Round two with Nate Bychinski, exec chef of Mateo

Nate Bychinski Mateo 1837 Pearl Street, Boulder 303-443-7766 mateorestaurant.com This is part two of my interview with Nate Bychinski, exec chef of Mateo; part one of my interview with Bychinski ran yesterday. Most memorable meal you’ve ever had in Denver: Although it wasn’t a traditional meal, last year’s Denver Burger…

FEAST! Vail kicks off Memorial Day weekend with a slew of star chefs

Denver is knee-deep in food-and-drink events this Memorial Day weekend, what with the two-day South Gaylord Street Festival, EatDenver’s Big Eat on Sunday and the Full Moon Street Carnival on Friday — and there’s plenty of culinary action in the altitude-high town of Vail this weekend, too. FEAST! Vail –…

Guess where I’m eating spicy Szechuan chicken?

Spicy, absolutely, but more to the point, salty — way too salty, even for someone like me, who will dive for the bag of ridged potato chips long before the slice of chocolate cake. Can you guess where I’m eating? Special bonus: Anyone who gives the first correct answer to…

At J’s Noodles Star Thai, rice dishes also shine

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…

Reader: We lost the Rocky Mountain Diner for this?

Ghost Plate & Tap opened in June 2011 in the historic Ghost Building. It had a great location (the former home of the Rocky Mountain Diner) and savvy owners: the Wynkoop/Breckenridge crew. But Ghost won’t be around to celebrate its second birthday; it’s closing on Friday. Initially, the restaurant was…

Red Robin’s CEO is passing out $100 gift cards in Aurora today

It’s National Hamburger Month, and Denver-based Red Robin is celebrating with a “Who’s Your Burger Daddy?” social campaign, encouraging customers to ask friends and family on Facebook or Twitter to be their “Burger Daddy,” and entering those who participate in a sweepstakes to win free Red Robin burgers for a…

At Peach Street Distillers, the proof is in the fruit

Rory Donovan has known fellow Peach Street Distillers co-founders Bill Graham and Dave Thibodeau since they were making beer in Graham’s kitchen and starting up Ska Brewing. Donovan and Graham talked whiskey-making for years, looking at all manner of still plans — like one they found on the Internet created…

Ghost Plate & Tap will shutter on Friday

Next month, Ghost Plate & Tap, an elevated pub with a formidable beer list and an excellent cocktail program, would have celebrated its second anniversary downtown, but the Wynkoop/Breckenridge concept, which opened in June of 2011, is shuttering just shy of its two-year anniversary, closing this Friday, directly after lunch…