Fearlessness may be Frank Bonanno’s most under appreciated trait. In the 19 years that I’ve been covering Denver’s dining scene, I’ve witnessed him introduce more concepts and pioneer more trends than perhaps any other chef in town.
He was among the first, if not the first, to offer housemade charcuterie and cheeses, to usher ramen into the mainstream, to revive the Prohibition-era speakeasy. In addition to his longtime contemporary French destination, Mizuna, he’s operated everything from a pizzeria and a deli to a dive bar, a pie shop, and a whole damn food hall to boot.
Not all of his experiments have succeeded, to be sure. But even the scrapped projects have left their mark: I still recall with longing the escargot potstickers he served at Bones, the barbecued rabbit sliders at Russell’s Smokehouse, the lamb stroganoff at Lou’s Food Bar. And now, with wife-partner Jacqueline by his side, Bonanno is embarking on his next big adventure: Japanese-Italian fusion.
Introducing Itameshi
Though he once jokingly described himself to me as a “bastard to tradition,” his new restaurant, Rōmyō—which will open in Larimer Square in early September—is actually grounded in the established principles of itameshi, as the Japanese call their interpretation of Italian food. Itameshi has recently been making inroads stateside, the most obvious local example being Dumplin,’ the dumpling joint Bonanno himself ran for two years in Highland Square.
“Dumplin’ was a great R&D experience for us,” said Bonanno—essentially serving as a test kitchen for Rōmyō, whose name is a portmanteau of “Rome” and “Tokyo,” while deepening his appreciation for “just how similar Japanese and Italian cuisine are. In Japan, it’s sashimi; in Italy, it’s crudo with olive oil and Sicilian lemon juice, right? Noodles are noodles, dumplings are ravioli. . . So that’s why I think that marriage works really well. And it’s just fun.”
An Ambitious Synthesis
It’s no surprise that some of Dumplin’s greatest hits appear on Rōmyō’s opening menu, including the fabulous whipped tofu dip with togarashi-dusted gnocco fritto, the equally delicious burrata-and-kale dumplings in mushroom-chili broth, and teriyaki-glazed filet mignon skewers. But the repertoire here is far more wide-ranging.
For instance, the Rōmyō menu features several sushi rolls: Think salmon with mascarpone, white balsamic, pickled onions, and capers or spicy yellowtail with sweet soy agrodolce. There are, of course, noodles of all kinds—from udon carbonara to sake-splashed spaghetti alla chitarra to mortadella agnolotti in parmesan dashi with shiitakes. (According to Bonanno, the arugula tagliatelle in truffled uni sauce “won’t sell. But that’s for me. Every chef has a dish that they put on for themselves.”) And there are a number of entrees that encapsulate the theme as well, like roasted Hokkaido scallops in garlic-ginger aglio e olio and Kurobuta pork saltimbocca.
“Every entree will come with cacio e pepe sticky rice and cabbage slaw using Tuscan kale and miso,” Bonanno explained, singling out one of his personal favorites. “I’m really excited to bring back the wagyu French dip that we did at [now-closed] French 75—I mean, it might have been the whole reason we opened that restaurant.”
In this case, though, it will come on a milk bread–baguette hybrid that’s slathered with Japanese mayo and accompanied by a soy-infused jus.
For dessert, Bonanno and chef Johnny Rodriguez are planning the likes of fermented-plum cannoli and tiramisu made with toasted green tea rather than espresso. For lunch (which will be served Friday through Sunday only), they’re hoping to add Japanese-style soufflé pancakes to the mix, perhaps topped with pistachio gelato. And speaking of sweets, Rōmyō will also boast a kakigori cart, serving up the shaved ice tableside, with or without booze.
Rome Meets Italy in Cocktails Too
Which brings us to the bar. Itameshi-inspired cocktails include the Thai Tea Negroni and a highball combining shochu, toasted rice syrup, nori, and San Pellegrino, as well as options for teetotalers featuring housemade nonalcoholic spirit alternatives. The bottle list will offer around 90 selections of both sake and wines from around the world, not just Italy: “Expect the unexpected” in that regard, said Bonanno.
And then there’s the jelly beer. Though popular in Thailand rather than Japan, it’s a neat treat Jacqueline’s especially jazzed about: “You take low-alcohol beers and put them in a tub that gyrates slowly in ice and salt to bring them to [near-]freezing. When we bring one to your table, we’ll tell you, ‘Be prepared, [because] it’s gonna explode out.’ It’s like a beer slushie, [and] we’re playing with all of these flavors, like soy sauce and pickle juice.”
The Journey is the Destination
“This place has great bones,” asserted Jacqueline, noting that the building was constructed in the late 19th century, “so it’s part of the railroad era.” That history informed her rather brilliant ideas for Rōmyō’s interior design, starting with the booths that line two sides of the space, which formerly housed Ted’s Montana Grill.
“We kept these because the wood is really beautiful, the craftsmanship is fantastic—and [they] look like train cars,” she said, pointing to the rectangular niches above the tables in each booth. “This [side] is the train to Tokyo, that [side] is the train to Rome, and in those little boxes on the walls, television screens are going to be installed, which will show the Japanese countryside going by and the Italian countryside going by.” Different color schemes—red for Italy, yellow and green for Japan—will further differentiate the two “trains.”
Dividing the dining room in half is a long island bar, the back section of which serves as an open kitchen. Along the counter facing it, eight seats will be reserved for diners who book the prix fixe, kaiseki-style tasting experience. Promising it will be “intimate,” Bonanno added that it will likely involve six courses: a crudo to start, followed by parmesan mousse–topped chawanmushi, a fried item, a noodle dish, a sushi roll, and dessert.
In short, the atmosphere will bring the whole East-meets-West concept into immediate focus. As Jacqueline put it, “The world is both very large and very small.”
Rōmyō will initially operate daily from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.; as of September 18, it will expand hours on Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. 1401 Larimer St., Denver, romyodenver.com
