The first time I saw the Cheeky Monk, I thought to myself, “Well, that’s going to last about five minutes.” An upscale Belgian beer cafe on one of the weirdest, wildest stretches of Colfax? It would be a nice idea somewhere else — like, say, Portland or Antwerp. But as…
I moved to Denver in 2005, so I never had the privilege of knowing the original Skylark Lounge — the one that lived for sixty years at 58 Broadway, where Barry’s on Broadway currently does its damnedest to live up to a legend — but I’ve always understood that no…
Years ago, I stumbled on the Royal Hilltop, a faux-British pub in the middle of a suburban strip mall that, despite its geographical and cultural challenges, was a fine neighborhood bar for those truly in love with greasy fish fries, hand-pulled Fullers, pints of black and creamy Murphy’s stout, and…
The doors of the Nob Hill Inn open at 8 a.m., “so you start off fresh,” says John Plessinger, whose father bought the bar at 420 East Colfax Avenue in 1969 and put it in his then-21-year-old son’s name. Forty years later, by 8 a.m. the owner’s already been at…
Braised Oxtails and Sugo with Homemade Pappardelle Pete Marczyk and Barbara Macfarlane do not leave their work behind when they leave Marczyk Fine Foods and head for their great old Denver house with the big, new kitchen. They often bring some of their market’s choicest ingredients home with them, and…
Last week I spent some time at the Nob Hill Inn, a great dive at 420 East Colfax Avenue, chatting with the regulars — some of whom have irregular hobbies. Doctor Ray takes care of the homeless in the neighborhood. Outreach, he told me. Getting them into shelters for the…
Buchi Cafe Cubano is a great Cuban restaurant. Step inside Cuba Cuba on a good night, and you need an oxygen tank (or a powerful constitution) because the air in the bar is like breathing muddled mint and rum. But while Denver has some Cuban restaurants, what this city does…
Having trouble finding your favorite seasonal brew? The Colorado Brewers Guild is working on that. And on Tuesday evening, the Guild — a trade group representing the majority of the 110-plus craft beer-makers in the state — hosted liquor store and restaurant reps at its second annual holiday open house…
XO Noodle Bar, the hip (but hardly happening) noodle bar that opened in June at 1612 Wazee Street in the Jet Hotel, shuttered on Saturday. “We totally believe in the concept,” insists exec chef Jose Guerreco. But, he adds, “it was a huge struggle to get people in that back…
Sample one of Denver’s best dive bars at 8 p.m. Thursday, November 5, when Club 404, 404 Broadway, hosts a launch party for Westword Drunk of the Week columnist Drew Bixby’s Denver’s Best Dive Bars: Drinking and Diving in the Mile High City. A true dive can’t be manufactured. It…
“Food is the one thing that I grew up knowing would bring family and friends together, soothe wounds and mend hearts as well as improve any party or celebration,” says Mary Nguyen, chef-owner of the Vietnamese-French bistro Parallel 17. “I entered this profession because it’s the way I express my…
Tonight, the Colorado Chapter of the March of Dimes will host its annual Signature Chefs Auction at 6 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Denver, 650 15th Street. Tickets to the event are $150 per person and include small plates from many of Denver’s top chefs, as well as live music…
Long before pizza and fois gras joined the line-up on this street, there was green chile, offered both mild and hot and served over big, fat burritos. And while the dining in this neighborhood may be getting finer, that chile was just fine from the start. Guess where I’m eating?…
We know: the Broncos were pure suck last Sunday, and for me it was double-suck, because I was in a bar with sucky food (but a good beer selection). A tailgating party would have been a lot more fun, and the food a whole lot better — especially if it…
Things are looking up Down Under, judging from the array of Australian wines you’ll be tasting at tonight’s Innocent Bystander Wine Dinner at Restaurant 4580, at 4580 Broadway in Boulder. The four-course dinner is paired with wines from Innocent Bystander Winery, and includes vegetarian and gluten-free options for each course…
Here are some things I know about the Belgians: They invented French fries and waffles — two vital food groups — but the French stole both of them. Every other country in the world has had its national foods co-opted by the French, but for some reason, the Belgians never…
Of the 42,000 runners who killed themselves finished the New York City Marathon — the world’s largest — this past Sunday, Bobby Stuckey, the master sommelier at Frasca Food & Wine in Boulder, placed 283rd with a time of 2:47:23. That’s right: the guy who drinks, pours, studies and explains…
I only have a few rules for bartenders. The number one rule? When people come in the morning after Halloween for Sunday brunch, don’t make them wait fifteen minutes while you set up the bar. Serve them their drinks immediately, and then get your station in order. So where was…
Last night, Denver City Council unanimously approved a request by the Vine Street Pub that would alter the zoning code and allow the place to brew its own beer on site. From here, the request will go to Mayor John Hickenlooper, possibly as early as Friday, says Paul Nashak, managing…
The Tilted Kilt was slated to open this week in the former ESPN Zone space on the 16th Street Mall, but the official kick-off time has been delayed. “We are shooting for next Monday, but it could be a day or two after that,” says franchise owner Mark Voss. “There…
There are a few signs that the holiday season is coming. The first is red cups at Starbucks, the second is seeing way too many jeans tucked into Uggs, and the third is Halloween. When you’re a kid, by the time you come out of the candy daze, the turkey…
No, it wasn’t the greatest fish fry in the world, but it sustained me while the snow blew outside and the drifts piled up. It came fast; it came hot. The batter was lacy and delicate from the fryer, and the fries were crisp and herbed and nowhere close to…
