Food & Drink

It’s been a long time coming, but they’re baaack! Restaurateurs and long-wedded couple, Mel and Janie Master, whose original, groundbreaking Cherry Creek food temple, Mel’s Bar and Grill, was one of the Mile High City’s most revered restaurants until it shuttered in 2007, when the duo relocated to be closer…

Joining the throngs of kids on spring break this week is the staff of Encore, who are taking the week off to revive their mojo, while executive chef Paul Reilly creates a new menu and spruces up the joint. “A la Barolo Grill style, I’m giving the staff a week…

Members of the Yelp “Elite Squad” in New York City recently received a chiding e-mail asking them, among other things, to stop acting like greedy trolls; to stop freeloading the grub; to quit auctioning off their event RSVPs to the highest bidders; and to quit bringing their entire families to…

Gordo Loco is fast gaining a reputation for its fast, filling 98-cent breakfast burrito, which it starts making at 6 a.m. every morning. But Gordo Loco offers many other burritos, including the monstrous El Diablo that was featured at its grand-opening celebration last Sunday, a month after Gordo Loco opened…

Cafe Society served up four Guess Where contests last week, ranging from a still-unidentified (and superlative) mac and cheese to soba noodles at Bones to the huge dessert plate pictured above. For correctly identifying it as coming from Virgilio’s Pizzeria and Wine Bar, KM wins an EatDenver deck…

Hush founder Michael Olsen’s attempt to get a liquor license for 250 Steele Street — where he’d like to open a more adult version of Hush, geared to the Cherry Creek crowd, in the former home of Tambien — has met with some opposition, leading to a many-hour-long hearing last…

One of the last open spots in LoDo is now full: The former Blues on Blake space opened today as 1Up, a vintage video arcade and bar that will also be serving a full bar menu — next week. For today, the food options are limited but the beverage and…

Hot off the heels of the announcement made by Naked Pizza that it’ll bust into the Mile High market comes word from another green pizza chain that Denver’s its next stop: Fort Lauderdale, Florida-based Pizza Fusion will open its first restaurant in Denver in May, in conjunction with Colorado Coalition…

Cochon 555, the porkeriffic national competition that trots into Denver on Sunday, April 3, recently announced the five Colorado chefs combating for the Prince of Porc title: Jennifer Jasinski (Rioja, Euclid Hall and Bisto Vendome); Kelly Liken (Restaurant Kelly Liken); Alex Seidel (Fruition and Fruition Farms); Frank Bonanno (Bones, Green…

It’s sometimes hard to tell which 16th Street Mall food carts have vanished for good and which are just taking an extended break, but after a craving for golden pastries stuffed with vegetables and meat — the most authentic Argentine empanadas in the city — gave way to a fruitless…

Weddings always walk that fine line between a celebration of a happy couple and blatant displays of narcissism (for instance, why else would ugly bridesmaid dresses exist than to make a bride seem all the more radiant?), but this stunt takes the cake — literally…

There’s no such thing as too many taquerias, which is exactly what Mario and Gricelda Valles thought when they opened Tacos El Fogon last month at 1145 South Federal Boulevard, along a strip of asphalt that already lays claim to more taquerias than you can fling a tortilla at. “My…

Our recent wave of warm days (how much longer can it last?) makes me want to noodle around, and here, at the restaurant where the above pic was snapped, I did exactly that. Can you guess where I’m eating? Special bonus: Anyone who gives the first correct answer to the…

Welcome to In the Weeds. Kyle will be right with you — most likely to complain about something. Usually he is pleasant, but this is his place to blow off some steam. Don’t take it personally; he just needs to vent because he’s been doing this for about thirteen years…

Restaurants have a tough time making a go of basement space, and the 250 Steele Street address has been a particularly black hole. Although Bistro Adde Brewster had a long run there, the spot has since swallowed up French 250 and a couple of Mexican joints on one side (Ondo’s…

Five restaurants debuted in as many days this week (and is that a record?): Russo’s Kitchen + Tavern, TAG|Raw Bar, Row 14, Biker Jim’s Gourmet Dog’s and Hideaway Steakhouse. And while all of them are welcome additions to the Denver dining scene, Hideaway, which chef Chris Cina opened Wednesday in…

Andrew Fejer and his wife, Adriane, were in Atlanta when they stumbled on a class that led them through painting — while providing adult refreshment at the same time. “I went in kicking and screaming,” says Andrew. “I ended up having a really good time.” Although both Highland and Cherry…

I’m sure I don’t have to tell you this, but it’s National Chocolate Covered Raisin Day. In fact, by now your chocolate-covered raisin party is likely in full swing, and all your friends are tanked on prune juice and gin. Another memorable March 24, indeed. For those of you who…