Veggie Girl: Tocabe

My roots go deep in New Mexico, so I’m fairly well-versed when it comes to Native American cuisine, and Indian fry bread and Navajo tacos are a few of my very favorite treats. So I was thrilled to hear that a new, fast-casual Native American place was opening at 3536…

Digesting a year’s worth of meals

It’s that time of year again: time to look back over the last three-sixty-five. It’s been a good year, a long year, a strange year. From lunching in Manhattan to getting weird during the DNC to a magical meal at Beatrice & Woodsley (above) to the financial collapse, there’s been…

Frasca is moving…eventually

This past year, Frasca made plenty of buzz when the highly acclaimed restaurant that Jason Sheehan reviewed as Fantasy Land revealed that it would be moving from its home at 1738 Pearl Street in Boulder sometime in the future. But not, as it turns out, in the immediate future. Surprisingly, the number…

Houston’s pushes back opening date

Under its original plans, Houston’s would be open by now. And according to the last published report, the restaurant would still open by February 2009. But Houston’s — part of the Hillstone Restaurant Group, which also owns the Cherry Creek Grill — will be moving into an entirely new building now under construction…

TAG, you’re it…but not quite yet

Just checked in with Leigh Sullivan to find out the status of TAG Restaurant, the long-anticipated spot that she and her husband, Troy Guard (TAG, get it?), are creating at 1441 Larimer Street. Back in August, Leigh and Troy were looking at a February 1 opening for the restaurant, which…

Go mouth of the border on January 1 at Los Cabos II

Los Cabos II promises “puro Peru,” and as Jason Sheehan found when he reviewed Los Cabos, it makes good on that promise. The restaurant at 1525 Champa Street that won our Best Central/South American Restaurant in the Best of Denver 2008 recently added another authentic dish to the lineup: Peruvian…

3.2 beer today, real beer tomorrow at 7-Eleven?

  Where once we thanked heaven for the chance to buy even 3.2 beer on a Sunday, grocery and convenience stores are no longer content to sell just that watered-down stuff — particularly since they face significant competition from liquor stores, which as of July 1, 2008, can now open on…

White Owl settles in Globeville

Many years ago, we spent long hours drinking slivovitz — a plum brandy — at the century-old bar at the Portulaca Cafe, a little dive at 321 East 45th Avenue in the heart of Globeville. Now we hear that the White Owl is roosting in the old Portulaca space, and is…

Spies like us: South Pearl Street edition

Good eyes from S.R., my new favorite deep-cover operative in the South Pearl ‘hood, who came back strong from the holidays with this little tidbit: “Just an FYI . . . there is a notice for application for a liquor license at The Chocolate Berry (1890 South Pearl Street, Denver)…

Happy Holidays from the Santa Fe Tequila Company

A couple weeks back, I looked into the bloody implosion of the Santa Fe Tequila Company’s two-outlet chain. And while talking with partner William Kennedy and getting the inside story on exactly how and why this concept had failed so spectacularly and so quickly, I also got from him a personal…

Sonic introduces new dollar menu

Following in the footsteps of such rival fast-food chains as Burger King, McDonald’s and Wendy’s, Sonic Drive-In is now offering twelve items for a dollar each on its new Everyday Value Menu. The deals are available all day long, and include the Jr. Deluxe Burger, Chicken Strip Sandwich, Jr. Fritos…

Feed the Food Bank of the Rockies

Don’t write off 2008 yet. You can still do good for others — and for this year’s tax return — by donating to Food Bank of the Rockies. Just a buck will buy four meals for the hungry — with 96 cents of every dollar going directly to the purchase of food, and just…

Two Mezcal meetings on live-music application

Mezcal, which helped pave the way for much of the redevelopment along this stretch when it opened at 3230 East Colfax Avenue five years ago, isn’t sitting still. Back in October, the restaurant applied for a “cabaret” addition to its liquor license, so that it could have live music on the premises…

Milking It: Fruity Cheerios

Fruity Cheerios General Mills Rating: One and a half stars out of four Cereal description: Mini-life preservers made of corn and oats and tinted in a variety of hues. But the red, yellow, green, orange and purple colors are bleached out and pale, not bright and vibrant. Could it be…

Frank Bonanno ready to unveil Bones

Looks like Frank Bonanno is going to hit the mark with Bones, the tiny, hip noodle bar at 301 East Seventh Avenue that he wanted to get open in time for New Year’s Eve. Although the promotional card says that Bones is coming in January 2009, the liquor-license hearing on December 19…

Tocabe liquor license hearing today

Tocabe: An American Indian Eatery has been open less than two weeks, but the sleek restaurant at 5356 East 44th Avenue has already gained a loyal following with its native American twist on fast-casual food. And that following could grow — fast– if the liquor-license hearing scheduled for 9 a.m. today…

Candy Girls: Chocolate Mix Skittles

Even though Chocolate Mix Skittles have been out for awhile, I haven’t had the opportunity or inclination to give them a whirl. Why? Because chocolate Skittles seem wrong in the same way chocolate jelly beans seem wrong. What’s good about chocolate and good about Skittles are two entirely different things,…

Table 6 is a nearly perfect restaurant

I once thought that Table 6 was close to a perfect restaurant. I came to this conclusion early — before the drama, before the place got tagged by John Mariani as one of the 21 best new restaurants in the country in Esquire; before every other critic out there started…

This wine bar serves a vintage burger

I’m breaking the rules this week. First, I review an already reviewed restaurant: Table 6. And here, I’m writing a Second Helping for a restaurant that never got a first helping. Why? Well, I don’t much like rules, even ones I’ve made for myself. I do like ballsy moves, though,…

No Chanukah miracle at Zaidy’s

Zaidy’s Deli 15th and Lawrence streets (and a location in Cherry Creek) 303-893-3600 Potato Latke Sandwich Brisket between two latkes, with pickles and a side $9.95 Tis the season, and by “the season,” I of course mean Hanukah, or Chanukah. And to celebrate, I figured I’d have some traditional brisket…

The Nines behind the eight-ball

The Nines — the new hotel that Sage Hospitality opened in Portland, Oregon this fall — is taking a beating on shamelessrestaurants.com for the general suckiness of its restaurant, which already lost its executive chef. To see the bile spewing, check out the comments on the Urban Farmer “That was fast” post…

A record-breaking Denver Restaurant Week

Close to 200 restaurants have signed up for the next Denver Restaurant Week, slated for February 21-27, 2009. The first year, Denver Restaurant Week comprised 84 restaurants; in 2008, 174 restaurants participated. The list for next year is already at 198 restaurants — and growing. During Denver Restaurant Week, each…