Reader: We have a Soiled Dove — Why Not a Greedy Hamster?

What’s the weirdest name for a restaurant in Denver? We thought the Fractured Prune might take the prize when that doughnut chain rolled into town, but then the Belvedere closed — and we learned that downtown joint will be replaced by The Greedy Hamster. Says theFabulousMarkT: Well, we already have…

Chef Brian Laird Out at Sarto’s

When Sarto’s opened in the Jefferson Park neighborhood last October, Denver diners familiar with chef Brian Laird’s flair for Italian cuisine from his days at Denver classic Barolo Grill were excited to sample his new menu and grab a seat at the cicchetti bar, where Laird stitched together an array…

Bengal Buffet Needs to Buff Its Business

Aurora’s Havana Street is awash with some of the most diverse ethnic cuisine in the Denver metro area; the cultural landscape is primed with every kind experience, from fine-ish dining to lovable dives to mom and pop eateries from almost every nationality and culture: Ethiopian, Vietnamese pho, dollar-a-scoop Chinese, Mexican…

100 Favorite Dishes: Ham-and-Egg Congee at Onefold

No. 38: Breakfast Congee at Onefold Coffeehouses come along and settle in to neighborhoods without much notice or fanfare, doing more or less the same thing from place to place: a few breakfast items, some pastries and sandwiches, some hot soups or egg dishes if there’s room behind the counter…

Pizzeria Locale Is Not So Local Anymore

Ever since Chipotle teamed up with Frasca owners Bobby Stuckey and Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson to roll out a fast casual version of their original Boulder eatery Pizzeria Locale, we’ve known it would only be a matter of time before the whole concept went national. After all, Stuckey and Mackinnon-Patterson have the…

Reader: Get Ready for the Nerd Army at Dungeons & Drafts

On June 13, Manny and Melissa Garza, veterans of the D.C. intelligence community who’ve settled in Colorado, will host the grand opening of Dungeons & Drafts, a geek-themed bar and restaurant in Fort Collins. The new pub owners want to create a destination for nerds in Colorado who are looking…

Funny Plus Takes Fried Chicken Seriously

Not too long ago, I received a message from Adrian Miller —  writer, barbecue judge and executive director of the Colorado Council of Churches — asking if I knew of any restaurants in town that offered Korean fried chicken. I was stumped, but after some furious Googling, I found one…

Reader: Hello, Block & Larder — Jeremiah Tower Called From 1985!

Gretchen Kurtz recently reviewed Block & Larder, a four-month old spot in the Berkeley neighborhood brought to us by the Forgy brothers, who are also behind Freshcraft in LoDo. But is there another influence in the kitchen? Suggests Jeff: Jeremiah Tower called from 1985. He wants his Jackson Pollock squeeze-bottle sauced…

Uncle’s Ramen Is Hot, Especially on a Snowy Day

Just when you thought it was safe to store all your winter clothes, Colorado laughs and throws a nice little snowstorm in our faces. What better way to enjoy the unpredictable weather than with a hot bowl of ramen. In the land of trendy, it seems that new ramen houses…

Cheba Hut’s Colfax Sandwich Shop Set to Start Toasting Tomorrow

A couple of days of construction can make all the difference between a little cluttered chaos and a functioning restaurant. The new Cheba Hust on Colfax Avenue opens tomorrow with a full liquor license in addition to owner Scott Jennings’s list of craveable sandwiches and other munchies. Workers were putting…

Reader: Isn’t This the Fifth Brewery Announced This Week?

Yes, another craft brewery is coming. This one is Little Machine, and Brett Williams, Mike Dunkly and Ben Chenard are gearing up to open later this year at 2924 West 20th Avenue, right by Sports Authority Field, an area definitely thirsty for craft beer — even in a town overflowing with…

Photos: A Look Inside West Highland’s Solitaire

Solitaire owners chef Mark Ferguson and manager Andrea Faulisi Ferguson are placing their faith in Denver’s restaurant goers to separate high-end menus from stodgy dining experiences. “It’s not white table clothes where you have to get dolled up and be quiet,” insists Mark Ferguson of the newly refurbished joined mansions…

Milk & Honey Gearing Up for May Opening, With Chef Lance Barto on Board

Restaurateur Michael Shiell’s excavation and rebuild of the subterranean Larimer Square restaurant space that once housed Lime is nearly complete; Craigslist adds have popped up announcing positions available, and one local chef who recently found himself out of a job has answered the call. Lance Barto, most recently the executive…