If an apple a day keeps the doctor away, an Appletini a day should keep you not just healthy, but happy. No tongue depressor, this trendy cocktail (it’s also known as the Original Sin, as in Eve going for the apple) tastes quite a bit like an apple Jolly Rancher…
Chef John Duran, then in charge of the kitchen of Bradford Heap’s Full Moon Grill in Boulder, was teaching a workshop last summer at the Cooking School of the Rockies. While most of the school’s visiting chefs provide detailed recipes for the dishes they demonstrate, Duran’s written directions were minimal…
All decks on hand: Now that spring is here, patios and decks are springing up at eateries all over town. Pearl Street Grill (1477 South Pearl Street) has been serving on its backyard patio for weeks — and when a pair of restaurateurs on a scouting mission dropped by recently…
“I want real beer on Sunday,” says Blake Harrison. Newly graduated from the University of Colorado Law School, Harrison is putting his money where his mouth wants to be, by working to end the state’s ban on the Sunday retail sale of full-strength beer and spirits. If he’s successful, Coloradans…
Dark brown and full of zing, the Bloody Mary at the Lancer Lounge is a patriotic salute to drinking. Bartender Josh Gibson calls his concoction “the National Anthem” and explains that it earned the name “because when I’m sitting on the couch and I drink one, I’m immediately at attention.”…
Change is good. Very good, judging from a few recent meals at Solera. That’s the restaurant now occupying the East Colfax Avenue space that housed the Firefly Cafe for many years and in 1999 became the much more sophisticated Ambrosia Bistro. Mark Gordon, Ambrosia’s chef and co-owner, honed his grill…
Change has also been good for the five-year-old Dazzle (930 Lincoln Street). Since manager Donald Rossa and chef Jason Palmer — both late of the Fourth Story (2955 East First Avenue) — came on board last fall, the restaurant has gone to the next level, as has the bar. The…
Evoking visions of hot summer nights in pre-revolution Havana, the mango mojito — sipped regularly by Ernest Hemingway, or so legend has it — is the perfect cool-down as Denver heats up. And the rum-soaked concoction is already a hot commodity at the eight-week-old Samba Room, which also features a…
After four meals at Decisions, I still can’t decide if this restaurant knows what it’s doing. The basics are there: Decisions serves breakfast, lunch and dinner in an area that’s lacking in good options for all three meals, it’s in a good location for downtown business crowds, and it offers…
The Great Cheesesteak Controversy of 2002 aside (see The Bite, April 18), I haven’t heard much whining about this year’s Best of Denver picks. But that doesn’t mean it’s been all quiet on the Westword front. One woman called to complain about Hapa (2780 East Second Avenue) winning Best Sushi…
It’s game day at Coors Field, where thousands of fans are enjoying America’s alleged favorite pastime. A few blocks to the east, inside the Carioca Cafe, at 2060 Champa Street, a handful of Americans are reveling in a more revered, longer-lived pastime: drinking. The baseball fans who hustled past the…
Q: I’ve become a big fan of banh mi, the Vietnamese sandwiches with meat, pickled vegetables, cilantro, peppers and mayonnaise on a French baguette. Where can I find them in Denver? A: Banh mi is shortened slang for banh mi thit, or bread and meat, a popular street food in…
Exceptional eateries spring up in the most unlikely places. Most visitors to Golden stick to the main drag of Washington Street, the Boettcher Mansion and anything within walking distance of the Coors Brewery. But it’s time for the town to mark more landmarks in its tourist guide, including the small…
So here we are, 1,730 miles from Philadelphia, and we’re gonna argue about cheesesteaks. What is this, 1975 at the Jersey Shore? I think my flip-flops are broken. The winner of the Best Cheesesteak award in the Best of Denver 2002 was Santoro’s Brick Oven Pizzeria (9500 Heritage Hills Circle,…
Q: My husband and I are planning a weekend getaway in Glenwood Springs. Can you suggest some good restaurants? A: Glenwood is one of my favorite getaway spots, and although everyone goes to the Italian Underground (715 Grand Avenue, 1-970-945-6422), I like Florinda’s (721 Grand, 1-970-945-1245), which is next door…
Concentrating on Mateo’s classic food while sitting in Mateo’s trendy dining room was like trying to read The Grapes of Wrath in a strip club: Both the food and the setting were worthy of attention, but the combination drove me to distraction. You can’t blame chef Seamus Feeley for trying…
The Best of Denver 2002 was a resounding success, at least according to concert promoter Barry Fey, who is always quick to offer feedback. “This time I can’t find anything wrong with your food picks,” says Fey. “What’s up with that?” From steaks to cheesesteaks, Fey has strong opinions on…
Chuck E. Weiss, one of the coolest cats ever to escape Denver, is back in town to “take care of some business” and visit his mom. But although he’s got a new record out, Weiss doesn’t want to talk music. No, he wants to jawbone about his other love: diners…
Q: I’d happily patronize restaurants that don’t allow smoking. Where are they? A: The easiest way to find Denver’s smoke-free eateries is to get a copy of the Smoke-Free Dining Guide from Boulder-based GASP of Colorado (Group to Alleviate Smoking Pollution). The nonprofit will mail the booklet, which includes over…
Denver diners have been waiting for the right twist on Mexican food, and Lime just might be it. Over the last year, a number of eateries have opened that feature either upscale Latin-derived cuisines (Cuban, Peruvian) or upscale Mexican fare, with prices to match (ten bucks for tacos). Although such…
Coffee, table, books: Time to wake up and smell the coffee, Starbucks. The brand-spanking-new Schlessman Family Branch Library, at 100 Poplar Street, has a surprise in store for visitors: a full- service coffee bar run by the Baroness Coffee Company. “This is the first time we’ve tried this,” says Celeste…
Living in a rapidly improving neighborhood has its pluses and minuses. In the Old San Rafael section of central Denver — my stamping grounds — the upside includes increasing property values, decreasing crime and fewer addicts smoking crack beneath the Neighborhood Watch signs. On the downside, there are heftier property…
