Restaurant Reviews
Indian food, buffet style
Occupying the site of the former Royal Peacock (the restaurant, not an actual bird), India’s Clay Oven continues the decades-long tradition of dishing out subcontinental fare near the intersection of 55th and Arapahoe. With the exception of a brighter paint job and ...
Empire’s main dishes deliver
Over the past few years, downtown Louisville’s dining options have grown impressively, and the Empire Restaurant and Lounge is one of this burg’s top spots for fine dining in a relaxed setting. While this space can accommodate many diners, it feels smaller and more ...
A Canadian guilty pleasure on the Hill
Despite its Francophone pedigree and deserved reputation as one of the most European of North American cities, Montreal claims surprisingly few culinary specialties as its own. Sure, there’s smoked meat, steak seasoning and wood-fired bagels, but these are reasonably...
New brunch options in NoBo
I´m often wracked with guilt when my vegan friend Amy joins me for a meal out. I’ll typically enjoy something like a filet mignon stuffed with oysters and a side of beluga while my hapless pal is forced to gnaw on a sprig of parsley. Happily, this culinary ...
Wokking the wok
It’s kind of an uphill battle for Wok Eat. It’s located across the street from a similar restaurant (the slightly cheaper Boulder favorite Zoe Ma Ma), and has a touch of the sterile look of a generic chain, despite it being the eatery’s only location...
A culinary effort to infuse with brews
Back in the ’80s, before microbreweries and tap rooms had entered the public consciousness, my parents and underage self took a tour of Washington’s now-defunct Olympia brewery. While I recollect that the bar at the end of the tour was an ornate carved wood affair, ...
Going off campus
The location seems a bit out there, but Off Campus Cafe was there when we needed it...
An ambitious take on Mexican at Agave Mexico Bistro
Friend Mara and I descended on 28th Street’s Agave Mexico Bistro and Tequila House for a leisurely weekend lunch. We were attracted in part by its menu, which goes beyond that of the typical Mexican joint, underscoring the kitchen’s gastronomic aspirations...
Respecting the urban taco’s roots
I’ll argue that the most critical determinant of an ethnic restaurant’s success is how much it respects the source cuisine. Go to any ethnic neighborhood in a big city, and you’ll likely chance upon a family-run hole in the wall that’s wildly popular due to its ...
Bite-sized
Though downtown Boulder has its share of classy joints, when discerning Boulderites are looking for somewhere to wear their dress North Face jacket, or that little black dress that perfectly matches their nice Chacos, they head downtown to The Bitter Bar — this year’...
Coffee up and brunch
For my money, the key predictor of the success of a brunch outing comes with the first sip of house java. My bleary-eyed pal Cyn and I had just blown into Lyons, ensconced ourselves in a corner table at the Lyons Fork, and requested coffee first thing out of the gate...
Truth in advertising
Aside from its distinctive flavor palettes, food has more abstract emotional appeals to the senses as well. Dessert tastes like joy. A giant chunk of meat roasted over an open flame tastes deeply, primally, invigorating, like surviving a plane crash or the thrill of ...


















