Ay Caramba! Closes in Cherry Creek North

When restaurateur Alex Gurevich opened Ay Caramba! in Cherry Creek North in early 2013, it was a bit of surprise, considering that most of Denver's tortas joints are of the hole-in-the-wall variety in lower-rent neighborhoods. There was much speculation as to whether Creekers would even know what a torta was,...

By Mark Antonation

November 5, 2014

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "12017618",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "17242653",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261320",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261321",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        }
      ]

When restaurateur Alex Gurevich opened Ay Caramba! in Cherry Creek North in early 2013, it was a bit of surprise, considering that most of Denver's tortas joints are of the hole-in-the-wall variety in lower-rent neighborhoods. There was much speculation as to whether Creekers would even know what a torta was, much less get on board with a refined version of Mexican street food. And now we might have the answer: The restaurant's website is down and the phone goes unanswered during posted hours. Whether due to a lack of interest in south-of-the-border sandwiches or just a general dearth of customers in Cherry Creek, Ay Caramba! has closed.

When Gretchen Kurtz reviewed Ay Caramba! last year, she mentioned that the address had previously been occupied by Bisque, and that the tortas restaurant was opened "almost on a whim," rather than selling the space.

Ethnic diversity isn't exactly the hallmark of Cherry Creek North, so in the end, the eatery's closing is far less surprising than its opening.

Follow @CafeWestword

KEEP WESTWORD FREE... Since we started Westword, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Denver, and we'd like to keep it that way. Your membership allows us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls. You can support us by joining as a member for as little as $1.

Mark Antonation is the former Westword Food & Drink Editor. In 2018, he was named Outstanding Media Professional by the Colorado Restaurant Association; he's now with the Colorado Restaurant Foundation.

Contact: Mark Antonation

Follow:

Instagram: @mantonation