Top 5 Restaurants You Must Try for Denver Restaurant Week

Denver Restaurant Week is almost here, and this year is the tenth annual event. 2014 boasts a staggering number of participating restaurants, so Denverites, be ready to satiate. The prix fixe is the same for every restaurant ($30 per person) which makes it hard to narrow your options, but we’ve combed through the menus to help you make your restaurant week decisions easier. We only had room to include five restaurants on our list, but we wanted to mention two bonuses: an intriguing restaurant that we figure must be wrangling alligators in the kitchen so they can hand-trim alligator tail for their guests (Bayou Bob’s), and a restaurant that must employ wild-snail catchers, enabling them to serve locally-sourced wild snail (Coohills). Denver, you’ve got some incredible menus.

Angelo’s Taverna

Angelo’s Taverna has some pretty exciting items on their menu, but we’re most interested in an appetizer of half-a-dozen Shigoku oysters and a Caesar salad, paired with an entrée of Chile Relleno Ravioli that is covered and stuffed with red chile, blue and yellow corn pasta, pepper jack cheese, chiles, cream, and parmesan.  This entree is on our list for one of the most inventive and brilliant fusion foods ever created, but we still look forward to finishing the meal with a mystery dessert crafted specifically for two. 620 E. 6th Avenue, Denver | 303.744.3366 

Euclid Hall Bar & Kitchen

Euclid’s menu is directed at dining couples, and the restaurant offers a remarkably large menu with included drinks and dessert. We’re interested in a shared bomber of the 10% ABV Left Hand Widdershins Barleywine, with an appetizer of the Pad Thai Pig Ears that are served with tamarind chili sauce, egg, scallion, peanut, sprouts, mint and cilantro (+$2). Out of the numerous entrees, we’d choose the Boudin Noir served with eggplant and curry, and for dessert we can’t resist the Car Bomb Float, made with Guinness ice cream, Bailey’s chocolate selzer and a Jameson caramel shot (+$5). That dessert sounds incredible.  1317 14th Street, Denver | 303.595.4255 

Paxia Authentic Mexican Cuisine

Denver knows how to cook Mexican food, and there are lots of places to get authentic Mexican, but we’re going for Paxia because we’re really interested in the Ceviche de Paxia appetizer, which includes shrimp, fish and octopus, and is served with a Cuernavaca salad (which means it has citrus, peppers and jicama). We can’t get enough of that Cuernavaca salad, so the entree we want is the Pato Con Mole, a half duck with mole that’s served with white rice and another Cuernavaca salad. Have you ever tried RumChata with creamy, jiggly chocolate flan? Yeah, it sounds like the perfect blend and that’s what we’re ordering for dessert.  4001 Tejon Street, Denver | 720.583.6860 

Angels Share Wine Pub

Although this restaurant is located all the way out in Littleton, we think it’ll be worth the trip, plus maybe we can walk back to Denver to do penance for the deliciously sinful menu. Angels Share is offering a shared appetizer of duck fat fries with parmesan and truffle oil, and a salad they call Citrus Paridisi, which has arugula, bacon-fat fried apples, bleu cheese, bacon crack, toasted pine nuts and a citrus vinaigrette. Yes, you read that right: they said “bacon crack.” Still, that has only whetted our appetite for more ham, so we’re also interested in the Gargenelli entree, tossed with prosciutto, chicken, peas, rosemary, cream, pecorino and grana. Luckily, dessert is another shared event, and it sounds amazing: the Big “O” contains fresh blueberries, strawberries and raspberries in a flambe made from Grand Marnier and Chambord, all poured over 15% butterfat French vanilla ice cream (+$5). The decadence of this meal is worthy of a restaurant week splurge.  8361 Rampart Range #B101, Littleton | 303.904.1782

Baca

Baca has an eclectic and meaty menu as well, with fun little fusion twists for everything. We’re ordering the Pork Wings appetizer, served with sweet corn and melted leeks, and drizzled with a spicy orange honey glaze. For our entree, we want the over-the-top Colorado Cassoulet which contains white beans, game sausage, brisket, duck, foie gras, topped with a mushroom demi-glace. For dessert, we’ll be ordering the Chef’s Daily Trifle in a Jar, which, considering the rest of the menu, will not be trifling.  200 Inverness Drive West, Englewood | 303.397.6411

Denver Restaurant Week is right around the corner, so get ready to satisfy your hunger with all the delectable delights we’ve listed here. We’ll see you at the restaurants.

Photo licensed for use by Jimmy Baicovicius