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DISH, Westword’s annual celebration of the Denver dining scene, takes place this Sunday, September 22 in Sculpture Park at the Denver Performing Arts Complex with food and drink from some of Cafe Society’s favorite restaurants, as well as Best of Denver readers’ choices. Close to fifty restaurants, trucks and food…

Guess where I’m eating jalapeno-spiked skillet cornbread?

Skillet-cooked cornbread has always been one of my guilty pleasures, and I enjoy it even more when it’s specked with jalapeños and drizzled with a bit of butter, but this cornbread was a disappointment, its interior too dry and devoid of sweetness, its exterior absent of that essential crustiness. Can…

Saigon Bowl wraps up the Vietnamese experience on Federal

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…

Dishes of DISH: Bulgogi lettuce wraps from Dae Gee Korean BBQ

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. The crew from Dae Gee Korean BBQ will be setting up shop…

Denver’s fifty most essential restaurants, No. 47: Rioja

What defines an essential restaurant? Several opinionated friends and I were recently discussing that topic during dinner at a trendy newcomer that’s amassed a flurry of flattery since opening its doors. It’s a restaurant-of-the-moment, but will it still be relevant in six months? Will the crowds continue to jam the…

Dishes of DISH: Bocconcini de polpette from Gaetano’s

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. This year, Gaetano’s will be dishing up some of its authentic Italian…

Guess where I’m eating suckling pig?

I love the menu at this Mexican joint, not for its enchiladas, tacos or burritos, all of which are good, but for the dishes that you don’t often see elsewhere, including a plate of swoon-worthy suckling pig. Can you guess where I’m eating? Special bonus: Anyone who gives the first…

Beso de Arte’s Latin flavors cater to vegetarian palates

It’s not too late to take advantage of Beso de Arte’s gorgeous patio — with a fantastic view of the hogback and a waterfall pond built into the structure. And not only does this Latin bistro boast one of the finest al fresco spaces in the metro area, but it…

Lotus Vegetarian will take over the shuttered Vietnam Grill

Back in May, when I stopped by Vietnam Grill for an education in Vietnamese cooking as part of my Federal Boulevard restaurant tour, I wrote that I was looking forward to “many more surprises and culinary lessons,” including a bowl of rice porridge with the simple yet intriguing modifier of…

Dishes of DISH: Shrimp ceviche from Lola

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. Lola will join the fiesta, serving its shrimp ceviche (no, not the…

Guess where I’m eating shrimp with black bean sauce?

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…

Highland’s Garden Cafe on the block for a million bucks

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…