From the outside, there’s not much to distinguish one Denver taqueria from many of the others around town: a low-key storefront in an out-of-the-way strip mall, a simple sign, maybe some hand-painted lettering on the windows to advertise specials. The list of tacos may not give much hint as to…
This week we welcome the month of August, celebrate National Oyster Day and grab some free Chipotle and Dunkin’ Donuts deals. Get ready to to slurp, slice, sip and savor your way through our culinary calendar. Monday, August 3 In the next installment in the Meet the Maker series,…
No. 29: Gnocchi Maison au Canard Fume at Z Cuisine Sometimes you come across a dish where every component is so pitch perfect, every bite so enticing, that you just want it to go on forever. Z Cuisine’s smoked duck and gnocchi is just such a composition of elements —…
July was a hot month — for restaurant openings as well as the weather. Avanti Food & Beverage turned up the heat in Lower Highland with seven kitchens and two bars under one roof, while Rebel Restaurant — with a worldy menu and a street-smart vibe — took over a…
The block of retail spaces on Lincoln Street between Ninth and Tenth avenues have been difficult for restaurants — and the curse of the Beauvallon building continues. Jura’s Modern Asian Kitchen — which served an eclectic menu of Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean and Japanese dishes — didn’t even make it…
After North County and Bubu opened in the Hangar 2 development in Lowry this past winter (the former in December and the latter in February), there was still one retail space left vacant. A notice recently went up on the door of the address between the two — 84 Rampart…
The heat of the great green chile debate of June has subsided somewhat, but according to a report this week by the Associated Press, New Mexico’s green chile crop is in trouble. “As this year’s harvest begins, labor shortages, shrinking acreage, drought and foreign competition have hurt production in the…
This weekend the culinary calendar is soaked in suds. From Colorado Springs to Keystone to Denver’s Sculpture Park, beer fests are popping up all over Colorado — and popping tops on some great beers. There are also a few more family-friendly events around town, too. Keep reading for all the tasty…
It might seem strange that Oskar Blues, which is known mostly for its big, hoppy beers, has never offered a mainstream IPA as part of its canned lineup – and that’s not changing. Because although the Longmont-based brewery will roll out a brand-new beer, called simply Oskar Blues IPA, nationwide…
Adorning noodles or rice with heaping portions of flavorful vegetables, sauces and marinated tofu can turn seemingly simple veggie bowls into favorite go-to meals. Among the many food trends popping up in Denver, internationally inspired bowls have made a delicious impact on the dining scene — and many are so…
With the success of LoHi pork palace Old Major, the focus on chef-owner Justin Brunson’s career of late has been on his haute cuisine, so much so that it’s easy to forget his Denver debut as a restaurateur: a humble, counter-service sandwich shop called Masterpiece Delicatessen. There are two of…
They call her The Cookie Lady. She has a name — Debbie Kuehn — and so does her hidden cookie shop: Santa Fe Cookie Co, an underground storefront in the shadow of the Republic Plaza building on the 16th Street Mall. But the business-casual clientele coming through the shop, pressing their…
The Rio Grande margarita is a liquid Colorado landmark, along with Pike’s Peak and the Barrel Man. Frozen or on the rocks, it’s the drink that always comes up first in any discussion of the Colorado chain — including this one. Founded in 1986 as a party paradise in boozy…
We know many fans of the thirty-year-old, homegrown Anthony’s Pizza & Pasta chain (especially the flagship store on Colorado Boulevard and the spot by the University of Denver). Now Anthony’s is rolling out major updates of all 25 locations in Colorado, even adding bars to several of them. But some…
The gardens at Solitaire – which I review this week — are stunning, with winding pathways, a fountain and blossoms of every color providing an unparalleled backdrop to chef-owner Mark Ferguson’s artistic, seasonally-inspired cuisine. But the flowers aren’t just pretty to look at; they provide oft-overlooked inspiration in the form of edible garnish. Curious whether…
Park Burger Hilltop and Wild Women Wine are serving up a duo of events for a few local nonprofits. You can float into the weekend by indulging in wine, beer and cupcakes tonight, and feel good that it’s all for a good cause. Keep reading for more. Wild Women Wine,…
The “Coming Soon” banner in front of the Osaka Ramen in Cherry Creek North could be replaced by a “Now Open” sign any day now. Chef-owner Jeff Osaka says the only holdup is final sign-off from Xcel Energy on a new gas meter that was recently installed. Once that happens, he says…
Craft Beer. It’s just a fad. Or maybe not. Earlier this week, the Boulder-based Brewers Association reported that American craft breweries sold 12.2 million barrels of beer during the first half of 2015, up from 10.6 million barrels during the same period last year. In addition, as of June 30,…
Denver food truck CinnaBox is taking the cinnamon roll to places it’s never been before by embracing the delicious, organic, and local produce sold in the very farmers’ markets where it parks each week. Fresh strawberries and Palisade peaches from the fruit vendors up the aisle, yerba mate from a…
Our comments section has been smoking over the past week, ever since Gretchen Kurtz’s review of Roaming Buffalo Bar-B-Que and Mark Antonation’s piece on GQue, a new barbecue joint, inspired some lip-smacking — and smack-talking — discussion of the scene. Says Robert Mitton: Denver is a GREAT food city. One…
Too much noise in a restaurant isn’t good, unless you don’t like your date and are glad for the excuse not to talk. But what about the opposite: too much quiet? That’s what I considered one night at Solitaire, which opened this spring in the lovingly renovated former Highland’s Garden…
Today is National Chicken Wing Day, and Denver will be ablaze with wing-related events including wing-eating contests, all-you-can-eat deals and more. And if chicken wings aren’t your things, indulge in a whiskey-and-chocolate pairing at Whiskey Tango Foxtrot — if you’re a lady. Fly over the mid-week hump at one of…
