The third time was the charm for Bryan Dayton, owner of Boulder’s Oak at Fourteenth, which is currently being rebuilt after a spring fire: In his third national cocktail competition of the year, the bartender bested 47 other top-notch professionals from across the country to take home the grand prize:…
Maybe it’s because I grew up in Denver rather than St. Louis, Kansas City, Memphis or Texas, but I’ve always been vaguely amused by “best barbecue” claims that are staked to a particular regional style. After all, “barbecue” really just refers to the process of cooking meat over fire, which…
There’s nothing fancy about Country Time BBQ, a true barbecue shack tucked into a business park on West Hampden that uses a couple of parking-lot pits to feed its take-out and catering operation. But then, I’m never exactly looking for white tablecloths when I’m after sauced-up smoked meat…
After Rob Kukura, former manager of The Mediterranean, took over the old Magnolia and Sushi Mara spots in Lafayette in May, he started slowly slowly making the restaurants his own. First, he merged the two places into a single identity, and changed the name to 95a Bistro and Sushi in…
Since it first hit Denver in 2003, Thai Basil has grown into a mini fusion empire, expanding into a handful of locations around town and down into Colorado Springs. And there’s no sign of Thai Basil slowing down, either: After Garbanzo Mediterranean Grill shuttered a location by the University of…
Adrian Miller has been certified to judge competitions by the Kansas City Barbecue Society, but he likes all kinds of barbecue, not just Kansas City style. Among his favorite barbecue joints in Denver are a couple that can’t be categorized by region, including Country Time BBQ, reviewed this week, and…
I did some traveling this summer, and I used each trip as an opportunity to eat my way through a city. Frequently, I’d note, with smug superiority, that we do certain things just as well — or better — in Denver. But there were also moments when I was gullet-deep…
In just a few short weeks, Voodoo Comedy Playhouse will open in the Ballpark neighborhood, bringing downtown Denver a venue for all kinds of comedy acts and shows, including Hit and Run Musical Improv, Makeshift Shakespeare and a weekly interactive murder mystery dinner show…
Montel Williams, Jack Hercher and Chris Dupuis, the franchisees who brought California’s Fatburger to Denver and once had plans to build twenty locations of the restaurant in this city, have parted ways with the company — and every Fatburger in metro Denver has now changed its name to Epic Grill…
Fifteen years ago, Josh Wolkon and his wife, Jen, opened Vesta Dipping Grill in a cavernous space in LoDo, and they’ve packed in crowds ever since. Those crowds followed them and Matt Selby over to Steuben’s, the garage-turned-hip-retro-restaurant in Uptown that features American classics and a great bar program. Last…
Talk about a freak accident: This morning at Rock Bottom Brewery on the 16th Street Mall, a flash fire broke out, which shut down two blocks of Curtis Street. The cause? A dropped keg…
An Oklahoma City restaurant slated to open its doors this week will feature gourmet onion burgers, “vintage modern decor” (according to EatAroundOKC) — and, as pointed out by the Oklahoma City Egotist, a logo that looks like it was blatantly ripped off from one of this city’s busiest restaurants: Steuben’s…
We’d heard rumors that Shazz may not reopen after its August sabbatical, but now we have confirmation. The restaurant has clearly been cleaned out, and a neighboring business owner tells us that chef/owner Benny Kaplan has definitely pulled out. That same neighbor also says that he’s noticed some groups looking…
Justin Cucci’s menu at Linger, his second Highland restaurant that opened this summer in the former Olinger Mortuary, is an eclectic list of global street food — a concept that could only work if the chef and his team really nailed it. Luckily, as I note in this week’s review,…
Colorado’s bartenders keep upping our state’s cocktail credibility, competing in national contests and besting some of the country’s most formidable spirits professionals to bring big prizes home to the Rocky Mountains. The latest accolade? Burton Daniel, a bartender at Boulder’s Bitter Bar, out-crafted 250 of his peers nationwide to land…
We’ve been wondering what was going into the old Holiday Theater building on 32nd Avenue and Clay, and now we have at least part of the answer: The bottom floor has been partitioned into three restaurant or retail spots, one of which is under construction and bearing a sign that…
I instantly loved Linger. It took me a lot longer to form an attachment to Justin Cucci’s first restaurant, Root Down. The refitted garage in Highland opened in late 2007, touting a haute farm-to-table menu, rooftop produce and a long wait list for reservations. But while I was initially impressed…
Linger looked quiet the first time I stopped by the restaurant, which had opened earlier this summer in the former Olinger’s mortuary. I made my way past the valet leaning against his podium and up the cement steps, intending to get just a fast glimpse of the place and continue…
We named lower Highland (which some developers insist on calling LoHi — a name we fear is catching on) the Best Restaurant Neighborhood in the Best of Denver 2011 because of the wide range of excellent edible experiences it offers within just a few blocks. You can find tamales, canolis,…
You hear that sound? It’s the sound of summer whistling its way out the door. Labor Day Weekend is upon us, and that means that even if we’re still able to sit on patios next week, the moment when we’re going to have to bundle up and brace for winter…
Thirteen years ago, chef Dan Witherspoon gave up an executive-chef position to build the Gourmet Spoon, which offers catering services plus a roster of interactive cooking experiences as private, on-site events. During that time, he also taught classes at the Seasoned Chef Cooking School. And when the opportunity presented itself…
Peter and Mara Soutiere, owners of Boulder’s Tahona Tequila Bistro and Sushi Tora, have big plans for the small spot they recently took over behind Tahona — even if those plans have been slightly delayed. The pair had originally planned to open the Pearl Street Steak Room in in late…
