Chi One On

Suddenly, Chi Bistro was being hailed as a restaurant featuring ‘American classics with a flavor of French Indochina’—which ought to have meant Cafe du Monde and cr�me caramel, pho, fish heads and pigs roasted and redolent of gunpowder and Zippo lighter fuel, but didn’t, of course, except for an Asian…

Another Taste of Denver

My recent musings about the archetypal Denver restaurant, “You Are Where You Eat,” inspired several people to send in their own tastes of Denver. Here’s the slightly ball-obsessed response from Christine Sipple: Well, you might be right — finding a restaurant that truly speaks to you in this city could…

There Goes the Neighborhood

Okay, so the rumors have been flying about some big shakeups happening at Mel’s in Cherry Creek, and I’m here to tell you that the bad news is true. I just got off the phone with owner Mel Master a few minutes ago, and he told me that Mel’s will,…

Disappearing Tomato

This Just In: Late word from Stephen Anson, who is now the ex-owner of Wholly Tomato up on the hill at 9th and Lincoln. On Wednesday, Anson announced that his two-year-old “healthy fast-food restaurant” was closed as of immediately, and that he’d been bought out by the guys from Deli…

US Thai

Here’s my problem with fusion cuisine: No white cook has ever learned how to properly use galangal. No black cook, either. Or Latino or Spanish or French or what-have-you. Or me. We’ve all tried it — experimented the way others might with smoking weed or light bondage — but none…

Les Delices

Les Delices occupies what could be the most inconvenient location on Leetsdale, but on its best days, this is the best-smelling spot in the entire city of Denver. Walking into the warm, bright, well-scrubbed interior of the little pastry shop — which is decorated almost exclusively with the diplômes and…

Thai Time

Fusion is the devil’s cuisine. I’ve been saying that for a long time. And I’ve believed it ever since those dark days of my own forays into the seductive world of galangal, lemongrass and frisee. A chef has to be an absolute genius to make any sort of fusion work…

Up in Arms

I was surprised as anyone that I loved the Palace Arms, the Brown Palace’s most august restaurant. Here’s a recent letter on that review. Typical Sheehan. This article typifies why I read Jason’s stuff, why I look forward to his next crafted statements. When I read Sheehan, I want to…

On the Road Again

Chef Michel Wahaltere has parted ways with the owners at Seven Eurobar in Boulder. And though he didn’t go into a lot of details on the split, Wahaltere did tell me that his reasons were pretty simple. First, he wanted to create a restaurant — whereas the majority partner was…

Limón

On its very first day of business, Limón was a hit, a force to be reckoned with on 17th Avenue. Actually, from before its first day, because — as is the habit lately — Limón opened very soft, for friends and family, with no flags or fanfare, just an unlocked…

Save the Date(s)

All of you out there in Hotcakesland, take note: National Pancake Day is coming! And what, exactly, is National Pancake Day? Well, that depends on who you ask… If you want to take a historical view, this year’s National Pancake Day will be on Tuesday, February 20 — otherwise known…

Catholic Mailbag

This just in from Barb Wasko in Englewood, refering to my prattling on about Friday fish fries and the Pope in my recent review of the British Bulldog: Fish on Friday — boy, did that ever bring back some memories! Yes, I am a “recovering Catholic.” Grew up in Omaha,…

Aladdin Cafe and Grill

If I’d known what I was watching, I might have felt differently. But because I hadn’t the foggiest idea what anyone was saying, why things kept exploding every thirty seconds, or what the deal was with the dancing slice of pizza stopping traffic on the beautiful arabesque bridge, I loved…

Friends With Bennys

Snooze owner Jon Schlegel certainly has loyal fans — and family members. Today’s print edition includes a response to my January 18 Second Helping from Schlegel’s brother Adam, who works at the popular breakfast/lunch place. We also received the following from another relative who lives in Tucson: What’s Jason Sheehan…

A Smokin’ Deal

“Check it out,” I said. “The dancing pizza is back. Why do you think it’s wearing a top hat?” And with that, I begin this week’s exploration of Lebanese cuisine and Middle Eastern pop music at Aladdin Cafe and Grill — where the falafel is hot, the hookahs are smokin’…

Mind Your Ps and BBQs

With temperatures dropping again, people are warming to the thought of hot, hot food. BBQ, in short. Witness this recent plea from Jeff: Growing up in the Midwest, I have developed a predilection (or as my wife would call it, an obsession) for BBQ. I enjoy different regional sauces but…

Going Downtown

There’s big news coming out of Cherry Creek, with the announcement that Elway’s is expanding to a second location inside the new Ritz-Carlton, Denver, which is currently under construction at 1881 Curtis Street. And I predicted this almost a year ago, in the April 20, 2006 Bite Me column where…

Read Letter Day

For the record, I liked much of the food (if not the service) at John Holley’s Asian Bistro, which makes the fact that they tossed the Westword rack after my review came out a little puzzling. No question, though, that the place has lots of fans, because letters like the…

The British Bulldog

Isaac James, owner of the British Bulldog, has a big mouth. How do I know? He told me. “I’ve got a big mouth,” he said when I got him on the phone after eating at his joint. “I’ve been complaining about the Indian and the Pakistani food in Denver for…

Royal Hilltop

When I reviewed Royal Hilltop in April 2003, it was barely six months old — a non-smoking, British-themed pub crammed in among the multiplexes and taquerías of southeast Aurora, a joint that catered to the neighbors of a neighborhood sorely lacking in neighborhood bars. I complimented owners James and Tina…

Party On, Dude

Two weeks ago, Elizabeth Plotke of Campo de Fiore (300 Fillmore Street in Cherry Creek) announced that local business tycoon and big-time philanthropist Josh Hanfling had come on board as a partner at the restaurant, which opened back in 2001. Hanfling is allegedly the man who knows everyone, and I’m…

Pup Talk

2052 Stout Street has been a bar for as long as matters. It was the Punch Bowl for damn near forever—an old boxing bar famous for the landscapes painted on all the booth-backs by wandering artist Noel Adams, who traded art for drinks and sandwiches, and for the number of…