Earlier this year, when I interviewed James Van Dyk, the executive chef of Lucky’s Cafe, a breakfast and lunch joint in Boulder, he mentioned that in the year he’d been cooking at the long-standing cafe, an extension of Lucky’s Market, he’d significantly changed the menu, “transforming it,” he said, into…
The crowning burger at Wednesday night’s Denver Burger Battle, at least according to the restaurant industry judges — Hosea Rosenberg, Jenna Johansen, Daniel Asher and Max MacKissock — was the meat candy from Larkburger, Thomas Salamunovich’s fast-casual empire of artisan burger joints that got its start in Edwards, just a…
The Denver Burger Battle smoked up Sports Authority Field at Mile High on Wednesday night, and while Boulder-based Mateo, one of the participating combatants in the friendly feud, didn’t saunter off with a winning trophy, the French-inspired burger received very good word of mouth — and one of you, along…
I was tempted to post the “before” photo, which shows absolutely nothing but lettuce, but then you’d think I was eating in a jungle. Actually, even with all that superfluous greenery dispersed across the plate, it still looks like a jungle. But the tacos — wholly average tacos — are…
The Denver Burger Battle amounted to a cook-off of epic proportions at Sports Authority Field at Mile High Stadium last night, as chefs from restaurants in Boulder and Denver competed in a fierce competition to raise money for the Kossler Foundation, which distributes funds to local nonprofits. I was there…
Charlie Palmer, the celebrated New York-based chef and restaurateur who owns and operates dozens of restaurants across the country, said his final goodbyes to Denver last night, just hours before announcing that Charlie Palmer’s District Tavern and Wazee Wood-Fire Pizza, the two restaurants he opened in LoDo in late 2011,…
Aaron Bennett Bácaro Venetian Taverna 921 Pearl Street, Boulder 303-444-4888 www.bacaro.com Part one of my interview with Aaron Bennett, exec chef of Boulder’s Bácaro Venetian Taverna, ran yesterday; this is part two of our chat . Favorite restaurant in America: Probably Le Bouchon. When I ate there, I saw such…
Pete Marczyk and Barbara Macfarlane do not leave their work behind when they leave Marczyk Fine Foods and head for their great old Denver house with the big, new kitchen. They often bring some of their market’s choicest ingredients home with them and cook up a feast. It’s August, Barb…
I was jonesing for Dairy Queen…but was overruled by a frozen yogurt fiend. Fair enough. Can you guess where I’m eating? Special bonus: Anyone who gives the first correct answer to the week’s Guess Where posts is entered into a pool — and every Monday, we select one lucky winner…
Aaron Bennett Bácaro Venetian Taverna 921 Pearl Street, Boulder 303-444-4888 www.bacaro.com This is part one of my interview with Aaron Bennett, exec chef of Boulder’s Bácaro Venetian Taverna. Part two of our chat will run tomorrow. Aaron Bennett’s career in the kitchen began when he was thirteen. Like most teen…
Unless you’ve been hibernating under a bun, you know that come Wednesday, the glorious Denver Burger Battle is back for another round of flame wars. This year’s competition heats up at Sports Authority Field at Mile High at 7 p.m., and while we’ve already given away a pair of VIP…
In December of last year, Jake Brodsky, the chief bean at NOVO Coffee, shuttered his only retail location, at the Denver Art Museum, moving his entire operation — roasting, retail, coffee-cupping classes and all — to his existing roasting facility at 3008 Larimer Street. But while the museum location didn’t…
On the run, in a hurry and not picky about where I ended up, I pulled into the parking lot of this bustling pit stop, and aside from a caravan of crying babies, the mothers of whom were oblivious to the tantrums, I wasn’t as lackadaisical about the food as…
I’ve lived in Washington Park for about sixteen years — long before it became trendy, and long after the corner markets on South Gaylord had disappeared into the abyss, making way for (mostly) lackluster bars and restaurants, uppity boutiques and wine bottle shops (that part, I like). But corner markets…
Not exactly your typical gumbo — and that’s just fine, since the flavors were spot-on, plenty of seafood gave it the required oceanic splash and the rice was textbook-perfect. Only thing missing? A squeeze of lemon. Can you guess where I’m eating? Special bonus: Anyone who gives the first correct…
Cafe Society dished out five Guess Where? contests last week, ranging from a wedge salad dressed with blue cheese and bacon from Park Burger to a king-sized Mideast feast from Jerusalem to a scoop of seasonal Palisade peach ice cream from Fired Up. And then there was the burger…a crumbly…
Last Sunday, Lance Barto and his kitchen crew rolled out Central Bistro and Bar’s first brunch menu, and earlier this week, we posted a contest, giving one Cafe Society reader, along with three guests of their choice, the chance to check it out for free this Sunday (morning libations and…
This past Sunday, Central Bistro and Bar, Lance Barto’s hot, hip and happening contemporary American hangout in Highland, rolled out its new brunch menu (Nutella waffles!), and in honor of the occasion, we’re giving one Cafe Society reader (and three guests) the chance to stuff their bellies for zero dollars…
When Zinger’s, a mishmash of chicken wings, chicken nuggets, chicken sandwiches and green chile that wasn’t long for this world, shuttered a few months ago at 2075 South University, the corner strip mall space, which was also a Quizno’s at one point, opened itself up to another plea for food…
Every so often, when I feel nostalgic, I’ll order a wedge salad dressed in blue cheese…with bacon, of course, because I don’t care how good the dressing is: If the iceberg doesn’t come crowned with crisp smidgens of pig candy, it’s just another salad. Can you guess where I’m eating?…
Pete Marczyk and Barbara Macfarlane do not leave their work behind when they leave Marczyk Fine Foods and head for their great old Denver house with the big, new kitchen. They often bring some of their market’s choicest ingredients home with them and cook up a feast. Earlier this month,…
“I don’t want none of that rubber chicken,” declares the woman sitting next to me at the bar with a stiff mid-afternoon drink and a book. I have no idea what she eventually ordered, but the fajita burrito, while bereft of “rubber chicken,” wasn’t the perfect choice, either. Then again,…
