100 Favorite Dishes: South African black ruff from TAG

No. 74: South African ruff from TAG Troy Guard, chef/owner of TAG (and soon, TAG Raw Bar), has roots in Hawaii, which may explain, at least in part, why his board at TAG swims with shellfish and fish, including things like Maine diver scallops puddled in a parsnip vanilla puree…

Uptown Brothers Brewing plans to put the brewing in its name

Nine months after Uptown Brothers Brewing Co. opened on East Colfax, the craft beer and sports bar finally has the gear it needs to back up that name. Last week, owners Paul and Nancy Lumbye bought three 31-gallon fermenters, a brite tank and the other equipment they’ll need to fulfill…

PETA can’t get its impotence billboard up in Denver

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has had a beef with Denver before, most recently when PETA’s McCruelty statue planned for the 16th Street Mall was determined to violate Denver sign ordinances. This time, PETA’s billboard of a sexy, sausage-draped model has been snubbed by the city (correction: the…

Five Super Bowl wines that score big

The Super Bowl ain’t exactly designed for wine lovers. Even though wine consumption in the United States is higher than ever, this annual football lovers’ celebration (and the vast majority of its commercials) usually revolves around that good old sporting event standby: beer. Don’t get me wrong; beer is great…

In the zone: When every dish, and plane, lands safely

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…

Top five new names for Midtown at Vallagio

As a resident of a town even further south than Vallagio at Inverness, the new development at Dry Creek and I-25 that’s now trying to call its restaurant-centric self “Midtown,” I have to admire the guts of developer Peter Kudla. By bringing a number of established restaurateurs and chefs, including…

Tonight: Winter Beer Pairing Dinner at Freshcraft

Freshcraft, the beer-centric restaurant at 1530 Blake Street, will feature a Winter Beer Pairing Dinner tonight from 5 to 10 p.m. (spots can be reserved by time slot). The dinner features five courses paired with winter brews and costs $45; for more info, go to www.brownpapertickets.com/event/153111. For information on dozens…

Today: Ling & Louie’s celebrates Chinese New Year

Both Ling & Louie’s locations (8354 Northfield Boulevard, and 1201 16th Street ) will be observing a Chinese New Year today through February 5. The celebration includes a special “Feast of Fortune” menu; for more information, go to www.lingandlouies.com. For information on dozens of culinary events around town, visit our…

Big Papa’s BBQ closes a Littleton location

Serving barbecue is a world away from high-end fashion retail, but Big Papa’s BBQ owner Frank Alfonso compares his decision to close his location at 12652 West Ken Caryl Avenue in Littleton to the decision Saks Fifth Avenue made to close its store in the Cherry Creek mall. “We’re like…

Happy Groundhog Day! Now let’s stop repeating these things on menus

Groundhog Day may be officially devoted to celebrating a rodent that allegedly has some sort of ability to predict the onset of spring (and we think he’s wrong, because despite Phil not seeing his shadow this morning, it’s negative degrees outside and very much still winter). But unofficially, it’s a…

Illegal Pete’s rolls out vegetarian burritos late into the night

Mission-style burritos might be named after San Francisco, but let’s face it: Between Chipotle and Qdoba, Colorado has put its own stamp on foil-wrapped behemoth burritos. And although those two chains are the most widely known outside of the state, the four metro locations of Illegal Pete’s are local favorites,…

Ten super bars in Denver for watching the Super Bowl

Football fans aren’t too picky about the watering holes where they watch the Super Bowl; their requirements typically include multiple large televisions; lots of beer, preferably cheap and cold; and food, preferably cheap and abundant. But those bars that go the extra yard beyond such standard offerings really score. They…

Local Spanish language soap opera takes on obesity

Long-lost evil twin? An intergenerational love affair between family members who don’t know they’re related? A romance forged via ESP between two people in a coma? As long as the dramatic music was right, we wouldn’t blink if we saw one of those absurd scenarios unfold on a daily soap…

Drink of the Week: Groundhog at Luca D’Italia

They say that Punxsutawney Phil, the groundhog, did not see his shadow in Pennsylvania this morning, which means it will be an early spring. For those of us who’ve suffered through Denver’s sub-zero temperatures these last few days, that’s hopeful news — but we also know from years past that…

Ask the bartender: Win tickets to the Colorado Cocktail Contest kickoff

Sean Kenyon knows how to pour out both drinks and advice. A third-generation bar man with almost 25 years behind the bar, he is a student of cocktail history, a United States Bartenders Guild-certified Spirits Professional and a BAR Ready graduate of the prestigious Beverage Alcohol Resource Program. You can…

Marco Ramirez, exec chef of The Palm, on life in a crazy-busy kitchen, the flood that almost drowned it, and how hard work and determination fulfilled his American dream

Marco Ramirez The Palm 1672 Lawrence Street 303-825-7256 www.thepalm.com This is part one of my interview with Marco Ramirez, executive chef of The Palm. Part two of that interview will run in this space tomorrow. Marco Ramirez, a self-described “child of a poor farmer family” in El Salvador, was shooed…

Swift’s Steakhouse #4 becomes Ismini’s Grill

“The neighborhood has changed a lot. People like to go out to dinner and sit down and have a drink.” That’s Ismini Giakouminakis’s explanation for the changes that are under way at the restaurant she’s owned at 8 South Broadway for five years. And the first of those is the…