Antony Bruno
Audio By Carbonatix
It was a slow week on both the openings and closings front, with just two new restaurants to report, two closures (including one forecasted last month) and another kitchen fire temporarily closing yet another Italian restaurant.
Here’s the roundup.
Poor Boy Po’ Boys
Last week we learned that Temaki Den’s Kenta Kamo, along with partner Isaac Woo, have teamed up on a Louisiana po’ boy concept called, appropriately, Poor Boys. The pair both hail from Baton Rouge, and have a shared nostalgic yearning for the iconic sandwiches of the region, which Kamo says is the one thing the state’s expats miss most.
“People know Louisiana for Cajun food like gumbo, jambalaya and all that stuff, but, really, what most Louisianans crave when we move out of the state are po’ boys,” he says. “Gumbo and jambalaya, we make it at home. Those are home-cooked meals, even here. Whereas po’ boys, you can only get at po’ boy shops.”
The menu features classic po-boy options like roast beef, shrimp and catfish, plus a nod to local flavors with the Catfish Denver sandwich — a fried catfish po’ boy smothered in green chile crawfish étouffée. Other LA staples like boudin ball and gumbo are also on the menu.
Poor Boys is occupying the former Acorn/Bellota space within The Source marketplace space in RiNo. The pop-up’s activation during Temaki Den’s renovation is no accident, as Kamo was initially using the space as an ad hoc kitchen for his displaced staff.
Syurp stops pouring in Cherry Creek
At the end of July, the folks behind the Syurp breakfast chain announced plans to close its Cherry Creek location on Aug. 16, and kept true to their word.
“Today is our last day at our Cherry Creek location,” the restaurant posted on Instagram. “It’s been a wonderful 16-year ride and we thank everyone who has supported this location.”
Syrup’s other four locations in Edgewater, Cap Hill, City Park and Downtown will remain open (for now) with a menu change on the near horizon.
Antony Bruno
Chili Verde closes on Federal
Brothers Eder and Hanzel Yañez-Mota opened Chili Verde in 2009 after their parents expressed disappointment at Denver’s Mexican food options while visiting from their native Mexico.
“My tastebuds had changed – food for me that was good wasn’t good for my parents, so that’s when we decided to open up a Mexican restaurant.” Eder said while reflecting on their 15th anniversary in 2024.
The restaurant survived a 2012 fire, which forced a relocation to the location at 2311 Federal Blvd. However, we learned this week that the brothers won’t be celebrating any more anniversaries, at least not there. A visit to the space confirmed that the restaurant is closed for good, although there are whispers that the family may be seeking a new location.
The restaurant was known for serving homemade chips and salsa, complex moles and crepes (a Pueblan alternative to corn tortillas), as well as margaritas made with tepache, a fermented pineapple juice.
Here’s the complete list of restaurants and bars that opened or closed this week*:
Openings
Call Your Mother Deli, 1607 Wewatta St.
Poor Boys Po’ Boys, 3350 Brighton Blvd.
Closures
Chile Verde, 2311 Federal Blvd.
Syrup, 300 Josephine St.
Temporarily Closed
GeJo’s, 7200 E. Dry Creek Road, Centennial
*Or earlier and not previously reported.
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