Restaurant Reviews
That place
Though the specific locale is different for everyone, we all have that place, the one you drive past nearly everywhere you go, thinking to yourself, “I should stop in some time,” but keep driving past for at least another six to eight months. You know where I’m ...
Snoopin’ out the Dogg House
How strangely fitting that my entrance into Geisty’s Dogg House with my friend Dan was delayed by a leashed-up canine that needed to sniff us out before granting us entry. A quick examination of the dog revealed it to be more friendly pooch than cut-rate Cerberus. ...
Good ol’ pub fare
Neither an homage to the silent (but perhaps most cerebral) of the Marx Brothers, nor a clandestine Oprah operation, Boulder’s Harpo’s Sports Grill is precisely what its name implies. It’s a casual joint spotlighting affordable drink specials, tavern staples ...
Brunch at Boulder’s Brasserie Ten Ten
Recently a pal insistently extolled the virtues of Brasserie Ten Ten’s weekend brunch, but I remained skeptical. However, I have been happily satisfied with this French-influenced eatery’s fine happy hour and have splurged on its seafood platters. So friend Wayne and...
Al fresco at Zucca
Located smack dab in the middle of downtown Louisville, Zucca Italian Ristorante boasts an inviting ambience balancing the rustic with a subtle but unmistakable European flair. The same can also be said of the menu, which ranges from old standbys like comforting ...
Out of this world
When you order at El Fogon in Longmont, you’re supposed to look up at the old Spanish-only menu with pictures and relay your choice to the cashier. But in practice it’s hard not to look at the giant rotisserie of bright red meat behind the counter and point and say...
Step away from the buffet
As part of my ongoing efforts to craft a taxonomy for Chinese restaurants, I recently realized there are two main angles to categorizing these eateries. The first is assessing the formality and pricing of the place, ranging from the come-one-come-all budget dive to ...
Mary’s is not just for cyclists
It was a blowout day. And I mean that quite literally, as friend Keith’s front bicycle tire suddenly popped with a thunderous bang. Taking quick evasive action, I swerved around him as he managed to straighten out his trajectory and keep his bike upright. Fortunately...
Double fantasy
What with all the wood furniture and the fireplace and the quiet and the snow, Praha feels like a model of a restaurant in a miniature holiday village. The keeper of the restaurant is a nonagenarian with very poor hearing, and she struggles with the weight of our ...
Recreating a childhood Asian treat
Noodles were always an integral part of my family’s Friday night dinners in Oakland Chinatown. Sometimes these restaurant repasts featured thick ribbons of chow fun rice noodles topped with slices of flank steak seasoned with salty black beans and hot mustard. If we ...
Stars from the ’50s
Fifties-style diners remain popular, although most patrons of these retro eateries are probably too young to have set foot in the real McCoy. If you’re like me, your initial exposure to this iconic American eatery might have been through nostalgic TV shows, like ...
An authentic Mexican taqueria
Whenever I go back to the Bay Area for family visits, it’s inevitable I stop by San Leandro’s Taqueria Los Pericos with one or both of my brothers. I suspect our visits are equally driven by the quality of the food as well as having us be seen in public for the ...


















