Euclid Hall finds a niche in Denver dining

Euclid Hall, 1317 14th Street, the third restaurant within one block for partners Jennifer Jasinski and Beth Gruitch, who also own Rioja and Bistro Vendome, was one of the hottest openings of the summer.

The crowds packed into the beautifully refurbished space that most recently held the grimy Martini Ranch for the chef's take on classic tavern food. Almost three months later, those hordes of people are still there, pairing beers from the vast, interesting list with upscale drinking food, eating housemade sausages by the pound and fried pigs ears by the basket.

I finally joined them a few weeks ago, and began a dizzying tour through the artery-clogging world of schnitzel and bone marrow and fried cheese curds. I tasted four housemade mustards and house-ground blood sausage and house-cured pickles. And, of course, I licked my chops at the very mention of rich, gravy-coated poutine, exploring several renditions of the dish over the course of my meals at the restaurant. By the time my sourdough waffle ice cream sandwich arrived at the end of my first meal, I knew that Euclid Hall was different. Different from any restaurant in Denver, sure, but also different from the other restaurants run by Jasinski and Gruitch.

Prepare for plenty of meat when my review, and a slideshow, is posted here tomorrow.

• Word of Mouth