The ever-expanding Garbanzo Mediterranean Grill, a home-grown, fast-casual restaurant chain, just opened its seventh location at 600 South Colorado Boulevard in the newly-renovated Cherry Creek Hotel, and plans to open eight more Colorado locations in 2010. The newest location is next to a Panera Bread, which makes sense since Centennial-based…
From the excitement over the Saints in the Super Bowl to the anticipation of flinging beads around for Mardi Gras, next week will be all about celebrating the spirit of New Orleans. And when that happens, there’s only one place to turn: Lucile’s Creole Cafe at 275 South Logan. There’s…
As a countdown to the Best of Denver 2010, coming April 1, Cafe Society is serving up, in no particular order, a hundred of our favorite dishes in Denver. Send your own nominations to cafe@westword.com…
Kate O’Toole had thought about opening a bar since she was thirteen and saw The Color Purple. “There’s this scene in the juke joint where Shug Avery sang this song called ‘Sister’ to Celie and she was just getting down and then everyone was getting down,” she remembers. “It was…
If someone asked me to choose all of my favorite foods, the end result would be everything you see in the above snap. Prosciutto, figs, marinated olives, roasted garlic, duck pate, cheeses…it’s all there. Guess where I’m eating? Special bonus: Every Friday, anyone who gave the first correct answer to…
Is the economic shitstorm getting you down? Feeling like you just can’t afford to partake in that expensive, voyeuristic exercise in frivolity known as Super Bowl Sunday? If so, hold the mustard. All you need is a game plan, and you can still invite your obnoxious friends and their awkward…
Avocadoes could get a real workout this month. Not only are they in high demand for that Super Bowl guacamole, but come Valentine’s Day, they could serve you better than flowers or chocolate. Avocados have long been believed to have mystical, aphrodisiacal qualities. Ancient tribes in Mexico worshiped the creamy,…
Randolph’s, 1776 Grant Street, is giving you a little extra incentive to cheer for the Denver Nuggets this month. Through February 28, the restaurant is promoting Denver Nuggets of Gold: Within 24 hours of a Nuggets win, visit Randolph’s and enjoy a vodka or gin martini (with real gold flakes)…
Brian Rocheleau — aka Rosh — was touring through Reyjkavik, Iceland, when he stumbled across a blind cafe, the first he’d ever seen. “I’d been contacting people all across Europe, where I’d travel to people’s homes and stay with them and do concerts in their living rooms,” he says. “It…
Many of Denver’s star chefs communed in the dusty distillery of Stranahan’s Whiskey two weeks ago in order to feed fifty lucky foodniks, all of whom were invited to the final underbelly dinner of 50top, which is now open for public consumption. While you’re waiting for the next 50top shindig,…
The photo above comes from a great bar. My friend calls it a dive bar, but to me, it’s just a bar-bar. It’s not fancy, and it doesn’t cater to hipster poseurs. Best of all, the bartender named Kathy was the nicest and best bartender I’ve ever had in a…
I do my best to stay away from restaurants that hype fried calamari on their menus, but when it’s grilled or sauteed, I’m less likely to turn up my nose and make an immediate beeline for the exit. There’s at least one kitchen in Denver that’s doing calamari three ways…
Handle Bar and Grill, the bicycle-themed shrine, bar and restaurant at 305 South Downing Street, is greasing up to reopen as Downing Street Bar and Grill, a “great bar and restaurant with the kind of really good American food that the neighborhood loves,” says owner Paul Gatchis, who plans to…
As a countdown to the Best of Denver 2010, coming April 1, Cafe Society is serving up, in no particular order, a hundred of our favorite dishes in Denver. Send your own nominations to cafe@westword.com…
It must be difficult to leave a great job that you’ve had for seven years for a new job that lasts all of two days. But some things just don’t work out, like former Avenue Grill bartender Randy Layman’s move to Jonesy’s EatBar, which ended after one weekend. You might…
This is part two of my interview with Olav Peterson, exec chef of Bistro One. To read part one, click here. Culinary inspirations: Whenever I go to Paris, I always come away with so many influences, whether it’s from the art in the city or eating an iconic banana Nutella…
Another genius idea has emerged from Japan, where entrepreneurs have developed a fire alarm for deaf people that uses wasabi powder to penetrate the nostrils and alert them to imminent danger. The wall-mounted alarm has a container of compressed, concentrated wasabi mist that, at the first hint of a fire,…
There are many local events benefiting Haiti in the wake of the recent earthquake; you can find our round-up here. But while most of the fundraisers include music or some other cultural aspect that tie them to Haiti, none have gone as far as the Tribute to Haiti, starting tonight…
Salt occupies the corner that Tom’s Tavern, a no-frills burger joint, held down for forty years — but the similarities end there. Salt’s beautifully remodeled interior is made from mostly recycled and reclaimed materials gathered in Boulder, and shows that chef/owner Bradford Heap’s commitment to using local sources extends far…
At 5:15 p.m. on a chilly Thursday, Jamey Fader, clad in black, with a plaid cap pulled low over his forehead, is balancing on a box in the corner of a back-alley warehouse. “Welcome to whatever the fuck this is,” he deadpans. It’s Fader’s first impromptu speech of the night,…
Talk about a blast from the past: Brittany Hill, long a favored spot for romantic dinners and corporate meetings, will soon rise again. The restaurant, which boasted a stunning view and so-so food, opened back in 1981, and enjoyed a good run until it closed in 2006. But now the…
The Walnut Room Pizzeria opened a week ago at 2 Broadway, but the grand opening isn’t until Saturday, February 6 — when you can try the place out for free. “Come one, come all,” says Chris Vetrano, spokesman for the Walnut Room Pizzeria and its sibling, the Walnut Room…
