Spooky season wraps up with some frightful events and monstrous menu items. Look for spirited news bites as well as an egg-cellent tidbit from the farm side of things. But don’t be afraid, plenty of openings have risen as well.
Read on for more of this week’s top news stories and send us any tips via Instagram or by emailing info@diningout.com.
The 411
Writer Adrian Miller, the Soul Food Scholar, accepted the 2024 Autry Public History Prize from the Western History Association on behalf of the Museum of Boulder last week. The honor came thanks to the exhibit Colorado’s Black History, which Miller was part of.
An E. coli scare triggered by McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers was in the news last week. The Centers for Disease Control issued a food-safety alert after the outbreak affected at least 49 people nationwide. Over half the cases took place in Colorado, including one death. McDonald’s responded by pulling its quarter-pound patties and slivered onions. The food was tested, but so far there appears to be no link to the outbreak and Colorado-grown onions or the meat.
We just checked out Grandpa’s Burger Haven after a reader recommended it, and now, it’s about to go through new ownership. For the last 35 years Randy Goddard has owned the shop, known for its cheap, giant burgers, and before that his family ran it. Grandpa’s originally was part of Jim’s Burger Haven, breaking off decades ago. Goddard had actually been trying to sell the business for a while, but wanted the right buyer who would keep the restaurant’s legacy in tact.
Wine and spirit distributor Southern Glazer laid off 3,000 people earlier in the month. While the layoffs didn’t affect the Colorado side much, it speaks to the current climate of wine tariffs, taxes, and the zero-proof drinking movement.
The Colorado Department of Agriculture just announced that starting on January 1, 2025, all eggs sold in Colorado must be from a cage-free facility. “All egg producers in Colorado housing more than 3,000 egg-laying hens will need to comply with the requirements of a cage-free facility as defined in the amended Cage-Free Egg rule,” read the official statement. “Additionally, all eggs and egg products for sale in Colorado will need to show they are compliant by including “CO-COM,” “organic”, or “cage-free” on their label.”
Openings and Closings In the News
After years of building and obtaining permits, Black Cat in Boulder is now hosting farm dinners. Run by chef and farmer Eric Skokan, the experience is as farm-to-table as you can get. Skokan not only tills the earth surrounding the charming, dine-in cabanas, but farms acres around Boulder County. He also raises sheep and pigs, which can be tasted at the farm dinners as well as at his Boulder restaurant, Bramble & Hare.
Culinary Creative Group is ready to launch its project with chef Carlo Lamagna, who runs Portland, Oregon’s Magna Kusina Filipino restaurant. Now Lamagna will open a sister spot, Magna Kainan at residential complex NOVEL RiNo. Last week the group launched Sorry Gorgeous, a swank bar on the apartment building’s roof.
Former Oak at Fourteenth chef Peter Ho recently opened Sorry Umma, a hot pot restaurant at 5028 W. 92nd Ave., Westminster. It’s located inside the Northview Shopping Center.
In the Central Park area, chef and restaurateur Lon Symensma shifted his upscale Asian restaurant ChoLon into the more casual eatery, YumCha. It’s the second location of the dumpling-forward concept.
Popular food truck Chivis Tacos now has a brick-and-mortar spot at 2101 E. Colfax Ave. Owner Chris Heredia kept the name, and now serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late-night eats.
Located inside Rebel Bread, baker and owner Zach Martinucci launched a new concept last month dubbed Gino Panino. The focus here is on Italian sandwiches, which can be purchased to go Tuesday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Infinite Monkey Theorem (IMT) announced on October 24 it’s shutting down wine production and closing the RiNo tasting room. While operations ceased immediately, the bar will remain open until the end of December. If you love the IMT canned sparkling wine like I do, get it now before it’s gone forever.
In South Denver the Greek eatery Monaco Inn, shuttered after almost 40 years in business. The space, reported Westword, will be a second location of Pomodoro Pizza and Pasta, which runs its original spot in Aurora.
On the Menu
The Post Chicken & Beer has a new menu for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch. Look for a Grilled Chicken Pesto Wrap, Spicy Orange Chicken Rice Bowl, and Spinach Salad with roasted butternut squash, pomegranate, pepitas, and feta.
Little Finch in Downtown Denver has rolled out a new menu. Look for tartines featuring either avocado, smoked salmon, or Mediterranean flavors. There are new shareable snack boards, sandwiches and salads. But perhaps the most exciting, Little Finch now has bubble tea in options such as iced London fog boba and strawberry matcha milk tea boba.
Also look for Miette et Chocolat in the Stanley Marketplace, which has released a line of spooky desserts available at the bakery until Halloween.
Events In the News
B&GC hosts its Shaken Spirits cocktail class on Tuesday, October 29 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Learn the ins and outs of creating devilishly delicious drinks during a step-by-step process of building two cocktails. Light bites included. Tickets are $55 per person, and can be purchased here.
Join the Día De Los Muertos party at Centro Mexican Kitchen on Saturday, November 2 from 12 to 6 p.m. Located along Boulder’s bustling Pearl Street, the fete includes a cook-out on the patio featuring a plancha for pork tacos. Tacos are three for $10, and Margaritas run $7 each.
Anniversaries abound in the news, and on Sunday, November 3, Work & Class celebrates its 10th year serving really good shareable plates in RiNo. Founding chef Dana Rodriguez naturally is throwing an epic party with 15 of her fellow chefs including Erasmo Casiano of Lucina and Xiquita, Jose Avila of La Diabla, and last year’s Top Chef contestant Manny Barella of Camp Pickle, to name a few.
The fun starts at 6 p.m. at Work & Class, and travels to Rodriguez’s new spot, Carne. Tickets are $100 each, and a portion of the proceeds will go to the Colorado Restaurant Association’s Angel Relief Fund.
Rioja continues celebrating its 20th anniversary (earlier in the month with Wolfgang Puck), this time on November 13 with a bevy of local food and drink experts. The special dinner features Troy Guard, Paul Reilly, Hosea Rosenberg, Dana Rodriguez, Max Mackissock, Alex Seidel, and Carrie Baird dishing up signature bites.
On the beverage side, Todd Leopold, Alan Laws, Tony Zezas, Nick Touch, Jon Schlegel, and Roland Hermann will be pouring an array of whiskey, tequila, wine, and sherry. Tickets are $125 per person, and proceeds go to the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.
