Limey

Have you been to Lime? It's a Mexican restaurant with four locations in Denver. They have a killer cocktail menu and some pretty good food, but I must say, I think I'm too old to eat there.

I have had the (unfortunate?) luck to visit lime on 'Taco Tuesdays' both times I've eaten there. The crowd is what you would expect on a night when they offer $1 tacos. The tacos are good, by the way, I'm just not into the crowd that specifically visits a place so they can have dinner and a drink and walk out for less than $10.

We've been to the Larimer and Landmark locations. Both are good spaces, and the Larimer patio is especially excellent. The patio is the ONLY place you should consider sitting on 'Taco Tuesday' (and possibly other nights of the week - I'm not sure), otherwise, if you're over 24 years old, you will be totally unable to hear your dining companion under the best of circumstances.

The service has been decent at both locations and the food decent or better than decent as well. Their hand cut tortilla chips and salsa are delicious and will shut you up while you wait for a drink during the taco chaos. After that, we tried the ceviche, which was quite good, if a bit unimaginative. A very generous portion of shrimp and unidentified whitefish in a low slung glass with tortilla chips and slightly underripe avocado was a crowd pleaser despite some minimal shortcomings.

I had the shrimp fajitas (despite the fact that whenever I (very infrequently) order fajitas, I feel like I must be in a freaking Applebee's or something). The portion was VERY generous and really quite tasty. Lots of shrimp mixed with lots of onions and a few other token veggies such as zucchini and peppers. A stingy portion of guac and sour cream (where's the fat, people?) and some nicely spiced rice and black beans rounded out the dish. A nice feature is that you can mix corn and flour tortillas, pleasing everyone. I mention that because you should SHARE this dish - it's too much for one person!!

My companion had tostadas, which were good- but remind you after you start to eat them that everything you've eaten and snacked on thus far is just another version of a tostada. Veggies, crispy tortillas, guac, etc. It's sort of redundant. But well executed.

So the net is, good food, good, hip vibe, really loud and pretty fun - but if you're over, say, 31 or so, it will make you feel old to be there. Maybe I should try Sunday or Wednesday next time...

www.eatatlime.com

Deli-cious

Have you made it to Fisher Clark Deli yet? If not, shame on you. If you are a sandwich lover, a fresh bread lover, a dessert lover, or a deli lover, you are MISSING OUT.

After a walk in the park on this perfect, sunny morning, we headed over to Bonnie Brae to grab a sandwich (well, to be real, you grab very little there. You patiently wait while they hand craft their fantastic sammies for you). Husband had the egg salad (which they must have changed the recipe for and frankly neither of us was too keen, but it's literally the first thing we haven't enjoyed 100% there!) and I had the Friday special, which was a turkey sandwich with Gorgonzola cheesecake and carmelized onions. Yes, I should be eating like a monk for the rest of the day.

The sandwich is lightly toasted and layered with house made carmelized onions that are dark, sticky and sweet. Next there is high quality deli shaved turkey, covered by lettuce and the unfathomably decadent gorgonzola cheesecake. As you eat it, you keep wondering how it could possibly be so creamy, then you guiltily remember what you're eating.

I have a well-honed appetite and generally am a member in good standing of the clean plate club, but this sandwich bested me. I had to pop a quarter of it into the fridge. I just couldn't make it.

We can vouch for most of the sandwiches on the menu. I'd encourage you to be adventurous. Their soups are terrific as well. Seating is limited, though there are cute outdoor tables for warm days.

I often used to struggle to think of a place to have a 'really good' sandwich close to home. Now I don't have to think at all.

Park Burger

For those of you that live in Denver, we have what promises to be an excellent addition to the restaurant scene opening up this week! Park Burger is scheduled to open this Wednesday in the Platt Park neighborhood on the corner of Pearl and Jewell. Jean-Philippe Failyau is not only the proprietor, but a neighborhood resident, and he's serious about bringing tasty burgers to South Denver. His opening adds to the vibrant merchant scene on the Old South Pearl corridor. I'm really looking forward to a (from scratch) veggie burger or maybe buffalo. And don't even get me started on the hand cut french fries!

We're headed to the friends and family pre opening tomorrow night. I'll give you a full report later in the week. Until then, check out the menu and drool...

Italian to die for...

We went to Il Posto for the second time recently. Our first visit was fantastic, but a bit hazy due to a wait to be seated (our fault for showing up late for our reservation) and a subsequent deep exploration of the wine list (it was our second destination that evening and the first involved cocktails). This time, it was just two of us and we were on time.

We were seated at a decent two top. It's a small room with high ceilings and Friday night it was (almost) warm enough to have the garage doors which make up the front of the restaurant thrown wide open. The high ceilings make for crap acoustics, so you do have to yell a bit to have a conversation, but ultimately it's worth it. There can't be seating for more than 50 people, but it's loud enough that it sounds like 100.

How is it 'worth it'? I'd sit in just about any room to eat the food that comes out of this kitchen. The menu changes daily; it's posted up on chalkboards high up on the walls. The focus is on fresh, seasonal ingredients melded together into a perfect representation of the foods that Italians are so passionate about. There is an ever changing selection of starters, primi and secondi. It all looked so good, we had to have a bit of everything.

I started with a warm baby red chard salad. It would not even occur to me to use chard in a salad as it typically requires a bit of heat and love to make it delicious, which doesn't make me think 'salad', but after eating this, I need to broaden my definition. The chard was slightly wilted, then tossed with trumpet mushrooms and some soft, creamy Italian cheese that melts so completely that it turns into a lush, silken dressing. I was stupefied by the marriage of flavors and textures and tried to eat it slowly to savor every delicious bite. I'm afraid I'll never have a salad this good again.

My husband had a stuffed calamari dish. He's a guy that dearly loves your classic fried calamari when it's done right; crispy batter and tender inside, maybe with a bit of lemon. Well, this isn't like that at all. It's a big calamari steak stuffed with all manner of things; breadcrumbs, parsley, capers...I have no idea what else, then sliced into perfect rings, heaving with goodies. Suffice it to say, the dish really works. The calamari was cooked perfectly and the tang of the capers added a nice element of interest to the stuffing. The portion would have easily fed three or four.

A great start, so on to the primi. I would eat risotto any day of the week, but my husband was up for pasta and he chose one that looked very delectable. It was a homemade orichette, cooked al dente. None of that thumb-sized dried pasta here. These were substantial; nearly silver dollar sized, with a slightly chewy texture. It was tossed with a light tomato and arugula sauce that worked perfectly. Thank heavens we split it or we couldn't have eaten our secondi.

We split the secondi as well. It was a perfectly grilled hangar steak, sliced and fanned out on our plate. It was gorgeously red with a charred exterior and a tremendously flavorful, chewy interior. Hangar steak is a cut that's gaining popularity in restaurants; I'm guessing because it's still a bit cheap and it's lean and very delicious. It was served with a milk braised baby fennel. I'm not mad for anise, but fennel has taken root and grown on me like a weed. Braising is one of the best ways to prepare it. It makes it soft and creamy, and mellows out the sharpness of the licorice flavor. It's a lovely, simple dish to accompany something rich like a steak.

The wine we chose was a serviceable, though not inexpensive Valpolicella. The wine list is heavily if not entirely Italian and getting a recommendation from the sommelier or your waiter is probably a good idea unless you are a real Italian wine buff. The service is excellent and subtle, which is what I want when I'm enjoying a meal as much as I did this one. We were allowed to take our time and enjoy every minute of the evening.

I know I've somehow missed a few delicious details of this meal; but that's what happens when you don't sit down to write about it immediately. I was just too busy basking in the glow of Il Posto's food to be bothered with capturing the finer points in writing. Perhaps I'll do a better job next time. Or the time after that. Or the time after that. Or the time after that...

North Restaurant

Last night we went to North in Cherry Creek at the behest of some friends. We met our friends and their two kids for an early dinner that ended up stretching for about three hours. The impetus was their half price wine on Monday nights deal, however we made up for the savings in quantity.

Upon arrival, I was instantly blinded by the unfortunate angle of the sun into the foyer, but soon found our friends and joined them at a sleek booth near the bustling kitchen. We asked our waiter for a white wine suggestion that wasn't too acidic and wasn't Chardonnay, as the list was heavily Italian and didn't have many familiar vintners. He immediately suggested the most expensive white wine on the list ($59) that was in fact a Chardonnay. Last time we ask his opinion on that subject.

We settled on an '05 Groth Sauvignon Blanc ($38 - but remember all the wine is 1/2 off so suddenly it's a smokin' hot deal) and were quite satisfied. By the time we shut up long enough to order starters, we were ready for some red wine and ordered (our first) bottle of '04 Mauro Molino Nebbiolo ($52 pre discount). It was just right for the evening; a bit light, not too complex, but the right amount of flavor to keep you interested and not overwhelm your food.

The starters showed up and we dug in. A tossed caprese-esque salad and the fried calamari were both good choices. The tomato and mozzarella salad came tossed with smoky grilled bread, super fresh basil, and an eye opening drizzle of rich, aged basalmic vinegar that brought all of the flavors together. The calamari was served essentially in a salad of fresh spinich and arugula in a citrusy dressing, topped with grilled lemons (which later were eaten by one of the kids - yum!).

We split salads (which I didn't even know you could do!). Our caesar showed up without anchovies (despite my husband's specific request that his have some) and it took until he was nearly finished before a small bowl of them arrived. The salad was perfectly dressed, by which I mean not drowning in dressing, but a very light coating on each leaf. The greens were crisp and refreshing.

For entrees, I ordered the fresh fish of the day, which was some sort of Canadian snapper (which I hope to God was sustainably harvested - I'm fairly certain our waiter didn't have a clue. He tried telling me that the sea bass was Canadian, too). I should know better than to order something that had been described by the waiter as 'a bit oily', as that's really not my kind of fish, but he swayed me when he said how nicely the fish flaked. He also had steered me away from the sea bass, saying it wasn't a very successful dish. The fish came and I realized that my waiter needed a lesson in what 'flakiness' means when referring to fish. It was well prepared and very flavorful, but as I said, not my cup of tea. It was served over a bed of mushroom orzo, which was positively heavenly. The pasta was slick with a lemony oil and was peppered with rich, earthy mushrooms. I frankly could have had that and the fennel shavings atop the fish and been perfectly satisfied.

Our dining companions also had the fish and seemed to enjoy it (their plates were clean, anyway). My husband ordered the shrimp fettuccini. It was meant to be served with broccolini and a spicy garlic sugo. It came instead with broccoli and a very light sauce (which was not very spicy, nor very similar to what the waiter had described this sugo to be, nor did it taste as though many hours cooking effort had gone into it). Now, I'm the kind of person that gets extremely frustrated having an ingredient substituted without being told first. Broccolini and broccoli are damn different. If you're changing the dish because you're out of something, TELL ME. But frankly I don't think my husband gave a hoot (or perhaps even noticed). The dish was good, but for $21, I was left feeling a bit underwhelmed.

Overall, North was pretty good. It's a great location and has fabulous ambience. I think it's kind of expensive for decent but unremarkable food, and the service is average and not terribly knowledgable. But all that said, it was a really fun evening and the 1/2 price wine didn't hurt a bit.

Exotic ethnic

Well, not that exotic; it's only Indian. Little India's opened an outpost in South Denver off of Downing a few years ago, and while for me it lacks the ambience of their other locations, it's nice to have good Indian food close by. Tucked into the back side of a building near Porter Hospital in a not very exciting little business district, the space has been a number of restaurants, most recently a not very notable Italian joint. They seem to do a decent amount of business in a spot that has been challenging for restaurants to succeed in.

We have eaten in many times and occasionally get take out. Our most recent dine there was of the take out variety. I ordered the chicken tikka masala (I know, how boring, but I just can't resist!) and my husband ordered dal makhani (a vegetarian lentil dish). We rounded out the meal with a few orders of regular and garlic naan.

The portions for take out are terrific. A medium-ish styrofoam (shame, shame!) container absolutely heaving with perfectly cooked and lightly spiced basmati rice, accompanied by medium sized plastic containers filled to the brim with each entree (I wonder if you actually get a larger portion when you order out??) were enough to feed four rather than two (as evidenced by what I ate for lunch today...and will have again tomorrow!).

My chicken tikka masala ($13.99) was exactly what I've come to expect from Little India's; slightly dried out white meat chicken in the most creamy, heavenly masala sauce I have ever come across. I put up with the dry chicken solely so that I may enjoy the sauce. Honestly, they could just give me a container of sauce, some rice and some naan and I'd be perfectly set. I suppose at some stage, I could branch out and try one of the seafood masalas or the channa masala (chickpeas) and see if having a different protien improves the dish...maybe next time.

My husband's dal makhani ($9.99 - lentils cooked with garlic, ginger, tomato and spices) was delicious. Spicy and thick, you don't miss having meat as your entree for a moment. The sauce is very substantial and totally satisfying to mop up with the hot naan. My husband is an avid kebab eater in Indian and Middle Eastern restaurants and isn't exactly hankering to become a vegetarian (can I tell you how much he wants to grill in this weather??), but I would bet he never orders a meat dish at Little India's again. Hell, he doesn't need to. This dish will do quite nicely, thank you!

Overall, Little India's is tasty, reliable Indian food. All of the 'standard' dishes you'd expect at an Indian restaurant are on the menu and are well executed. The prices are very resonable, and if you're dining in, the service is just fine. I'm glad they are in the neighborhood!

'Sample' is right!

We spent the weekend up skiing in the mountains. We stayed in a condo in Keystone and it felt like the good old days as the lift lines were short to non-existent, the snow was good and the road traffic was utterly absent. Divine.

We decided to cook one night and eat out one night. For our cooked dinner, I must compliment my husband's culinary skills with meat - perfectly cooked bison burgers with a dripping, melted cheddar on top. That accomplished without the grill promised in the condo description.

Saturday, I booked us in to Samplings, a wine bar and tapas restaurant in Frisco. I had wanted to go there for ages as I'm a total sucker for tapas as well as wine bars. We had peeked in once before and the room looked really neat and the menu delicious so we decided to go.

Three of us were seated promptly at a table near the fireplace (welcome on this chilly night) and we were greeted reasonably quickly by our server, Melissa. We browsed the menu and the wine list and my husband, a total savant at choosing fabulous wines, even from unfamiliar vintners, made his selection. The sommelier (perhaps one of the youngest in this kind of job by the looks of him) gave the obligatory 'good choice, sir' (or some variant) and went off to retreive our wine. He came back with apologies that the wine was out of stock (something he should have known, not to mention that should have been updated on the wine list. The only forgiveness here was that it was the end of the ski season, but still).

Mistake number two - rather than offer a comparable bottle or slightly better for the same price (which any good restaurant or wine bar would do), he merely made a few suggestions for a few similar wines (and a few not so similar) at a similar price point. We tried one that was available by the glass and ultimately selected another altogether. The wine service was adequate, though after the opening, tasting and the first pour, my husband did most of the service - again, something that I wouldn't expect from a wine bar.

We dove into the menu. We started with the Samplings Caesar, the Mixed Olives and Marcona Almonds and the Grilled and Smoked Artisan Sausages. The salad came out in a cute little bowl, and by cute, I mean small. I know what tapas are, I know they are designed to be small, to share. I also know that the prices at Samplings were over the top.

The flavors in the $9 Caesar were wonderful, with a few, small slivers of blood orange, toasted pumpkin seeds and the garlic and black pepper dressing (though a little less of the latter would have been welcome). I would say that for three people, we each got 3 or maybe 4 bites of salad. For $9.

The sausages were divine. The plate was segmented into little divots and there were three different, tiny, diagonal slices of sausage. With three little dollops of different mustards. Total. The taste was wonderful, one sweet, one smoky, one rich. The mustards were as diverse as the sausages. But at $8, I'd expect more than a few slices of sausage. Really - picture a silver dollar. They were that big (though a bit thicker).

The olives and almonds were the hit (and they lasted more than four minutes). Another neat serving piece arrived with three compartments, one filled with kalamata olives, one with pepitas and Marcona almonds and one with picholine olives accented with fennel. All delicious and at a more reasonable portion size (for $8).

So far, not great. The food itself was delicious, the presentation lovely, the waitstaff service excellent, but we were not ever going to get full at this rate. We ordered more. Proscuitto and asparagus ($8) and a grilled olive bread bruschetta ($12).

The asparagus dish arrived first. Five perfectly grilled, thin pieces of asparagus on a light bed of folded proscuitto and shaved Manchego cheese, drizzled with an olive tapenade vinegarette. A perfect marriage of flavors. The proscuitto was salty sweet and paired with a bit of the crumbly cheese and the grilled veg, it was a match made in heaven.

The bruschetta was also terrific. French bread slices topped with a dried chorizo, manchego cheese, pesto, olive tapenade and a few dots of syrupy basalmic. The flavors blended perfectly and made for a complex package of deliciousness. Four slices if you're counting. $3 each.

So for $100, we had a large snack and a nice bottle of wine. We enjoyed ourselves, but I have to say that I've been to a myriad of tapas restaurants in Denver as well as in larger cities like Chicago, Seattle and San Francisco. Across the board, they were less expensive, much better value, and had more diversity in their ingredients (we had a lot of dishes with the same cheese, olives, sausages, pumpkin seeds, etc at Samplings).

The food at Samplings was great. Our server Melissa was great. The room was beautifully designed and had great ambience. The wine that we eventually chose was great. The portions were skeletal relative to the prices. The dishes could do with a bit more diversity of ingredients. The sommelier was not as experienced as I would expect. The wine service was underwhelming. I know there is a market for this restaurant in Summit County. Samplings is promising, I just think they can be better.

Mediocre Mexican (but not in Colorado of course!)

I'm in Chicago for the holiday and we sometimes go out for dinner the night before Thanksgiving with friends. This year was not an exception. We headed to Topolabampo (weirdly, we sat at the booth that's in the picture you see on that link). Rick Bayless (if you're not familiar) is another celebrity chef (via PBS) with a retail empire, but as far as I know, only two restaurants, both in Chicago (connected, in fact). His focus is on authentic regional Mexican food. We chose the more upscale of the two restaurants for dinner.

We had a drink at the bar. I'm assured the margaritas are delicious. I thought they were way too boozy, but then again I'm more of a wine drinker. Too boozy might be a good thing if you're not me. We were then seated. Every table in the place was full. I was anticipating a wonderful meal.

I have to pause to share their culinary philosophy with you, as I think it's awesome and it's what every restaurant should be striving for...

'Our goal is to serve you seasonal, sustainably-raised vegetables, meat and poultry; fish from sustainable fisheries. We support local, artisanal farmers.'

THANK YOU, Rick Bayless.

Five of the six diners at our table ordered tasting menus. They averaged about $90/person for a 5 course meal. Three people ordered the 'celebration menu' and two of us ordered the 'mole menu'. The last diner had a ceviche appetizer and a sea bass risotto. May I just say I was not said last diner, and I'm sorry for it.

The celebration menu consisted of a ceviche, mini tacos, lobster, lamb chops and a granita for dessert. I'll try to be brief. The cevice was tuna and it had all sorts of bits and bobs in it....pine nuts, dried berries and all sorts of stuff. It sounds weird (and I wish I'd brought a notepad to write stuff down, but I didn't so you'll have to bear with me), but it really was brilliant.

Next came the mini tacos. They were really more rolled than your traditional (or at least to Americans) u-shape. Theywere filled with huitlacoche, parsnips and black truffle, served with an organic tomato broth and topped with crunchy pickled vegetables and avocado. These were a hit with everyone. I know huitlacoche is sometimes strong and freaky (though my experience with it is limited) but this dish was perfectly composed and disappeared fast.

Next was the lobster. It was nicely presented but the flavor profile was very, very heavy on vanilla. I understand what he was trying to do, but this was literally 1/2 of a lobster doused in vanilla butter. It was too sweet and it just didn't work.

The lamb on the other hand was delicious and perfectly cooked. It was very nicely trimmed and it just melted in my mouth. It was served with local, roasted fall vegetables which were perfectly done. The pumpkin-chilisomethingorother sauce however was not terribly well matched with the lamb and I wish it wasn't on the plate at all.

Dessert on the celebration menu would be best left in the kitchen. I was so distressed by the granita (which can only be described as a sickly sweet grenadine syrup icee) that I don't even remember what else was on the plate, which was a shame. The presentation was beautiful, but the enjoyment ended there.

On to the mole menu. I'm not going to go through each dish, as it will just get repetitive. Mole is a wonderful tradition and a very complex sauce to make (not that I've been brave enough to try!) and I respect it tremendously as well as enjoy it in moderation. That said, five courses of mole in a row is just excessive and stupid. For something this complex, do you really think a diner can appreciate the nuances of five different mole sauces served one after the other after the other? No, Rick. They can't.

The highlight of the mole menu was the savory red chile-chocolate tamal filled with wild mushrooms, mole poblano, homemade goat cheese (indescribeably good), muscovado "jellies" and watercress salad. This dish knocked my socks off. I'm guessing any of the dishes individually would be enjoyable, but again, five moles in a row? Dumb.

Service was pretty chilly and efficient at first. It eventually warmed up, but I think that was after we were $350 in to the wine list (probably by the third course...!). The space is nice; elegant and understated. The servers are competent, though I have to say there were a few occasions where I would ask about some specific aspect of the dish and they would not know the answer. (I should point out that I asked a LOT of questions, and many if not most of them were answered with confidence, but the price point at which we were dining should demand intimate and thorough menu and dish composition knowledge).

In all, I was disappointed (despite a few highlights). The ingredients were exceptional but the execution and the marriage of courses was not. The service was only average for a restaurant of this caliber...or maybe I should say cost. We went to Charlie Trotters the night before Thanksgiving a few years ago and spent almost exactly the same amount of money per diner and it was the most memorable meal (and service) I have ever had in my life. I would like my money back for this one. Or at least half of it.

If you want Rick Bayless food, buy a cookbook or go to Frontera Grill. Topolabampo is better left alone.

Duffywich city

Rather unusually I've eaten out another three times since last week. I remember hearing a statistic that Americans eat something like 1 of every 3 meals 'out' (whatever that means) and I thought 'what the hell?! Doesn't anybody cook?', then have found myself eating out a TON in the last week.

In the last week, we twice went to Duffeyrolls. They now have a new location right near the Louisana Pearl lightrail stop. It's cozy and has free wireless and when I went in Thursday morning for a breakfast sandwich, I was pleasantly please to see how bustling it was. We ordered egg sandwiches and sat to wait. Very quickly later, we were brought our sandwiches and each came with a mini Duffeyroll (I always try to remember to ask that they not give me one as it always seems a bit over the top, but it conveniently slips my mind almost every time).

I had an egg sandwich that they let me customize without so much as a blink. Scrambled eggs, fresh tomato, sprouts and cheddar cheese on lightly toasted focciaca bread. I'm not a person that often eats a 'breakfast sandwich' unless you count some greasy concontion at the Breakfast King (or worse yet, a morning patty melt which is very telling of the previous night's activities), but I was pleasantly surprised by this particular breakfast. It was light, yet filling. The vegetables were very fresh and the service was efficient and friendly. My companions had sandwiches with eggs, ham and cheese and reported the same enjoyment. Breakfast disappeared pretty fast.

Oh, and those mini Duffeyrolls? They were gone. Perfect size. Well, maybe the giant ones are the perfect size, but I feel better about myself eating the small one.

I won't go in to details on the next visit, except to embarassingly admit that it was only about 56 hours later (what?? Don't I cook??) and we had a bit of lunch...well sort of had lunch. My husband had the same breakfast sandwich he had two days before, which is a testament to its goodness, as he's someone who finds something he loves then settles in on it never to budge. I had a veggie sandwich on multigrain bread (WHY can't people serve WHOLE WHEAT bread...ok, another day, another post) and it was delicious. Same good service, same good food. Though I'd rather have a side of chips than another mini Duffeyroll. And you have to pay extra for chips.

Extremely minor complaints aside, I think Duffeyrolls is great. I've only been to the LP lightrail location, so I can't speak to Happy Canyon, but I'm guessing it must be just as good!

Tired but full

So, Osteria Marco is a gem. I shouldn't even tell you because it will just become overly popular and will be impossible to get in.

We started the evening at Cru in Larimer Square to have a glass of wine before dinner. Our waiter was very friendly and helpful, but not everyone wase satisfied with his recommendations. Oh, well...it was only one drink. We were in the lounge downstairs, which is a very cool space. Now, I have to point out, I didn't realize this was a chain until today. Worse yet, it's a chain based in Texas. I try not to eat or drink at chains with any frequency (exception sometime being Colorado based eatries). Ah well. Now I know.

We headed across the street to a pleasantly crowded Osteria Marco in the basement. Our server was knowledgable and attentive...and patient as it took us ages to order and get through our food. The prices are very reasonable. We started with a bunch of appetizers. We did the chefs selection of house made cheeses. They were served with grilled bread and each one was excellent. There was a ricotta, a gorgonzola, a triple cream and a mozzarella. The ricotta was mild and creamy; it had a wonderfully light texture and spread on bread like soft butter. The mozzarella was soft and had just the right amount of salt. The triple cream was decadent and wonderfully flavorful. Last and maybe least (but still very good), the gorgonzola was really quite mild for a blue; very tasty.

We also got some marinated olives, proscuitto (parma) and the ciccioli (braised pulled pork...I believe it was braised in duck fat). Okay, I realize this is excessive for three people for starters, but it was really hard to decide. The proscuitto was devine. Salty and creamy and simply presented folded on a plate. I have to mention that 5 pieces or so for $8 seemed a bit steep, but it was very good nonetheless. The olive marinade was a bit strong for my taste, but my sister in law ate them with gusto, so it's just my palate that didn't agree. The pork had been recommended by our waiter and maybe pork isn't our thing, but it was just too rich for me. A bite was enough. If you're a pork fan though, I'd jump on it if I were you.

On to dinner...we had so much to start with we ended up ordering two pizzas and a salad. The salad was a bit diminuitive, but utterly delicious. Arugula perfectly dressed and sprinkled with golden raisins and pine nuts lightly mounded on a small plate. Then (yes, more proscuitto) a proscuitto and fresh mozzarella pizza topped with arugula. Utterly delicious (and a LOT of proscuitto). And finally a wild mushroom and robiola pizza. I am a devout lover of all things mushroom and this pizza did not disappoint (though a few of the mushrooms left something to be desired texturally). My mushroom pizza was so popular, there was only one slice left upon departure.

Somehow we were talked into dessert. I blame my sister in law. So we had a molten chocolate cake with chocolate gelato. Perfect in every way, except that in her gusto to dig in, my sister in law burned the roof of her mouth. Probably why it's 'molten'. Oh, well.

Wine selection is extensive and wonderful. Our server steered us towards a very moderately priced red that was perfect with our food.

All in all it was a wonderful meal. Hell, there's a chance we may go back to Osteria Marco within the week.

Happy eating.

Italian...and local

So I've read two books set on Italy in the past week and I have a hankering for a bit of Italy in my tummy (since I won't be there any time soon). Tonight we're going to try the quietly touted Osteria Marco in Larimer Square. I'm really looking forward to it and to quenching the Italian craving that's been eating at me. Looks like they're fairly casual, which is what I'm in the mood for tonight. They make many of their cheeses in house and they also locally (and where possible organically) source many of their ingredients. Well...except for the imported Italian meats (YUM - guilty pleasure!).

I'm always more willing to give a business my hard earned cash when they in turn support local farmers and food artisans. Not to mention I think that it shows a deep appreciation for food and very often a deep commitment to the environment. I'm ahead of myself on Osteria Marco, but certainly there are a lot of restaurants in Denver that are making the extra effort. Two I think of immediately are Black Pearl and Gaia over in Platt Park. Black Pearl does it's best to buy sustainably raised meats and fish and also buy locally when possible. Gaia goes even further and grows many of their vegetables and herbs in their back yard, bakes their own bread (well, one of the owners also owns Pajama Baking Co which provides their bread), gets eggs from a smaller producer in Boulder and they're even taking a stab at growing grapes to make wine. Can't wait to see how that turns out.

Want more local food in your life? Check out these websites to learn more or find a farm in your area:

http://localharvest.org/

http://monroefarm.com/ (this is the CSA I belong to. Great eggs and great veggies!)

http://100milediet.org/


Another website I *have* to mention is the Monterey Bay Aquarium. My brother introduced me to it back when we actually had an aquarium in Denver. Remember Ocean Journey? And now a restaurant chain owns it...well anyway. This website can help you to make sustainable seafood choices when you eat, which is more important than you might realize. More on that later - that's a subject best explored on its own.

http://www.mbayaq.org/cr/seafoodwatch.asp

Will report back on Osteria Marco soon.