The more things change, the more some restaurants stay the same

This week’s review of Table 6 (609 Corona Street) represents the first time I’ve done a full-length piece on a restaurant I’d reviewed before. The first ran on November 11, 2004, just after Esquire critic John Mariani crowned Table 6 one of the 21 best restaurants in the country. My…

Table 6 is a nearly perfect restaurant

I once thought that Table 6 was close to a perfect restaurant. I came to this conclusion early — before the drama, before the place got tagged by John Mariani as one of the 21 best new restaurants in the country in Esquire; before every other critic out there started…

Alps in Rosso at Osteria Marco

Yes, Denver, there is a Santa Claus. And if you still need to get in the holiday spirit, this cocktail will take you there — fast. Osteria Marco’s Alps in Rosso ($9), made with Hangar One Spiced Pear Vodka, house-infused rosemary gin, Leopold Brothers’ Three Pins Alpine Herbal Liqueur, Strega…

Park Tavern

Bar time at the Park Tavern (931 East 11th Avenue) is roughly fifteen minutes fast, which means, of course, that last-call and you-can’t-stay-here cries leave the mouths of bar staff between 1:30 and 1:45 (real time) each morning, sometimes earlier. Boo, hiss and other profanities. It also means that when…

This wine bar serves a vintage burger

I’m breaking the rules this week. First, I review an already reviewed restaurant: Table 6. And here, I’m writing a Second Helping for a restaurant that never got a first helping. Why? Well, I don’t much like rules, even ones I’ve made for myself. I do like ballsy moves, though,…

A photographic feast from Z Cuisine and À Côté

Regulars to Z Cuisine and its next-door sister operation Z Cuisine À Côté, at 2239 and 2245 West 30th Avenue, have a devil of a time describing their culinary experiences there. How do you adequately convey the sensation of it all: the perfectly crafted foie gras and cassoulet, the crowded…

Beer and Cheer: Bell’s Winter White

Winter White Ale Bell’s Brewery Comstock, Michigan Warning: This beer isn’t available in Colorado as far as a know, but a friend who lives in Indiana brought it to me as a gift, so what the hell. Also, when I blogged about the superiority of Colorado and California beers during…

No Chanukah miracle at Zaidy’s

Zaidy’s Deli 15th and Lawrence streets (and a location in Cherry Creek) 303-893-3600 Potato Latke Sandwich Brisket between two latkes, with pickles and a side $9.95 Tis the season, and by “the season,” I of course mean Hanukah, or Chanukah. And to celebrate, I figured I’d have some traditional brisket…

Note to Top Chef: Stop sucking

It’s been three weeks since I wrote a word about this season’s Top Chef on Bravo.  Know why?  Because it has been so boring and so contrived and so stupid that the episodes themselves were painful to watch — making me less than excited about the notion of then rehashing…

The Nines behind the eight-ball

The Nines — the new hotel that Sage Hospitality opened in Portland, Oregon this fall — is taking a beating on shamelessrestaurants.com for the general suckiness of its restaurant, which already lost its executive chef. To see the bile spewing, check out the comments on the Urban Farmer “That was fast” post…

The List: Vive la France!

  This has been a tough year for French restaurants. French 250, which Jason Sheehan raved about when he reviewed it last spring; closed abruptly this fall after just a year in business — and at the same time, La Chaumiere bid adieu after more than thirty years in Lyons. But…

A record-breaking Denver Restaurant Week

Close to 200 restaurants have signed up for the next Denver Restaurant Week, slated for February 21-27, 2009. The first year, Denver Restaurant Week comprised 84 restaurants; in 2008, 174 restaurants participated. The list for next year is already at 198 restaurants — and growing. During Denver Restaurant Week, each…

Another night at Table 6

I have done my time at Table 6.  Under the old owner and old chef and with the new kids in place.  I’ve been there for drinks when, already drunk, I’ve worn out my fun elsewhere and stopped in for a hit of warmth and comfort.  I’ve seen [Aaron] Forman…

Nine75’s Charley Sinden lands new gig

Looks like Charley Sinden, the former executive chef at Nine75 (975 Lincoln Street), has landed a new gig over at the Red Room (320 EastColfax Avenue). When we ran into Charley last night at 3 Kings Tavern, he was pretty pumped about the new job, which he officially starts today. …

New digs in the new year for 3 Sons

Just got off the phone with one of the managers at 3 Sons, which is all decorated for the holidays. And come the new year, the family who owns the Italian eatery finally has an (estimated) move-in date for their new location. May 1 is what the Scarafiottis are looking at,…

Tsedesutyun, Armenian Grill

The Amernian Grill is no more. Its former home at 7800 West Jewell Avenue in Lakewood is now home to Cherry’s Steakhouse, open from 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. seven days a week. For more information, call 303-969-9991…

Milking It: Cap’n Crunch’s Christmas Crunch

Christmas Crunch Quaker Oats Rating: Three and a half spoons out of four Cereal description: Corn and oat cereal that delivers a surprise package of shapes. There’s the standard Cap’n Crunch serrated yellow bundles, plus green quasi-trees and kinda snowmen, red faux-hats and bogus stars, plus the occasional purplish mutant…

Colorado restaurants should be cooking in 2009

Misery loves company, and if the National Restaurant Association’s annual forecast — released on Friday, December 19 — is correct, Coloradans will still be getting out of the house and into restaurants in 2009. According to the 2009 Restaurant Industry Forecast, Colorado will place third in the country for restaurant sales…

A sneak peek at Root Down

Root Down, Justin Cucci’s stylish new restaurant at 1600 West 33rd Avenue, officially opens for dinner tonight, To whet your appetite, we’re serving up a sneak peek at the menu…

Candy Girls: Urban Pantry

Friends had been telling us about the unique candy and other goodies at Urban Pantry, 1242 South Broadway, and with the holidays approaching we decided to stop by and see if the Pantry stocked treats that might make good gifts. But nothing could have prepared us for the bounty of…

Sizzling Sugar House fires up Sugar House Grill

Scottie Ewing, who last year opened the Sugar House (a nightclub/martini lounge billed on its website as “the classy Denver Colorado swinger club”) at 1395 West Alameda Avenue, now has something else cooking there: the Sugar House Grill. The restaurant adjunct to the lounge just opened yesterday, after a couple of test lunches and happy…