Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Sassafras American Eatery - Denver, CO

Elvis Beignets. I cannot get you out of my mind. You're crack. You're pornographic. You're filthy good. You're a round volcano waiting for me to bite into you and splatter your sticky gooey peanut butter mousse lava all over my extremities. Did I mention their bacon molasses jam also?
I was here for several reasons. My friend couldn't stop talking about Succotash. Succotash this, Succotash that. I wanted to eat here so bad but couldn't find any restaurant called Succotash. I was angry, pissed, thinking she was teasing my food mad sensibilities. Yeah, she clearly got that name wrong. Second, the Sassafras American Eatery chef had such a great interview in the Westword. Third, I needed a brunch destination and their menu rocked my face.
Alongside the beignets, we also ordered the buffalo hash with chicken fried eggs and fried green tomatoes benedict. I seriously cannot wrap my mind around the chicken friend poached (soft boiled??) eggs. How? It doesn't matter because I made a gif of me slicing into it.
My girlfriend describes her fried green tomatoes benedict in this manner "My first bite was perfect. Soft tomato, crispy outside, warm egg and hollandaise. Subsequent bites were inconsistent.... sometimes the tomato was hard and parts of the dish not as hot as I desired. The cornbread was superb and filled with chunks of corn and jalapeños."
Not only does Sassafras serve great tasting food, it's also fun to play with. We received advice that the Voodoo Jam tastes really great with cornbread. I concur. Their cornbread reminded me of cornbread I used to make with jalapenos, cheese, and whole corn bricks (kernels). Great memories there.
Afterwards, I wanted more, but I wasn't wearing my elastic waistband jeans. Each dessert featured chocolate which I avoid. I was craving french toast, but tried to be sensible, but then I saw the french toast on someone else's table. Just gorgeous looking with the bacon and blackberries. I want more Sassafras!

Sassafrass American Eatery
2637 W 26th Ave
Denver, CO 80211

Devil's Kitchen - Barcelona, Spain

 
You know what's an unusual sight? Entering a pub where everyone's staring intensely at the futbol game on television. I know I'm in a major futbol country, but the Spanish are much louder. I look closer. Lighter complexions, yellow jerseys, aha! Dortmund versus Arsenal, a German runs this establishment, therefore German futbol. Mystery solved.

Not knowing whether to wade through the crowd and block a view, I waited near the back. Finally, someone came to take my order. Devil's Kitchen has a select menu featuring burgers and German sausages, fries, wings, and beer. For beer, you have cheap or good. I chose good and asked for something dark. I was forewarned it was the most expensive, but I accepted. It was light, like most German beers I've tried, but had some light spicy notes.
For food, I ordered the well regarded Devil Burger and Fries. The waiter asked me where I was from. I respond with "Colorado". Then he asks confirming "so, you don't want mayo, right?" Correct. They will serve you mayo for an extra €.30 and perhaps mild scorn if you're sporting anything but a Spanish accent.

I received the beer and discovered the server's sister lives in Boulder, Colorado. He's visited numerous times for skiing and loves our scenery. Go Colorado!

I received my burger, but screwed something up in the progress. They give you white waxy paper for eating and the chef reached with his metal spatula on which the hamburger lay. I inadvertently touched the spatula trying to help. My future advice- just move the wax paper so it's easier. The only available seat was tucked in the far back corner, a longer reach for him.
The burger was great. The meat was flavorful, the bun hearty, some juices ran. The fries were a welcome sight also, nearly covered completely in paprika. You should see all the sauces I had. When in a German restaurant, go with the Curry Sauce. Delicious, especially when applied on my burger too.
After the game, people cleared out relatively rapidly. I took my ticket up to the register and paid. They have a different system when the game is on. Assuming you want to watch every minute, they'll hand you your ticket and you'll pay afterwards. Good futbol loving system.

Devil's Kitchen
Carrer de la Lleialtat, 4
El Raval
08001 Barcelona

Las Sorrentinas - Barcelona, Spain

Ever cut into ravioli and it wilts beneath your fork's pressure? This ravioli doesn't. Las Sorrentinas' ravioli is packed; no, stuffed with ingredients. Cutting into their ravioli is like revealing the center of a dense cake.

I passed this place last night after midnight yesterday. Most of this area was closed or closing, but I made note of their location. I visited this restaurant the next day around mid-afternoon and it was moderately busy. Seating is mostly shared around 3 tables and some counter seating. A WC visit gives you a fine view of their kitchen.

Their menu is posted outside, but the prices are incorrect. The ravioli is actually €1 more. Fortunately, their menus inside are all updated. Barcelona locals might be more familiar with them under their original name, Con Pasta y a lo Loco.

I ordered the beetroot ravioli with poached pears in sugar, goat cheese, and ricotta topped with green pesto and ricotta. Their menu advertises picking a pasta, a sauce and a topping. Since the prices build on each other, you probably don't have to get all 3.

Wow! Was that ravioli delicious! First, it was smothered in green pesto lending a small grainy earthiness to balance my ravioli's slight inherent sweetness. And then ricotta balanced everything else with its refreshing intact creaminess.

I strongly recommend this spot. It is slow, but they advertise this. If you're traveling by yourself and don't get alone with your thoughts, bring a book, practice your Spanish with someone at your table, or order a salad or soup to keep you busy.

Las Sorentinas
Pl. Sant Pere, 5
08003 Barcelona
Spain
+34 930 102 114

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Ten's Tapas Restaurant - Barcelona, Spain

I count myself fortunate I stumbled onto Ten's Tapas Restaurant earlier tonight. Chef Jordi Cruz has an outstanding pedigree with his 4 Michelin stars. Now let's forget I know this less this shades my review.

Ten's menu caught my eye. It hung off the awning leaning into the pedestrian path's center. It highlighted the 15 tapas menu items in 3 languages including English. I quickly scanned looking for something interesting and eye fell upon several items, but would my friends want to try this restaurant? They did.

After checking with management, we sat ourselves outside. As our server was receiving our drink orders, he sung Chef Jordi's praises. For myself, I ordered the foie gras dish with sichuan pepper ice cream (intriguing) and the slow cooked egg dish. I also shared some bread, fried potatoes, and black rice (all not photographed).

Onto the dishes. First, we have the foie gras with figs, sweet and sour stir fried bread with sichuan pepper ice cream. Overall, this dish was quite sweet. The crunchy topping (perhaps the stir fried bread?) alleviated some of the sweetness. I was hoping the sichuan pepper ice cream might lend slight heat in balance, but even that was blatantly sweet with little peppery bite. What sat between each foie gras piece was lost in the shuffle.

The second presented dish was the slow cooked egg with Iberian ham and sobrassada paprika sausage, permantier potatoes, mature gouda and rocket salad  It sounded really good and again, presented well. With those components, this is a lustworthy dish. However, I was told that to properly eat it, one must swirl it around thoroughly and apply it atop the tomato toast. My gorgeous dish became a seething eggy mass. It tasted nice, but the egg overwhelmed everything else. The iberian ham, sobrassada paprika sausage, mature gouda - all lost.


Where does this leave Ten's? Merely satisfactory. I appreciate Chef Jordi Cruz's presentation skills and willingness to pair disparate items. However, I am underwhelmed when a dish doesn't elevate any one flavor or masks too many pieces. 


Also, the service was confusing at times. Our waiter was quite thorough, but sometimes too quick with his suggestions. Customer(s) and waiter must work harder to overcome both 
 a challenging menu and language difficulties (he spoke acceptable English, though quick and Catalan tinted).


Ten's
Carrer Rec, 79
08003 Barcelona

Sunday, May 5, 2013

Here Piggy, Piggy, Piggy at Old Major - Denver, CO

Old Major, dedicated to all things swine. I was so excited for this restaurant to open; so excited I emailed them from Madrid asking about their anticipated mid-February opening date. Their now fired manager, Jonathan Greschler, promptly emailed me back saying they would open February 15. The date was pushed back and, amidst the chaos of my quick Denver return, I lost track of Old Major.
Fortunately, a friend didn't lose track, scoring an invitation to Old Major's soft opening. She teased with pictures of their pan seared foie gras with Leopold Bros apple whiskey pie, their 24 oz ribeye, and recollecting the Williams & Graham co-owner going crazy for the maple bacon creme caramel. Upon this Denver return, I got 3 friends together for an Old Major food adventure.
Our foursome was tucked at a corner table with an outside view and hostess stand shot. Upon entering, I was immediately drawn to the wood paneling, chairs and seats; speaker lines; and the jean, vest, and tie uniform. It felt rustic and laidback without slacking off.

We sat down and began scanning the menu. The waitress came over and offered us still or sparkling water. We all chose sparkling. It was a gentle carbonation, a mild bubbling. Their menus were encased in brown leather. I jokingly thought "they really do use the entire pig".

A drink menu hadn't arrived yet, so we asked for that. Their drink menu comes in a tablet. Slick. I hadn't seen that before, but wondered if it gets cumbersome if diners want new second drinks at their full table. We scanned it and my friend chose the Captain Tootsie.
More like Captain Disappointment. The description held so much promise, but like this cocktail's Scotch presence, the promise was fleeting. My friend was immediately disappointed with the petite glass. Too small for a $12 cocktail? Perhaps. I tasted it and immediately found it too sweet. This cocktail would be better placed on a dessert menu. I had hoped it would be Scotch forward, but the sweetness overwhelmed the cocktail, relegating the Scotch to the background. A dainty cocktail in a dainty glass.
After we placed our orders, we were served two chopping boards with Old Major's twisted pretzels with light mustard butter. They were delicious and glutinous, perfect for tearing apart. I especially enjoyed the light mustard kick the butter gave. It was a great respite from what felt like a service lapse between the drink and food orders.
We ordered two small plates and two main entrees. The smoked fish plate was first to arrive with smoked trout, salmon pastrami, and mustard smoked mussels with pickled vegetables and grilled bread. We took a moment to visually enjoy this colorful plate and think how to divide this among four people. 2 trout, 3 salmon, 5 mussels makes for difficult math. My favorites were the salmon pastrami (the spice, yet salmon taste) and the smoked mussels. Those were a delight and a favorite of my friends too.
We were also splitting our attention with the Colorado Pork Butter plate with pork pâté, pickled vegetables, grilled bread, mustard, and apricot jam. I enjoyed the pork pâté texture, but found it imparted little flavor. I took a cue from a friend, spreading a thin layer of spicy mustard on the grilled bread, then the pork pâté. That was the ideal marriage. The spicy mustard was so strong, but the pork pâté mellowed it. I also successfully tried this with the pickled vegetables. Of the pickled veggies, the beets were my favorite. Pinkish color, great veins.
How do I explain the affect the Dry Aged 24oz Bone-In Ribeye had? Someone may have been crying over the beautiful foie gras butter. Someone may have been giving half-lidded bedroom eyes after a few bites. The meat was savory, rich, and filling. The demi-glace poured medium thick and mixed well with the foie gras butter. The Crater Lake bleu cheese had a lower salt content than other blue cheese, so I enjoyed it more than other blue cheeses. The meat was gorgeous, resplendent in its age (21 days).
It's equal was the full body Nose to Tail Plate with confit rib, pork chop, crispy belly, city ham, crispy pig ears, guanciale vinaigrette, rhubarb jus. I asked our waitress if there would be guanciale and she mentioned we might get lucky. We did. Topping this dish amidst the pig ears were two small crispy guanciale pieces. I've been hooked ever since I discovered guanciale, pig jowl or cheek bacon, at a Kansas City butcher. I quickly directed my friends' attention there, excitedly saying "magical Roman bacon!". They were pleased and amazed. This dish may have been the night's winner. So many flavors and textures. The crispy belly was out of this world, the ham was great (3 cheers for non dyed ham!), etc etc.

Juan, one of the co-owners, stopped by our table during this time. We discovered they raise two pig varieties at their own farm and slaughter 5,000 lbs of meat every two weeks. We discovered that Wednesdays are a great time to watch butchery in the kitchen area, especially if you sit at three particular tables (want the table numbers? I have them). I really appreciate their dedication to farm to table and involving their guests in the experience.

Overall, I had a great time at Old Major. I certainly want to return to experience the butchering and learn more about it. For splitting plates, I definitely recommend sharing the main entrees rather than the small plates. You might find other small plate winners, though. And regarding drinks.... well, Williams & Graham is next door.

Sunday, April 28, 2013

Justice League of Street Food - April 27, 2013

Justice League of Street Food returns in 2013! They teased their rallies would end, but they were back for more. They cited Denver's W-line for the celebration cause, but I'd accept spring weather and more food tracks as causes.
With 580+ saying they're going on the JLSF Facebook, you need a strategy. Coordinate with friends, arrive early, scout out the trucks.
First up was spirit sampling from Santa Fe Spirits, Downslope Distillery, and Stranahan's. They were giving generous sample pours for cash donations toward local charities. Santa Fe Spirits featured an apple brandy, a gin comprised of 6 botanicals from the Santa Fe region, and vodka. The gin and vodka were notably smooth. The Santa Fe rep was really friendly, informative, and did a great job promoting her product.

Downslope was a little lax in contrast. After discovering the ruination of Stranahan's whiskey, it's become important to learn as much as possible about spirits advertising themselves as locally made. I'm more likely to support Santa Fe Spirits efforts because of their knowledgeable answers.

My suggestions: know your product, listen to the question and answer the question with a direct answer rather than a rote response. Also, because I want to sample and enjoy your unique products, maybe have a small trash can nearby (for the generous pours) and some water to clean the palate. This was particularly needed when I sampled Downslope's Pepper Vodka and tried their rum and whiskey next. The peppery spicy vodka completely destroyed my ability to discern their other spirits.
Next up was our regular favorite, Biker Jim's. They weren't clearly advertising today's JLSF special, but it was the rattlesnake and pheasant dog with diced jalapenos.
I was expecting a dog with character and a spicy kick. In reality, it was mild and the onions and cream cheese dominated. It was ok, but cheers for splitting it in half. I would have preferred the elk jalapeno cheddar which delivers the venison and spice.
Biker Jim's was adjacent to Quiero Arepas. I was complaining to my friend that I didn't see the sense in paying $8 for Venezuelan street food. The woman pictured above overheard me and proceeded to show off her fully packed carne mechada arepa. Color me more intrigued, but I can get similar empanadas and arepas for less cost at the Empanada Express Grill. Sorry QA, but your ROI seems low.
Next up, my friends custom ordered a bowl from the Crock Pot truck. Their motto is slow cooked gourmet cuisine. You get to customize your bowl with 3 different subcategories and can add extra. Their bowl contains Thai jasmine fried rice, savory pulled pork, chimichurri, and fire roasted corn salad. They ecstatic about the pork, so I had to have a taste! Savory and rich, a heart plugger.
The Squirm Burpee Circus has arrived! Their practice space is nearby and they randomly showed up with some of their show's nifty gadgets and spectacular spectacles. They put on an amazing show and I discovered they will be performing at Elitch's this summer. Check them out!
This is the Petite Royale from Capt'n Crabby. They were offering one other crabby item, The Petite Crab Cake, and corn on the cob dipped in Old Bay butter. Chips are included in the price and you can't swap out items if you're hankering for bell peppers instead of spring mix with your crab cakes. Note: We'd like to opt out of the chips. They taste good, but we'd rather opt in than not being able to opt out.
These might have been JSLF's best buy. These are pierogies from Baba & Pop's Kitchen. They offered two options: potato & cheese topped with caramelized onions, bacon & sour cream; and pulled pork topped with green chile & sour cream. They were priced 3 for $4 or 6 for $6. The pulled pork definitely won me over while the potato & cheese were solid. I was more of a fan of the caramelized onions and bacon than the pierogies' filling.
This picture illustrates my biggest complain against the Justice League of Street Food. So many people love bringing their dogs, but the animals were suffering in the heat. There was very little shade and no available water. Dogs were constantly seeking the beer woman's ice wagon.
Otherwise, the only shade was near the trucks. I wouldn't mind bathing in the Denver Biscuit Truck's savory fumes.
We ordered The DBC Club featuring buttermilk fried chicken, bacon, cheese, shredded iceberg lettuce, tomato, chipotle ranch. This was the true winner. Thick, crunchy bacon, spicy sauce, flaky biscuit, tasty breaded and fried chicken. I want more!!
Just as there are winners, there are losers. Meet the Bliss Roll from Yatai Food Cart. It has avocado, mango, wakame (edible seaweed), rice and included wasabi mixed in. Cream cheese was an optional add-on. It sounds good, but it was created in such a way that all the flavors blended together. It did absolutely nothing for me.
One truck that caught our attention was The Denver Pie Truck. The kids working the truck were on top of their game even before the party started. We scouted the location and discovered the Lemon Ice Box pie was the best choice. When we were nearly finished, we stopped and ordered the Lemon Ice Box pie. Guess what? The 5" pie written on the dry eraseboard was not available, only the little ones were. The pie had good lemony flavor with some crust at the bottom. Overall, not remarkable or interesting. Except for the Inventing Room, JLSF dessert trucks strike out.
The final truck was Fat Sully's. I miss them from when I lived 3 blocks away off Colfax. Large NY style slices, piping hot. I wished they had a specialty pizza for the event like they've done in the past.
Overall, the Justice League of Street Food is a party for everyone. I think it's a great excuse to enjoy different Denver neighborhoods, hang out with friends, enjoy special foods, and appreciate unusual entertainment.

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Rioja - Denver Restaurant Week

How do you prepare for a Denver snow day? I eat at great restaurants as Denver Restaurant Week kicks off. This post is a long time coming, but I feel productive as I enjoy my last day in Europe. Life was so busy when I left Denver February 25. The Rocky Balboa Blowout Weekend started that Friday, DRW started Saturday night, and I had to leave that Monday.
If you love food, you must prioritize these experiences. I actually forgot about Denver Restaurant Week this year, but once I saw a friend post about her first DRW restaurant choice I flew into action from Madrid, Spain. I thoroughly searched the DRW restaurant list for restaurants fitting my criteria:
1. A restaurant I haven't attended or did in a very limited manner
2. More than 3 courses or very inspiring courses
3. High Yelp rating
I began opening tabs and then emailing restaurants for reservations. I probably sounded desperate: "Hi. I'm a Denver local currently based in Madrid, Spain. I tried getting a reservation through Open Table, but couldn't because it's disabled during those dates. Please don't make me call you because international rates are expensive (before I discovered GooglePhone in my Gmail account). I'm desperately missing my Denver restaurants and am free between 5-9pm. Please let me in with a friend. Thank you."
My friend, JessieMcD, came along for this Rioja adventure. She leapt at the chance to dine at Rioja's Chef's Table. It's funny, but they apologetically said they only had the Chef's Table available. Yes, please, twist my arm.

Intermission: the last two pictures show Jessie delighting in Rioja's fabulous bread. They range from herbal, fruit, and italian spice with cheese varieties. Decadence. Apply the butter and salt as liberally as you like.
Our waitress was immensely helpful. She explained Rioja's DRW menu, noting that their entire menu is offered with some surcharges in some areas and 2-3 shared plates because of their size. As an added bonus, they offered two specials included for DRW with no additional surcharge. My friend and I started with the shared "picnic basket" with a trio of artisan meats, warm pine nut crusted goat cheese, Italian Mountain gorgonzola, olives inside the cabbage centerfold, truffle fennel salad, orange confit, and almonds. This was finger food at its best.
Being seated at the Chef's Table helped our decision making process immensely. At several points, we asked our server what certain menu items. This and her fine descriptions helped narrow our choices. I selected the salmon special as pictured above.
My friend's pork tenderloin was the taste bud winner with its rich cardamom brine and applewood smoking. It was pure pork decadence.
The Chef's Table also led to indecision, most notably with desserts.
I wish I had better descriptions for you, the reader, but this post is 6 weeks overdue. Just know that Jennifer Jasinski is a master in her kitchen. You can trust Rioja to give you a fulfilling and sublime dining experience.