8 Rivers didn’t get its new LoDo restaurant up and running in time for the Democratic National Convention, as originally planned, but according to a sign on the door at 1550 Blake Street, it’s really, really going to open on Wednesday, October 1. And that’s good, because Jason Sheehan is…
The winning chef: James Mazzio. If you missed this year’s Westword Menu Affair at the Fillmore, you’re a dolt. Thirty bucks, open bar, free grub and the chance to see two of Denver’s best chefs — Goose “Batali” Sorensen from Solera and Big Jimmy Mazzio from Via — squaring off…
Gustavo Arellano, author of Ask a Mexican, was in town this week to tout his new book, Orange County: A Personal History, and since he’s a colleague, we wanted to take him out to eat. But since he’s also the food editor of the OC Weekly (and the hardest-working man…
Christina Szele. Colorado’s most famous accidental tourist, Christina Elizabeth Szele, has a date in a Colorado court today, but she won’t be here in person. And that’s too bad, because we’d love to hear what legendary U. S. District Judge John Kane (profiled in this 2001 Westword feature) has to…
Gelman’s, which opened in 2006 as Gelman’s Gourmet Market, then evolved into more of a deli/restaurant, then closed for remodeling, has re-opened at 2911 West 38th Avenue. It’s now officially Gelman’s Restaurant & Bar, with renovations to both the space (it’s more sophisticated) and the menu (it’s more seasonal), and…
Just as the lights go out on Neighborhood Flix, a new flick/foods fusion operation has debuted in the metro area. Cinebarre, which has two locations on the East Coast, chose Thornton as the site of its first Western outpost for two reasons, according to general manager Brooke Bieber: our love…
Jo Scott as seen on Channel 7. In this week’s Westword, “Bursting Their Bubble” discusses the first successful prosecution in Denver of a Bubble-Law violation. Convicted in August, Jo Scott will be back in court on September 30 to find out whether she’ll be ordered to stay away from all…
Abode takes a slice out of Larimer Square. At one point this year, Bill Ward had three joints in Larimer Square: Slim 7, Below and Pie Hole, the late-night pizza spot he originally wanted to call Pi, but had to rename when the new Hilton Garden Inn at 1400 Welton…
Even Han Solo couldn’t make this concept fly. Turns out there just aren’t that many Star Wars geeks out there — at least, not enough to fill a bar/bowling alley/live-music venue named after Han Solo’s spaceship. So the Falcon is going into dry-dock, and the spot at 3295 South Broadway…
Still suffering from post-party depression now that the Democratic National Convention is over? Listen Productions has just the cure: DNC Mediamockracy, a multimedia production that combines original video footage from the convention with scripted satire and audience interaction. There’s been lots of action just getting the script together; producer/director Mitch…
F-words are so lovable. Just looked over Jason Sheehan’s review of Thai Lotus, which reminded me of this recent missive from a reader: First off, let me say I think Jason Sheehan is a talented writer and fair food critic. I look forward to his column each week. Okay, now…
Just look how fat this state is… To contradict a lame joke I made in a column that all Texans are big and fat, Angelica Huffman wrote me a letter that is, well, big and fat. She pointed out that not all Texans are racist, as I also said they…
Jenny Meade exercises her biceps with a schooner of beer at the new Blake Street Vault. Walking through the Blake Street Vault, you can appreciate all the history — as well as blood, sweat and beers — that went into the creation of this new restaurant, which opened last month…
James Mazzio created great snack food for Neighborhood Flix. It’s curtains for Neighborhood Flix Cinema & Cafe, one of the occupants of the renovated Lowenstein complex on Colfax. The combo restaurant/movie theater will close after less than a year in business, the victim of too much competition for first-run films,…
So, what are you doing Wednesday night? Nothing? Good, because I’ve got something that’ll get you up off the couch and out on the town. How ‘bout a chance to see Solera’s Goose Sorensen and James Mazzio from Via going head-to-head in this year’s Mile High Chef competition at Westword’s…
The food at Thai Lotus is a pleasant surprise. It makes me wonder what else I have missed, overlooked, passed by without a second glance. I’ve been to Chianti, and Venice before that—what? Ten times, maybe? A dozen? Which means that ten or a dozen times before I’d been within…
Chipotle, the little homegrown company that got very big by selling big burritos, is looking for a new advertising agency. According to Ad Age, Chipotle only lasted nine months with New York’s DeVito/Verdi, and now wants to stuff its $15-to-$20 million account into some other company’s coffers. “We are looking…
We traded this for ballerinas? First, Bravo Ristorante dropped is opera-singing waiters. Now the Supreme Court is closed for renovation (although its web site has yet to reflect that), and when it reopens, it will be as Katie Mullen’s Irish Pub, the first location in this country for a family…
Gustavo Arellano, author of the weekly Ask a Mexican and the go-to guy for all things Mexican, was born in in Orange County, California, the son of a legal immigrant and an illegal immigrant. He tells his family’s story — and so much more — in his new book, Orange…
Eric Skokan should get out of the kitchen and check his bathrooms. What the f@&k is that smell? Okay, so I thought my review of Black Cat, chef Eric Skokan’s place in Boulder, turned out pretty well, with a nice story, some dick jokes, a pleasing arc — going from…
David Wroblewski. Whenever I suggest a book for the city’s One Book, One Denver program, it seems doomed. But my jinx worked just fine for David Wroblewski, a local author whose first novel, The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, was just picked as the next selection for Oprah’s Book Club. Even…
Christina Szele’s most recent flights have been fueled by nose candy. This city’s most famous accidental tourist is coming back. On June 17, 35-year-old Christina Elizabeth Szele was on a JetBlue flight bound from San Francisco for New York when she lit up a cigarette, then yelled obscenities, including racial…
