When Big Bill’s New York Pizza opened in 1995, it was a second outpost of Lil’ Ricci’s New York Pizza, then located in a strip mall off Hampden Avenue. Although Bill Ficke pulled out of the partnership and renamed his place within a year, Lil’ Ricci’s has continued to grow,…
When I sat down at Japoix and took my first sip of the Electric French Kiss ($11), made with Ty Ku Liquor, lemonade and a Szechuan button, I was shocked — for myriad reasons. The most obvious was the Szechuan button (sometimes referred to as an electric or sansho button)…
Early in 2009, Alex Seidel, chef/owner of Fruition, 1313 East Sixth Avenue, bought a ten-acre parcel of earth that sits off a dirt road, just outside Larkspur, and named it Fruition Farms. From the beginning, Seidel, along with Verde Farms founder Josh Halder, cultivated herbs, greens and vegetables, the bounty…
Sometime in the late 1990s, my family stumbled upon Big Bill’s New York Pizza, 8243 South Holly Street, a dark parlor that specializes in thin-crust pies. Because the southern suburbs weren’t exactly awash with other options, this spot quickly became our go-to dinner joint, and we spent several evenings a…
Two weeks ago, we reported that Zona’s Tamales, the blue and orange mainstay at 713 East 26th Avenue that’s inhabited a Five Points corner for forty years, would close on October 15, sending 85-year-old Zona Moore into retirement after she pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of theft by receiving…
Bertrand Bouquin, executive chef of the Penrose Room and Summit at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, and Broadmoor wine director Timothy Baldwin have a date in Jerez, Spain, in January 2011 — when they’ll compete against international chef and sommelier teams for the Copa Jerez title. They won the chance…
Breckenridge Brewing plans to roll out its second canned beer, Lucky U IPA, by the end of the month, adding it to Avalanche Ale, which it began canning last year. “We got the cans on Friday,” says Breckenridge brewmaster Todd Usry. “Distribution will be limited to begin with, just Colorado…
This past Saturday, the Larkburger at 8000 East Belleview Avenue offered $2 burgers — for one day — as a thank-you to the Greenwood Village community. And what a thank-you: The lines stretched out the door, and before the day was done, the store had served up 1,700 Larkburgers…
James Rugile, executive chef at Venue, which opened in 2008 at 3609 West 32nd Avenue, is vacating that kitchen at the end of the month to join Frank Bonanno’s kingdom of restaurants — specifically, the kitchens of Luca D’Italia and Mizuna, the two Bonanno restaurants, along with Bones, that share…
Fruition executive chef/owner Alex Seidel is making ricotta cheese from his farm just outside of Larkspur, and several Denver restaurants are pimping dishes, including the one in the above snap, that feature the magnificent cheese, which frankly, deserves a plate of its own. Can you guess where I’m eating? Special…
Food pods, farmers’ markets and street parties have spread through the Denver food scene. Now, from the Bakken brothers at Basic Kneads Pizza, comes the first mobile vendor-related pop-up restaurant we’ve seen in this city — something we predict will rapidly catch on. Channeling the family gatherings that spurred their…
Back in the early ’90s, when the troubled Pic’s Corner Bar finally gave up the ghost, it was the worst neighbor in a not very good neighborhood. But that was then. Now, the empty Pic’s building stands in the middle of a stretch of West 32nd Avenue that’s one of…
Chef/owner Jeff Osaka will reopen twelve today after an eleven-day break. The restaurant at 2233 Larimer Street is getting close to marking its second anniversary; although the neighborhood was a little lonely when Osaka opened his place, other spots have since opened, with more deals reportedly in the works in…
Cafe Aion, 1235 Pennsylvania Avenue in Boulder, joined the local dining scene early this year and earned a quick rave from Laura Shunk. Tonight at 6:30 p.m., the restaurant will host the Culinary Connectors Supper Club. Admission is $59; call 303-993-8131 to sign up, and find more details at www.culinaryconnectors.com…
For the next few weeks, our favorite candy companies — or at least the ones that spend the most on TV advertising — will be shoving their chocolate-, peanut butter- and nougat-filled ads down our throats. Yes, it’s the high season for candy advertising — already weird enough, but even…
Sean Kenyon knows how to pour out both drinks and advice. A third-generation bar man with almost 25 years behind the bar, he is a student of cocktail history, a United States Bartenders Guild-certified Spirits Professional and a BAR Ready graduate of the prestigious Beverage Alcohol Resource Program. You can…
A reader tipped us off that a sign had recently resurfaced on the property of Brittany Hill, 9350 Grant Street in Thornton, spurring questions over whether the event center was still on track to open in early 2011– or if it was up (again) for sale or lease. JoeAnn Falco,…
Hometown hero Chipotle has made a name for itself with its innovative marketing gimmicks, and now it’s partnering with cheeky British chef-turned-food-crusader Jamie Oliver for a special Halloween treat that could earn you a super-cheap burrito and maybe, just maybe, save the world. What’s the catch? You have to dress…
This week, Rick Bayless, the Top Chef Masters winner, will be hanging around the Highlands Ranch/Parker area for some special events; other foodie fun includes the Fresh Hop Celebration and Breckenridge’s Craft Spirits Festival. Here’s a taste of what’s ahead:…
Japanese Kitchen, a little spot at 2125 South Sheridan Boulevard (and no relation to the original Japanese Kitchen downtown), has closed — but it won’t be empty for long. Mt. Everest Restaurant & Bar, which will serve Indian and Nepalese food, will be opening soon in that space. Is it…
Check out those Syrian sausages in the above pic — a mix of beef, lamb and Mid-East spices rolled into long, lanky ropes and tucked into a housemade pita pocket studded with lettuce and tomatoes and slicked with tahini sauce. That was lunch on Saturday at a Middle Eastern joint…
“This nonsense about us forcing them out is just that: nonsense.” That line was in an e-mail from Joe Vostrejs, COO of Larimer Associates, the group that’s partnering with Brian Sifferman, general manager of Larimer Square’s Corridor 44, to open Madison Street, at 1222 Madison in the Congress Park neighborhood,…
