A few weeks ago, Diana DeGette, Colorado’s representative for the 1st Congressional District, had lunch with Ken Salazar, the Colorado senator who’d early on been rumored to be in the running for a position in the Barack Obama cabinet. “No, it’s not going to happen,” he told her. Yesterday, it…
Schur Success Auctions is advertising a January 5 auction of the contents of French 250, the fancy French joint that had Jason Sheehan all haute and bothered when he reviewed the place this spring. But six months later, owner Ted Reece (right) abruptly closed his restaurant at 250 Steele Street. And now the contents — “lots…
Nation’s Restaurant News, the bible of the restaurant industry, has reported that David Giesen, who owns Steak Escape and Johnny Rockets franchises in Colorado, on Monday filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. According to court filings, his Giesen Restaurant Enterprises LLC and Rocket Restaurant Ventures LLC have debts of between…
Mezcal kicked off its fifth anniversary celebration last night, a five-day affair full of five-buck deals through December 20: five-hour happy hours, five tacos for $5, five tamales for $5, tequila shots and coin-style margaritas for five bucks. (BTW, we’d pay five times that for a plate of the barbecued lamb ribs,…
Sharles Johnson had a day in court on December 9 — but it wasn’t quite the day he’d planned. As I reported in the December 3 feature article “Sharles Johnson Is a Hero to His Children — and the Arch-enemy of Jefferson County,” Johnson was arrested at his Illinois home…
At parties and openings, all the talk is about who’s going to take Ken Salazar’s seat in the U.S. Senate — it’s a lot more fun than talking about the economy — and what spot might then open up. If outgoing Speaker of the House Andrew Romanoff gets the nod,…
Every Tuesday through the end of March 2009 (when we unveil the Best of Denver 2009) we’ll be posting a list of some of our favorite Denver dishes/restaurants on Cafe Society. Have a request? A comment? Post it below. Jason Sheehan just reviewed Elway’s Downtown, which he says is no fun at…
Bones looks like it will win the battle to be the first of the town’s new noodle houses to open. Frank Bonanno’s place at 301 East Seventh Avenue already has its name — the restaurateur’s childhood nickname — etched on the windows, and the renovation of the space inside (the old…
Today, Wichita. Tomorrow, the world. Smashburger — with its secret process that creates what Jason Sheehan called “meat candy” — has been a smash since the Colorado-based concept opened its first restaurant at 1120 South Colorado Boulevard two years ago.Since then, the owners have opened six more spots along the Front…
Last month, the Santa Fe Tequila Company at 901 West Tenth Avenue (shown above)abruptly closed its doors — shortly after opening a second outlet in Littleton. Although Jason Sheehan wasn’t a big fan of the original spot, which was close to empty when he visited it this summer, he’s no…
On Monday, Governor Bill Ritter offered Colorado journalists an advance look at what we can expect from the next legislative session: belt-tightening. But there’s one sure, if risky, way to fill Colorado’s coffers: Sell the Senate seat that could soon be vacated when Senator Ken Salazar moves to a Secretary of…
A few days ago, we noticed the sign on Jesse Morreale’s new hotel/retail/restaurant project at First and Broadway, which noted that a restaurant named Sketch would be going in. Sketch, of course, was the name of Morreale’s short-lived concept at 250 Steele, in the space now occupied by Tambien. But…
It looked like the year’s coolest project: turning the old EZ Mop building at 1223-1227 East 17th Avenue into a bar, with a renovated interior but the original EZ Mop sign out front. The advertising possibilities were endless: “Come sop up some alcohol at EZ Mop”; “A few drinks here, and…
While the Obama cabinet carousel — Ritter! Salazar (Ken)! Salazar (John)! Michael Bennet! Salazar (Ken, again)! — continues to go ’round, with a name thrown out each week (although now, with Ken Salazar back in the ring for Interior, we’re on repeats) — Colorado’s top Dems will gather at the Governor’s…
The Lancer Lounge at 233 Seventh Avenue is one of this town’s great dives, a spot where you can always count on a collegial evening of drinking, as Drew Bixby recently reported in Drunk of the Week. What you can’t count on is finding food there. The most recent…
Since 1951, Gennaro’s Lounge has been a landmark on South Broadway. Joe Gennaro opened the place; his son, Leonard, ran it for decades. And when Jason Sheehan visited Gennaro’s last year, he found it a classic example of the kind of neighborhood Italian joint that you find across…
In his review this week, Jason Sheehan lauds the food at Elway’s Downtown — but laments its lack of fun, such a critical component in the success of the original Elway’s. Still, the joint was jammed last night, with drinkers packing the lounge and diners digging into steaks. And they…
Denver’s 150th birthday is turning out to be a bust, with the financial crisis the major party pooper. Civic leaders have been brainstorming how to keep Colorado’s economy from falling any further. Yesterday, they gathered with Mayor John Hickenlooper and Governor Bill Ritter at the Denver City & County Building…
Let’s hope that the music and food at Blues on Blake Supper Club (at 1925 Blake Street, in a space formerly occupied by the Dugout) is better than the proofreading,since the new club recently posted an ad that it was IMMEDIANTELY HIRING FOR SERVERS/BARTENDERS. “We are an exciting new club,…
For many, many years, this storefront at 6901 East Colfax Avenue was home to the Drift Inn. But eventually, that classic saloon drifted into history, and the space was turned into Joe’s West of Memphis, an BBQ joint with an Elvis-heavy vibe. But Joe’s went south, too. Next up: the Spinnin’ Chicken, a family-owned rotisserie chicken…
Word just came down that Root Down, the new field-to-fork, small plates restaurant that’s recycled an old service station at1600 West 33rd Avenue, has an official opening set for Friday, December 19. And owner Justin Cucci should have no problem making that date, because the restaurant had to secure its certificate of…
The 24/7 cafeteria at Children’s Hospital has long been known for its pancakes, which survived the trip from the old facility in central Denver out to the new Children’s campus in Aurora. Years ago, Westword columnist Marty Jones flipped over the flapjacks in his Consumed column; just this fall, renowned restaurateur Frank Bonanno (of…
