Best Thai Restaurant 2001 | Thai Bistro | Best of Denver® | Best Restaurants, Bars, Clubs, Music and Stores in Denver | Westword
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Best Thai Restaurant

Thai Bistro

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.

Best Chocolates Dedicated to Lucille Ball

Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory

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.

Best Chocolates Dedicated to Lucille Ball

Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory

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.

Best New Grocery-Store Amenity

Imperial Chinese Restaurant

King Soopers scored a real coup when it bagged an outlet of the Imperial Chinese Restaurant for its remodeled Greenwood Village Store. Call anytime between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m., and your food will be ready when you are. Or stop by while shopping for staples and order a real necessity: great sesame chicken, egg rolls and many other Imperial favorites, made right on the premises.

Best New Grocery-Store Amenity

Imperial Chinese Restaurant

King Soopers scored a real coup when it bagged an outlet of the Imperial Chinese Restaurant for its remodeled Greenwood Village Store. Call anytime between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m., and your food will be ready when you are. Or stop by while shopping for staples and order a real necessity: great sesame chicken, egg rolls and many other Imperial favorites, made right on the premises.

Best Outdoor Patio -- Rural

The Wildflower at the Lodge at Vail

When spring hits, the Wildflower opens up its gorgeous patio, known as The Terrace. Situated on the backside of Gore Creek and at the base of Vail Mountain -- which means you're protected from the wind -- the enormous wooden deck offers wildflower-framed views of the mountains, with huge yellow and white umbrellas providing shelter from the sun. This is where locals gather to nibble on the Wildflower's sublime salads and to-die-for desserts -- the strawberry-rhubarb cake with kiwi sauce is a charmer -- and sip champagne while dreaming of the ski season to come.

Best Outdoor Patio -- Rural

The Wildflower at the Lodge at Vail

When spring hits, the Wildflower opens up its gorgeous patio, known as The Terrace. Situated on the backside of Gore Creek and at the base of Vail Mountain -- which means you're protected from the wind -- the enormous wooden deck offers wildflower-framed views of the mountains, with huge yellow and white umbrellas providing shelter from the sun. This is where locals gather to nibble on the Wildflower's sublime salads and to-die-for desserts -- the strawberry-rhubarb cake with kiwi sauce is a charmer -- and sip champagne while dreaming of the ski season to come.

Best Wine List

The Fourth Story Restaurant & Bar

We were looking for a well-rounded roster of wines, one with enough offered by the glass to give us plenty of sampling opportunities; with some international favorites mixed with a rarity here and there; with reasonable prices that could stretch from a casual meal to a big splurge; with a choice of a few bubblies; with some interesting domestics; and, oh, yes, maybe with some "other fun stuff." Simple, really -- as long as you're looking at the wine list at the Fourth Story Restaurant & Bar. This classy, book-filled restaurant atop the Tattered Cover has something for everyone, in every price range: low-priced Germans, mid-range Oregon pinot noirs, upscale Rhones, Merlots to fit every budget, big-legged Italians and a few Spanish and Australian options. The by-the-glass list runs the red-and-white gamut, and the sparkling section features selections from all over the map. There's even "other fun stuff," too, listed under just that title and starring such oddities as Chenin Blanc and Semillon. Salut!

Best Wine List

The Fourth Story Restaurant & Bar

We were looking for a well-rounded roster of wines, one with enough offered by the glass to give us plenty of sampling opportunities; with some international favorites mixed with a rarity here and there; with reasonable prices that could stretch from a casual meal to a big splurge; with a choice of a few bubblies; with some interesting domestics; and, oh, yes, maybe with some "other fun stuff." Simple, really -- as long as you're looking at the wine list at the Fourth Story Restaurant & Bar. This classy, book-filled restaurant atop the Tattered Cover has something for everyone, in every price range: low-priced Germans, mid-range Oregon pinot noirs, upscale Rhones, Merlots to fit every budget, big-legged Italians and a few Spanish and Australian options. The by-the-glass list runs the red-and-white gamut, and the sparkling section features selections from all over the map. There's even "other fun stuff," too, listed under just that title and starring such oddities as Chenin Blanc and Semillon. Salut!

Best Italian Restaurant

Santino's on Downing

Molly Martin
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.

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