From rock to Riesling: Tool frontman on a different kind of tour

Maynard Keenan, famous for his loud lyrics with the legendary metal band Tool, is a man of varied tastes. And right now, he’s singing a different tune.Co-owner of Arizona Stronghold Vineyards, Keenan and partner Eric Glomski are off on a wine-bottle signing tour. At Whole Foods. You can wipe the mascara out…

No beach, but at least Arvada has Restaurant Blu and C-Level

Since last May, Chef Bruce David Mcginty has been running an interesting operation out in Arvada. Restaurant Blu and C-Level are attached restaurants, located in a waterfront building overlooking Hidden Lake. Restaurant Blu is more of a fine-dining place, while C-Level bills itself as ‘Arvada’s only waterfront sports bar and grill.’…

Microbrewing history gets its own photo book

Way back – way, way back — before there was a microbrewery in every city, before the terms IPA and ESB entered the common lingo, before big, bold craft beers muscled their way onto liquor store shelves (before color photography, even), the pioneers of the microbrewery industry got their shaggy-looking…

Video: Drinking wine with Pete Marczyk of Marczyk Fine Foods

One of the best things about Marczyk Fine Foods, other than the fine foods, is that the shop, at 770 East 17th Avenue, has found a way around the out-dated Colorado blue law that keeps grocery stores from selling full-strength alcohol: the owners have simply opened a liquor store in an adjacent…

The List: Real Colorado Italian

This week’s review of Locanda del Borgo got me thinking about other spots in town where the view of Italy stops at the door — which exist wholly as Colorado restaurants that just happen to serve Italian food. What follows is a list of those places which most closely hew…

Plans for North Star’s replacement move ahead

While the abysmal economic climate has stalled many proposed restaurant plans, the new owners of 3200 Tejon Street are moving ahead with their project to put a steakhouse in the former home of North Star Brewery. Sean Kelly (pictured) has already signed on as the chef at the new venture,…

Milking It: Raisin Bran Crunch

Raisin Bran Crunch Kellogg’s Rating: Two-and-a-half spoons out of four Cereal description: Rice, wheat and oat flakes, supplemented by occasional (and mysterious) “clusters,” that are bumpy, wavy and serrated; the edges seem sharp enough to open an envelope. Raisins are also part of the package, but they’re not key players…

Bistro Vendome’s Monday night Bistro Bites

Denver Restaurant Week doesn’t start until February 21, but many restaurants are already serving up special deals. Last month Bistro Vendome, the French restaurant at 1420 Larimer Street (in an absolutely lovely space off the Arcade), extended its Sunday night mussels and frites deal through Thursdays. That nine-dollar deal is…

How Google saved Valentine’s Day

I’m a fan of Valentine’s Day. But not because of any love stuff. It’s because of conversation hearts, those super-sweet wafer-y candies with the fun sayings like “Mad 4 U” and “Lover Boy.” I’m also a fan of Halloween because of candy corn and of Fourth of July because of Cool…

Candy Girls: The Shoppe–Valentine’s Day Specials

We know that cupcakes aren’t technically candy, but luckily we’ve found a loophole around that for Valentine’s Day. The Shoppe, at 3103 East Colfax Avenue, is celebrating the holiday with a variety of adorable and delicious cupcakes all dressed up and masquerading as Valentine’s candy. But these are way better…

Hessini gives a unique world tour of food

Last fall, Nigerian-born Ifiok Etuk began to transform the space at 2044 Clinton Street, Unit B, in Aurora into his own workplace, his own restaurant. The result is Hessini Roots International Cafe, a unique space that fuses soul food, African food and Mexican food into a veritable world tour of…

Bogus save-the-burger campaign from Good Times

Found this comment posted on our piece about the campaign to ditch “Mustang,” the blue horse outside of DIA: “Denver’s nonprofits have to come together! While we may not be able to agree on the fate of the blue horse, one thing we can all agree on is that burgers…

All aboard! The ChopHouse coming to Denver International Airport

At Denver International Airport, the Greetings From Colorado store at Concourse A sells T-shirts from Haiti (including models that list the wrong date for Denver’s founding) and souvenirs from anywhere but Colorado. But right around the corner, travelers will soon be able to get a real taste of this state:A…

Veggie Girl: Taki’s

For fresh, vegetarian- and vegan-friendly Japanese food at a super-affordable price, Taki’s always fills the bill. Located at 241 East Colfax Avenue along a seedy strip, Taki’s has been feeding the masses for over fifteen yearsand has been a mainstay stop for my husband and his friends since high school, back…

Lakeside Waffles opens up next to the Oriental

So you’re at the Oriental Theater watching an indie flick or listening to some live music and your stomach says ‘What’s up?’ to your think-rock. You  can now satiate that hunger with a big, delicious waffle from Lakeside Waffles, the restaurant that  replaced Meltz, a grilled-cheese joint, at 4335 West…

French twist redux: A Cote to expand its hours

From almost the moment it opened, Patrick Dupay’s lovely bistro, Z Cuisine (at 2239 West 30th), was so popular that expansion was inevitable — if awkward, since the space right next door wasn’t available, so in January 2008  Z Cuisine a Cote, a Parisian wine bar, opened two doors away,…

French twist: La Fondue now Le Chateau

First Gallagher’s turned into 5280 Steak House. Now the spot next door at 1040 15th Street has been transformed from La Fondue to Le Chateau, a French restaurant that still features a fondue section on the menu…

Michel Wahaltere moving on

In this week’s Bar Back, Jon Solomon reports on his visit to Lavish, the club that now occupies the former home of Le Rouge. That was the combo club/fine dining spot at 1448 Market Street (at 15th Street) that boasted a menu created by Eric Roeder, formerly of Micole and…

Restaurant Kevin Taylor on the cheap

I’ve had an on-again/off-again love/hate relationship with Kevin Taylor over the years I’ve spent on this job.  But one thing that’s been unswerving has been my respect for his eponymous flagship, Restaurant Kevin Taylor at the Hotel Teatro (1106 14th Street).  I’ve had a couple of the best single plates in…

Sheehan’s up in arms over changes at the Palace Arms

I just got a note from the Brown Palace regarding the Palace Arms’ participation in Denver Restaurant Week — which calls for meals priced at $52.80 for two, a nice trick at this high-priced spot. But the announcement went on: Palace Arms restaurant has created ways for guests to pinch…

Coin Style Margarita at El Camino

Think Highland is changing? You’ve got another think comin’. The owners of what had been Swimclub 32 are sure that their new concept for the space, El Camino, is exactly what the neighborhood wants — and needs. El Camino’s kick-back sports-bar feel seems a million miles and many dollars away…