Restaurant Review: Cherry Creek Grill

The Cherry Creek Grill is a reliably busy stalwart in the heart of Cherry Creek North. Make a reservation unless you want to wait. The bar area in the middle of the room is always packed with the happy hour crowd or what seems to be an older group of singles.

The lighting is dark and it's a good atmosphere for an intimate date. The booths are large and cozy.

When we arrived last night, we were a few minutes early for our reservation and so went to the bar to start with a bottle of wine. The list was medium sized with a good range of qualities and prices. The bartender was enthusiastic in telling us a bit about the wine we chose and gave an accurate description. She was even nice enough to pour a small sample in some glasses before we committed to an entire bottle. When our table was ready, the waitress made sure our bar tab was transferred to our table with no trouble at all.

Cherry Creek Grill has a good menu of hearty meals... chicken, beef, potatoes, and meaty fishes fill the menu. Prices range from $12-30 for entrees. We started with a grilled artichoke appetizer that was the best grilled artichoke. Seasoned very nicely with pepper, a little garlic, and either a light butter or olive oil. The edges of some of the leaves were slightly charred meaning the artichoke halves were very well cooked and very tender and the heart meat was easy to get to.

For an entree, I had sausages and mashed potatoes, creatively called Bangers and Mash. There was one italian sausage and one chicken sausage on the plate. Both were good but the italian sausage had more flavor. A side of sweet dijon mustard came for dipping. The mashed potatoes were light and creamy but had an excessive amount of chives in them. Overall, it was a good portion (not too excessively enormous) for a good price.

Overall, Cherry Creek Grill is a winner. It has a long track record in Cherry Creek North and does so by being slightly trendy, but much less pretentious than other restaurants in the area, such as North, while still delivering great service and good food.




Score: 7.5/10

Cherry Creek Grill
184 Steele Street
Denver, CO 80206-5216
Ph: (303) 322-3524
Website: www.cherrycreekgrill.com (under construction as of today)

Free DIA Wi-Fi!

Three Cheers to DIA for making their wireless internet service free to all in the airport! This is a great way to make it easier and more productive to travel. Not to mention, internet access is becoming a commodity that will be available everywhere. Things like the iPhone, with its wi-fi connectivity, only accelerate that trend. It's great that DIA is on the leading edge by making it free.

From the Denver Post (Link to complete article below):

"At DIA, the previous pay service was $7.95 for a 24-hour period, and reports showed 19,000 to 20,000 connections a month. Since the free system began, there has been a tenfold increase in the number of people using the connection"

The Denver Post - DIA Sets Wi-Fi Free

First of all, $7.95 for 24 hours seems reasonable until you think that most travelers are sitting at their gate for just 30-60 minutes, so it is quite expensive. But, just look at how much usage has increased and the benefits people are seeing.

Three cheers!

High prices for DNC house and condo rentals

The highest price offered for a place to rent during the Democratic National Convention this August is $15,000! Wow! I think it is great that people in denver can specifically benefit from this event coming to town. Not only will the DNC 2008 be a positive force economically and exposure-wise for the city, but why shouldn't the average citizen make some money too.

No listings yet on Ebay (but it is still 9 months away). Check out this link to a list of Denver DNC 2008 house and condo rentals on Craigslist.

http://denver.craigslist.org/search/sub?query=dnc&minAsk=min&maxAsk=max&bedrooms

I am curious to see if the values go up or down as the convention approaches; after all, the hotels are all booked already.... I will continue to monitor on this blog.

Denver Nuggets 110, Indiana Pacers 112 - November 27, 2007

Since my last post lauding the Nuggets 6 game win streak, they have now lost 3 of 4, including last night in a heartbreaking loss to the Pacers in which they overcame a 21-3 run by the Pacers to start the game and another 19-3 run later in the game.

Read more about the Denver Nuggets loss to the Indiana Pacers at the Denver Post:

http://www.denverpost.com/nuggets/ci_7576483

Nuggets Season Summary: November 27, 2007
Nuggets 110, Pacers 112
Nuggets Record 9-6
Games Remaining: 67
Wins needed for 60: 51

Sonny Lubick, CSU football coach is fired

A few bad seasons and Sonny Lubick was let go as coach of the CSU Rams. I always had a very positive impression of Sonny Lubick and the Rams were a program you could feel good rooting for. A sad day to see the end of an era in Fort Collins and to see something bad happen to a great person in the community.

From ESPN:

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3130502&campaign=rss&source=ESPNHeadlines

Colorado Sex Offender Search!

Are there any in your neighborhood???

http://www.denverpost.com/coloradoregisteredsexoffenders/

Restaurant Review: Vesta Dipping Grill

Went to the Vesta Dipping Grill last night. Vesta is located in the Lodo neighborhood in downtown Denver. There was a group of four of us. The first thing I noticed is that it was a little bit loud and we had to speak loudly to hear eachother. Other then that, the atmosphere is cool; dark lighting with exposed brick and exposed ductwork. There are copper metal accents throughout and the menus themselves have copper metal covers.

The wine list is medium sized with a good range of qualities. You should be okay on this front.

The premise of Vesta Dipping Grill is they have 32 different sauces to choose from (you can select three with your entree) which you can then dip your food into. The menu is limited but has a selection of meat, seafood, and vegetarian options (chicken, a few beef choices, venison, lamb, salmon, scallops). Before the entree arrives, they bring some bread with roasted garlic. The roasted garlic ends up being a little bland and they would be better off with some butter, or to keep with their theme, something to dip the bread in.

I ordered the lamb. It came and while the plate was warm, the lamb itself must have been sitting in the back for a little bit because it was not hot. There were a few stalks of asparagus and a couple pieces of onion to go with some rice. The rice was very flavorful and maybe the best part of the dish overall. Nothing wrong with the lamb (although it came medium rare and I ordered it medium) but nothing special about it either. The sauces were good, but it left it up to chance whether the meal was good or not instead of the chef. Also, often part of what is fun about a dipping or fondue restaurant is you can share with the table but Vesta didn't really seem conducive for that. It might have been better with just two people, but with four the table was too crowded already to allow for reaching across.

In summary, Vesta is a cool place to go downtown but the food was average. There are plenty of other restaurants that are simply stronger with the menu and the food without relying on a gimmick of dipping sauces.


Score: 5.5/10

Vesta Dipping Grill
1822 Blake St
Denver, CO 80202

Ph: (303) 296-1970
Website: http://www.vestagrill.com/

List of Denver Holiday Activities 2007

Looking to find some holiday activities to do in Denver this year? Look no further!

1) Denver Zoo Lights (Dec 7-Jan6)
2) Botanic Gardens Blossoms of Light (Dec 1-Jan 7)
3) 9News Parade of Light (Nov 30, Dec 1)
4) Denver City and County Building Holiday Lights (Nov 23-Jan 21)
5) Colorado Ballet - "The Nutcracker" (Nov 24-Dec 24)
6) Shopping - Cherry Creek Mall; Santa visits starting Nov 13
7) Shopping - Park Meadows Mall; Santa visits starting Nov 18
8) Shopping - Cherry Creek North
9) New Years Eve Fireworks Downtown (on the 16th Street Mall)
10) Skyline Park Ice Sculpting (Dec 20-Dec 23)
11)Buell Theater - "White Christmas" (Nov 23-Dec 30)
12) Cirque Du Soleil's Saltimbanco at Broomfield Events Center (Dec 3-Dec 6, Dec 10-Dec 13)
13) Denver Nuggets Game
14) Colorado Avalanche Game
15) High Tea at the Brown Palace
16) Santa at Larimer Square (weekends only)
17) Colorado Symphony Orchestra presents A Colorado Christmas in 2007: "A Star to Follow." (Dec 14-16)

Restaurant Review: The Original Pancake House DTC

The Original Pancake House is the best place to get breakfast in Denver. Expect to wait before you are seated if you get there anytime after 9:00 on the weekends but they have free coffee while you wait. It is one of three locations in Colorado and one of about 90 locations in the United States. The chain has its origins in Portland, Oregon back in 1953.

The Dutch Baby is a light fluffy sweet pastry that is baked and dusted with powdered sugar. It is ideal to share with the whole table while you wait for your food and comes with butter, whipped cream, and lemon sauce for dipping. The Dutch Baby is a signature item for the pancake house.

My favorite thing to get at the Original Pancake house is the omelette (I get mine with cheddar cheese and mushrooms). At the Original Pancake House, they bake their six egg omelettes so they rise up and completely fill the plate, at about an inch and a half tall. The omelette is incredibly fluffy and the cheese oozes out when you stick you fork in. The Omelettes are served with a stack of three buttermilk pancakes. The pancakes are great and just what you would want at a breakfast place... light and not too dry.

Besides the items described in this review, the Original Pancake House has an extensive menu and, having gone there many many times, everything is good.

Score: 9/10

The Original Pancake House DTC
8000 E. Belleview
Greenwood Village, Colorado 80111

Ph: 303-224-0093
Website: http://www.originalpancakehouse.com/phloc_co_greenwood.html

Denver Nuggets Correction

What a bouce back from that Boston massacre! 6 wins in a row in dominating fashion. The defense looks great and they are scoring a ton of points. I may have been wrong about this team, in my earlier post. They have a shot at 60 wins.

November 21 , 2007
Nuggets Record: 8-3
Last Game: Denver Nuggets 112, Chicago Bulls 91 (At Denver)
Wins needed to 60: 52
Games Remaining: 71

Denver Holiday Activities and Calendar

The holiday season is upon us and there are plenty of holiday themed activities to do in Denver. Here is a calendar of the major light display activities in Denver during the holidays.

Denver Zoo Lights

Dates: December 7-January 6
Time: 5:00PM-9:00 PM
Ph: (303) 376-4800
Address: 23rd Avenue between Colorado Boulevard and York Street. Near City Park
Website: http://www.denverzoo.org/zoolights/index.asp
The Scoop: See the Denver Zoo lit up at night with millions of holiday lights including animal themed animated light displays

Denver Botanic Gardens Blossoms of Light

Dates: December 1-January 7
Times: 6:00PM-9:00PM
Ph: (720) 865-3500
Address:1005 York Street, Denver, CO 80206
Website: http://www.botanicgardens.org/pageinpage/blossomsoflight.cfm
The Scoop: The Denver Botanic Gardens will be lit up with over a million holiday lights. Food stations and hot beverages available throughout the gardens.

9News Parade of Lights

Dates: Friday, November 30, 2007 at 8:00 PM and Saturday, December 1, 2007 at 6:00 PM
The Scoop: Pretty self explanatory, right? The annual parade throughout Denver with marching bands, lighted floats, and a balloons.
Parade Route : The 9NEWS Parade of Lights steps off at the City & County Building at 14th Avenue & Bannock Street, crosses Colfax Avenue, travels west on 14th Street, turns right on Tremont Place and goes three blocks to 17th Street. The parade travels down 17th Street to Arapahoe Street and turns left, making another left turn on 15th Street and continuing on 15th Street up to Glenarm Place. The parade turns right on Glenarm Place and finishes at 14th Street & Glenarm Place.

Website: http://www.denverparadeoflights.com/

Denver City and County Building Holiday Lights

Dates: Nightly from November 23-January 21
Location: 14th Street and Bannock Street, Denver, CO
The Scoop: 2,000 spotlights and 2,000 ropes of light decorate the Denver City and County Building. This year, the city is using LED lighting to conserve energy. No need to plan this one, just drive by when you get a chance and have a look.

Park Meadows and Cherry Creek changes

Nordstrom is now at Cherry Creek Mall and it is much nicer than the one at Park Meadows. The layout is much nicer and the merchandise is higher end. This is by design because of the smaller floor space at the Cherry Creek location compared to Park Meadows; Cherry Creek is also a higher end mall in general. Even though the weather was great, Cherry Creek Mall was pretty busy on Sunday; Christmas shopping season seems to have started.

Reported in the Denver Post on Friday, November 16, Park Meadows is undergoing some changes itself, as they are adding an open air component (Called "The Vistas") in the front with retail and restaurants. This is in response to the nationwide trend towards outdoor shopping plazas and away from totally enclosed malls. Cru, a wine bar in Lodo will have a new location at the Vistas, as will Arhaus, a home furnishings store in Cherry Creek. Others committed include La Sandia, Brio Tuscan Grille, and an enticingly named new restaurant, White Chocolate Grille. Complete details can be found at The Denver Post Online:

Mall Unveils 6 New Tenants

Monday Night Football: Tennessee Titans at Denver Broncos

Monday Night Football comes to Denver tonight. If the Broncos beat the Titans, they will be tied for first place in the AFC West with San Diego at 5 wins and 5 losses. But really, who cares about that? The Broncos would be better off not making the playoffs and getting a better draft pick because nobody can beat the Patriots.

Instead, the game is important to showcase Denver. I don't think snow is in the forecast until tomorrow, maybe we can get a few snowflakes tonight to encourage mountain tourists...

Go Broncos and c'mon snow!

Restaurant Review: Aurora Summit

I've been to the Aurora Summit many times and revisited it again last night. The Aurora Summit makes one of the best steaks in town; however, the atmosphere is more suited for an older set of clientele. So, it really depends on what you are looking for.

I had the 12 ounce filet, a salad, and the potatos au gratin. I shared my au gratin potatoes with my girlfriend and she shared her steamed broccoli with me. So, I'll compare both specifically to the same sides from Oceanaire Seafood Room, which was reviewed yesterday.

The basic dinner salad at Aurora Summit is basic with iceberg lettuce, cucumber, red onion, croutons, tomatoes, and some shredded white cheese (not sure what type with certainty). The basil vinagrette dressing is very good and makes the salad, in my opinion. Otherwise, it is very basic.

The steak comes on a plate that is sizzling with butter. Only USDA prime beef is served at the Aurora Summit and it is reliably tender and perfectly cooked. Aurora Summit keeps it simple but they do it very well.

The au gratin potatoes were better than those at Oceanaire Seafood room. The potatoes were cooked with more cream and a little less cheese. There were also some small onion pieces and a little bit of garlic in the potatoes which gave it a lot of nice flavor. The steamed broccoli was much more tender than at Oceanaire and it did not have any sauce. However, the flavor of the broccoli came out more.

Aurora Summit makes a good meal but probably would not be a great place to take a date unless you are newly on the dating scene in your 40s or 50s. The food is very good and very reliable and I'd rank the steaks in the top three in Denver.

Score: 8/10

Aurora Summit
2700 S. Havana Street
Aurora, CO 80014
Ph: (303) 751-2112
Website: http://www.aurorasummit.com/

Restaurant Review: Oceanaire Seafood Room

Oceanaire Seafood Restaurant opened in mid-summer. It is a high-end chain that is a large number of major cities in the U.S. Oceanaire is pretty pricy with entrees in the $28-31 dollar range on average. The wine list is medium sized but is also lacking very many moderately priced wines. Silver Oak, Heitz, and other high priced brands are on the menu. There is also a "Captain's List" that has even more expensive bottles.

Seafood is flown in fresh every morning so even in landlocked Colorado you should expect good quality. Side dishes are served a la carte and are meant to be shared.

When you sit down they bring you some sourdough bread (pretty good but not quite as crispy on the crust, but the right amount of chewiness) and a relish plate that has some raw carrots, black olives, radish, and smoked herring. I stayed away from the smoked herring altogether; the veggies were okay to snack on, but nothing special.

For an appetizer, we had a lump meat crabcake that contained only enough filler to keep the crabmeat held together. The crabcake itself was large and the lumps of crabmeat were large too. Delicious.

I had the shrimp scampi, which had 8 or so pieces of shrimp that were broiled and served with a scampi sauce. The sauce is heavy on the garlic flavor and stayed with my breath the rest of the night. Simple dish but good. My girlfriend had the halibut which was also good, but simple.

The side dishes we had were steamed broccoli and au gratin potatoes. The au gratin potatoes were perfectly cooked; the potatoes were tender and there was a layer of cheddar cheese on top. The steamed broccoli was lightly steamed with a cheese sauce on the plate and some fresh tomatoes diced on the top. If you like your broccoli cooked longer, this is not the side dish for you; otherwise, this dish is also simple but good.

Oceanaire Seafood Room has a fancy atmosphere that might remind you of a steakhouse. A good place to take a date and the booth we had gave plenty of privacy. The room is quiet and good for an extended dinner. The staff is very professional and takes care of the details. Our waitress didn't rush us at all and even took extra time to place our dinner order so we could enjoy our appetizer and relax.

Overall, Oceanaire seems like it will deliver a reliable experience every time, but it is expensive so it gets docked a little on the score, from 8 to 7.5.

Score: 7.5/10

Oceanaire Seafood Room
1400 Arapahoe Street
Denver, CO 80202
Ph: (303) 991-2277
Website: http://www.theoceanaire.com/

Changes to Downtown Denver

I just wanted to point out another blog about Denver that I think is a great way to keep up on the changes that are happening to downtown construction. A lot of great buildings are going up including a Four Season's Hotel and a lot of great renovations are taking place, such as the long overdue fix of the Fontius building on the 16th Street Mall. The Denver In-Fill blog does an outstanding job of covering it all.

Denver In-Fill Blog

Restaurant Review: Pasquini's Pizzeria (Uptown)

This is not a traditional restaurant review, but a takeout/delivery review. Just as important, really, because you can't go out to eat all the time - sometimes you want to bring something in and you need to know the good places in Denver.

Pasquini's Pizzeria is a guarantee of a good pizza, regardless of the toppings you get. The crust is the perfect thickness and has a good combination of crispiness on the outside but soft on the inside. They have a wide variety of options; I've had both traditional things like pepperoni and mushroom, pepperoni and black olives, straight pepperoni, to the more gourmet like chicken, feta, artichoke hearts, and tomatos. Some pizza places can't do both well but Pasquini's pulls it off. The pizza order always includes a free order of their breadsticks which are smothered in butter and parmesan. The breadsticks are great at the restaurant when they are hot out of the oven but they don't make the trip home particularly well and have been a little bit too hard and chewy once they have cooled down. Still a nice freebie to have but don't fill up on the bread over the pizza.

You can either have the pizza delivered or do a pickup. Sometimes the uptown location gets backed up on the deliveries and they can take 45 minutes to an hour. This is a bummer if you want something fast but for pickups the pies are almost always ready within 20 minutes.

Score: 8.5/10

Pasquini's Pizzeria Uptown
1336 East 17th Avenue
Denver, CO 80218

Ph: 303-863-8252
Website: http://www.pasquinis.com/

Escalator Etiquette

I was travelling yesterday and was reminded of a complaint I have about people in Colorado. For some reason, nobody here is aware that on an escalator you should stand on the RIGHT so that those who would like to go faster can walk on the left. In most other cities one might visit, people seem to have this down but never in Colorado. Going up the escalator from the train at DIA, or on the moving walkways in the concourses, people stand right in the middle so you can't go past. I just don't think people think about it here; so I'm bringing it up. Stand on the right - walk on the left. Easy.

Nuggets/Avalanche

The Nuggets got crushed last night by the Celtics, 119-93 (and it wasn't even that close), just one night after throwing away a 10 point lead in the fourth quarter to the Knicks. Where do their proclamations of 60 wins even come from when they play a game like that? The only have 18 losses left available to them if they want to win 60. It will be pretty disappointing if they cannot raise this franchise to the next level. They have the talent but can't seem to get the key wins. Time to put up or shut up.

On the bright side, another win for the Avs over Edmonton, 4-3. That is a team that is looking good and knows how to win...

Question of the day: Which comes first to the Pepsi Center; Stanley Cup or NBA Championship? Comments??

Restaurant Review: Sparrow

I ate at Sparrow last night at 410 East 7th Avenue (7th and Logan). Two initial complaints: 1) The music was ridiculously loud for dinner on a Wednesday night. Sparrow was half full but the background noise of people talking was overwhelming, probably from having to talk over the music; 2) The table for two was much too small which made things a bit crowded on the table (a minor complaint, but noticeable). If the restaurant was just a little quieter, Sparrow has a nice atmosphere for dinner: cool design and low lighting.

If you go, don't miss the Tuna wrapped Tuna appetizer. Fresh raw tuna pieces with a pomegranite and soy sauce (just the right amount of spice) and wonton noodles on top. The dish tasted very fresh and flavorful; one of the better appetizer's I have had in Denver.

The menu was limited but had a lot of good options. For dinner, I had the Pappardelle pasta with duck, oyster mushrooms, and red grapes. The pasta, duck, and mushrooms were great but the grapes seemed to be a stretch and maybe put in for the sake of creativity. The flavor of the grapes did not mesh well with the other ingredients.

My girlfriend had the Kobe Beef Boursin Burger and a white bean soup. The soup was reported to be very good. I had a bite of the burger; the Kobe beef was lean but a little dry but the boursin cheese on top was creamy and helped balance the dryness.

Wine List: Lack of reasonably priced selections.

Score: 6.5/10

Sparrow Restaurant: 410 East 7th Ave (Crossstreet Logan), Denver, CO 80203. Ph: 303-831-1003

November 2007 Denver Election Results

The initial results for the Denver 2007 election are in:

Denver Post 2007 Election Results

Everything in Denver has appeared to pass, including Question 100 making marijuana possession enforcement the lowest priority. Also passing are a number of bonds for improvements in public parks, office buildings, and other infrastructure. The only item still in question as the ballots are still counted is 1H which is a $70MM bond to completely rebuild the Boettcher concert hall and to create a new science learning center at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science (Formerly the Natural History Museum).

Simply, these things make Denver better. A city is partially defined by its culture and activities so keeping Denver's up to date and, even better, on the cutting edge, should be a high priority- it's great for our image and great for our economy. All in all, these are positive results for Denver and let's all hope that 1H holds the slim lead it has now (51%-49% - about 1800 votes).

Denver Post Interactive Home Data Tool - By Neighborhood

Here is a great tool on the Denver Post website today:

Denver Post Interactive Home Data Graphic

You can drill down to your neighborhood and see all the home pricing, home foreclosure, and home sales data for October. Really slick.

Does not look great for most of Denver; home prices are down and it is taking an ungodly amount of time to move a property.

On average over October 2006: Homes sold are down 7% and average home price is down 5.5%.

RIP Broncos 2007-2008 Season

... or should I just say 2007 season. I hope this team doesn't somehow make the playoffs in the horrible AFC West; I'd rather get a better draft pick than witness an embarrassing playoff loss...

Denver Post: Broncos Thumped; Cutler Injured

Restaurant Review: Venice Ristorante Downtown

After making a reservation at the Venice Ristorante at 17th and Wynkoop downtown for 7:15 on Saturday night, my party of 4 was not seated until 7:45. We arrived at 7:15 and were told it would just be a few minutes. Further, when I went to the bar to get a few glasses of wine while we waited, the bartender told me that I had to order from the cocktail waitress, who in the 30 minutes we waited, never came by once. This was a horrible experience. To paraphrase an episode of Seinfeld, what is the point of a reservation if the table is not going to be reserved. I understand that sometimes tables don't turn as quickly as you expect, but at least offer us a free round of drinks while we wait, instead of refusing to even sell us wine at the bar.

We shared an appetizer which was a sampler plate of Caprese, calamari, bruschetta, and prosciutto. Everything on the plate was fine, but overall very average and not memorable.

I had the Galletto Caprese. Having previously had the chicken Parmesan at Venice (phenomenal but no longer on the menu), this entree was disappointing. The side of vegetables was tiny and the chicken itself was tough. Also was not particularly hot when it arrived. I tried two types of ravioli that others in my party had and both were outstanding. So, if you go to Venice Ristorante, stick with the pasta.

I've enjoyed Venice Ristorante (both the downtown location and the Holly and Orchard location) several times before so I'll probably go back and give it another chance.

The Venice at Orchard and Holly is a better spot to take a date as the tables for two are separated better. If you go as a couple to the Venice downtown, don't expect an intimate experience. Much better for a small group.

Score: 5.5/10 (-2 points for the service problems)

Venice Restaurant: 1700 Wynkoop St. Denver, CO 80202. Ph: 303-534-2222

Ballot Question 100

The marijuana issue is back on the ballot for Denver with Question 100 which asks us to vote whether private use and possession of marijuana by adults be made the city's lowest law enforcement priority.

I'll be enthusiastically voting yes here. I've never used marijuana, but am tired of any law enforcement resources being used to combat something that really is not a problem. Other drugs, such as Meth, are much much more harmful than pot yet the government as a whole has a disproportionate fascination with marijuana that needs to end. Until our city has rid itself of all the other problems we have, why would we spend any money prosecuting a war on marijuana? Why does the government have trouble prioritizing things like this on its own? To be fair, I don't know how much time Denver police and courts spend arresting and prosecuting marijuana users; regardless, I think approving Question 100 sends a good message to the entire nation that the government DOES need to prioritize effectively.

There are laws in place already to punish people driving under the influence and other laws governing child welfare issues surrounding drugs. So, let's not waste time going after adults who are engaging in a victimless activity. Seriously.

Yes on Question 100.

Restaurant Review: The Santa Fe Tequila Company

The Santa Fe Tequila Company has its grand opening this Saturday; I tried it last night (instead of dressing up for Halloween) and was impressed. The food is New Mexican cuisine which is a fusion of Spanish, Mexican, and pueblo Indian food. A lot of corn, a lot of chilis, and a lot of unique flavors. It is definitely not a Mexican restaurant. A lot of the team came over from the Ninth door so you can expect the very same quality here.

For a Southwestern themed restaurant, Santa Fe Tequila Company got the basics right with great chips and very fresh salsa and guacamole.

Signature menu item: The ribs - the staff touts them as the best in Denver and while I've not tasted every rib dish in the city, these were great. The meat fell off the bone and the flavor was unique in a good way.

This would be an impressive place to take a date. It's an off-the-beaten-path restaurant with great food and atmosphere. Definitely will earn some creativity points. A bonus is a large bar area in front for a drink before or after with some couches and plenty of tables.

Score: 8/10. When it has been open full time, I'll give it another try and another score.

Santa Fe Tequila Company. 901 W 10th Avenue, Denver, CO 80204. Ph: ???