Reader: Fruition is the best restaurant in Denver -- not the Best Expense-Account Dinner

Every year, our picks in the Food & Drink section of the Best of Denver inspire heated debate -- delayed by a day this year, because of a glitch in our comments function. But that seems to be working now, so let the online arguments begin! We'll start them off...

By Patricia Calhoun

April 1, 2011

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Every year, our picks in the Food & Drink section of the Best of Denver inspire heated debate -- delayed by a day this year, because of a glitch in our comments function. But that seems to be working now, so let the online arguments begin!

We'll start them off with this comment from Jeff, discussing the Best Expense-Account Dinner win for Fruition (which also won Best Farm-to-Table Restaurant).

While I firmly believe that Fruition is absolutely the best restaurant in Denver, I think it's a mistake to classify it as an "expense-account dinner."

Part of what makes Fruition so great is its reasonable prices and value for what you get. While it may not be a place that most of us can afford to go to every Friday, it's not even close to being one of the most expensive restaurants in Denver. I don't think Fruition has a single entree over $25. A nice dinner for two (two apps, two entrees, two deserts, good bottle of wine) can easily be had for $150 or less. That's the kind of thing that I'm happy to spring for once or twice a month -- especially considering what you get. If I'm eating on the company dime, I'll go someplace like Capital Grille, where the bill would be at least 50% more.

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Patricia Calhoun is editor-in-chief of Westword, the alt-weekly she co-founded in September 1977. She’s been inducted into the Colorado Press Association Hall of Fame, the Association of Alternative Newsmedia Hall of Fame and the Colorado Restaurant Association Hall of Fame. She’s also received dozens of local, state and national awards for writing, including first place for feature writing and first place for column writing with the Society of Professional Journalists. Patricia is a weekly commentator on Colorado Inside Out, PBS 12's public affairs roundtable, which has won two Emmys.

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