Beatrice & Woodsley, the new restaurant opening Wednesday, May 14, at 38 South Broadway, has quite a story behind it. That’s because it’s brought to us by the folks behind Two-Fisted Mario’s and Mario’s Double Daughters Salotto, which was named for a pair of conjoined twins. “We do a lot of research,” explains co-owner Kevin Delk.
And in this round of research, they found Beatrice, the daughter of French winemakers who moved to California in the 1800s to start a vineyard there, because they heard the soil was good. Woodsley came from a family of coopers in Oregon, who started making vats for the wine. He and Beatrice fell in love, and the couple moved to Colorado, where Woodsley built Beatrice a cabin in the mountains.
The restaurant picks up where the lovers left off a century ago, with a setting that recreates the feel of a cabin in the woods – complete with trees. “You can see all the love,” Delk says. “You find mementos, and your chef friend sees the cast-iron skillet, and you basically have the meal of a lifetime under the stars.” All of the dishes are based on turn-of-the-last-century cuisines, although in a nod to this-century sensibilities, they’re spiced up with more than just salt and pepper, and served as small plates. The restaurant also features a small but ambitious wine list, with sixteen wines sold by the half-glass.
After a week of practice parties, Beatrice & Woodsley will be open by reservation only for a few weeks, while the kitchen works out the kinks. But hey, what do you want from a place that’s been closed for a century? For reservations, call 303-777-3505. -- Patricia Calhoun
