For those of you staying in Downtown Denver or wanting to stay within walking distance (or a short taxi ride) from the Convention Center, there are literally hundreds of restaurants to choose from. Here is a selection of tried and true favorites which are sure to please:
Right next to the Convention Center, Denver Center for Performing Arts (DCPA), and directly beneath Ellie Caulkins Opera House, Kevin Taylor’s at the Opera House is an excellent place for an elegant dining experience especially before or after taking in a show. Using the freshest local ingredients to create masterful dishes, Kevin Taylor is known as one of Denver's most innovative chefs for dishes as pleasing to the eye as they are to the palate. If you are looking for something more casual, The Corner Office across the street is a great place for tasty burgers and appetizers and a local brew (beer lovers have to try one of the hundreds of local micro-brews which make Colorado arguably the nation's micro-brew capital).
Seafood lovers: there is hope in this mile-high, land-locked city (no...I don't mean those Rocky Mountain oysters; if you're a true foodie, though, you need to try 'em!!): The Oceanaire Seafood Room has a menu which changes daily depending on the fresh fish and oysters flown in to DIA (one of the advantages of being a hub airport). A meeting room can host small parties. If you go there, don’t miss the crab cakes: the best I’ve had this side of Maryland (now If you can get out of the city, The Fresh Fish Company is thought by many to be the best seafood restaurant in Denver).
Parallel 17 is known for its innovative eastern-western fusion cuisine; chef Mary Nguyen has hosted dinner for the former Denver Adventurous Eaters Club, featured on Food Channel’s Bizzare Foods America; her daily menu however, is just as innovative, if not much more approachable.
Only a few blocks from the Convention Center, Larimer Street, once home to Denver’s skid row, has over the years been transformed into a collection of chic restaurants and boutiques. My favorites include Osteria Marco (a scaled-down and more economically-friendly version of Frank Bonanno's Luca D’Italia, for upscale Italian food and artisan pizza). Bistro Vendome takes you to a French cafe with a great selection of dishes and an excellent brunch. TAG serves up eclectic, cutting-edge cuisine with pan-Asian influences. The Capital Grille serves up some of the best prime steaks in Denver (unless you want to drive south to Flemming's). It's a great venue for small meetings. At the end of the street, Richard Sandoval's Tamayo serves upscale Mexican cuisine like you've never had (think huitlacoche enchiladas).
A few blocks down from Larimer, one reaches Market, Blake and Wazee streets on the way to Union Station, in the heart of the lower downtown district (LoDo), filled with trendy galleries intermingled with innovative restaurants. My favorite: Vesta Dipping Grill, where every course, including dessert, is served with a variety of dipping sauces designed to complement each well-prepared dish. You can stick with the chef's suggestions or mix n' match your own, creating endless flavor combinations. Down the street, The 9th Door serves tapas-style Spanish cuisine accompanied by an extensive selection of Spanish wines in an elegant, clubby setting. D’Corazon is a small eatery with self-described Mexican comfort food. The dishes are prepared with bright, flavorful ingredients. Across from The Kitchen is American food with a seemingly French twist at its finest (the fresh trout I had recently, with its thin, perfectly crisped skin....A-mazing!!).
For foodies on a tight budget, The Kitchen hosts community dining on Monday evenings, when the chef serves his finest cuisine family-style around a common table: a great way to make new foodie friends over a fabulous dinner (reservations are needed). JAX Fish House is a popular spot for downtown locals looking to shuck and suck down fresh oysters. Zengo is another fusion cuisine restaurant, serving up Latin-Asian inspired dishes with a fabulous result; another one of my LoDo Favorites. In the mood for a Brazilian churrascaria? Fogo de Chao is a carnivore's delight, with skewer after skewer of different cuts brought tableside for you to choose from, and a huge salad bar for your veggie friends: careful or someone will have to roll you out if you try and sample everything they have to offer, so choose wisely!
Stay tuned for more interesting places to dine around Denver in the next blog...