Our restaurant critic, Gretchen Kurtz, took much of 2016 off — but she returned in August, revitalized after her sabbatical. And a good thing, too, because restaurants continue to open at an unprecedented pace in metro Denver. Her mission remains the same: to visit a restaurant anonymously — and more than once — and then offer an honest, no-holds-barred assessment. Since her return, she's reviewed eight eateries that all opened this year. Here they are, along with links to her originals reviews.Smart, Sophisticated Dining Makes a Welcome Return at Avelina
Avelina
1550 16th Street
720-904-6711
A Second Steuben's Lets the Good Times Roll in Arvada
Steuben's
7355 Ralston Road
303-830-0096
Coperta Could Be the Start of a Lovely Roman Holiday
Coperta
400 East 20th Avenue
720-749-4666
Troy Guard's Mister Tuna Is a Real Keeper
Mister Tuna
3033 Brighton Boulevard
303-831-8862
Lowry's Masterpiece Kitchen Is No Masterpiece
Masterpiece Kitchen
84 Rampart Road
720-324-8873
Mas Kaos Has Mass Appeal With Tacos and Pizza — and You'll Want Both
Mas Kaos
4526 Tennyson Street
720-638-2100
Spatola Ristorante & Wine Bar: An Unfinished Journey to Authentic Italian Fare
Spatola
3434 West 32nd Avenue
303-477-4820
The Preservery Captures the Flavor and Energy of the New West
The Preservery
3040 Blake Street
303-298-6821