Social Sightings: Our Food Editor's Recent Favorite Bites

Monday mornings are tough, but this series isn't. Social Sightings is a quick taste of recent food tidbits that goes down as easy as your first cup of coffee, and should whet your appetite for the week ahead.

At the Lakewood Grill, a no-frills bar at 8100 West Colfax Avenue, the front of the menu reads: "The history of West Colfax is legendary: from a dusty dirt road to a trolley line, and at last, Highway 40. Highway 40 was the original gateway to the Rockies in the 1950s when the Lakewood Grill was established. The same time, Jack Kerouac was roaming the local drinking holes here in Lakewood, while writing On the Road. It is rumored that Dean, Cassady and Sal himself sat right here to reflect on the now famous road trip. The Lakewood Grill has and is an integral part of Colfax history. And so, as we toast Sal and our history, you will often hear the words of Jack Kerouac: 'The first sip is joy, the second is gladness, the third is serenity, the fourth is madness, the fifth is ecstasy.'"

While I didn't hear those words, within five minutes of walking in, a stranger bought me a shot while another man led the bar in an enthusiastic Beastie Boys sing-along. This is the kind of place where you can kill a few hours without even realizing it. And while the drinks are strong, cheap and plentiful, the food is solid as well, from the burgers to the Mexican fare. One unexpected find was the Tutu Roll, a long, skinny, lumpia-type fried egg roll filled with ground pork, bean thread noodles, carrots, Chinese mushrooms and onions that makes the perfect bar snack.
The open and bright Point Easy, which opened last year in the former home of the Whittier Cafe, is basically the opposite of the Lakewood Grill, but it's home to another deep-fried must-try. While the pasta played the starring role at a recent meal here, the perfectly crisp, wide-cut French fries deserve your attention as well. They only appear on the short list of sides, making them easy to overlook. But don't. Get an order for the table and experience some superior snacking.
With this sort-of-warm, sort-of-cold spring weather, I've been on a hot-and-sour soup kick lately. After trying a number of solid options, one finally rose above the rest. John Holly's Asian Bistro, at 2422 South Downing Street, is a longtime staple near Harvard Gulch; at one point, it grew to four locations in the metro area, but now only this outpost remains. (The Lone Tree location with the same name has a different owner.) It boasts an enclosed front patio, a small sushi counter, and a menu filled with Chinese and Thai staples. But the hot-and-sour soup is a must, its dark, punchy broth loaded with an ample amount of tofu and vegetables.
When I ordered delivery one chilly night from Happy Cafe, at 945 South Federal Boulevard, I included hot- and-sour soup, of course, and its version landed in my current top three. But the real standout was the rice noodle rolls with XO sauce. These tightly wrapped, chubby swirls of noodles are one of my favorite dim sum dishes at Star Kitchen, but this version from Happy Cafe was pan-fried to perfection, with deeply caramelized flavor, lots of fresh green onion and an umami-packed sauce.
When I visited the Porchetta House, a new concept serving out of Spices Cafe on East Colfax, I popped over to the attached Tight End Bar for some drinks, which seemed like the perfect excuse to try a slice from a new-ish addition to the pizza scene. Since last May, Jake Rothey has been slinging slices, whole pies and wings from his the PZA, which operates of part of the Tight End space. With a crisp crust (no flop here) and an ideal sauce-to-cheese-to-topping ratio, this is the spot to go when you're craving a classic, East Coast-style pizza fix.
Last August, Mama Lolita's debuted near the 1STBANK Center in Broomfield and made a striking first impression, thanks to its bright, plant-filled design and a thoughtful, modern approach to Mexican fare. On a recent visit, two dishes highlighted the versatility of chef/owner Joe Mazzocco and his team. The queso fundido is exactly what you want it to be — a dish of hot, melty browned cheese that's scooped up with flour tortillas to reveal a mix of chiles, onions and garlic underneath. Even after it cooled, I continued to dig in. The hamachi crudo is much more delicate, with bite-sized pieces of fresh-tasting fish artfully arranged with a vibrant green charred tomatillo agua chile, toasted pine nuts for crunch and tart, spicy pickled fresnos.