Eat Out Denver!

Microblogging: much less pressure

2010-07-07T10:19:00.002-06:00

It's been a few years, but I'm still enjoying great dining in Denver. I'll be posting via the above Twitter feed instead of full blog posts. I hope you find them amusing, if not helpful.

Also, if you're inclined, please feel free to follow me on Twitter: MissusMonkey

Happy dining!

New Orleans -- Bayona

2006-04-15T11:57:00.000-06:00

So M and I took a little trip to the big easy for Spring Break and my birthday. He'd been down to Baton Rouge for some work recently and thought it would be fun to do a combination work/play thing in New Orleans.

When I mentioned to my mom where we were going, she kind of freaked out on me. She was saying that it still isn't clean, safe, etc. I even talked to my sister and she agreed with my mom. So I consulted an expert, my friend B, who works for an environmental clean-up agency and had been down to N.O. a multitude of times. He said if we stayed in places like the French Quarter and the Garden District, we should be fine. So we went!

We stayed at a beautiful old hotel called Hotel Monteleone. We never actually ate there, but we liked our room and did have a damn good rye and ginger at the Carousel Bar off the lobby. We flew in on Thursday (my birthday!!!) and went fancy schmancy by way of a great little restaurant called Bayona.

The food at Bayona was fantastic. We didn't want to make ourselves ill, so we shared an appetizer and then shared a salad before we had our entrees. The appetizer was a special that day -- it was a spectacular scallop dish, I think they were seared, and then served on scallop shell halves with a lovely, delicate sauce. Our server recommended a glass of reisling to complement the flavors in the appetizer -- it was an excellent suggestion. The pear and quail salad was next. I noticed there were some nuts on the salad, and had to ask if they were walnuts. When I mentioned that if I ate walnuts I would die, he got a little freaked out. It turned out they were pecans and I avoided eating them anyway, but our poor server never really recovered from being so rattled. Oh well.

We didn't let the nut issue get to us, though, because we had more eating to do. For my entree, I ordered another special of the day, it was buttermilk battered fried rabbit (not heavy at all). I LOVED this dish. It was so good, I had nothing left on my plate by the time I was done. M had the grouper with purple coconut rice and thai pineapple chutney. He loved his, too.

Our only regret is that we should've sat outside. It was slightly nippy, and we thought it might be too chilly to eat in the garden, but the inside of the restaurant was pretty brisk, too. Oh well.

E.O.D. Bathroom Rating: I did get to check out the ladies room before we left for the evening. When I walked in the bathroom, there was a mirrored wall to my left, and as I came through the door, I thought I was walking in to someone. Other than that, the bathroom had an old feel to it because of it's small size. It was nice, though. I'd give it 3 out of 5 flushes.

Pho Fusion

2006-03-22T18:39:00.000-07:00

I don't know what it was about the allure of Dodgeball, but I felt compelled to play. And play I did. Once I arrived, I realized I was on one of only two faculty teams and there were around twenty student teams, mostly boys. It could have been worse...

I mention this because one of the student teams was Team Pho, and they were wearing the cool t-shirts from Pho Fusion, one of which says "pho-natic" and the other which says "pho-shizzle." So clever. I've actually seen these students at Pho Fusion during lunch when I'm trying to do anything but run into students. At least these guys were less enthusiastic about my presence than I was about there's.

But on to why this place is so awesome. It could be the charisma of the owner, Tom Bird. He is a natural at the art of sincere small talk (if there is such a thing), and seems to be a downright good guy. You want him to succeed, and there's little doubt that he will.

But it's not just about Tom. It's the food. It is exceptional. The quality and freshness of the ingredients is truly amazing and totally comes through in the food. My two favorite dishes are the chicken pho (although the beef is spectacular) and the pad thai. A word about the pho. I could go on and on about how good it is, but you could read about that anywhere. I want to talk about that big plate of pho accoutrements. The plate includes thai basil, cilantro, jalapeno slices, a wedge of lime and a big bunch of bean sprouts. I almost feel guilty because I use only a fraction of this fresh goodness: one or two torn basil leaves, a small squeeze of lime, a few cilantro leaves, and a one or two jalepeno slices (after I poke the seeds off). I never touch the bean sprouts -- not a fan. But I feel so wasteful! I feel guilty! I secretly hope that my unused produce gets recycled in some way (yet I'm equally horrified by the thought).

I need to let it go and enjoy the pho for its own sake. It is so good -- you just feel virtuous after having pho for lunch (or dinner). Even when I've gone a bit overboard and consumed just enough to send me to the other side of sloshy, I know it's only liquid and it will pass. Maybe if I keep eating at Pho Fusion, I'll be in tip-top shape for next year's dodgeball and I'll be pho-nominal! (sorry)

E.O.D. Bathroom Rating: It's pretty spare in there. Very white. Kind of like when in the Matrix, they're in the "construct" before the guns come swooshing in. 2.5 out of 5 flushes.

Capital Grille

2006-03-18T10:35:00.000-07:00

I've now resolved to get back on the blogging tip. I was at a meeting the other day and there was this chick who writes children's books and she was talking about the writing process and her rituals, etc., and I was thinking "I like to write! I want rituals!" Then, of course, I thought of this blog, which is the closest thing to writing that I do, and the self-loathing began.

But I'm not one to dwell! So I've created a ritual for myself to encourage consistency in the frequency of my postings. (I'm shooting for a minimum of once a week.) Now that my hubby, M has entered a Suduko moment -- tryin' to keep the gray matter well-lubricated -- I thought the weekend mornings when he's Suduko-ing would be perfect. And so here I am.

Now on to more important things -- dining! Last night we went to the Capital Grille on Larimer for dinner before the symphony (AWESOME show, by the way!) We had never been there before because it always seemed that when the honeymoon buzz was lingering at Capital Grille, we could never get a reservation when we wanted one. The other thing is that we're not really big steak-restaurant people. M and I both are of the opnion that when you dine out and throw down the cash, one of the essential things you're paying for is the talent and innovation of the chef.

In Denver, the layperson has access to exceptional-quality meat. We'll get a couple of filets from Whole Foods (for a price, mind you) and because of the quality of the meat, all it needs is a little salt and pepper before (or sometimes after) you slap it on the grill. Steak that good and that simply prepared doesn't need the blue cheese and the rubs and all the other stuff. So, for that reason, we rarely patronize places like Morton's, Sullivan's, etc.

But this time we did, and it was good. The crab and lobster cake was okay. The lobster meat was the stand out, but the quality of the crab wasn't lumpy enough for me. The actual steaks, themselves, were quite good. M had the Kona (decaf!) coffee rub on a medium rare aged sirloin. It came with shallots and some butter-cream sauce that he scraped off. When I first tasted it, I liked it more than my dish. Very flavorful and, obviously, good quality meat. I ordered the sliced filet (medium rare) that comes with cippolini onions and mushrooms. At first I wasn't loving it because my previously described prejudices about a simply-prepared filet were clouding my judgement, but eventually it grew on me. It was perfectly cooked, and as I went on to enjoy it with the classic creamed spinach we ordered as a side, I realized that I had been won over.

Don't get me wrong, though, I'm not planning to convert to steak house dining. I'm just saying that if I were to go to a steak place, this experience helps me to decide which one to attend and to have the knowledge that it can be quite good.

Oh, by the way, the bottle we ordered was perfect. It was a 2000 Bordeaux that was pretty reasonably priced $70-80 and, after decanting, opened up really nicely.

E. O. D. Bathroom Rating: I didn't use the facilities at Captial Grille. I ended up using the ladies' at the Samba Room (you may want to turn down your volume before clicking this link) because M wanted to squeeze in a quick post-steak, pre-symphony cigar. Nice bathroom. I kind of enjoy the runway effect of the corridor to the bathrooms, too. 4 out of 5 flushes for the Samba Room bathroom.

Krameria Cafe

2005-11-30T21:50:00.000-07:00

It looks great. Really. I wouldn't have even stepped foot in there before they re-did the Krameria Cafe. But the service is painfully slow (especially when you're all empty-stomachy and the coffee is eating a hole in your stomach lining because you've had four refills and your food still isn't ready!)

I was so optimistic, too. I saw they had a gyro-egg thing that reminded me of the breakfast we had at Cafe Opa that I enjoyed. This dish -- not so good. The gyro meat was burned, the eggs were so-so. The "butter" on the toast was just nasty.

I think this is actually the first completely negative review I've done on this blog so far. Bummer, because it could have a lot of potential. We'll wait and see.

E.O.D. Bathroom Rating: I know I had all that time on my hands, but I never made it to the bathroom.

Rioja

2005-11-30T21:32:00.000-07:00

I've been to Rioja about a half dozen times since it opened and have generally enjoyed it, but the dinner we had on a recent Saturday night with KB & C (sans Baby J) was exceptional.

Our reservation was on the early side, and we got a cozy seat in the "sidecar" area on the right side of the restaurant. We got the party started with a cocktail. KB went with the classic vodka martini, M with the Bombay Sapphire martini, C with a Belvedere and soda with lemon, and me with the only girly drink at the table, the Pomiginger martini (I love ginger!!!).

Before I mention the apps, I must give praise to our exceptional server. I can't remember his name, but he was an absolute superstar. Perfectly funny, friendly, polished and professional. He even whipped out his mini flashlight when C wanted to know the maker of the shnazzy pepper mill he was using.

Anyway, the appetizer was the Rioja Picnic. M and I had this one afternoon this past summer on the mini patio in front (another great day). It includes olives, chorizo, some dried duck thing, a couple of yummy cheeses, toasted almonds, and a shaved fennel and red onion thing. Sooo good.

The two couples each split a salad. House for KB & C, Beet Salad for M and me (accomodatingly w/o walnuts for me!) Then the main course. Both C and M had the veal. M wanted to try the Veal Cheeks because the dish had a cavatelli-like ricotta/gnocchi side. He liked the flavor but thought he gnocchi too mushy. KB and I both went with the duck. Mmm mmm mmm. Perfect for a post-Thanksgiving, it-sure-is-winter kind of feeling. MMMM!

We were so full by the end, but as pleasantly so as possible. We walked it off a bit on our way to the ballet, which by the way, was wonderful. Yeay!

Sushi Sasa

2005-11-30T21:09:00.000-07:00

I'm behind again. The night we went to Sushi Sasa was the night after the Broncos kicked the Jets' behinds at Mile High. KB & C invited M and I to join them and Baby J for the game. It was great. Kind of tough having grown up a Jets fan, but that was a long, long time ago on an island far, far away. I live in Broncos Country now, and my brother and father have both converted to being G-men.

Nonetheless, we were going to stop in at My Brother's Bar for a bite, but it was closed. So Sushi Sasa and it's vinyl "now open" sign beckoned us from across the street. We went for it and were not disappointed.

It was very quiet when we first arrived, and our sporty attire was a bit out of synch with the sleek modernism. We were with the sushi guru, (C) though, and I felt confident that while the other members of the sushi congregation might have pood-poohed our garb, we were with a true believer.

As usual, I can't exactly remember everything we ordered. I know we went with the can't-be-beat price on a Ferrara sauvignon blanc. We went with it twice, as a matter of fact.

There was a great sashimi appetizer that rocked. I can't remember what it was, though. M had the cooked cod reminiscent of the cod we had at Nobu and he loved it. There was a lot of sushi and it was fantastic.

E.O.D. Bathroom Rating: M went first, and since I've been practicing my Italian, I asked "Dov e?" He replied "a sinistra," which means "on the left." It was actually a sinistra e then a destra. Hee hee, hoo hoo... I guess you had to be there. Anyway, the bathroom was sweet in that it's a single. Nicely decorated with a sunken glass sink. (Although they should spray paint the u-pipe cover black, I think.) 4 out of 5 flushes.

NYC -- Da Ciro Ristorante

2005-11-01T17:21:00.000-07:00

So, the next night, we saw JP & MG again, as well as T-Bird and her man, T. We all got together at Da Ciro Ristorante, a place where T and T-Bird are frequent diners and are well-known. I started with a glass of prosecco, and almost everyone else has a yummy glass of red. Before we were seated, we nibbled on some olives that were beautifully arranged in bowls on the small bar. Then they brought out the famous foccacia robiola. Good God! Ridiculously good. I'm shaking my head with solemnity even as I type this.

Dinner was also excellent. I had the home made tagliolini con gamberetti -- pasta with shrimp, arugola, and tomatoes. Exactly what I was in the mood for. I've been jonesing for some arugola in my pasta since our trip to Italy this past summer. M had the veal special and loved it, too. the only other person's meal that I recall was T-Bird's. She ordered the whole fish special, and when the server brought it out, he actually "carved" it for her at the table!

That's the other thing, the servers were all very friendly and fun, but without being too much so. Finally, we finished with the tiramisu.

A fantastic evening!

NYC -- Tabla

2005-11-01T17:02:00.000-07:00

So as I mentioned in the previous entry, M and I went to NYC last week. He went for work and I went for play. We got to see good friends (& family), eat well, and even see Wicked (because God knows you couldn't get tickets to the Denver shows!!!)

JP and MG took M and I out for dinner the night we flew in to Tabla, an exceptional restaurant that is fine dining with an Indian flare. Downstairs is the Bread Bar, which is more casual, but still very good (so I'm told). We dined in the swankier upstairs dining room, and after much deliberation, decided to go for the Fall Tasting Menu with wine pairings. We were not disappointed. Here's the problem, though. I don't exactly remember the different dishes and the menu isn't up on their website yet. I know it seems like a cop-out, but I know I enjoyed absolutely everything. The naan bread was spectacular, there was a great lobster dish, some red snapper thing that rocked... Sorry-- I just can't remember!

Perhaps I'm having such difficulty recollecting this because of all the wine! I don't exactly remember those either, but they were great, too. We weren't even buzzed, though. In fact, we were bragging about our high-altitude-iness and whatnot. Oh well, I'll bug M to see if he can remember a little more and maybe add an update to this entry later.

E.O.D. Bathroom Rating: I know I used the bathroom, because I remember it was downstairs in the Bread Bar area. I remember it was nice but small (like so much in NYC) and that the Indian music was really cranked up in there. 3.5 out of 5 flushes.

Cafe Opa

2005-10-30T16:32:00.000-07:00

M and I were in NYC last week (more about that in the next entry) and on our way to pick up our dogs from the sitters, we stopped for breakfast at this little place in a strip mall called Cafe Opa. When we walked in, I didn't have particularly high expectations. Then an older man, who I assume is the owner, came over to seat us and was really kind and warm. We ordered the breakfast burrito with gyro meat, feta, eggs, etc., and it was excellent. The green chile on top, with a dask of tasziki sauce... mmmmm. I couldn't get over how good it was. We also had the french toast (called greek toast), and that was good, but not as good as the burrito.

When I googled Cafe Opa to find a link for this blog, I found two bad reviews for it on citysearch. I don't know if I'd go all the way out there to have dinner at Cafe Opa (I haven't been), but I would make the drive for that burrito.

E.O.D. Bathroom Rating: Nature didn't call.

Solera

2005-10-18T17:17:00.000-06:00

M and I love Solera. We've been going here for years. Not many people can say that they're fortunate enough to live less than two blocks from such an exceptional restaurant (and not live downtown or in Cherry Creek North). We're big fans of eating in the bar area, but we've had bigger dinners with friends and family in both the main dining room, as well as on the cozy patio.

We go there so frequently that the folks have gotten to know us a bit. I know it's corny, (you know -- "where everyone knows your name," Cheers-esquiness) but it is so much more fun. The other thing is that there seems to be a bit more stability with the staff at Solera, so you don't have that revolving-door effect.

Anyway, M and I were in on a Wednesday evening, and we forgot that Wednesdays are the wine tasting nights. I forget the specifics, but it's a really great deal and draws quite a crowd. We had to stand for a while, but eventually the crowd thinned out and we got a seat at the bar. We did the surf and turf that night. It's a wonderful appetizer with seared sushi grade tuna and a very rare seared beef. For a while it had a tiny poached egg and was more truffle-y. Now it has this wasabi-infused caviar going on. Yummy either way.

We kept it light that night by just sticking with the appetizer. Other things we've had are the award winning duck, the calamari, the mac & cheese with scallops, and halibut in any form that Goose makes is always M's favorite.

I could go on and on, but suffice it to say that the food is spectacular, the people are super nice, and the location is a refreshing change.

E.O.D. Bathroom Rating: It's a little tight and a little edgy, but it is Colfax. Throw a few fancy toiletries in there, and you'd never notice! 3 out of 5 flushes.

Willow, Pittsburgh

2005-10-09T16:19:00.000-06:00

Hey y'all. It's been a while, but I'm back in action! I've obviously eaten in dozens of different places in Denver since I've last posted, but I thought I would make my "come-back" entry about an enjoyable dinner I had one evening during the AASL conference in Pittsburgh last week.

The restaurant is called Willow, and it's in the North Hills outside of downtown Pittsburgh. It's on this windy road with trees everywhere. I wish the trees were a little farther along on the color-turning, actually, but what can you do.

It was a vendor dinner, so they pre-ordered the appetizers and wine. I enjoyed the seared tuna appetizer the best, and the white they chose paired quite nicely with it. I ordered the duck they had on the menu. It was a little different than I expected it would be. It was more dark meat than the classic duck dish you would expect, but it was excellent. The berry chutney complemented the duck very nicely, and the side of mushroom orzo that I chose was great. A couple of ladies at the table shared the apple pie. The cinnamon ice cream was good, but the apples were a bit undercooked.

I can't help but also comment on the very well done decor at Willow. Modern but warm, trendy but with a natural element that keeps it down to earth. If I lived in Pittsburgh, I would probably spend quite a bit of time at this place.

E.O.D. Bathroom Rating: I give it four and a half out of five flushes. The coolest part of the bathroom was the sink. It was a rather narrow, trough-like structure that reminded me of the very cool sink in the bathrooms of Kona Grill in the Cherry Creek Mall. Not too much, but maintaining the design aesthetic of the entire restaurant.

Nobu, Las Vegas

2005-08-02T20:42:00.000-06:00

I have been so remiss in my postings! We've eaten out quite a bit in the past several weeks, but the first thing I have to chat about is my and M's outing to Nobu in the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV.

First of all, the joyous occasion that brought us to the city of sin was B and G's wedding. They've purchased a home, birthed a baby (the sublime Baby Q), and are now making it official. We went to the Graceland Wedding Chapel in the old downtown area, and it was a fantastic time.

I know I need to get down to the business of dining, but I must say that it was spectacular to see the L.A. contingent, T-Bird from NYC, the VV's, as well as the local boy D. Everyone was looking truly fantastic and the love was very much in the air! I could go on and on, but suffice it so say that we had an amazing time at the ceremony, at The Venetian (I love Prosecco!!!), and afterwards at T-Bird's high-roller suite.

But I must tend to the business at hand. We were also able to squeeze in a lovely dinner for two at Nobu that weekend. Once we got past the wifebeater-wearing, backwards-hat sporting rookies in the casino, we were able to sit down to a fantastically civilized dinner. We totally went overboard and went for the chef's tasting menu. One option was around $100. The other was around $150. While we were deciding, we ordered the edamame and a great white from Irpina, Italy that we had while we were there this summer (I still haven't had a chance to recount the details of that trip). Eventually, we decided on the lesser of the two "evils" and went with the slightly more modest option in tasting menus.

Now comes the remembering part... The funny thing is that I knew I wouldn't get around to blogging about this right away, and I remember telling M that we had to remember everything so I could do so. We were repeating the dishes and the sequence as if we were freshmen remembering a locker combination. Unfortunately, we stopped chanting it about two weeks ago, and this is the best I can do.

We started with four oysters on the half shell. I think they were kumamoto. Each was dressed differently. One had some tropical fruit thing. One was salsa-y. I can't remember the other two except to say that they were all fantastic. Then we had the "live" octopus, which is not nearly as grisly as it sounds. It just means really fresh, like lobsters in their tanks at a seafood resident. Very chewy, but I liked it. The spicy cucumber slices were great with it, as well as the bit of cilantro(?) and hot sauce. I was surprised how much I enjoyed it. Then there was this seared tuna salad that was fantastic. Great dressing, just great all around. I think it was then that we had the miso soup. I love miso, and this was excellent. A nice break, to tell you the truth.

Then came the apex of the meal, as far as M and I were concerned: this crazy cooked cod dish with this perfect sweetish sauce around it. (I peeked at the menu items posted on their site and I think it is the broiled cod with miso). We were moaning through the whole thing. It was a fantastic balance of quality and freshness coupled with a decadent richness. I guess it's a signature dish for them, but all I know is that it was unbelievable.

Somewhere in there was a fatty tuna experience that I enjoyed more than M. I think I got into it so much because our friend C is a fatty tuna maniac and I had that hovering in the back of my mind. The regular part of the tasting menu then concluded with some classic nigiri tuna which was quite good, but almost anti-climactic after all the other stuff. Dessert was a green tea ice cream thing. I also liked that better than M did, but I really like green tea in general.

All in all it was fantastic. The only down side was the price tag. Two tasting menus and two bottles of the Irpina white (with a meal that long, you can't expect us to have just one!). Pretty serious damage, but I think we kind of knew that going in. Oh well, sometimes you just have to go big and not let the numbers grind you down.

E.O.D. Bathroom Rating: In spite of the many hours spent at Nobu, I didn't use the facilities. I can comment, however, on the cool tree motif they had going in the main dining room, and the super cool wall of black river rocks embedded in the wall by the sushi bar. Really well done.

Sushi Den

2005-07-15T09:11:00.000-06:00

You know it's summer when you really want to eat nothing but sushi. M and I have had a sushi craving for a few days now. We were going to go out to get some with KB and C on Sunday, thinking C would be off from work. He was, but they had already made plans with some other folks. That was the night we went to Milagro (see Milagro Taco Bar II).

So we tried them again on Monday. Chefs don't work on Mondays, right? Wrong. C had to work, so M, KB, and I had to enjoy our evening at Sushi Den without him. :(

As we set out (we usually all go in KB's car since we live so close and Baby J needs his car seat), we were sure there would be no wait. Not on a Monday at 8pm!!! As you can probably tell, we were wrong. Dang, that place must be making money hand-roll over fist! (Sorry, I couldn't help myself).

But seriously, the only other place I can think of that is that packed that consistently is Benny's. (Another place making mucho dinero, I'm sure). Sushi Den knows what they're doing, obviously, and even though we did have to wait 15 of the predicted 20 minutes for a table, it was totally worth it. We started with the compulsory edamame (I like the way they serve them warm) and another appetizer consisting of sashimi (chef's choice) and freshly grated wasabi. Great.

For dinner, we went with the classics: nigiri sushi -- yellowtail, seared tuna, and salmon; sushi rolls -- shrimp tempura and rocky mountain roll. Sooo good. We also got a bottle of the Grgich Hills sauvignon blanc, which was fantastic. I wonder if you can get that at Argonaut?

Anyway, it was a great time food-wise, drink-wise, and chat-wise. Baby J was working his mojo on a gal at the next table over who had a sexy tattoo on her back. He couldn't look away and was very flirty. The tattoo gal was cool, and played right along. It's only a matter of time before KB and C will pick up the phone at home to a high, giggly voice asking "Is J there?" Kind of a bug-out, actually.

Milagro Taco Bar II

2005-07-13T11:05:00.000-06:00

M and I made it back to Milagro recently. It was excellent. I started with the sangria. Nice. Then I went with the sauvingon blanc that they have by the glass. M stuck with the house coin margarita with a Cointreau floater. We did the chips, salsa, and they ordered the guac, too. Last time we had to doctor the guac a bit to make it interesting. This time it was much more flavorful and spicy.

As far as entrees, we kept it simple. We each got an a la carte burrito smothered in green chile (no sour cream, please). One was shrimp and one was chicken. Both were fantastic. We did the old split/exchange so that we could each enjoy both.

It was such a warm night, we decided to have the sundae they offer for dessert. Tasty vanilla ice cream (gotta love those little black specs in your vanilla) with mango (?) and pineapple. Really hit the spot.

So far, every time we've gone, we've been able to get a seat outside. I fear the day it will be too packed for such consistency. We'll just have to try to keep to more off-peak days and times.

Hillcrest Grill

2005-07-12T10:35:00.000-06:00

I'm falling behind! It was a while ago that KB and I brought baby J to the Hillcrest Grill, and I haven't had a chance to write about it yet. It's somewhat representative of the summer in general, though. So many big plans, not so much time to get it all done, and before you know it, school will be back in session, the leaves will be turning, and... It's probably best not to get caught up in thinking like that. Be in the moment... Be present... Breathe....

I'm okay now. Anyway, back to the Hillcrest. It had been several months since I had been there, and M and I were always saying it would be a great place for KB, C, and baby J to check out because it's so kid-friendly. So KB and I got together and made it over there. We sat outside because it was such a stunning evening. (Now you know it was a while ago considering the temperatures we've been having lately).

We started out with two of the white wine sangrias. They were so good, they didn't last very long. For fear of sucking down way too many of those, we both went with white wine after that. I did the Sonoma Cutrer chardonnay. KB had a pinot gris that she enjoyed. Baby J was thrilled to have his crayons and something to color, even thought it was more of an abstract piece by the time he was done with it.

You can tell these guys are used to dealing with kids. Ordering milk to put in J's sippy cup was no sweat, and even when a dish got broken, the server was cool as a cucumber. That kind of positive tone was so great and really helped contribute to an even more relaxing vibe.

As far as the food goes, we got some mini burgers for J, and even though KB and I both ordered the tilapia special, I had mentioned how good the pot roast mini sandwiches were, and so we put in for an order of those, as well. Of course, the mini pot roast sandwiches were great, especially with the horseradish sauce it comes with. the tilapia was also good, and while I did't finish all the greens, I liked that it had the summery presentation of being on greens with a nice fruity viniagrette.

All in all, a really pleasant meal, much to the credit of our laid-back server. It also doesn't hurt that it's pretty close by, too.

EOD Bathroom Rating: I didn't get a chance to go to the bathroom while we were there last (I keep forgetting to check them out). If I remember correctly, there's one single, largish bathroom with a door right off the east side of the dining room. I'll check next time.

Brix

2005-07-11T10:52:00.000-06:00

Got a call from the bibliochicas about going to a late showing of The Sisterhood of the traveling Pants. I know. I know. It was actually pretty good and probably as close as possible to the book. I can't imagine a guy stepping foot in a theatre showing the film, but I enjoyed it.

Anyway, we went to Brix for a drink beforehand. I had been doing the Dr. Miracle's Magical Leek Soup thing from French Women Don't Get Fat (see the Mel's entry), and was ready for some solid food.

I started with a prosecco. Very refreshing! I ended up getting the Moroccan Chicken because I had enjoyed it one of the last times I was there. It was good, but not as succulent as I remember it being. But still darn good, don't get me wrong. KW had eaten before we got there, so she opted out of dinner. N had the crab cakes and something else that I can't remember. She seemed to enjoy it.

I forgot that Brix can be quite the "scene." While we were waiting for KW, N and I were hanging out in the very intimate waiting area. The bar was packed with people (a lot of guys, actually). This was around 8pm on a Wednesday. The ladies and I had no problem sitting in the back area, where it is more quiet and subdued, but there was this other group of gals who wanted to wait to be seated in the front of the house -- where all the action seemed to be.

I don't mind all that sort of thing, as long as it doesn't get in the way of good food and good service (which it didn't). Our waitress was cool, and I've always had a great experience with the bartenders up front (when it's less of a scene).

EOD Bathroom Rating: Three and a half out of five flushes. Clean, trendy, but VERY RED and therefore difficult to see how you look in the mirror .

Mel's Bar & Grill

2005-07-08T14:05:00.000-06:00

I'm not sure exactly what the circumstances were that led M and I to find ourselves at Mel's recently. I'm also not exactly sure what day it was, other than the fact that there was a quiet-ness to Cherry Creek North that late afternoon. Monday, perhaps? Tuesday? In any case, we were there, ate a very pleasant meal outside on the front patio, and had a great time.

I've been reading this book called French Women Don't Get Fat by Mireille Guiliano. I know... I know... stay with me... And I could go on and on about the various specifics of the book, but one thing that's for sure is it's given me quite the champagne jones lately. I bring this up because both M and I started our meal with a champagne (M had the California sparkling wine and I had the French stuff) and the carpaccio with arugala and Parmesan. It was a very enjoyable pairing!

For dinner I had the risotto with fresh peas, lima beans, asparagus, and artichoke. Sooo good, and didn't seem too heavy in spite of the potential richness. I think it was all the veggies. M had the halibut and it was good, but my dish was better. The wine we had with dinner was Tortoise Creek sauvignon blanc (with the twist top!). Cheap and nice. As M pointed out, the two glasses of bubbly were more than the bottle of white.

E.O.D. Bathroom Rating: I didn't use the facilities this time, but if I remember correctly, you have to go out into the atrium of the mini shopping plaza Mel's is connected to. I don't remember loving that, but if the bathroom is nice, it's not so bad, I guess.

Sushi Tazu

2005-07-05T11:54:00.000-06:00

It's hard to believe that M and I have never been to Sushi Tazu in Cherry Creek North. We've been to the standards: Sushi Den, Japon, Hapa, Mao, Sonoda's, and Mori. Everyone has his/her favorite, but the two we consistently go to are Sushi Den and Hapa. Now we'll have to include Sushi Tazu in our rotation!

In spite of the throngs of people who kept everyone at Sushi Tazu incredibly busy during the Cherry Creek Arts Festival this past weekend, neither the staff nor the food seemed the worse for it when we sat down in the covered patio area that Monday. M and I ordered a bottle of the pinot grigio they offer, but when we were eventually told they were out of it, they offered us any of the other white bottles (it's a small list) at the same price. We went with a sauvingnon blanc and ordered some food: a house salad (tasty dressing), and a few pieces of nigiri sushi and a spicy tuna roll. While all this was good, the most interesting of what we had came in the form of a shrimp dumpling and some grilled eggplant. I was expecting chopped shrimp, somewhat shumai-esque, but instead it was a whole shrimp, wrapped in the dumpling dough. It was great, and the accompanying sauce was perfectly spicy. The eggplant was a pleasant surprise, too. Skinned, somewhat roughly-cut pieces of eggplant were in a fantastically light sauce that highlighted the flavor of the eggplant. Not too sweet and not too tart. It's just a reminder how rewarding it can be to branch out from what you might typically order and try something new. Really great!

E.O.D. Bathroom Rating: I didn't make it to the ladies room, believe it or not. Any comments from those who may have?

Milagro Taco Bar

2005-06-30T15:09:00.000-06:00

Shortly after M. and I got back from Italy (more about that later), we were jonesing for the kind of food you can only get in America -- Mexican! We were swimming around in the pool (too hot to wait for the adult swim only ten minutes away) when we realized there had been a new Mexican place that we'd been to and really liked, but couldn't remember. (Two weeks of incredible wine, cheese and pasta can do that to the mind.)

Eventually, after recalling that we sat outside, and that our friend KB was there, we finally remembered that it was the Milagro Taco Bar that we had enjoyed before leaving for our trip. We decided to go back that very evening.

The name "Milagro Taco Bar" doesn't necessarily reflect the intention of the place. You might think, "Taco bar? So will it have self-serve salsa?" Not at all. The feel is definitely more serious (but not too serious), as indicated by the menu and attentive staff. It is definitely not just a taco bar.

The first time we went, I ordered a regular house margarita and the house coin-style marg. The coin style was excellent; much less sweet than the regular. KB and I shared the combination plate that's under the lighter dishes section of the menu. If I remember correctly, there was a burrito, some soft tacos, and (I think) an enchilada. The server suggested the mahi mahi for the soft tacos, and I think we did chicken and some kind of meat for the remaining two parts of the combination. It was excellent. Oh, and I also forgot to mention the goat cheese chile relleno. Interesting, but I have to admit I didn't love it as much as I thought I would. Perhaps I've been spoiled by the relleno at Tamayo, and the crispy relleno at Brewery Bar II.

Long story short -- we were so psyched to go back that I think our expectations were built up too much. M and I got two entrees from a different section of the menu: the carne asada and the carnitas. The carne asada had a tasty sauce and some slightly more traditional rellenos, but the meat was too fatty. M's carnitas were also too fatty, although the taste itself was good. After expressing his disappointment, he waxed poetic about the carnitas at La Cueva, and we talked about the fact that we should get back over there at some point.

So, generally speaking, I recommend the dishes from the lighter side of Milagro Taco
Bar's menu, as well as the coin style margs. The outside seating area is fantastic, and the servers are doing a fantastic job. I'm not sure why M & I both had fatty meat experiences on our second visit, but maybe is was just something going on that day.

E.O.D. Bathroom Rating: 4 out of 5 flushes - Clean and recently updated to be consistent with the restaurant's theme.

Long Overdue!

2005-06-25T14:01:00.000-06:00

Greetings, all. Welcome to my blog: Eat Out Denver! I'm pleased to finally record my dining adventures in the wonderful city of Denver, CO (and beyond).

When people ask me if I have any hobbies, my only answer is "fine dining." This doesn't necessarily mean that every place I dine is on the swanky side. On the contrary, many of my favorite places are actually pretty reasonable, but are definitely fine in the sense that they have great food, drinks, and service.

I hope you find my reflections on the Denver dining scene to be informative and helpful, and I welcome any comments or suggestions you may have for me.