In reality October felt like the month of candy. Candy corn, candy cocktails, candy-themed tastings. But sweets aside, these 10 dishes shined through the rest. The best list includes one bite from a special anniversary dinner, another from a food truck, and one from one of Denver’s top fine dining spots.
Where did you eat last month? Let us know your favorite bites in the comments.
Butter-Basted Tofu Steak at Table by New Image Brewing
Tofu is usually just fine, but chef Russ Fox has made the bean-curd something to crave and possibly the best dish on the menu. The $21 order comes artfully plated with Thai coconut creamed chard, fingerling potatoes, crispy garlic, toasted chili oil, and fresh cilantro.
Table recently opened inside the Arvada location of New Image Brewing, bringing really good seasonal fare to place with really good beer. Never paired tofu with a sudsy ale? Ask your server for a recommendation. 5622 Yukon St., Arvada, nibrewing.com
Margherita Pizza at Little Arthur’s
When multiple people both complain about a $40 pizza, and then say it’s worth it, one has to try it. Such is the case when it comes to Little Arthur’s, also housed in a beer centric location. Originally owner AJ Shreffler started his Philadelphia sandwich concept during the pandemic. The first iteration of the eatery was a simple hoagie-focused pop-up, and then it became a food truck with a cult following. Now, Little Arthur’s has a solid location and a lot more items on the menu, including pizza.
Shreffler moved in to Out of the Barrel Tap room in May of this year, selling his famous hoagies in a smaller, cheaper size, as well as salads, mozzarella sticks, and pizza. At $40, the margherita pizza is the signature pie and features Salvatore Corso fior di latte, pecorino sardo maturo, san marzano, Altius Farms basil, and Sicilian olive oil. The crust is made with flours from Italy, and the 20-inch size easily fed a family of four. With a crispy crust that’s soft on the inside and each ingredient showcasing its own distinct flavor, we all agreed, it was worth every penny. 205 E. Seventh Ave., littlearthurs.com
Caramel Apples at the Pumpkin Festival
I’ll be honest, I never liked caramel apples until I had one at the Pumpkin Festival at Chatfield Farms by the Denver Botanic Gardens. It’s been years now, and it’s always the same lady peddling Granny Smith apples doused in soft caramel with either salt, nuts, candy, or sprinkles for $8 each. Ask for it sliced and enjoy right there. The only caveat, we unfortunately have to wait another year for this bite of heaven, so mark your calendar now.
Smoked Sable at Rosenberg’s Bagel & Delicatessen
Rich, buttery, and somehow delicate, the sable, or black cod ($18), served at Rosenberg’s should be sampled by any lover of cured fish. Owner Joshua Pollack processes all the fish in house, and is the only deli in the city doing that. Even in a preserved capacity, you can taste the freshness and quality of the sable. Order it on any bagel, or try a specialty sandwich like the High Class ($17) with the smoked sable, caviar cream cheese, tomato, and red onion on your choice of bagel. 725 E. 26th Ave., Denver, rosenbergsbagels.com
Roasted Carrots at Pasque
On the bottom floor of the new Populus Hotel in Downtown, Pasque serves seasonal-forward fare by chef Ian Wortham. This means there’s a lot of veggies on the menu, and the roasted carrots were a knockout. Beautifully plated but simple in preparation, the $16 dish can be shared with the table or makes for a hearty side dish if carrots are on the brain. Aside from the sweet orange spears, find smoked paprika, toasted seeds, a tangy carrot vinaigrette, and fresh dill. 240 14th St., Denver, pasquerestaurant.com
Agnolotti di zucca at Barolo Grill
Each bit of this hand-made Piemontese pasta pockets proved to be a little pillow of culinary heaven. The small, traditionally-crafted pastas came stuffed with butternut squash, castelmagno cheese, amaretti, and sage brown butter for $36. Yes, it’s high end, but so is Barolo Grill.
The fine dining establishment has been serving well crafted Italian fare for decades, and chef di cuisine Darrel Truett really showcases his skill with each bite. Pair the seasonal dish with Chardonnay ‘Sistri’ Felsina 2021 from Toscana, as recommended on the menu, and/or add on Burgundy truffles for an extra $35. 3030 E. Sixth Ave., Denver, barologrilldenver.com
Lamb Tacos at Mister Oso
Taco Tuesday happens every night and day at Mister Oso in RiNo and Washington Park, and the lamb option (pictured on the left) shouldn’t be missed. For $17 you get a pile of smoked lamb cheeks, pickled red onion, cilantro, avocado salsa, and grilled shishitos.
Best part, you can build it yourself on three pork-fat cooked flour tortillas. That also means the smoky, rich, and succulent meat can be shared, leaving room for even more dishes to try. 3136 Larimer St., Denver, and 103 S. Ogden St., Denver, misterosodenver.com
Smash Burger from Twan’s
At DiningOut we love smash burgers, and the one by Antoine “Twan” Villaume slaps. The double patty cheeseburger runs $13 and comes with traditional toppings such as shredded lettuce, house-made pickles, white onion, double slices of American cheese, and burger sauce.
Now getting to Tawn’s may prove a bit tricky. For starters, the food truck resides inside Finn’s Manor, a bar and venue in RiNo. It’s only open Wednesday through Sunday, with hours running 5 to 9 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 2 to 9 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. to midnight Saturday, and Sunday 2 to 7 p.m. But once there, the smash burger is 100-percent worth the planning. 2927 Larimer St., Denver., no website
Sausage-Wrapped Big Eye Tuna at Rioja
Early in the month Rioja celebrated its 20 year anniversary with chef Wolfgang Puck during an outstanding dinner. Of the six courses, the Sausage-Wrapped Big Eye Tuna with fregola sarda, Croft Family Farm eggplant, piquillo sauce, and pine nuts stood out. I don’t think I’ve ever had tuna wrapped in sausage, but it needs to happen again.
Unfortunately it’s not on the main menu, but it showcased the dedication chef and co-owner Jennifer Jasinski has had to food and Denver for the last 20 years. As she and her partner have cut back to focus solely on Rioja, now is the time to reacquaint yourself with it. 1431 Larimer St., Denver, riojadenver.com
Poutine at Mecha Noodle Bar
Believe the hype, the three-month-old Mecha Noodle Bar in RiNo is just as tasty as it sounds. While the ramen and pho are great, the $12 Asian-style poutine really surprised us. Overall it’s a simple dish with crinkle-cut fries, a Japanese curry gravy, and tender cheese curds. The perfect comfort food served hot and saucy. 2801 Walnut St., Denver, mechanoodlebar.com
