Readers: Sassafras is a hit, TD’s Dogs was a miss

On June 1, Cafe Society published our “Restaurant roll call for May”, a compendium of all the openings and closings around town. Among the noteworthy openings: Sassafras, a bright spot that’s moved into a real black hole of a location. (Most recently, 2367 swallowed up Nonna’s, but it can claim…

Five things you’ll always find in the fridges of the Denver FIVE

Like a lot of voyeurs, I’m intrigued by the contents of other people’s refrigerators, especially the refrigerators of chefs. And, apparently, so is Leigh Sullivan, the innovator behind FIVE — five local chefs and their bar cohorts, all of whom cook (and pour) at various restaurants and venues around the…

I took the meat challenge at Tony’s and got a hat

Tony’s Market, 950 Broadway, is hosting a deli challenge, pitting its newly-featured deli brand, Dietz & Watson, against Boar’s Head meats (which the market no longer carries) in a blind tasting this weekend to prove what it believes is Dietz’s superiority. Seeing as how the downtown location is across the…

Guess where I’m eating tampiquena?

It appeared impossible that any Mexican restaurant in Denver could manage to get the temperature of its tampiqueña right, which, in my book, means rare, or, at most, mid-rare. And of all the Mexican joints I’ve been to — and there are hundreds of them in this green chile-soaked city…

TD’s Dogs dries up downtown

Todd Regan took over the old Marrakesh address on Blake Street last year and quickly drew up plans to instill TD’s Dogs, a bar-focused hot dog and hamburger joint with a California theme…

The gang’s (almost) all beer! Restaurant roll call for May

Several new brewpubs rolled out this month, as well as the Lowry Beer Garden — and there are many more beery spots brewing. But the gang isn’t all beer: Last month saw dozens of other eateries open, which specialize in everything from upscale street tacos to vegan tamales to breakfasts…

It’s National Doughnut Day! Get your free doughnut/donut here…

Is the delicacy a “donut” or “doughnut”? The latter spelling is as old as the pastries themselves, while the truncated “donut” spelling seems to lack a certain maturity. But spelled either way, the ‘nuts are delicious. Today, June 1, is National Doughnut Day, an American holiday started by the Salvation…

PizzaDoodle opens in Centennial

PizzaDoodle, a new pizzeria with a kid-friendly concept opened Wednesday in Centennial, right across from The Streets at Southglenn. And young ones are definitely the focus: there’s a colorful playroom and the kids are given dough, toppings and cheese so that they can make their own pizzas…

Furr’s Cafeteria: Memories should stop at the buffet’s edge

Some restaurants sure did seem better when I was a kid. Chuck E. Cheese was a magical wonderland of singing animals and perfect pizza; the ball pit at McDonald’s was spotlessly clean — and Ronald McDonald was always smiling down upon me benignly as I ate my cheeseburger that looked…

Guess where I’m eating chicken and dumplings?

The deli where I’d originally stopped for lunch had run out of bread, which warranted a sudden change of scenery…to chicken and dumplings, collard greens and macaroni and cheese. Can you guess where I’m eating? Special bonus: Anyone who gives the first correct answer to the week’s Guess Where posts…

Biker Jim on where he’d eat if had only 24 hours in Denver

This is part two of our interview with Biker Jim, chef-owner of Biker Jim’s Gourmet Dogs. Read part one of the Biker Jim interview. Jim Pittenger Biker Jim’s Gourmet Dogs 2148 Larimer Street 303-550-8231 www.bikerjimsdogs.com What you’d like to see more of in Denver/Boulder from a culinary standpoint: Some really…

Cooking with Pete and Barb Marczyk: Summer turkey burgers

Pete Marczyk and Barbara Macfarlane do not leave their work behind when they leave Marczyk Fine Foods and head for their great old Denver house with the big, new kitchen. They often bring some of their market’s choicest ingredients home with them and cook up a feast. Like a lot…

Guess who’s coming to dinner tonight? Gustavo Arellano!

Gustavo Arellano isn’t just the man behind Ask a Mexican!, his weekly column in Westword. He’s also the author of Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America, and in that book he lavishes praise on the Mexican food of Denver: “I have finally learned to love Den-Mex,” he writes. “Your…

Photos: Miller’s Grille opens in downtown Lafayette

Miller’s Grille is replacing Tutti along South Public Road in downtown Lafayette. Owner Rich Womack wants it to be a neighborhood spot with reasonably priced steaks and burgers, but also to provide diners with classy choices like pear-caper vinaigrette-drizzled salads and a mean butternut squash risotto. In addition, all of…