But the news isn't all bad. Japon is now open at 1028 South Gaylord, after a brief neighborhood battle over its liquor-license application (supporters of the restaurant claim the opposition was racially motivated). One of Japon's owners worked for the upscale Sushi Den across Washington Park at 1487 South Pearl, so expectations are high. And sake is available.
The emphasis is on drinking--although food is available--at two other new establishments. Now open are america, in the Tivoli, which involves a dance floor, a restaurant and the Tivoli Brewery Company, and the Snake Pit, next door to Wax Trax at 608 East 13th Avenue, which also has a dance floor and a sandwiches-and-pizza-heavy menu.
A few already established restaurants are adding hours to drum up more business. Champion Brewing Company, at 1442 Larimer Square, has introduced breakfast from 6:30 to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday. And Chinook, at 265 Detroit Street in Cherry Creek North, now serves lunch. Maybe earlier in the day Chinook's service will be a little more spritely--and the food fresher. A colleague stopped by for dinner last Monday night and waited a half-hour for the waiter to bring her a glass of wine--which she badly needed after she saw her even tardier entree. The components of the grilled-vegetable plate had been arranged to disguise the fact that the bottom of the veggies were burned to charcoal. Once the blackened items were brought to the manager's attention, she deleted the dish from the bill and offered a complimentary dessert--something flambe, perhaps?--but that hardly assuaged the bad taste left by the slow service. Two days later this same colleague found herself at Enoteca Lodo (1730 Wynkoop), waiting for someone, anyone, to take her drink order. When a server found out she'd been waiting fifteen minutes, he took her order for the $4.50 house Merlot, then advised that her next glass was on him--and that she might want to order something a bit more challenging (and expensive). Now that's a class act.
