Larimer Square - TAG of the day

Larimer Square is home to many great restaurants, boutiques, coffee shops and other establishments; if you are from out of town it can get difficult to chose where to stop for a bite to eat. In another post we visited Rioja, a great Spanish inspired restaurant and today we will take a quick tour into Tag restaurant.

Tag and Tag Raw Bar are the two concepts created by chef Troy Guard. Tag features Asian inspired cuisine and that sounded pretty good on a warm Denver afternoon.
The restaurant is hip and trendy, with a modern layout and design, "hipster" bartenders or Mixologist that can concoct fancy drinks, beware in a busy night it can take a while to get one of those to your hands, therefore we forgo the cocktail and go for our beloved Rose wine.




 Drink on hand let's get to the food. The amuse-bouche changes and it is often pretty good, in this case it was a morsel of Smoked Salmon with some delicious cream and dill. Then the decision making begins, since the menu is full of interesting choices one has to do the best to keep oneself from ordering them all.

The appetizers are all great, but I do have a soft spot for dumplings and that was our first course. If you are not a big appetizer lover you can jump to the salads which offer good variety and straightforward flavors.

 Always ask your waiter/waitress for the special of the evening as you can encounter some pretty exciting dishes like the Prosciutto wrapped Monk Fish served along side homemade veggie ravioli and my ultimate favorite spring peas, rich and delicate with a sense of adventure. I am sometimes less adventurous and still love a good chicken dish in this case with a fragrant rice pilaf, veggies and a delicate sauce to tight the entire dish together.

The service is fast and friendly, it is Denver after all and most everyone id friendly so if you are an angry New Yorker you must learn to embrace it. The little patio is a great way to see life pass you by.

Larimer Square has a lot to offer whether you live in Denver or are visiting. Keep checking the blog for more reviews in restaurants, boutiques, and night life info.
 How to get to Larimer Square:
Larimer street in located in the heart of downtown and you can take the E or F light rail lines to either Union Station (E line) or the Convention Center (F line), from Union Station hop on the mall ride bus and get off at the Larimer stop, from the convention center is a quick 3 block walk north and there are other attractions along the way like the Denver Performing Arts and other restaurants and hotels.

By Paula Thomas

From Farm to Table a concept that comes to Fruition

Denver's food scene is in a rapid growth with many new restaurants hitting the market every week. In the midst of a crazy race to try to keep up with it I suggest to stop and look at places that have been in the area for a few years and this week we did just that.

Fruition restaurant, located on 1313 E. 6th avenue, has been a local favorite and with good reason. Chef/Owner Alex Seidel takes pride in the ingredients and techniques used in his kitchen. A few years back he decided to venture into farming and purchased a 10-acre farm south of Denver and Fruition Farm and Creamy was born. The restaurant and farm relationship makes eating at Fruition the window into the world of the chef turned farmer and his vision.

Rioja, A taste of Spain without leaving Denver

 A beautiful, sunny Denver afternoon with a breezy whisper of the summer ahead, a glass of Rose, lovely company and a Spanish inspired dinner.
Sitting outside on Rioja's petit patio in Larimer square can surely make you forget the stress of the day. Framed with flower baskets and the ambiance of this "happening" street, the six table patio embraces a laissez-faire attitude. The food is always outstanding and the service is quite remarkable.

The lunch menu is a smart combination of full entrees and sandwich/salad combos that won't leave you wishing you had order something else. My favorites are Gabe's chronic chicken sandwich ($12.5) and the Colorado Lamb burger ($10.5) both served with a big, perfectly seasoned salad. A great way to enjoy the food and ambiance and don't break the bank.


Dinner is also great, last week we went for a date night before a jazz show at Dazzle.

The appetizer got devoured before I had a chance to snap a picture because who can resist tender, fatty Pork belly on a bed of Madras curry Garbanzo puree. The "Fresh bacon", as you will find it in the menu, will blow your socks off! Our waiter told us of a customer who gets it every time as an appetizer and then a second one after dessert!

True food Kitchen

Piles of raw vegetable dancing through the dinning room, green juices displayed on people's tables and yoga pants. No, you didn't just enter a spa in California, you are in True Food Kitchen.
Located in the heart of Cherry Creek (2800 E 2nd Ave #101  Denver, CO 80206), this restaurants has been taunting me for quite sometime. I have tried to go in before, but it was always too busy and at lunch time I am really not into waiting for 1 hour to get a table. If you have a group of 8 or more feel free to make reservations other wise be ready to wait.

Summer fun in Denver

White blanket of sparkly snow see you next winter, now it is time to enjoy the blistering heat of the summer season and with it the fabulous events popping up all over town.
Patio parties, street fairs, Art walks, Films on the Rocks, you name it most likely Denver has it.

Here is a list of link to fun things to do this summer:

  Downtown Denver Arts Festival: Come see a big display of local artist in the heart of Downtown Denver - May 24-26

 Old South Gaylord Annual Festival: Music, food, a fun way to celebrate Memorial day weekend - May 26-27

 The Big Eat: an amazing event with 40 restaurants, 4 breweries,
wine and music. A great way to start the summer - May 26

HIGHLANDS the "it" Mix

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When I moved to Denver and I was looking for the perfect neighborhood to live, my real state agent drove me through Highlands. I was very confused about why she was showing me that area which I honestly found, disconcerting. 

But now, I understand reason. .. It was because Highlands is reverberant. The perfect mix between old and new, middle aged cool parents and young hipsters, people from all levels of income and tons of fun every day activities.

It helps as well that as a Latina, I really wanted to be surrounded somehow by “my people” and even though Highlands seems like the new “it” neighborhood, a lot of the population has been there for decades and come from diverse backgrounds, being a great majority Hispanic.

SOUTH PEARL. DENVER'S LITTLE SECRET.

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These 3 blocks apparently lost in the south of Denver metro area are a gem. South Pearl is an old mom and pop business area that for over a century has revitalized itself every decade. Having, in my opinion, its best era yet to come.

The area is vibrant and full of hipsters who walk their dogs everyday. Don’t think this neighborhood is fun only on weekends; weekdays are always packed with students in the cafes, moms jogging with the strollers, and doggies tied up to light poles waiting for their beloved owner to have a quick bite in one of the multiple restaurants.

ROLLING CAN GET YOU FAR...

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I remember years ago when watching Nuovo Cinema Paradiso, for those too young to know what I am talking about, that is a classic Italian movie that every single person on the planet should watch. In this movie there is a scene where the 2 main characters take a bicycle ride, with a sublime melody as a background...Anyway, I am bringing this up because I fell in love with bicycles that day. I dreamed of biking around like that around my dusty little town. 

In New York going on a bicycle is not the safest, everyone is rushing when they drive and the bike lines are not popular, however I decided to buy a one that I never used.

SANTA FE FUN

SANTA FE FUN.

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One of my favorite places in Denver is the Santa Fe Arts District. It is fun most of the time, but it becomes a real party every First Friday of the month, when those four blocks full of galleries, shops and restaurants, get packed with vibrant people getting in and out like little ants from one door to the other, seeing art and getting inebriated with ideas of their own. Musicians play in every corner, next to the food trucks that smell like heaven.

An Italian night

Pillowy eggplant stuffed pasta, Halibut and white balsamic caviar, Yes, please! Those were just a couple of the great dishes we enjoyed at Barolo Grill this past weekend. The staff at Barolo never size to impress me, great people to talk to, simply well balanced service and deliciously interesting food.
The cuisine is Piemontese Northern Italian with a modern twist. The ingredients always fresh and delicate, like the spring peas in the Crudo salad and the Ricotta gnocchi, very different flavors both outstanding dishes.

The highlight of the night was having the pleasure to chat with Ryan Fletter, General manager and Wine director, about his upcoming test for The Court of Masters Sommeliers in Aspen, Colorado. The grueling test is the highest certification a sommelier can get and without a doubt one of the most difficult exams in any profession period. Every year many, tireless, study day and night for the gratification of the tittle, Master Sommelier, and an average of only 10% pass.

 There are currently 180 MS (master sommelier) in the world, only 180, a very exclusive title indeed. We are very lucky here in Colorado to have 12 of these amazingly knowledgeable wine professionals and to see their influence on the restaurant scene and the professionals working to make it better everyday. To Mr. Fletter good luck, we are "willing" for you!
To the restaurant keep up the good work! Yum

By Paula Thomas