Slotted Spoon Meatball Eatery

Slotted Spoon Meatball Eatery, which opened in early 2013 in the University of Denver neighborhood, is a meatball-slinging version of Chipotle, the fast-casual chain that got its start just a few blocks away. And co-owners Alex Comisar, Johnny Coast and Jensen Cummings have come up with what looks like a winning concept with their colorful place, which focuses on meatballs, of course, but serves them up in sandwiches, salads and pastas. Cummings may be the most overqualified fast-casual cook in the country, and he's not only created some unusual preparations -- like the surprisingly successful Sgt. Pepper pasta, with chicken meatballs and a creamy red-pepper-and-paprika sauce -- but offers handy suggestions for what items will work together. For example, he knows that a refreshing, dill-heavy tzatziki will complement the falafel-like quinoa-and-black-bean balls in the gyro salad. Well-priced and creative side dishes -- including lemony sautéed kale, coleslaw, and a kid-friendly macaroni and shells with American cheese and bacon -- turn mains into more of a meal.