internet story about how, with its spring menu rollout, BK became t ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 1, 2013

    An American Craft Spirit & Cocktail Showcase, an oyster extravagaza and more on this week's calendar

    The Boulder Theater is hosting the High West Oyster Fest tomorrow, April 2, with live music by local funk band Juno What?! and fresh oysters courtesy of Jax Fish House (its LoDo outpost was this year's Best Seafood Restaurant); Odell's Brewery will be pouring its Emersum Oyster Stout. The event also ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 1, 2013

    From A to Z, Alamo Drafthouse to Zanitas: Restaurant roll call for March

    Over a dozen restaurants opened in March, ranging from the ambitious Beast Bottle to Beantree Coffee & Deli. By contrast, only a handful of eateries closed their doors, including Big Easy and Grand Lux Cafe. Keep reading for our Restaurant roll call for March. See also: - Photos: ViewHouse Eatery ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 1, 2013

    Guess where you're eating? At an EatDenver restaurant if you're Jeremy Anderson

    Cafe Society dished out four Guess where? contests last week, ranging from a margarita from the new Ay Caramba!, to a glass of beach-y rum punch from the Cherry Cricket to a plate of superb lamb chops from a restaurant whose chef just nabbed our Best of Denver Best Chef award.

  • Blogs

    April 1, 2013

    Guess where I'm eating a steak that would make a cow cringe?

    If you're going to call yourself a bona-hide steakhouse, then for the love of cows everywhere, hire a kitchen staff that understands the concept of temperature, specifically mid-rare. This barn of steer doesn't have a clue, delivering the first slab of steer so beyond well-done that it was inedible; ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 29, 2013

    Denver's five best homegrown, fast-casual chains -- from Noodles to Chipotle

    Fast-casual restaurants are taking over the world, one burrito, burger and bowl of pasta at a time, offering customers the convenience of quick-service joints and some of the atmosphere and ingredient quality of sit-down places. And given Colorado's casual lifestyle and entrepreneurial spirit, it's ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 28, 2013

    Reader: Bonanno Brothers Pizzeria will help Park Meadows

    Grand Lux Cafe closed in Park Meadows last week. According to the Park Meadows website, the mall (inside or out) still has Brio Tuscan Grille, California Pizza Kitchen, Champps, Cru a Wine Bar, Earl's, La Sandia, P.F. Chang's, Red Robin, Thai Basil, White Chocolate Grill and two restaurant/pubs in N ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 28, 2013

    Pei Wei Asian diner isn't "east of usual"-- but it's north of expectations

    I have yet to find my go-to Chinese restaurant, chain or otherwise, in Denver. And not from lack of trying. I have favorite Japanese/sushi, Vietnamese and Thai spots all over town, but the best I have scrounged up for moderately priced, decent Chinese is effin Panda Express. And yes, I'm fully aware ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 28, 2013

    Guess where I'm drinking a margarita?

    I had low expectations for the margarita at this new Mexican restaurant. But while it didn't make me howl with glee, it was far from the worst marg I've had. With any luck, this restaurant will stick around longer than the space's last tenant -- and I'll be able to get another taste. Can you guess ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 27, 2013

    Celebrate National Paella Day at Ondo's today

    It's National Paella Day! And Ondo's Spanish Tapas Bar, 250 Steele Street, is celebrating with a deal on made-to-order versions of the traditional Spanish dish. See also: - Reader: Before you judge a dish like paella, see if it tastes good - Cooking with Pete and Barb Marczyk: Paella - Ondo's Spani ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 27, 2013

    Masterpiece Deli closing for an overnight renovation

    The Best of Denver 2013 has hit the streets, and LoHi is again our Best Restaurant Neighborhood. At the end of 2012, the LoHi Merchant Group did a count of all the eateries in the area, and came up with over fifty -- more than double the count from six years ago. And while new spots are opening all ... More >>

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