Jason Lebeau Pastry chef Coohills 1400 Wewatta Street 303-623-5700 coohills.com This is part one of my chat with Jason Lebeau, pastry chef at Coohills; part two of my interview with Lebeau will run tomorrow. I came from the era of one-pot wonders,” says Jason Lebeau, who grew up in Maryland…
In A Federal Case, I’ll be eating my way up Federal Boulevard — south to north — within Denver city limits. I’ll be skipping the national chains and per-scoop Chinese joints, but otherwise I’ll report from every vinyl booth, walk-up window and bar stool where food is served. Here’s the…
The first Chipotle Mexican Grill opened on July 13, 1993 at 1644 East Evans. From that single store, founder Steve Ell built an empire, an empire based on the concept of bringing fine-dining standards to fast-casual — and also emphasizing locally sourced, quality ingredients. To mark the twentieth anniversary of…
Suffice it to say that I eat out more than the general population, unless, of course, the general population can catalogue more than 450 restaurant meals in a year — which is about the number of breakfasts, lunches and dinners that I stomached in 2012. Pathetic, isn’t it? But all…
I’m not much of a day drinker (one and done), but I am a proponent of non-alcoholic drinks that go beyond iced tea and soda, and here, at this uptempo restaurant, the bar program pays just as much attention to its mocktails — this muddled cucumber lemonade, for example –…
Every vegetarian or plant-based eater knows the feeling: your stomach starts rumbling come lunchtime, and your brain starts churning as you wonder, what chain restaurant might satisfy your hunger in a tasty, and economical, way? Which places should be avoided, and which will cater to you? For veggie-lovers, Wahoo’s Fish…
It’s been a hot season for chef moves, but last week’s revelation that John Broening will team up, again, with Robert Thompson at Le Grand Bistro & Oyster Bar was a stunner. The two worked together at La Brasserie Rouge, a wonderful French bistro that closed almost as soon as…
Bobby Grover’s goal is to change the way the world thinks about coffee — and in late August, he, along with his two partners, Zak Anderson and Jay Junkin, will do their best to make sure they succeed when they open Thump Coffee in Capitol Hill. “We’re trying to educate…
Wine Spectator just presented Flagstaff House with the Grand Award — it highest honor, given only to restaurants that demonstrate passion and commitment to their wine programs. And Flagstaff House definitely displays that passion, because it’s won the same award every year since 1983. See also: – Best View 2011…
Update: Last week, we asked Cafe Society readers to create a doughnut — and name that doughnut — for a chance to win a dozen doughnuts from Ian Kleinman, the founder of the Inventing Room. Kleinman is hosting a doughnut pop-up this week at Biker Jim’s Gourmet Dogs, and one…
Chipotle Mexican Grill may have marked the twentieth birthday of its original location this past weekend — but many restaurants in Denver are much, much older. And while they may not have inspired outposts around the world, some of them are still in the hands of the original owners….or at…
Sometimes you want something a little bit sweet to start off the day — and because coffee cake goes perfectly with a cup of caffeine, it’s an excellent choice for a breakfast treat. This recipe (adapted from The Joy of Vegan Baking) has the added bonus of being super-easy to…
If you weren’t looking for it, you’d likely miss this tiny Latin restaurant that pumps out terrific Mexican and Colombian tamales coupled with exceptionally good griddled Salvadoran pupusas concealing everything from zucchini to green chiles. Can you guess where I’m eating? Special bonus: Anyone who gives the first correct answer…
Cafe Society dished up five Guess Where? contests last week, ranging from a yet-to-be-identified plate of larb — one of my favorite Laotian dishes — to a simple summertime salad from the Copper Pot, to a celebratory bottle of sake from a Japanese restaurant that lends itself to just about…
The Matador, a link in a Seattle-based Tex-Mex chain, is slated to open in August on a block of West 32nd Avenue that’s changed a lot over the last year. The Matador is taking over the home of the first Heidi’s Deli, which closed last November; just down the street,…
The 20th anniversary of Chipotle — one of Colorado’s biggest homegrown success stories — is tomorrow, and Lori Midson got a chance to chat with founder Steve Ells for this week’s feature; while Gretchen Kurtz took a “staycation” at Big Mac & Little Lu’s, and Mark Antonation stopped by New…
Suffice it to say that I eat out more than the general population, unless, of course, the general population can catalogue more than 450 restaurant meals in a year — which is about the number of breakfasts, lunches and dinners that I stomached in 2012. Pathetic, isn’t it? But all…
Years ago, in 2003, John Broening, Robert Thompson and Thompson’s ex-wife, Leigh Jones, opened a downtown French brasserie called Brasserie Rouge. It was, for its short tenure, the best restaurant in Denver — not just the best French restaurant, but the best restaurant. Period. During the time Brasserie Rouge was…
I’ll admit it: I’m a sucker for a great plate of nachos, but nachos, as I’ve pointed out before, need to have the right balance of cheese, chips and toppings. These nachos, which were a late-night snack from a neighborhood bar, weren’t bad, but they’re definitely not at the top…
Pastry chef Kris Padalino dug around the garden when she joined the crew at Bittersweet this spring, and came up with some sweet and evil desserts for her first menu. Utilizing the crops planted by co-owner/chef Olav Peterson, Padalino revised the roster, adding a traditional strawberry shortcake, a rhubarb pavlova,…
This week Mark Antonation’s travels along Federal Boulevard finally reached New Saigon, one of the city’s oldest Vietnamese restaurants, and definitely its most popular…despite some concerns regarding surly waiters. Although Antonation and his family encountered nothing but friendly faces when they stopped in, Laura Shunk had a different experience when…
Judging from the notes of woe on the Justice League of Street Food’s Facebook page, where it was announced earlier today that the coalition’s food truck parties will come to an end on August 3, there are an awful lot of saddened loyalists. “What a downer,” wrote one disheartened fan…
