Happy Place: The Lobby, 2191 Arapahoe Street, 303-997-9911 The Hours: Monday through Saturday from 4 to 6:30 p.m. The Deals: $3 Colorado microbrews, Miller Lite, and well cocktails; $5 house wine; $6 specialty cocktails; $4-8 food specials. Were we happy? Flip the page to find out…
There’s no such thing as too many taquerias, which is exactly what Mario and Gricelda Valles thought when they opened Tacos El Fogon last month at 1145 South Federal Boulevard, along a strip of asphalt that already lays claim to more taquerias than you can fling a tortilla at. “My…
Our recent wave of warm days (how much longer can it last?) makes me want to noodle around, and here, at the restaurant where the above pic was snapped, I did exactly that. Can you guess where I’m eating? Special bonus: Anyone who gives the first correct answer to the…
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…
Restaurants have a tough time making a go of basement space, and the 250 Steele Street address has been a particularly black hole. Although Bistro Adde Brewster had a long run there, the spot has since swallowed up French 250 and a couple of Mexican joints on one side (Ondo’s…
Five restaurants debuted in as many days this week (and is that a record?): Russo’s Kitchen + Tavern, TAG|Raw Bar, Row 14, Biker Jim’s Gourmet Dog’s and Hideaway Steakhouse. And while all of them are welcome additions to the Denver dining scene, Hideaway, which chef Chris Cina opened Wednesday in…
The Tropicana OJ Express is heading for the Cherry Creek Shopping Center; from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. today, you can take a pledge to get more fruits and vegetables into your diet, learn about juice and grab some samples. For more info, call 303-388-3900. For information on dozens of…
Andrew Fejer and his wife, Adriane, were in Atlanta when they stumbled on a class that led them through painting — while providing adult refreshment at the same time. “I went in kicking and screaming,” says Andrew. “I ended up having a really good time.” Although both Highland and Cherry…
I’m sure I don’t have to tell you this, but it’s National Chocolate Covered Raisin Day. In fact, by now your chocolate-covered raisin party is likely in full swing, and all your friends are tanked on prune juice and gin. Another memorable March 24, indeed. For those of you who…
After getting derailed by a rogue electrician, Biker Jim wasn’t sure that he’d be open by the first home game of the Colorado Rockies, but after years of hustling wieners from a cartel of downtown carts, he unlocked the doors to his brick-and-mortar, a long labor of love — and…
Friends, neighbors and bartenders: Since early last year, I’ve made it my mission to discover a cocktail that is truly representative of our great state, much like the Manhattan is of New York City and the Sazerac of New Orleans. Along the way, I’ve been joined on this mission by…
If you’ve given up on finding great pasta at local restaurants, here are five mechanical contraptions that might help you make great pasta at home:…
No. 64: Chongqing Chicken from East Asia Garden Some of the best cooking in Denver comes from restaurants that are completely off the grid — those with generic names, facades as forgettable as last night’s one-night stand and featureless dining rooms where the color scheme clashes. East Asia Garden, which…
While the new food truck guide spells uncertainty for a number of mobile concepts in Denver, Pizzeria Basta is undeterred in its plan to unleash a mobile wood-fired oven on the state of Colorado. The crew is ramping up to unveil Basta Mobile, a portable extension of the Boulder-based restaurant…
“This restaurant is my passion, I own the real estate — we have zero debt — and as soon as I get the money that was stolen from us back from the banks. I’ll reopen Skew.” Those were the words of Ton Phairatphibon, the former owner of Skew, 2070 South…
Enrique Socarras Cuba Cuba 1173 Delaware Street 303-605-2822 www.cubacubacafe.com This is part two of my interview with Enrique Socarras, executive chef of Cuba Cuba. In part one of this interview, Socarras raps on integrity, stomaching raw bacon and his new Boulder restaurant. Best food city in America: I’m going with…
Vicente Domingo opened Viejo Domingo, an Argentine spot, quietly last year in the West 38th Avenue space that had housed Playa de Oro. And now Viejo Domingo has left left quietly, too. The Viejo Domingo sign is down, the phone rings without going to voicemail, and a handwritten scrawl in…
As mayor, John Hickenlooper frequented the gourmet food trucks that parked outside City Hall for Civic Center Eats. Now Denver City Council representative Carla Madison, as head of the city’s truck task force, is overseeing a study of the rules governing the operations of those trucks. She hopes to have…
Sean Kenyon is back from one of his many trips as this state’s premier alcohol ambassador, pulling together the final details of the Colorado Cocktail Contest and offering some advice about making margaritas — just in time for the warmer weather. Who makes a great margarita in Denver? Here’s Mantanot’s…
Support the academics by stuffing your face: From 6 to 10 p.m. tonight Root Down will host Sandoval Night, a tenth-anniversary bash and benefit for Academia Ana Marie Sandoval, featuring small plates, wine and cocktails, and live entertainment. Admission is $75; for more info, go to www.sandovalmatters.org. For information on…
At Interstate Kitchen & Bar, I ate my way through a board of American classics served up in digs reminiscent of a classic roadhouse. And just about everything I had — from the macaroni and cheese to the fried chicken to the house-cured pickles — was stellar. Here’s a side…
Talk about getting your just desserts! And, no, we didn’t wipe the plate clean, but we did mange to make a small, rather insignificant, dent. Can you guess where I’m eating? Special bonus: Anyone who gives the first correct answer to the week’s Where am I drinking/eating posts is entered…
