Dining In Denver - Part 1

Occasionally I get out of the office and travel for business. Recently I was at the Grand Hyatt in downtown Denver for a couple of days. I can't say enough about the breathtaking views from the 38th floor Pinnacle Club. And while it was non-stop business during the day, after working hours ended, I found some beautiful architecture and excellent eats.

Smashing Salad
A few hours after arriving in Denver, I wondered the 16th Street Pedestrian Mall in a sleep-deprived and hungry state, then found MAD Greens, and was in salad heaven. MAD Greens specializes in custom-made salads, soups, panini's and wraps - most named after famous dead people: Dionysos, Ty Cobb, Edgar Allan Poe, and so on. Founders Marley Hodgson and Dan Long purport the salads were invented by the celebrities. I selected the MAD Molly Brown - a salad of spinach, green onions, mozzarella, tomatoes and grilled sweet onions with Citrus Grilled Chicken.

MAD Molly Brown Salad 

After a day of travel, I was refreshed and reinvigorated not only from the fresh food, but also from the pleasant atmosphere. You can also build your own salad by combining lettuce, protein and host of other ingredients: apples, black beans, jalapenos, sugar snap peas, toasted almonds, and so on. I was delighted to find a little bit of sanity amongst the mix of fast-food and stereotypical casual dining in the area. Can't wait to see a MAD Greens at my local mall.

Panzon-wow!
Panzano is an award-winning Northern Italian restaurant and lounge on the corner of 17th and Champa Streets. There's an open air kitchen and pizza area. The motto of the restaurant is Chi mangia bene, viva bene - those who eat well, live well. I was definitely living a good life eating at Panzano.

Dinner started with an olive and sun-dried tomato tapenade and selection of breads. My entree was Cappaletti pasta filled with sweet pea, ricotta, parmesan, walnuts, and speck finished wtih chicken broth and chives. My dining companion had the Cabonara a la Panzano: tagliatelle with house-cured pancetta, Granda Padano, and cracked black pepper topped with a fried egg. We split creme brulee for dessert. The service was outstanding, atmosphere engaging, and food wonderful. Had we not eaten at Rioja the night before, this would have been the highlight of the trip.

Rioja Mania
Looking for a restaurant to titillate my taste buds online, Rioja in Larimer Square was the standout recommendation. I dare you to read the menu aloud and not drool.

Larimer Square street scene

Though my dining companions and I had to wait for an hour for a table, it was worth it. Between the three of us we had:

• Goat Cheese Trio: Avalanche fresh chevre, goat gouda, Bleu de Bocage, red wine gelee, strawberry rhubarb jam, and almond granola crackers. 
• Roasted Candy Striped Beet Salad: cucumber mint vinaigrette, snow drop goat cheese, crispy beet chips, pickled red onion, micro beets, mint syrup.
• Rioja House Salad: baby arugula, Medjool dates, Gorgonzola, toasted almond vinaigrette.
• Artichoke Tortelloni: goat cheese and artichoke mousse stuffed pasta, artichoke broth, truffle essence, queso de mano cheese, chervil.
• Vegetarian Four Squares: a tasting of four seasonal dishes -
• Sweet Corn Fritter
• Spinach Goat Cheese Crepe
• Artichoke Hearts stuffed with Artichoke Mousse
• Zucchini-Radicchio Salad

The restaurant was dark, so getting a good picture without being obnoxious was a challenge. This is a blurry picture of the Artichoke Hearts stuffed with Artichoke Mouse. Just enough for a handful of bites and delectable taste!

Just typing the descriptions makes me hungry all over again - and makes me remember and savor the meal. Lively conversation, spectacular food...I've got the Rioja cookbook, too, and can't wait to dive in.
I would suspect that sister restaurants Bistro Vendome and Euclid Hall Bar and Kitchen offer similar experiences. And do not miss the lavender sourdough. If the roasted beet salad sounds intriguing to you, I'm pretty sure my next post will satisfy your curiosity.