Free falafel is a fine way to make friends. Alon Mor, the founder of Garbanzo Mediterranean Grill, makes sure that customers are handed deep-fried spiced garbanzo-bean fritters as soon as they walk in the door of one of his restaurants. He also has a “just ask” policy that allows them…
It’s been nearly two years since the Samba Room, a Cuban restaurant chain based in Dallas, closed in Larimer Square, following a major water leak that dripped…and dripped into the Comedy Works space below. The chain’s parent company, E-Brands Restaurants, eventually filed for bankruptcy last year, leaving the two-level Larimer…
After two-and-half years, Pete Penzastadler is closing Pete’s Monkey Bar tonight with one last blowout. Penzastadler, who calls it “a fucking awesome run,” is closing the spot because he just needs to move on, he says…
From northwest Denver, with love. Chubby’s has made the New York Times — and not surprisingly, it’s thanks to Gustavo Arellano, author of the weekly column Ask a Mexican as well as the new book Taco USA. In that scholarly tome, which traces the rise of Mexican food in the…
It’s not quite the Bamboo Hut, the legendary former tenant at 2449 Larimer Street, but an occupant has signed on for the address that once held one of the town’s best Mexican (yes, Mexican) restaurants: Amerigo Delicatus Restaurant & Market is going into the spot…
If you’ve been following this blog, then you’ve no doubt read about the endless parade of pizza joints that are sweeping across the Denver landscape: Toppings started slinging pies in LoDo last Friday; Right Coast Pizza began tossing dough two weeks ago in Wheat Ridge; and Fired Up will open…
On May 5, you’ll be able to pick your reason to drink: Not only is it the date of this year’s Kentucky Derby, which is our favorite reason to suck down mint juleps while wearing a funny hat, but it’s also Cinco de Mayo, a holiday that always brings Denverites…
A few weeks ago, when I was in L.A., I spent some time in Koreatown, where I pigged out on some amazing Korean barbecue and banchan — a parade of more than 25 at one restaurant. There are several Korean barbecue joints here, too, including the restaurant where the above…
While Denver is swimming in great options for sushi, we’re woefully short on Japanese joints that feature good versions of the broader culinary canon — and, in fact, we’d be stoked if a few more spots of this sort opened up, whether they’re restaurants serving up Japanese noodles like ramen…
No one’s saying you have to go meatless just because it’s Monday — but as incentive to join the growing movement, every week we’re offering an animal-free recipe. This is a fast, easy substitute for tuna salad that requires no cooking and harms no fish. We served it up on…
Cafe Society dished up five Guess Where contests last week, including two stumpers: a still-unidentified pizza that is definitely not from Pizzeria Basta and an anemic Reuben that reinforces our plea for better sandwiches in the Mile High City. It didn’t take long, however, to identify Cafe Terracotta as the…
When Gary Lee Bomar, a veteran of the Denver restaurant industry, took over a dilapidated garage on South Broadway almost a year ago, he planned to refurbish the space and build a bar and restaurant with a menu full of smoked meats and cheeses. And while his remodel was always…
Jenn Wohletz has been covering the fast-food beat in Jenn in Chains, and on Friday she served up “href=”http://blogs.westword.com/cafesociety/2012/04/top_five_reasons_why_reviewing.php#Comments”>”Five reasons why reviewing isn’t the worst idea in the world.” And readers have some ideas of their own…
Cinco de Mayo is this Saturday, as is the Kentucky Derby — offering plenty of reasons to celebrate Southern cooking as well as Den-Mex. If you know of a particularly good party connected to either of these two events, send the info to cafe@westword.com or post it in the comments…
Kraine Station — which was heralded just a few short months ago as a spot that would deliver authentic Ukrainian food to Denver — has closed, just like so many earlier occupants of 1434 Blake Street. Papi Sorrelis had taken over the spot from Jimmy Calanni, who briefly ran it…
April is Colorado Architecture Month, but the celebration isn’t limited to concrete and steel structures. The American Institute of Architecture’s Colorado branch has partnered with five local restaurants on Delicious Designs, to show how architecture affects “where we live, work, play… and even eat!” Desserts, specifically. Here’s the lineup:…
President Barack Obama’s visit to Boulder Tuesday was a quick one, but remnants of his stay — specifically in the form of food — will linger a little while longer in some of Boulder’s favorite restaurants, The Sink and Rush on the Hill. Here are the deals they’ve put into…
Think you have what it takes to kick ass with charcoal, gas or wood? Do your neighbors crash your backyard patio party when they sniff the char of a ribeye wafting through the ‘hood? Do you know the difference between direct and indirect grilling, the intricacies of smoking yakitori, how…
The fourth annual DrinkLocalWine Conference, which takes place tomorrow at the St. Cajetan’s Center, has sold out, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take part in the fun. Over the past three years, the Twitter Taste-off has become a popular part of the conference with nearly ten million “tweets” and…
Craft beer, cured meats and cheeses, bread, chocolate, wine and coffee: All of that and much more will exist under one enormous roof, when the Source, an indoor European market, is unveiled early next year in a 26,000 square-foot, 1880s ironworks building in River North…
Have you heard? There’s pizza here, pizza there, pizza everywhere! In light of the glut of pie palaces taking over the city (and its environs), can you guess where I’m eating…pizza? Special bonus: Anyone who gives the first correct answer to the week’s Guess Where posts is entered into a…
Since the recent introduction of Jenn in Chains my reviews/commentaries on what’s what in the realm of chain restaurants, I’ve gotten a slew of questions from readers, friends and complete strangers on my Facebook page about why I’m giving time and attention to chain restaurants. Questions like “Why don’t you…
