Lamb tacos at The Bindery in the news. | Photo by Linnea Covington

10 Best Things We Ate In May

So much good food! It's hard to pick our favorites but we did it for you.

BY Linnea Covington

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Considering it’s our job to eat, we sure taste some amazing foods. Why limit the coverage to a feature when we can round up the top 10 “best things we ate” of the month. In May the line up includes a pizza to crave, a show-stopping Caesar salad, lamb tacos, and more. Read the full list here. 

Lamb Tacos From The Bindery

May was Lamb Jam Restaurant Month, where various chefs around town featured a special lamb dish on the menu. For chef Linda Hampsten Fox, that included gorgeous lamb tacos served with salsa macha, mole, queso, and charred onion crema. The $14 plate balanced umami with crunch and chew, a memorable item indeed. 1817 Central St., Denver, thebinderydenver.com

Mushroom Nuggets From Samosa Shop 

samosa shop mushroom nuggets
Order the lions mane mushroom nuggets at Samosa Shop. | Photo by Linnea Covington

Last summer chef Dave Hadley debuted fried mushroom nuggets at the City Park Farmers’ Market. They proved so popular, fans can now get the battered and fried lions mane bites any time at Samosa Shop’s newish outpost. The restaurant resides inside Hell Or High Water bar, and guests order food from a take-out window at the back of the room. A large order of nuggets runs $10, and includes curry leaf aioli and hot honey. They are tasty both fresh and hot, and even cold the day after. 1526 Blake St., Denver, samosashopco.com

Italian Sandwich From Leven Deli Co.

italian sandwich at leven deli
Definitely give the Italian sandwich at Leven Deli Co. a chance. | Photo by Linnea Covington

It’s no secret that Leven Deli makes some of the best sandwiches around. While the pastrami Reuben remains a signature item, we deviated this month and ordered the Italian. For $17 this beauty gives you all you need in the dish, including hot capicola, genoa salami, mortadella, provolone, arugula, pickled onions, and banana peppers. All this comes on a house-made baguette, and with two sides. 123 W. 12th Ave., Denver, eatleven.com

Pain De Mėture From Corsica

At first glance, the pain de mėture doesn’t sound exciting. But order it and you’ll see why it shouldn’t be missed. The original dish comes from Gascony, France, and features cornbread baked with cabbage leaves in a cast iron pan. In this case, the sweet cornbread is cooked under a collard leaf and accented by honey and chilies. It’s a $7 bite that pairs great with a glass of fizzy natural wine. 2801 Walnut St., Denver, corsicawinebar.com

Mochi Donuts From Kuluka Boba

mochi donuts from kuluka boba
Get boba and mochi donuts at Kuluka Boba in Westminster. | Photo by Linnea Covington

Why choose one mochi donut when you can have all of them? That’s exactly what we did upon entering Kuluka Boba in Westminster, with no regrets. The flavors change each week, and currently that includes blueberry-lemon, mango-ube, black sesame, and more. Highlights of our last visit consisted of strawberry-matcha, chocolate-hazelnut, and churro flavors. But now we feel the need to visit again and get this week’s donuts. 6030 W. 92nd Ave. Suite 300, Westminster, kulukaboba.com

Bucatini From Olive & Finch

bucatini from olive and finch
Make sure to order the bucatini from Olive & Finch. | Photo by Linnea Covington

Recently chef Mary Nguyen started dinner service at her Cherry Creek location of Olive & Finch, and we are so glad she did. On the menu diners will find a superb rendition of bucatini, featuring whipped ricotta and spicy bread crumbs. The presentation proves lovely, but it’s when you messily mix it around that the flavors truly meld to perfection. 3390 E. 1st Ave., Denver, oliveandfinch.com

Caesar Salad From Hey Kiddo

Personally, Caesar salad is one of my favorite foods, and the version coming out of Kelly Whitaker’s Berkeley restaurant is one of the best. What makes it stand out is the addition of anchovies blended into the dressing, and pistachios to add a pleasing crunch in lieu of boring croutons. The $12 small plate can easily be shared, or act as the main dish of your meal. 4337 Tennyson St., Denver,  hk-oy.com

Green Beans From Noodles Express

noodles express green beans
A pleasing plate of spicy green beans at Noodles Express. | Photo by Linnea Covington

There’s so much to love at Noodles Express over on South Colorado Boulevard, but the green beans stand out. Pan fried in spicy szechuan oil with ground pork, the green beans maintain a fresh snap while also soaking in the heat. At $18.95 it might sound pricey for vegetables, but the pile of food delivered to our table could have easily fed two as the whole meal. 703 S. Colorado Blvd., Denver, no website

Diavolo Pizza From Redeemer Pizza

Redeemer pizza diabola
Spicy and sweet, the diabolo pizza at Redeemer is amazing. | Photo by Linnea Covington

After the first slice of the Diavolo from Redeemer Pizza, I knew my pizza cravings would never be the same. Laden with jalapenos, yellow peppers, pepperoni, soppressata, and a calabrian red sauce, it’s the perfect balance of sweet, savory, spicy, and chewy. At $27, it’s a good deal for something that makes one so happy. 2705 Larimer St., Denver, redeemerpizza.com

Dry Pot Chicken From MAKfam and Panda Bao

It’s not every birthday one of your favorite restaurants collaborates with another stellar operation to create a szechuan-themed feast. But lucky for me that’s just what happened with MAKfam and Panda Bao on May 1. All the dishes sampled that night were great, but the dry pot chicken really stood out. The $17 dish featured lotus root, celery, onion, peppers, and of course, the chili-coated chicken. If only it was available all the time. 39 W. 1st Ave., Denver, makfam.co

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Linnea Covington

Linnea Covington is the managing editor of DiningOut. She comes to us with a long background in food, restaurant and drinks journalism. Over the last two decades she’s written for tons of publications including Denver Post, Washington Post, Forbes Travel Guide, 5280 Magazine, New York Magazine, New York Times, Time Out New York and more.
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