Left Hand Brewing, which for years has proudly touted its beer as being “brewed on the banks of the mighty St. Vrain,” has been cursing the river over the past few days. The St. Vrain, which has destroyed homes, roads and bridges all over Longmont, also flooded parts of the…
It’s a shame when you go to a restaurant for a very specific dish — in this case, duck — only to discover that the duck (cold, cold duck) is superseded by a rudimentary dish of shrimp with black bean sauce. Can you guess where I’m eating? Special bonus: Anyone…
By some act of alchemy, Chipotle has done it again. In 2011, Back to the Start — a short film about the immense error of factory farming and the necessity of a sustainable farming system — established the homegrown Chipotle chain as a model of these beliefs. Last week, Chipotle…
As Westword’s Ask the Bartender columnist, I’ve talked with many bartenders for Cafe Society’s “Behind the Bar” series, posing numerous questions to Denver’s top bartenders…and often receiving the same answers: “I love chartreuse,” or “I’m really into smoked cocktails/barrel aging/bottled cocktails.” See also: A bartender by any other name…is still…
On the last day of August, Highland’s Garden Cafe closed for the season, with promises to reopen the restaurant — two connected Victorian houses — in its lovely garden setting next April. But will Highland’s Garden Cafe really bloom again? See also:-Highland’s Garden Cafe pulls up stakes for the season…
The signature signs of a city that’s on the culinary fast track reside in its willingness to take aggressive risks, push infinite boundaries and continually adapt to a fickle dining public whose expectations are always on the upswing. Denver is that city — a major metropolis that refuses to slow…
Cafe Society dished up five Guess Where? contests last week, ranging from a soggy Italian sausage-and-pepper sandwich from Little Carmine’s (the next-door sibling to Carmine’s on Penn), to a super-size frozen margarita from Cantina, to a burger that generated more comments than there are burger joints in Denver…
Proponents of a raw diet say that raw foods are higher in vital enzymes — but it doesn’t take a scientist to tell you that raw vegetables are good for you. This recipe (adapted from Eat Raw, Eat Well) is vegan, gluten-free and totally raw except for the sunflower seeds…
Johnny Hsu has shuttered his Palace. Although its website doesn’t indicate that the longtime Chinese and Vietnamese restaurant on East Evans has closed, both the phone number and a sign on the door send Palace customers to Imperial Chinese Restaurant. That’s Hsu’s 28-year-old mainstay on South Broadway. See also: Imperial…
This week, Gretchen Kurtz reviewed Spuntino, where owners/spouses Yasmin Lozada-Hissom and John Broening recently renovated the space. But will Spuntino become a dining destination — or remain the grill next door? Bittersweet pastry chef Kris Padalino sat down with Lori Midson to chat about the concept of cupcakes and her…
Despite the weather, Chris Holston, general manager of Bacaro Venetian Taverna in Boulder, has decided to brave the elements and continue serving the specialty Bloody Marys introduced last weekend for a new rooftop brunch. See also: Best Bloody Mary Bar 2013 — the Corner Office…
Fun fact: before microbreweries took over Colorado, Golden was home to the state’s first — and so far, only — sake brewery. The Hakushika Sake U.S.A. brewery opened in 1992 and produced sake for America and the ravenous European market until the Japanese recession tanked the business six years later…
One surefire way to make your belly swish? Swallow four margaritas, or in my case, just one, which is still enough to do the job. Can you guess where I’m drinking? Special bonus: Anyone who gives the first correct answer to a Guess Where post is entered into a pool…
Although Cinco de Mayo has become a major holiday in tequila-loving cities across the United States, the real Mexican holiday is Mexican Independence Day, which is celebrated on September 15 or September 16 (back in 1810, Father Miguel Hidalgo rallied the troops with his church bells at midnight between those…
On Sunday, September 22, DISH will dish out food and drinks from dozens of Cafe Society’s favorite restaurants and trucks, as well as Best of Denver readers’ winners, in the Sculpture Park at the Denver Performing Arts Complex. Orange Crunch, our pick for Best Food Cart in the 2013 Best…
Last week, when I interviewed Steve Redzikowski, chef and co-owner of Acorn, which just opened in the Source, he was fixated on a baguette, but not just any baguette: This particular baguette, he said, equated to the “best baguette in Colorado.” He called it “phenomenal,” and then followed up that…
In the last few days, we’ve seen colder temperatures, gray skies and an unprecedented amount of rainfall — a cue to any Coloradan’s brain that patio season is nearly over and it’s time to seek out the cozy establishments we tend to hibernate in during fall and winter. So, whether…
The signature signs of a city that’s on the culinary fast track reside in its willingness to take aggressive risks, push infinite boundaries and continually adapt to a fickle dining public whose expectations are always on the upswing. Denver is that city — a major metropolis that refuses to slow…
The Lowry Beer Garden, 7577 East Academy Boulevard, has partnered with three Colorado craft breweries for a series of Oktoberfest festivities. The first begins today and runs through Saturday, September 14; Prost Brewing will be taking over the taps from 6:30 to 10 p.m., and there will be live music…
UPDATE: We have a winner of our Denver Beerathon contest, in which we asked Cafe Society readers to answer this question: How many glasses of Empire Brewing pumpkin ale were poured during the 2012 New York Beerathon? Congratulations to Leah McCracken, who guessed 715; the actual answer is 727. Leah,…
“Drink the bar dry!” That’s the rallying cry at Colt & Gray, which is getting serious about its long-delayed renovation and expansion — so serious that it’s closing for a week. But first, it needs you to help drink the bar dry on Sunday. See also: Best Bartender’s Choice Cocktail…
While the java joint next door overflowed with caffeine junkies, the spot where I was having lunch was empty, save for me and my Italian sausage-and-pepper sandwich, which was nearly as soggy as the weather. Can you guess where I’m eating? Special bonus: Anyone who gives the first correct answer…
