I Scream, You Scream, Lowry Screams For Gelato

I Scream Gelato, the Colorado based dessert restaurant, is set to open their newest location in the Lowry neighborhood of Denver on July 15.

The gourmet gelato shop, with locations in both Frisco and Breckenridge, Colo., puts a new twist on the classic Italian dessert. Serving traditional gelato flavors like vanilla and hazelnut alongside eccentrically delicious flavors like donut and cotton candy, I Scream Gelato has a little something for everybody. 


I Scream Gelato has “over 100 archived flavors and features 32 flavors at a time in-shop,” said store manager Ben Paningbatan. The rotating menu offers no room for disappointment and includes vegan, gluten-free and nut-free options. Guests are welcomed to unlimited samples of the unique flavors before making that ever so difficult choice of what flavor to enjoy. To provide maximum freshness each batch of gelato is only available in the shop for no more than 24 hours, making each returning trip feel like the very first time again. “There are three chefs working on-site making the gelato daily,” Paningbaton said. The shop's menu also features a variety of other artisanal desserts including intricate milkshakes, gelato smoothies, bubble waffle cones and an assortment of espresso beverages with espresso provided by Whiskey Barrel Coffee, another local establishment. 

The newest location welcomes guests into what owners Nadav Abergel and Yuval Fuchs describe as, “an authentic gelato experience,” with an Instagram worthy floral-wall that is brightly illuminated by a radiant pink neon sign reading the shop's name. Guests are met with a spacious interior ample for indoor seating. The soft-pink walls paired with contrasting green plants help create an environment that would feel wrong not to enjoy a sweet treat in. 

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I Scream Gelato is located at 63 Quebec St. and will be open daily from 10 a.m to 9 p.m. 

Words and images by Patrick Haney

Postino (9Co) Delivers With A Great Wine And Food Selections

Denver has its fair share of amazing food and wine options to choose from. Even with a pandemic some establishments are thriving under the pulse of amazing service and food and drink selections. The up-an-coming area around 9th and Colorado has seen a resurgence in new restaurants, retail, apartment complexes and more. At the center is the newest Postino (9co), the wine-cafe is the third location in Colorado. Other locations are spread out between Arizona and Texas. We had a chance to indulge in some amazing wine tastings that paired amazingly with their delicious food options.

Hailing from the fine wine regions of Argentina, Espiritu delivered. (Photo: Robert Castro)

With its extensive wine selections (one of the best in Denver) and an amazing array of food board and bruschetta options, the pairings are sure to fulfill your taste palette.

We tried a couple different options including the cheese board that featured three different cheese options, nuts and a delicious quince jam that paired well with the Malbec (smooth and bold) wine bottle we had.

Cheese Board (Photo: Abbe Glasser)

Cheese Board (Photo: Abbe Glasser)

We also tried the Bruschetta option which allowed us to pair four different spreads that included their:

Brie, Apple and Fig spread

Fresh Mozzarella, Tomato and Basil

Sweet N’ Spicy Pepper Jam and Goat Cheese

Ricotta, Dates and Pistachio

Bruschetta pairings to die for. (Photo: Robert Castro)

The ambiance of the restaurant is a perfect mix of classical nostalgia and hip decor (check out their sunglass wall). Ambient lighting sets the mood perfect for anytime, we recommend their 5 ‘Til 5 Every Day Happy Hour, $5 glasses of wine and pitchers of beer ‘til 5 PM. They also have an amazing Board and Bottle special featuring a $25 bottle of wine and bruschetta board on Mondays and Tuesdays after 8 PM.

If you are looking for a quaint place to enjoy amazing wine and food options make sure to visit Postino (9Co).



Denver's Best Restaurants For A Night Out With Friends

Denver’s Best Restaurants for a Night Out with Friends

There are very few things in life better than a great meal shared with your closest friends. One of the best places to grab dinner with your buddies is in Mile High City, known for its rich and thriving food culture. Indeed, Denver has slowly morphed into a culinary melting pot, giving you a unique multitude of dining experiences that can satisfy pretty much every craving. Given the number of choices, where would one even begin? We've got you covered. Read on to discover the best restaurants in Denver for your next night out with friends!

Acorn

Acorn Facebook Page

From the creative minds of the people behind Boulder's OAK at Fourteenth restaurant, Acorn is one of the city's must-try culinary stops. This restaurant seamlessly blends together local Colorado fare grounded in a strong Southern tradition, sending all who dine there on a culinary trip you'd be hard pressed to find anywhere else in the city — or even the country. Be sure to try the cured Rocky Mountain Trout and the 14-day dry-aged Hudson Duck Confit.

Other than the great food, another reason to stop by here with a couple of friends is its proximity to the Mission Ballroom. Acorn is located in the Source Hotel, so be sure you and your friends stop by the next time you go out to see a show.

Mead St. Station

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If you're looking for something a little more casual, USA Today recommend restaurant Mead St. Station. The restaurant, established in 1994, is a Coloradan institution. They specialize in rustic no-nonsense American food where everything is made from scratch. Be sure to grab their famous Mead Street Burger with a healthy serving of sweet potato fries.

As an added bonus, if you and your friends happen to drop by on a Tuesday night then you should enter their weekly rock n' roll bingo night. Foxy Bingo’s guide on how to play 75-ball points out how it's especially fun for groups – the more friends you convince to join, the bigger the prize pool! So, be sure to grab some friends before heading on over to the Mead St. Station for a night of fun and food.

Root Down

Root Down

From culinary whiz Justin Cucci, who also happens to be behind culinary hotspots Linger and Ophelia's Electric Soapbox, Root Down is your one-stop-shop for good conscious eating. Root Down prides itself on its sustainability practices that both benefit the environment and produce delicious food. They have a 4,000 square-foot garden in the middle of the city that accounts for 20% of the seasonal vegetables they use in their restaurant. They provide diners with non-GMO fed cows, and all their seafood is certified by the Marine Stewardship Council, assuring that their diners get the best and most humane products. Their menu also indicates where the ingredients on the items are sourced, letting you know just what you're eating and how it was grown.

Be sure to try the Three Chile Chicken and their Flat Iron Steak with meat sourced from Callicrate Meats.

Delicious Desserts at the Tag Restaurants

Kabocha cake (Mister Tuna) - Amaretto squash purée, kabocha (squash) cake, buttered walnut ice cream, candied walnuts, and warm caramelized maple.

It’s the time of year where we can over dress, over shop, over party and over eat. Yes, we at Ultra5280 Lifestyle love to do all of these things, all of the time, but during the holidays we let ourselves get carried away. Last night for example, we indulged in a variety of delicious desserts created by Denver native Joy Williams, newly appointed Executive Pastry Chef of TAG Restaurant Group.

Joy studied Baking and Pastry Arts at Johnson and Wales University and most recently led the pastry team at Bonanno Concept restaurants before joining TAG Restaurant Group. We met Joy at Guard and Grace, a contemporary American steakhouse in downtown Denver, to sample a few of the desserts on the menus at Guard and Grace, Mister Tuna and just-opened FNG.

Guard and Grace

The Banana Cream Pie at FNG was a hit all around ­­– the main component, the creamy filling, is made with fresh bananas here, which we learned is usually not the case with banana cream pies. A browned graham cracker crust complements it, along with the huge dollop of whipped cream topped by bananas and caramel made for a sweet, comforting indulgence. Reminiscent of what you might have on a special occasion at Grandma’s house and worth ordering dessert after dinner.

Banana cream pie (FNG) - fresh banana custard, graham cracker crust, whipped cream, fresh banana slices and salted caramel.

Our second favorite was the Kabocha Cake, which was unlike anything we’d ever had, and included a bunch of fall favorite flavors. While there were many elements, they all worked together beautifully and provided savory, sweet, crunchy, moist, warm and cool components, with a creamy buttered walnut ice cream on top! It was such a unique treat and perfect for anyone who waits all year for those fall/winter flavors.

Coconut 'creme brûlée' (Guard&Grace) - toasted coconut custard, vanilla roasted pineapple, toasted coconut, house made passion fruit sorbet topped with caramel glass brûlée'.

The Coconut 'Creme Brûlée' is on the other end of the flavor spectrum from the Kabocha cake, full of tropical, fruity flavors. It is not your traditional creme brûlée', tasting mainly of coconut, encircled by roasted pineapple chunks, and the brûlée' sugar hovers above like a tipped hat! Very delicious, but different from a traditional crème brûlée'.

Last but not least, the Cardamom Torte was much more subtle and simple in flavor combinations compared to the top two. The pomegranate sorbet on the side packs a tasty, tart flavor punch, but overshadows the elegant cardamom spice cake and apple accompaniment. This tote would be perfect with a coffee or tea or for those who don’t like a super sweet dessert.

Cardamom Torte (Guard&Grace) - cardamom cake, whipped mascarpone, ginger beer compressed apples, caramelized honey (alchemy, Boulder) and pomegranate sorbet.

“We’re very excited to have Joy on board,” says Chef Troy Guard. “She has such a thoughtful way of doing things. Every flavor has a place; every ingredient has a purpose, and there’s a creativity there that makes her work so special.” We encourage you to set aside some time this busy season to see the holiday lights around town and to try the tasty treats Chef Joy Williams is cooking up in the TAG Restaurant kitchens!

Words by Tiffany Candelaria          Photos by Samantha Bliss

Dio Mio x UNCLE A Match Made In Heaven

What could possibly be the perfect meal for a blustery cold and chilly evening in Denver? It just so happens Mother Nature decided to bless us with the coldest day of the year to coincide with the amazing Dio Mio and UNCLE Ramen Pop Up Shop. Two amazing local restaurants cranking out an amazing menu for a perfect chilly day. With lines extending down the block, patrons braved the elements to enjoy the various kinds of ramen and other specially curated dishes for the evening. With three different types of ramen and buns (menu below) foodies had their choosing of some tasty dishes that didn't last long. A unique collaboration, we look forward to more events like this in the future. Check out the photos by staff photographer Samantha Bliss.

Chef Spencer White hard at work behind the scenes. (Photo Credit: Samantha Bliss)

Tacos, Tequila and Margaritas. Top Taco Returns To Denver!

Top Taco Festival Often Imitated Never Duplicated!

Last Thursday Denver local restaurants and vendors gathered in RiNo for a evening of tacos, tequila, music, and plenty more. We left with full, happy bellies and slightly sad livers as we tried to take advantage of everything Top Taco had to offer!

VIP attendees were able to access the event and all of it’s taco glory an hour before the GA patrons flooded in. Since we’re, ya know, a pretty big deal around here, we were lucky enough to snag a few VIP access tickets. We made sure to make as many stops as we could. A nice base layer for the many tequilas to come, if you will. Judging by the silent disco, we had an idea of who was there for the margaritas and tequila only.

Illegal Pete's with the bomb shrimp tacos!

Tacos Tequila Whiskey blessed us first with a tasty “Desert Rose Paloma.” Sweet, tangy and the large volume left us light on our feet and excited for what else was to be discovered. After we were handed a few mysterious tacos, later learning they were goat tacos. We were not fans. MOVING ON! We made our first real taco stop to see our good friends at Illegal Pete’s. On the menu was a tofu taco and a sweet sriracha shrimp taco. Throughout the day we made several returning stops to their booth for the sriracha shrimp taco. This was by far one of our favorite Top Taco tacos. It was surprisingly simplistic but so flavorful. The marinated shrimp was the perfect combination of sweet and spicy, and lightly topped with cabbage left no frilly distractions from the delicious meat. Illegal Pete’s used this opportunity as a test run as they may add the sriracha shrimp to their menu! Make sure to let them know how awesome it was if you got a chance to try it!

All The Tacos!

Downtown Denver’s La Loma satisfied our sweet tooth with warm churros drizzled in chocolate sauce. They were a crowd favorite as we failed to even get seconds of the treat! South Broadway’s Palenque Mezcaleria had a bomb ass ceviche. You would never think mango and shrimp would go so well together but they made it happen!

Pineapple Express from Patron!

Feeling the need for a boozy refreshment, we made our way to the Blue Nectar tent to sample some tasty, craft tequila. It’s a hard life, really. Our favorite was the dark, musky añejo. After a few laps through the main event area, it was on to see what the VIP area had to offer! Patron promotions were in full force with a boomerang photo scene set up and two bars offering craft margaritas. The Pineapple Express marg was tart and refreshing! We got to observe the trendy, fresh-rolled ice cream making process and eat the cookies and cream treat. Ice cream at a taco festival, who would have thought? (Next year hoping for Choco Tacos)

Owl Bear serving up delicious BBQ Brisket Tacos to the VIP crowd!

The added cost of VIP was worth it as luxury trailer bathrooms were provided as well as access to a handful of BBQ taco vendors. Owl Bear provided for one of those moments you realize why you were put on this Earth, and that is to enjoy their heavily brisket taco that almost melted in our mouth. (Patiently waiting for their brick & mortar location to open)

Don't stop until we say so!

If you love modern mexican cuisine and craft cocktails, this isn’t an event to miss! We’re already anticipating next year’s Top Taco! We’ve added the compiled list of all winners from Dining Out! Be sure to check it out when making decisions about your next taco Tuesday spot in the mile high city!

http://diningout.com/denverboulder/the-winners-of-top-taco-2017/

Blue Moon Brewery Surprises with Sophisticated Beer Pairing Dinner

Craft beer snobs often turn their nose up at breweries associated with non-craft brewers and I have to say walking into the MillerCoors owned Blue Moon Brewery I was a little sceptical. However, the mood changed instantly as I was approached with a smiling face and a tall glass of ice cold Blue Moon wit, nothing can appease scepticism like a tasty beer. Immediately the group was whisked away by none other than head brewmaster John Legnard for a quick tour around the new brewing facility. Now I’ve been on more then my fair share of brewery tours, so I will spare you the details of the brewing process, but what became apparent during this tour was that Blue Moon had a brewer behind it that possessed the passion and knowledge to overcome some of that big brewery stigma. 

John Legnard got his start in craft brewing working around some of the now craft brewing giants of Fort Collins, Colorado. As a student at Colorado State University, John decided to brew beer for his chemistry final on fermentation. While his fellow students first eyed him warily as he brought this beat up jug of brown liquid into the room and told them to drink it, their eyes lit up as they tasted John’s first craft beer and from then he was hooked. Working in brewing for 10 years up in Fort Collins, when John heard of the opportunity to work for a small brewery attached to Coors Field he lept at the chance. From there the “Sandlot Brewery” as it was originally called created what we now know as Blue Moon Belgian White. After 10 years in the small facility it was time for an expansion and the ability to have a brewery that could focus on experimenting not just with beer, but with a good menu as well, thus the new Blue Moon Brewery RiNo was conceived.

We were ushered into a beautiful serving room, enclosed by glass so we could look upon the brewing equipment. John began leading us through the food and beer pairing. Legnard provided a brief description of both the beer and the food, stating that brevity was his prerogative because he wanted us, the tasters, to be able to form our own opinions. One thing he did highlight was the three “C”s of beer pairing, compliment, contrast, and cut and continued with that concept over the course of the evening. Here was the menu for the evening and my thoughts on it.

Course 1 - Polentina Paired with Saison    
This spicey and banana-clove heavy saison was considered a “compliment” to the polentina. A polentina, if you aren’t familiar, is a corn porridge that incorporates thin slices of polenta to thicken the texture. While not bursting with flavor, the polentina brought out spicey, fruit notes of the saison and was consistent with the texture of the soup since it is an unfiltered beer. 

Course 2 - Harissa Shrimp with Israeli Couscous Paired with Mango Wheat
The Mango Wheat was hands down my favorite beer of the night. I am definitely a fan of fruit beer, but it can often be difficult to find one that isn’t going to sucker punch you with a sugary bite. When John discussed the brewing process for this it beer it included over 8 pounds of mango puree in every keg. Yum! This beer has a very powerful mango aroma and taste, but with an IBU count of 18 it finished with a balanced hop flavor. This beer helped cut the spiciness of the harissa shrimp. The harissa sauce had a smokey chile flavor with hints of garlic and cumin. The shrimp, on a bed of couscous captured the full essence of a Mediterranean meal.

Course 3 - Roast Tenderloin with Smoky Sauce Paired with Smoked Porter
This beer was the only barrel aged beers that we tried over the course of the evening and I have to say I am looking forward to drinking more of their barrel aged line. John discussed how smokiness, which used to be prevalent in brewing in the past because of the use of wood burning stoves, has been somewhat lost in the age of steel and natural gas. This beer was brewed with the thought of returning to those smokey roots. The porter was pretty complimentary to the perfectly cooked roast tenderloin. Every tender bite was more unbelievable then the next. Hard to describe something that was so good, so I suggest to just go and try it for yourself!

Course 4 - Burnt Caramel Pudding Paired with Hogshead Collaboration Foreign Stout
Hogshead Brewery is known for their cask style beer, or a beer that is unfiltered and served without any additional nitrogen or carbon dioxide pressure. While this collaboration stout was not a cask ale, it was very apparent that Hogshead had a hand in making this one. Smooth and drinkable this stout had a balanced flavor profile not often found in stouts. Like creme brûlée but was better, the caramel pudding was topped with dark chocolate shaves, whip creme, and a churro and was indulgent. The burnt quality to the pudding complimented the stout. This dessert was the perfect end to a perfect beer paired dinner.

While it may be personally difficult to give a MillerCoors owned brewery a nod of recognition, it is clear that under the brewing leadership of John Legnard creativity, uniqueness, and flavorful beers are going to continue to flow from Blue Moon Brewing’s tap handles. 

Zoe Lanterman