Photos: Highland’s Garden Cafe back in bloom

Highlands Garden Cafe is back in business. After a long winter’s nap, this week Pat Perry reopened her restaurant in Highland, where the garden is already in bloom. To celebrate the new patio season, Highlands Garden is taking names for a drawing to win a $50 gift certificate to Mondo…

Round two with Jonathan Power, exec chef of the Populist

Jonathan Power The Populist 3163 Larimer Street 720-432-3163 thepopulistdenver.com This is part two of my interview with Jonathan Power, executive chef of the Populist. Part one of our chat ran yesterday. Favorite Denver/Boulder restaurant(s) other than your own: I don’t make it up there often enough, but I love Pizzeria…

Reader: $13 for a friggin’ cheeseburger?

Since Tom Ryan founded Smashburger, it’s no surprise that his namesake Tom’s Urban 24serves a good burger. “Made with eight ounces of ground Angus, the patty isn’t smashed to order, as it is at Ryan’s other joint — that technique doesn’t work as well on a chargrill — but it…

Tom’s Urban 24: Is this upscale diner ready for prime time?

You might not know the name Tom Ryan, but you’ve probably heard of Smashburger, the fast-casual concept he founded in Denver in 2007. Smashburger has been a smashing success, expanding to 200 locations worldwide in just a few years and nabbing the Forbes title of “most promising company” in America…

Guess where I’m eating a French toast torta?

Forget pancakes and waffles. The newest craving of breakfast-goers appears to be leaning toward tortas, in this case, a French toast torta. It’s savory, sweet and so much better than anything made with Bisquick or pulled from a L’Eggo My Eggo carton. Can you guess where I’m eating? Special bonus:…

Five retro foods and drinks that should be resurrected

There are certain snacks and sips that were just too good to last forever — but they damn well should have! Some really great ideas didn’t last much past their initial hype; the companies responsible hurled them almost as quickly as they’d unfurled them. And while discontinued items do, on…

Pho 96 keeps it warm and simple

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…

Guess where I’m drinking a flight of eight beers?

Beer, say some, is what makes the world go round. And here, at this center of suds, there’s seemingly enough beer to sink the world — or, at least, the stomach of one food writer whose belly sloshed for hours after the last drop was drained. Can you guess where…

Announcement: We have a winner of our DStill contest

Earlier this week, we posted a contest, giving one Cafe Society reader and a guest the opportunity to attend DStill’s American Craft Spirit & Cocktail Showcase, which runs tomorrow night from 6 to 10 p.m. at the McNichols Building at 144 West Colfax. We told you that 44 distilleries would…

The five best vegetarian/vegan dishes in Denver

Denver’s a great town for vegetarians and vegans, as the Best of Denver 2013 attests. In that issue, you’ll find accolades for Best Vegetarian Green Chile and Best Vegan Market, as well as many more green categories. But if you’re looking for the best plant-based dishes in the city, look…

Reader: Best Fried Chicken at White Fence Farm? That won’t fly!

There’s been the usual squawking over the Best of Denver — complaints about the editorial picks in various categories, and much louder complaints over many of the readers’ choices. And, of course, there have been the standard queries about why the editorial picks are given so much more prominence than…

Bubba Chinos evicted from downtown location

Although in mid-March Bubba Chinos promised to return to its home on Court Place after “remodeling,” the only new decoration the place has is an eviction notice from Dikeou Realty, which owns the building. See also: – Bubba Chinos downtown has closed for “remodeling” – Reader: Bubba Chinos is on…