Best Of :: Food & Drink
The menu says that "only grandma could make it better," but we don't see how even she could improve on the food at Santino's on Downing. Chef/owner Santino "Sonny" Rando's marinara, for example, is the red sauce of dreams, slow-simmered until the fresh, herb-enhanced tomatoes cook down into a thick, rich liquid. It's just the right consistency for ladling over Rando's cheese-packed shells; throw in a few of his wickedly salty, oil-slicked, garlic-packed rolls and a glass of top-shelf Italian wine from his well-chosen list and you have the most comforting of Italian meals. But don't think Rando can't see beyond red: Other items on the menu offer a grand tour of his prowess with sauces, from mushroom-imbued creams to Sicilian-inspired lemon-based dreams. Forget grandma's house -- it's to Santino's we go for impressive Italian fare in an intimate, inviting setting.
As fans of the unbelievably good ribs at Brothers BBQ on Leetsdale since it opened three years ago, we didn't think the British-born O'Sullivan brothers could get any better. But then they opened a second location in an old convenience store in central Denver -- a spot where they can serve cold beer alongside their hot 'cue -- and Brothers is now a real double threat. The dry-rubbed, slow-smoked, St. Louis-cut ribs are so tasty, so tender, we could eat a rack plain, but we also love the peppery, vinegary Memphis-style sauce and the sweet, smoky Kansas City-style sauce. Dem bones, dem bones.
As fans of the unbelievably good ribs at Brothers BBQ on Leetsdale since it opened three years ago, we didn't think the British-born O'Sullivan brothers could get any better. But then they opened a second location in an old convenience store in central Denver -- a spot where they can serve cold beer alongside their hot 'cue -- and Brothers is now a real double threat. The dry-rubbed, slow-smoked, St. Louis-cut ribs are so tasty, so tender, we could eat a rack plain, but we also love the peppery, vinegary Memphis-style sauce and the sweet, smoky Kansas City-style sauce. Dem bones, dem bones.
You'll be dazzled by the late-night look of Dazzle. Even after the funky dining room closes, the intimate, elegant lounge keeps things cooking, serving up down-home favorites with an upscale twist. Stumble in at midnight on a Friday or Saturday night, and you can still snag a dazzling bar burger: a quarter-pounder on focaccia with your choice of Stilton or smoked Gouda, along with exceptional thin-cut French fries. If your night's been a rough one, add some iron via a soothing salad of spinach with candied walnuts and blue cheese. Better to eat late than never at Dazzle. (Fair warning: On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, the kitchen closes at 10 p.m., and Dazzle is closed entirely on Sundays and Mondays.)
You'll be dazzled by the late-night look of Dazzle. Even after the funky dining room closes, the intimate, elegant lounge keeps things cooking, serving up down-home favorites with an upscale twist. Stumble in at midnight on a Friday or Saturday night, and you can still snag a dazzling bar burger: a quarter-pounder on focaccia with your choice of Stilton or smoked Gouda, along with exceptional thin-cut French fries. If your night's been a rough one, add some iron via a soothing salad of spinach with candied walnuts and blue cheese. Better to eat late than never at Dazzle. (Fair warning: On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, the kitchen closes at 10 p.m., and Dazzle is closed entirely on Sundays and Mondays.)
Pete's Pizza makes a righteous pie -- and that's even more impressive since all of the pizzas that come out of this kitchen are completely kosher, right down to the meat toppings. For anyone who keeps kosher but still craves America's favorite food, Pete's is a real garden of eatin'.
Pete's Pizza makes a righteous pie -- and that's even more impressive since all of the pizzas that come out of this kitchen are completely kosher, right down to the meat toppings. For anyone who keeps kosher but still craves America's favorite food, Pete's is a real garden of eatin'.
While some Japanese restaurants focus on sushi and others concentrate on cooked dishes, Domo offers the entire Japanese experience -- from the folk-art museum that depicts daily life to the Zen garden and aikido dojo to the fabulous, country-style foods. The latter includes nabemono, with many ingredients cooked together in a clay pot; yakimono, with a choice of meats or seafood in one of three sauces; and tojimono, dishes made from meats with shiitakes and seaweed, all sautéed in soy or miso broth before being steamed in an egg custard. The country-style sushi, or wankosushi, is chef/owner Gaku Homma's take on the sushi of his youth: raw seafood topped with special seasonings and served alongside little wooden bowls of rice. Domo also has an extensive sake selection; try one or two or three while sitting in the attractive dining area, which is filled with flagstone-covered tables, tree-trunk stools and delicate Japanese knickknacks.
While some Japanese restaurants focus on sushi and others concentrate on cooked dishes, Domo offers the entire Japanese experience -- from the folk-art museum that depicts daily life to the Zen garden and aikido dojo to the fabulous, country-style foods. The latter includes nabemono, with many ingredients cooked together in a clay pot; yakimono, with a choice of meats or seafood in one of three sauces; and tojimono, dishes made from meats with shiitakes and seaweed, all sautéed in soy or miso broth before being steamed in an egg custard. The country-style sushi, or wankosushi, is chef/owner Gaku Homma's take on the sushi of his youth: raw seafood topped with special seasonings and served alongside little wooden bowls of rice. Domo also has an extensive sake selection; try one or two or three while sitting in the attractive dining area, which is filled with flagstone-covered tables, tree-trunk stools and delicate Japanese knickknacks.
It's easy to have Thai restaurant ties in a town with so many good Asian eateries. One might have a superb pad Thai, another ambitious curries. But Thai Bistro has something that none of Denver's other Thai restaurants do: chef/owner Noi Phromthong. His cooking is all about the Thai philosophy of balance: sweet coconut milk, spicy chiles, sour limes, bitter herbs, all combined in ways that make the tongue sit up and take notice. And he doesn't curry favor just with his rich, complex concoctions; his modest strip-mall spot is always warm and welcoming.
It's easy to have Thai restaurant ties in a town with so many good Asian eateries. One might have a superb pad Thai, another ambitious curries. But Thai Bistro has something that none of Denver's other Thai restaurants do: chef/owner Noi Phromthong. His cooking is all about the Thai philosophy of balance: sweet coconut milk, spicy chiles, sour limes, bitter herbs, all combined in ways that make the tongue sit up and take notice. And he doesn't curry favor just with his rich, complex concoctions; his modest strip-mall spot is always warm and welcoming.
If you love Lucy, you'll love the chocolates that the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory turns out in her honor. The brainchild of Lucille Ball's children, Lucie and Desi Arnaz, Lucy's Chocolate Factory was inspired by that all-time favorite I Love Lucy episode in which Lucy and Ethel try to keep up with a speeding conveyor belt covered with chocolate. Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, the exclusive manufacturer and distributor for the sweet treats, which includes lollipops, too, rolled out the Lucy line nationwide last Mother's Day; a section of its Web site is devoted to Lucy, where both edible and inedible memorabilia are offered for sale.
