Courtney Wilson: I’d like to see more community

In this interview, Courtney Wilson, bar manager at Williams & Graham and president-elect of the board of the Colorado Bartenders Guild, weighs in on what she’d like to see next for the guild, the drink that makes her forget her aversion to vodka and what she drank when she partied…

Restaurant service is a lost art in Denver

Charcoal, I noted in my review this week, has a service problem. The front-of-house team is generally a good-natured bunch of people. They’re friendly, they’re eager, and they seem to want their guests to have a good time. But they missed the boat when they ignored the small details, which…

Paris on the Platte fails to quench our happy hour needs

Happy Place: Paris on the Platte Café and Bar, 1553 Platte Street, 303-455-2451. The Hours: Monday through Friday from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. The Deals: $3 draft beers and well drinks; $5 wines by the glass; $1 off all appetizers. Were we happy? Flip the page to find out…

Photos: Margs Taco Bistro opens today in Cherry Creek

Notoriously sleepy Cherry Creek, where most people tuck into a martini at 5 and turn to their feather pillow by 7, was pulsating Wednesday night, at least at Margs Taco Bistro, the Mexican taco bar that originated in downtown Denver before adding a second location in the heart of Cherry…

Guess where I’m eating an Ethiopian feast?

Fellow diners at this Ethiopian restaurant kept stopping by our table to ask what we’d ordered, and I can’t blame them, because everything that was heaped on our plate — the stews, the vegetables, the lentils, the kifto — was excellent. Can you guess where I’m eating? Special bonus: Anyone…

Five reasons why Fazoli’s should not be a casual dining restaurant

Fazoli’s, America’s favorite Italian fast-food chain, is on a sizzling growth streak right now, and instead of resting on its fettuccine, the company has decided to capitalize on its popularity by making some massive — and possibly ill-advised — changes, which turn the chain from fast-food to casual dining. Fazoli’s…

Reader: No chowder? Clam up about the best seafood restaurants!

Denver may be landlocked, but our ship occasionally comes in — loaded with fresh fish. Yesterday we served up Denver’s five best seafood restaurants. Says UncleDave8: I can totally back this list. Refreshing change from most Denver diners’ choices like The Fresh Fish Company, Pappadeaux, Oceanaire and Ocean Prime. Still,…

Grab a seat at one of these beers dinners while you can

Beer dinners are quite popular these days (and rightfully so); reserve a spot at one of these before they sell out… Sunday, April 15 Upslope beer dinner at Centro Latin Kitchen & Refreshment Palace, 950 Pearl Street in Boulder. Chef Ian Clark presents a five-course menu paired with five beers…

Organic Pizza Company expands downtown

The Organic Pizza Company outpost at 891 14th Street in the Spire has expanded from a take-and-bake pizza joint to a “full-service pizzeria,” and will host a grand reopening event Thursday, April 19. The expansion includes more seating, a flat-screen TV, a new menu and, most important, a liquor license…

Denver’s five best seafood restaurants

Anyone who says you can only find good seafood on the coasts is just plain wrong. A number of restaurants in Denver are helmed by chefs who really know their way around fish. They bring in the best specimens they can find, and they turn out some truly exceptional ocean-focused…

Guess where I’m drinking a high-altitude Bloody Mary?

Drinking a Bloody Mary when you’re at high altitude is not, I recently discovered, the brightest decision. Drinking three, however — well, that’s a perfectly wise decision, especially when you’re trying to sit down like a lady on the chairlift. Can you guess where I’m drinking? Special bonus: Anyone who…

Photos: Cheeky Aprons launch party

Ashlee Coln had a dream: that ladies could own aprons both functional and sexy. Necessity being the mother of invention, Coln decided to start Cheeky Aprons, creating sultry kitchen wear that combines the front of an apron with the flirt of lace and garter belts on the back end…

Round two with Jeff Russell, exec chef of District Meats

Jeff Russell District Meats 1625 Wazee Street 303-623-1630 www.charliepalmer.com This is part two of my interview with Jeff Russell, exec chef of District Meats. Part one of our chat ran in this space yesterday. Favorite restaurant in America: Surprisingly, it’s a very small place in Chinatown in New York City…

The Izakaya Den/Pearl Street Grill deal moves forward…slowly

In January, the owners of Izakaya Den announced that they had entered into a very involved deal with BW Holdings, the company that controls the Wynkoop/Breckenridge group of breweries and restaurants, agreeing to swap Izakaya’s current location — a stand-alone building at 1518 South Pearl Street — for the now-closed…

Reader: Pho Ta brings new life to Alameda Square

After several delays, Pho Ta finally opened in Alameda Square last week — and it looks like it was worth waiting for. “We think we have a better, cleaner, prettier and bigger interior and dining area than the other Vietnamese restaurants in and around Denver,” says Vicky Shih, a partner…

Seven of Hearts wine dinner at Q’s this evening

Q’s, 2115 13th Street in Boulder, is hosting a dinner tonight featuring wines from the Seven of Hearts winery located in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. Winemaker/owner Byron Dooley will be on hand to discuss his wines, which will be paired with a five-course, seasonal menu from chefs John Platt…

Photos: Charcoal, the subject of this week’s review

Patrik Landberg is turning out some pretty awesome food at Charcoal, the seven-month-old restaurant in the Golden Triangle that I review this week. His seafood dishes, in particular, are like a fun, fast joyride: They exhibit skill and playfulness, and they’re absolutely delicious. Here, to go with my review, are…

Five incredible pink wines to kick off rosé drinking season

A sun-soaked, 75-plus degree afternoon for the Rockies’ home opener. Buds blooming on the trees outside our terrace. Flip-flop adorned feet everywhere we look. Seems it’s been an age since Denver enjoyed a springtime as warm and inviting as this one — and the early onset of balmier temps has…