Best Place to Cut the Cheese 2001 | The Truffle | Best of Denver® | Best Restaurants, Bars, Clubs, Music and Stores in Denver | Westword
Navigation
Support Us
Search

Best Place to Cut the Cheese

The Truffle

Something's in the air, and it smells like cream spirit. From cow's milk bleu to well-aged goat, Dave and Kate Kaufman have their knives on the pulse of imported cheeses, and they sell the best of them at The Truffle. Let the government confiscate what it will: This duo is determined to make sure Denver gets the raw goods, be it Boerenkaas or Taleggio, Bleu d'Auvergne or crottin de Chavignol. Feel free to ask for a taste (although chances are one of the Kaufmans will have already offered it), then buy your favorites. But don't cut out yet: Linger a while and peruse some of the other gourmet goodies in this charming shop, including obscure olive oils, bulk cornichons, quince jam and, of course, its namesake fungi. Pass the crackers, please.

Best Place to Cut the Cheese

The Truffle

Molly Martin
Something's in the air, and it smells like cream spirit. From cow's milk bleu to well-aged goat, Dave and Kate Kaufman have their knives on the pulse of imported cheeses, and they sell the best of them at The Truffle. Let the government confiscate what it will: This duo is determined to make sure Denver gets the raw goods, be it Boerenkaas or Taleggio, Bleu d'Auvergne or crottin de Chavignol. Feel free to ask for a taste (although chances are one of the Kaufmans will have already offered it), then buy your favorites. But don't cut out yet: Linger a while and peruse some of the other gourmet goodies in this charming shop, including obscure olive oils, bulk cornichons, quince jam and, of course, its namesake fungi. Pass the crackers, please.

Best Chinese Restaurant

Little Ollie's Chinese

Since Charlie Huang opened his Little Ollie's in Denver (the original is in Aspen), the eatery's gone through a few growing pains. But today Little Ollie is all grown up and serving the cleanest-tasting Chinese food in town. This is flavor-filled fare that showcases natural ingredients and puts a fresh spin on traditional favorites. The steamed whole sea bass, for example, is a delight to the senses -- the ginger and seafood scents start wafting toward your table the second the dish comes out of the kitchen -- and the curried chicken and stir-fried lobster are wonderfully novel approaches to classics. After a lengthy fight with the city, the patio is an officially great place to eat in the winter (it's heated) or summer (excellent people-watching). And finally, Little Ollie's boasts a well-chosen wine list that would be appealing in any restaurant, let alone a Chinese one. Little Ollie wins this award on a wok.

Best Chinese Restaurant

Little Ollie's Chinese

Since Charlie Huang opened his Little Ollie's in Denver (the original is in Aspen), the eatery's gone through a few growing pains. But today Little Ollie is all grown up and serving the cleanest-tasting Chinese food in town. This is flavor-filled fare that showcases natural ingredients and puts a fresh spin on traditional favorites. The steamed whole sea bass, for example, is a delight to the senses -- the ginger and seafood scents start wafting toward your table the second the dish comes out of the kitchen -- and the curried chicken and stir-fried lobster are wonderfully novel approaches to classics. After a lengthy fight with the city, the patio is an officially great place to eat in the winter (it's heated) or summer (excellent people-watching). And finally, Little Ollie's boasts a well-chosen wine list that would be appealing in any restaurant, let alone a Chinese one. Little Ollie wins this award on a wok.

Best Vietnamese Restaurant

New Saigon

At long last, we found a better Vietnamese restaurant than New Saigon, one with even more than the hundreds of dishes this place offers, one with even more deeply flavored sauces, one with an even more welcoming attitude. To get there, hop on a plane bound for Saigon. Get off and start walking...

Best Vietnamese Restaurant

New Saigon

At long last, we found a better Vietnamese restaurant than New Saigon, one with even more than the hundreds of dishes this place offers, one with even more deeply flavored sauces, one with an even more welcoming attitude. To get there, hop on a plane bound for Saigon. Get off and start walking...

Best Starters

Potager

Molly Martin
Potager knows how to get a meal off to a great start. This "kitchen garden" offers an ever-changing roster based on what's in season, and the appetizers are an ideal way to sample as much as possible, in realistic portions for a good price. From the always-stunning soufflé of the month to unique salads, homemade pâtés and innovative crostinis, Potager's starters not only whet your appetite, but they tease it, tickle it, and get it so darned aroused you can't wait to see what's next.

Best Starters

Potager

Potager knows how to get a meal off to a great start. This "kitchen garden" offers an ever-changing roster based on what's in season, and the appetizers are an ideal way to sample as much as possible, in realistic portions for a good price. From the always-stunning soufflé of the month to unique salads, homemade pâtés and innovative crostinis, Potager's starters not only whet your appetite, but they tease it, tickle it, and get it so darned aroused you can't wait to see what's next.

Best Chocolate Cake

Manhattan Grill

The Manhattan Grill is full of unexpected finds: a drop-dead-gorgeous porterhouse, killer crab cakes and a marvelous Manhat-

tan (well, perhaps that's not so unexpected). Now it turns out the chocolate cake is a sleeper, too. A super-sized confection thick and dense enough to lay the foundation for a Cherry Creek townhome but so moist it has the texture of mousse, this ganache-slicked wedge also comes with a floor show courtesy of the server, who sets off an avalanche of freshly whipped cream and then ceremoniously pours thick, rich hot-fudge sauce over the top. We'll take Manhattan, all right.

Best Chocolate Cake

Manhattan Grill

The Manhattan Grill is full of unexpected finds: a drop-dead-gorgeous porterhouse, killer crab cakes and a marvelous Manhat-

tan (well, perhaps that's not so unexpected). Now it turns out the chocolate cake is a sleeper, too. A super-sized confection thick and dense enough to lay the foundation for a Cherry Creek townhome but so moist it has the texture of mousse, this ganache-slicked wedge also comes with a floor show courtesy of the server, who sets off an avalanche of freshly whipped cream and then ceremoniously pours thick, rich hot-fudge sauce over the top. We'll take Manhattan, all right.

Best Of Denver®

Best Of

Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our terms of use, our cookies policy, and our privacy policy Westword may earn a portion of sales from products & services purchased through links on our site from our affiliate partners. ©2024 Denver Westword, LLC. All rights reserved.
Do Not Sell or Share My Information
Powered By Foundation