Denver continually gets a bad rap for its barbecue, and if last night’s dinner at a joint that prides itself on pulled pork, sausage links and smoked chicken is par for the course, then it’s no wonder why. Equally dismal were the side dishes, especially the macaroni and cheese, which…
Some things, restaurant spaces included, are just meant to be. Such was the unanimous opinion of Leigh Jones, Margaret Moore and Jeremy Matzke, the crew behind Jonesy’s EatBar, the Horseshoe Lounge and the Bar Car, when they inked a deal last Friday to lease the recently shuttered Pete’s Patio Bar,…
Caitlin Mandigo City Bakery 5454 Washington Street 303-292-3989 citybakerydenver.com This is part one of my interview with Caitlin Mandigo, bread baker at City Bakery; part two of our conversation will run tomorrow. Food “is in my family’s blood,” says Caitlin Mandigo, the bread production manager at City Bakery. Born and…
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…
Food can be defined as sexy, but can it create the actual chemistry for sex? Do aphrodisiacs — the name comes from the Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite — actually rev the engines? Tonight at the Seasoned Chef Cooking School, you can learn how to prepare dishes that just might…
Back in June, when I first reported that chef-restaurateur Dylan Moore was closing Deluxe and Juanita’s, the two adjoining spaces he owned on South Broadway, I also revealed that both restaurants had been snatched up by Frank Jolley, a longtime restaurateur and nightclub owner who had most recently spent the…
In this day of splashy restaurant openings, immediate Yelp reviews and a culture of dining that rewards the latest new thing, I’m often asked why I wait three months to review a restaurant. After all, by the time that period has elapsed, a certain subset of diners has already made…
Tincup American Whiskey screams Colorado. The bottle makes multiple references to the state, as does the leaflet that comes attached to the neck. Its website is plastered with whiskey bottles positioned picturesquely in Colorado mountain backdrops, and the company boasts of its connection to Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey co-founder Jess Graber,…
For anyone who loves Trader Joe’s, that eclectic California-based supermarket chain, the appearance in early February of the iconic signs on the outside of one of its soon-to-open first stores in Colorado surely caused a few flutters of the heart. For Trader Joe’s superfan — and local folksinger — Julie…
There’s nothing better than taking a break from a restaurant, only to return and find that it’s even better than before. Such was the case here, in part because of the unassailable lamb shank, the meat of which just happens to come from the lambs raised on the farm of…
Although the Emily Griffith Technical College will soon be leaving the building it’s occupied since 1926 — Denver Public Schools is moving the facility into a renovated building at 1860 Lincoln Street — some traditions will never end. And today, the school will honor the birthday of founder Emily Griffith…
A new coffee and pastry truck will be rolling out this year that will not only serve drinks and other goodies, but also help those affected by autism spectrum disorders. Dirt Coffee Bar is a project of Garden Autism Services of Colorado, an organization that provides a wide variety of…
Who has the best burger in Denver? The best tater tots? The best gluten-free dish? The best draft-beer list? The best dim sum? The best pizza — thin-crust, thick-crust or deep-dish? It’s time to bring out your best. The first round of voting in our Readers’ Poll for the Best…
Cafe Society served up five Guess Where? contests last week, ranging from a platter of Vietnamese egg rolls from Pho 96 to a lovely Manhattan from A Cote Bar a Absinthe to a remarkably good plate of crackling chicken from a neighborhood restaurant that’s doing everything right…
Thai Pot Cafe, one of Westword’s Twelve Best Thai Places in Denver, moved a couple of blocks from its old home at 1550 South Colorado Boulevard to 1350 South Colorado Boulevard at the beginning of this year. We sent photographer Ursala Romaine to check out the fancier and much spacier…
I have yet to eat a dish that I didn’t love from this always-bustling taqueria, which continues to be my favorite go-to joint for terrific south-of-the-border eats, including the lime-kissed shrimp ceviche sidekicked with a generous scoop of guacamole. Can you guess where I’m eating? Special bonus: Anyone who gives…
Former Future Brewing, which officially opened on February 1, celebrated its grand opening last weekend, complete with food trucks and board games — in addition to five beers on tap, all embracing the idea of modern spins on older styles. In fact, that’s the theme of the entire brewery. Westword…
It’s still early in the year, but if you’ve paid attention to the restaurant scene over the last few months, then you’ve no doubt noticed the surge of small neighborhood restaurants. Peter Ryan, chef-owner of the Plimoth, opened a smashing forty-seater on the northern tip of City Park in late…
Fast-casual operations took off fast in Colorado. Two years after Steve Ells opened the first Chipotle at 1644 East Evans Avenue, Qdoba Mexican Grill got its start here — originally as Zuma, then Z-Teca. Today the company is owned by Jack in the Box, and if it hasn’t grown to…
Need to spice it up on February 14? How about a sultry threesome with you, your love and good ol’ Mary Jane? Edible Events, which introduced its first BYOC event last month, will add some delicious twists on Valentine’s Day. A Threesome with Mary Jane will start at 8 p.m…
Denver got two new burger joints last week, both the first forays into the market by regional chains. Bad Daddy’s Burgers, a joint effort by the North Carolina-based Big Daddy’s and Good Times, got cooking in Cherry Creek, and 5280 Burger Bar & Creamery, a renamed concept from a Texas-based…
This week in Cafe Society, Gretchen Kurtz reviews reviewedHumboldt, the restaurant that Concept Restaurants opened in the former home of Strings this fall. That’s about when Tony Hessel became the executive chef of West Flanders Brewing Co. in Boulder; you can read about his career in this week’s Chef and…
