Oaxaca

Marijuana: Barack Obama says no to legalizing drugs -- but what's that mean for Colorado?

It's been six months to the day since the passage of Amendment 64, which allows adults 21 and over in Colorado to use and possess small amounts of marijuana -- and just under five months since Governor John Hickenlooper signed it into law. But even as legislators rush to finish A64-related pot bills ... More >>

Ten most interesting interviews of 2012: Artists, feminist scientists, comedians and queens

One of my favorite parts of being a reporter is getting to talk to strangers (and sometimes, friends). Even outside of assignments, I find myself interviewing waitresses, vending-machine repairmen and random people who have clearly not chosen to be in line in front of me at the grocery. This year, I ... More >>

Are these Mexicans insulting me?

How do I get my mom to accept my girlfriend?

Why do Mexicans put memorials on their rear windows?

Guess where I'm eating Denver's best salsa collection?

While Oaxaca has a different mole for every day of the week, this Mexican restaurant in Denver has a different salsa for nearly every dish on its menu -- and they're all terrific. Can you guess where I'm eating? Special bonus: Anyone who gives the first correct answer to the week's Guess Where pos ... More >>

Paxia, younger sibling of Los Carboncitos, has some catching up to do

At Pinche Taqueria, an irreverent cocktail program complements the food

As Kevin Morrison drew up plans for Pinche Taqueria, a brick-and-mortar version of his Pinche Tacos food truck, he gave a lot of thought to how to best use his newly acquired liquor license, creating a beverage board that would embody the cheeky nature of his brand.

Eleven favorite dishes from 2011 -- and one more to usher in 2012

Lori Midson​It hasn't been a good year for our economy, but it's been a stellar year for the Denver restaurant scene, which continues to produce culinary heroes and push the envelope. I can't even begin to guess how many meals I've eaten in restaurants over the past year, but I'm fairly certai ... More >>

Journalist Sonia Nazario and Su Teatro shed light on the horrors and the uplifting moments of migrant life

James Denton​ The play Enrique's Journey, adapted by Su Teatro artistic director Anthony Garcia from the book by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nazario, debuted last weekend in Denver, bringing to light the harrowing story of Central American immigrants who risk life and limb riding the top ... More >>

100 Favorite Dishes: Mole verde with carnitas from Tarasco's

Lori Midson​ No. 54: Carnitas with mole verde from Tarasco's

Is Stranahan's the punk rock of whiskey? Ask the bartender...

​Growing up in New Jersey, I was a punk-rock kid. I started with Iggy and the Stooges, the Ramones and the Clash, and moved on to Bad Brains, Fear, the Misfits, early Bad Religion, then into NY hardcore, Black Flag, Dead Kennedys, etc. As the '80s progressed, so did my punk-rock fervor. I re ... More >>

What's in a tres leches cake?

Las Hamburguesas flips mega-burgers in the kitchen of Valverde Country Club

Lori Midson​If you've ever been to the Valverde Country Club, a somewhat unsavory bar at 1319 West Alameda Avenue, then you know that the country club moniker is a little like comparing Fritos to foie gras. Still, the beers are ultra-cheap, the clientele, animated (to say the least), and now ... More >>

El Olvido brings regional Mexican specialties to South Broadway

Lori Midson​"It's gonna be Mexican, but not Mexican." So says Jorge Pingarron, who's opening El Olvido in the former Hades Bar & Grill (and South Broadway Grill, and El Ranchito, and, long ago, Mr. Steak) spot on South Broadway. And what he means by "not Mexican" is that he's not going to ser ... More >>

Ask a Mexican: What's with the trash dump in the Sonoran Desert?

100 Favorite Dishes: Beef cheek enchiladas from El Diablo

Lori Midson​ No. 86: Beef cheek enchiladas from El Diablo Sean Yontz is, arguably, the face of Mexican food in Denver, and when El Diablo, the restaurant that he co-owns with Jesse Morreale, opened last August, it did so with an ambitious menu that stretched far and above the conventional M ... More >>

Cantina Laredo hosts a preview of tomorrow's tequila dinner

​Cantina Laredo hosted a dinner and cooking class at the Centennial restaurant, 6851 South Gaylord Street, on November 8, to present new menu offerings and offer a preview of the first Jose Cuervo Tequila Dinner on Thursday, November 11. General manager Joann Harwell and executive chef Ed Le ... More >>

Ask the bartender: a spirited discussion of mezcal

​Sean Kenyon knows how to pour -- both drinks, and advice. A third-generation bar man with almost 25 years behind the bar, he is a student of cocktail history, a United States Bartenders Guild-certified Spirits Professional and a BAR Ready graduate of the prestigious Beverage Alcohol Resource ... More >>

After devilish delays, El Diablo opens to angels and demons on Friday

Lori Midson ​Jesse Morreale takes me by the hand and leads me down a narrow passageway, past the rustic wooden tequila lockers and kaleidoscopic altar littered with white candles, and into the lantern-lit dining room of El Diablo, the new Mexican restaurant at First and Broadway that he and e ... More >>

Culinary calendar for the week ahead: Melo and Lala's cake designer at Park Meadows

Melo and Lala's fabulous wedding cake.​"Carmelo's favorite color is red, which was dominant in the decor and the cake. The inside was red velvet with cream cheese fillings, alternating with chocolate cake, chocolate cream, & dark chocolate ganache (Lala's favorite). We used gold to add luxury. ... More >>

Is the number of Mexican Mormons growing?

Chef Sean Yontz to lead Mexican culinary tour in Oaxaca

Lori Midson ​After my fourth trip to Oaxaca, arguably Mexico's most vibrant food city, I'm still convinced that it's one of the most magical places on earth. The open-air markets, which seem infinite in scope and scale, are extraordinary, the people of colonial Oaxaca are some of the most int ... More >>

Did Mexicans get the short end of the stick when it comes to height?

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

Tonight: Mexican and Italian multi-course meals

A Flickr photo.Ancho chiles appear in Lola's dinner.​Lola, 1575 Boulder Street, knows Mexican food. And they'd like to educate the rest of us with events like tonight's Oaxaca Dinner, a five-course meal paired with cocktails and tequilas. Then again, if you've been craving Italian lately, yo ... More >>

Know Nothings claim to know nothing about amnesty

Part two: Chef and Tell with Sean Yontz of Mezcal, Sketch and Tambien

Lori MidsonSean Yontz with his wife Alexa​This is part two of Lori Midson's interview with Sean Yontz, executive chef of Mezcal, Tambien and Sketch. You can read part one here. Culinary inspirations: Ferran Adrià, the chef at El Bulli, because of the way he's completely changed people's perc ... More >>

Chef Elise Wiggins wants you to feel good about food

What will La Reconquista look like?

Interview with Matt Selby

Chef and Tell: Matt Selby

Photo by Lori MidsonThe tattooed knuckles of Vesta Dipping Grill executive chef Matt Selby​During the Taste of the Nation, the July 19 charity event that Matt Selby chef-chaired, he turned to me and uttered one word: "Wow." He was awestruck by the size of the crowd, but also by something else: ... More >>

Q&A with the Church's Marty Wilson-Piper

Twenty-nine years into its career, the Church recently released Untitled #23, one of its most accomplished works in an already remarkable string of albums over the last decade. We had a chance to have a candid conversation about the band's music, the true meaning of artistic significance and its daz ... More >>

It's Time

The little things will get you every time.

Cheese Quiz

How many ways can you say cheese?

Irish Ay-Yay-Yay-Yay’s

Don’t blame Ireland on the Mexicans.

Jewel of India

After a disappointing evening, this Indian restaurant is a real gem.

Man Bites Dog

Snappin' back at Steve's.

Wheel Art

Bikes are fodder for spokesman Tyler Stans.

Bite Me

Tavern Talk

A Grim Prognosis

HIV infection is soaring in the Latino population. Can El Futuro slow it down?

Think Distinct

This summer's movies could withstand the drought.

It's in the Air

Exhibits at CPAC and Gallery M illuminate the effects of light in different ways.

French Twist

Tante Louise's Duy Pham is the real thing.

Check, Please!

Readers give our food critic something to chew on.

Thrills for the week

FAD CHANCE

A WALK ON THE MILD SIDE