100 Favorite Dishes: The Polpetta Sandwich at Sarto’s

No. 11: The Polpetto Sandwich at Sarto’s Sarto’s is a little tucked away on its corner in the Jefferson Park neighborhood off Federal Boulevard, but the bright, elegant dining room and novel — at least for Denver — chef’s ciccetti bar have made it a draw since it opened last…

Reader: The Post Is Chicken for Rich People!

Fried chicken is sizzling hot around Denver these days — whether you’re enjoying the Japanese version, kara age, at one of the spots Mark Antonation touts, such as Sakana — or at the Post Brewing Company in Lafayette, whose brined fried chicken is so crackling good it won our Best Fried Chicken award…

Chef Shuffles: Changes at Sarto’s, the Nickel and Mezcal

Chef Chris Thompson moved to Denver to open the Nickel in the newly refurbished Hotel Teatro in the summer of 2014. Expectations were high, considering that the previous tenant had been respected Denver restaurateur Kevin Taylor and his eponymous, dazzling eatery Restaurant Kevin Taylor. But after a complete ground-floor overhaul,…

100 Favorite Dishes: Takoyaki at Sakana Sushi & Ramen

No 12: Takoyaki at Sakana Sushi & RamenThe little golden spheres called takoyaki rest in a bowl against a single green leaf of lettuce, topped with stripes of sweet, dark sauce and Japanese mayonnaise. The server warns us that they’re piping hot inside and to wait a few minutes before…

Five Great Gumbos in Denver to Honor Paul Prudhomme

Cajun culinary legend Paul Prudhomme passed away last Thursday, just a couple of days short of today’s National Gumbo Day. But every day was gumbo day for Prudhomme, who popularized Cajun cooking beyond the borders of Louisiana with cookbooks, packaged seasonings and cooking shows in an era before the Food…

Reader: Foie Gras Is a Product of Torture and Should Be Banned

After being banished from many conscious kitchens a decade ago, fois gras is making a comeback on menus around town, thanks to more “thoughtful practices” of companies that produce it.  At Milk & Honey Bar-Kitchen, for example, which Gretchen Kurtz just reviewed, it’s tucked inside powdered cashew brittle for fois gras bonbons. Says…

Three Clucking Good Japanese Fried-Chicken Dishes in Denver

Fried chicken is sizzling hot in the metro area right now, with places like the Post Brewing Co. about to expand with two GoodBird Kitchen concepts; Lou’s Food Bar shining the spotlight on Nashville-style hot chicken; and Max’s Wine Dive coming from Texas with a tasty plate of Southern-fried goodness. And…

Levitating Bananas and Other Wonders at the Inventing Room

Chef Ian Kleinman’s Inventing Room dessert shop is nearing its opening date, so he’s cranked up his new kitchen to dial in recipes before the big day. Liquid nitrogen, which comes out of the tank at -321 degrees Fahrenheit, is the most eye-catching attraction behind the counter at the shop…

Former Kazmos Lounge to Become Italian Restaurant

Kazmos Lounge closed six years ago. Since then, there hasn’t been much activity in the corner spot at West 14th Avenue and Kalamath Street in the Lincoln Park neighborhood — but a public-hearing notice went up at the Denver Department of Excise and Licenses recently for a hotel and restaurant…

The Laws of Cooking With Celebrity Chef Justin Warner

Come October 13, self-taught chef Justin Warner will have released his first cookbook, The Laws of Cooking: And How To Break Them, an achievement coming after Warner rose to fame by winning on the TV show Food Network Star in 2012. But what most people don’t realize as they watch this…

Thirsty Lion Gastropub to Take Over Failed Earls Spot

There’s so much construction going on in Cherry Creek North that it’s easy to overlook vacancies that would be glaring in any other neighborhood. Columbine Street, in particular, has been an obstacle course of orange cones and scaffolding as two major projects — an office building and a hotel, both…