Audio By Carbonatix
Q: I’ve been on the lookout for an Italian restaurant with a decent atmosphere (as in dimly lit) and reasonable prices (entrees $10 or less). It must have fresh pasta and bold-flavored sauces. Does such a spot exist in the metro area?
A:We were doing okay until you requested “bold-flavored sauces,” which aren’t a forte among Denver’s red-sauce joints. I’m also assuming you aren’t including seafood and veal entrees in your $10-and-under stipulation, because you’re living in the past if you think you’ll find those anywhere but at a bad Italian chain. Otherwise, though, I think Little Pepina’s (1400 Osage Street, 303-477-3335) will answer your needs nicely. The place has a quintessential New York-Italian feel, its sauces are rich and deeply flavored, the prices are very reasonable, and when I asked if Little Pepina’s makes any of its pastas, the server emphatically replied (in a lush Italian accent), “We make ALL of our pastas here.”
Another option: Papa J’s (7510 Sheridan Boulevard in Westminster, 303-427-1391), which serves a very bold red sauce in a fun setting — caricatures of celebrities drawn by the owner’s father hang on the walls. It isn’t quite as intimate as Little Pepina’s, but Papa J’s is still appealing, and with the exception of the $10.75 shrimp scampi, all of the entrees come in under $10.
