Exclusive first look: Corner House opens on January 11

Denver foodniks have a lot to look forward to in 2013, including the arrival of several new restaurants: Beast + Bottle from Paul Reilly; Old Major from Justin Brunson; new outposts of Root Down, Elway’s and Udi’s at DIA; a mystery concept on South Pearl Street from the Wynkoop/Breckenridge owners;…

Jonesy’s EatBar — a new look for the new year

Jonesy’s EatBar is starting the new year with a new look — a redecorated dining room. But Leigh Jones and partner Margaret Moore didn’t really plan it that way. It was coincidence, Jones says: Moore’s dad had some money to invest, and asked if they could use a loan. They…

Bittersweet celebrates its birthday with sweet deals this month

Bittersweet, 500 East Alameda Avenue, opened at the very end of 2010. And now owners Olav Peterson and Melissa Severson are celebrating two years in business by offering patrons a 20 percent discount on select menu items until January 10. Sweet! See also: -Reader: Bitter over Bittersweet’s exclusion from best…

Kachina: A taste of this week’s review

To the Hopi, kachinas are spirit-beings associated with rain, corn, animals and other elements critical to life in the desert. Dolls of the same name are crafted for children — not as toys, but as study tools, a three-dimensional catechism for the spirits they represent. Not that you’d grasp this…

Ten biggest Colorado craft beer stories in 2012

Colorado craft breweries and their many fans enjoyed a spectacular year in 2012, as the options for consuming locally made beer continued to grow and fill our tastebuds with joy. If the state’s 160-plus breweries weren’t expanding, then they were adding new beers or welcoming friendly competitors. And there were…

Four top wine trends for 2013

Welcome to 2013 and the next year of your wine-drinking life. Over the past twelve months we saw a slew of clever new wine concepts worth trying, and a whole lotta wine-related WTFs to studiously avoid. All the while we watched and waited, eyes peeled for signs of the wine-related…

At Granny Annie, the Southern cuisine is pretty peachy

In A Federal Case, I’ll be eating my way up Federal Boulevard – south to north – within Denver city limits. I’ll be skipping the national chains and per-scoop Chinese joints, but otherwise I’ll report from every vinyl booth, walk-up window and bar stool where food is served. Here’s the…

Guess where I’m drinking this Tequila Sunrise?

A great drink is a joy to behold. And as I watched the bartender make a wonderful Tequila Sunrise in this small, lounge-y spot, I felt like a new day was dawning. Made with El Zarco Blanco Tequila, Leopold Bros. Michigan Tart Cherry Liqueur and muddled orange and lime, it…

Veggie Girl: The five best things I ate last year

This past year was a good one for vegan food in Denver, what with the opening of Nooch and the continued success of such events as VegFest and other regular gatherings of herbivores. And I reaped the rewards eating out for Veggie Girl, because local restaurants have really stepped up…

Restaurant roll call for 2012 — over 240 openings last year

Hundreds of new restaurants opened in metro Denver in 2012, ranging from enormous to intimate, exotic to old-fashioned. And at the same time, Denver also said so long to some longtime institutions, as well as a few spots that opened and shut in the same year. Keep reading for our…

Trends without end, round four: Bread, breed and Twitter fatigue

What will be the big culinary trends in 2013? As we prepare for a new year in gastronomy, we posed that question to dozens of people in the local food business, everyone from chefs and pastry magicians to restaurant brokers and PR consultants, from brewers and grape gurus to realtors…

Year in review: Tables and Ace change up their menus

Since my first review appeared in Westword in September — it was of the then-six-month-old Kitchen Denver — I’ve reviewed sixteen spots. And already, some of those spots are changing — menus, if not more. See also: – Attention to detail would safeguard the Kitchen’s brand in Denver – The…

Guess where I’m drinking this Old Fashioned?

An Old Fashioned was one of my dad’s favorite drinks when I was a child; I remember sipping one and wondering how in the world adults could like the way it tasted. But a few decades later, it didn’t take me long to learn to love a great Old Fashioned…