Fact Czech: The gang's all beer at Sobo 151

After a summer of travels, Laura Shunk revealed the five restaurant concepts she'd love to see in Denver, ranging from a Burmese restaurant to a Czech restaurant and beer hall. Which had commenters wondering: What about Sobo 151?...

By Patricia Calhoun

September 14, 2011

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After a summer of travels, Laura Shunk revealed the five restaurant concepts she'd love to see in Denver, ranging from a Burmese restaurant to a Czech restaurant and beer hall.

Which had commenters wondering: What about Sobo 151?

Mantonat had the answer for that query:

Go to Prague and when you get back, you can tell us how much different the beer halls there are from Sobo. Sure, it's a fine bar, but it's a sports bar that serves some Czech food. Saying "just add some long tables" is a little like saying "just add some bleachers" to your back yard to make it into a sports stadium. Places like U Fleku in Prague are not just bars with long tables. Many beer halls feature their own beers and have a complete food program, not just bar food with a few ethnic specialties. You are only proving Laura's point (that Denver dining could use a few upgrades) by insisting that we have something here that we obviously don't.

For more on Czech cooking in Colorado, read Juliet Wittman's review of Golden Europe -- complete with her memories of plum dumplings.

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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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