The very existence of Rebel Restaurant in industrial north Denver, with its roasted animal heads and whole octopus artistically plated on grandma's china, is proof that Denver's dining scene has arrived, according to Gretchen Kurtz's review of the brave little eatery stashed inside a nondescript former dive bar. Upscale comfort food and ham-handed hamburger creations are no longer enough to impress the city's restaurant-goers — especially when Rebel put the likes of beef-heart shit on a shingle and anchovy popcorn on its rotating roster.
But if you'd rather be comforted by familiar, if well-made, dishes, try twirling a forkful of hand-made pasta at one of the eight Italian joints recommended in this week's Ethniche.
In other news:
RESTAURANTS/BARS OPENING THIS WEEK*
Allegro Coffee Roasters, 4040 Tennyson Street
Dion's Pizza, 25750 East Arapahoe Road, Aurora
Grill & Vine at the Westin DIA, 8300 Peña Boulevard
Rhein Haus, 1415 Market Street
White Fence Farm, 18630 Green Valley Ranch Boulevard
RESTAURANTS/BARS CHANGING NAMES THIS WEEK*
Modern Market Farm Fresh Eateries (from Modmarket), multiple locations
RESTAURANTS/BARS TEMPORARILY CLOSING THIS WEEK*
El Tepehuan (Sunday), 3457 South Broadway, Englewood
*Or earlier, and not reported in a previous Second Helping.