I’ve always been a fan of chefs Darren Chang and Travis Masar’s Pig and Tiger, it perfectly showcased comforting Taiwanese fare with pleasing spice levels and a whole lot of flavor. Now, the team brings the former Avanti Boulder concept to Denver, in its own restaurant space.
“The handcuffs are off and we aren’t restricted to space, or what we can serve,” said Chang over the phone. “Obviously running a business in Avanti you have to adjust your menu to the clientele, and Boulder on Pearl Street is very tourist driven.”
So, he continued, instead of fielding questions about whether or not Pig and Tiger makes fried rice and sesame chicken, or have tourists gleefully exclaim how much they love Thai food, the chefs can cater to the people making a point to sit down and eat at their restaurant.
“We are excited to bring our food from Boulder down to Denver,” added Masar. “Darren and I have always wanted to open a restaurant in Denver, since we first met, and it’s finally happening.”
The menu will feature even more Taiwanese dishes than the first iteration. Expect Taiwanese Fried Chicken featuring a half chicken with Thai basil, house spice, and hot honey. To celebrate Olathe corn season, try the Taiwanese Street Corn with shacha and sweet soy sauces. For that particular dish, Masar brings to the table his first taste of the street food staple, which he enjoyed at a bustling Taipei night market. The LA Beef Roll is a nod to Chang’s childhood in Los Angeles and the vibrant street taco culture there, mixed with his Taiwanese roots.
From the original menu you’ll see a version of the Cold Sesame Noodle, a dish that blends the two chefs’ experiences. It was a constant in Chang’s home growing up, and Masar has spent over a decade crafting the noodle plate. The Saucy Pork Noodles with pork ragu, cucumbers, pickles, and cilantro is another throwback, and one of Chang’s grandmother’s most coveted recipes. The chefs confirmed the vegan Mapo Tofu will also be on the menu, though a bit different from the original location’s execution.
For dessert, get a taste of Chang’s childhood in an elevated way. We’re talking shaved ice with almond panna cotta and pineapple three ways, the upscale take of shaved ice with jello and pineapple he had growing up, and still orders today.
Inside the Five Points restaurant the vibe is meant to be dark and sexy with the feeling of a secret rendezvous spot. It was designed by Eli Hariton, founder of Damn Good Interiors. It has a full, wrap-around bar, a large eight-person table, and seats 55 total.
“I really wanted to bring back that time when restaurants were dark and sexy and you could have a conversation next to each other and not yell at the top of your lungs,” said Masar. “A lot of modern Asian restaurants brought in the bright, minimalist Scandinavian design and feel, kind of like an Apple store.”
On the drink side, the team consulted with barman Andreas Pejovic, who worked with Masar at OAK at Fourteenth. The cocktail program features classic drinks with Taiwanese twists and a nod to the chefs’ personalities. It’s also centered around a zero-waste ethos, and Pejovic has found a way to make syrups, flavored waters, and sugars to use at the bar with ingredient scraps.
For example, a spritz made with Chang’s mom’s favorite flavor, salted plum, which gives the cocktail a sweet, salty, and sour taste. Also on the fizzy side, The Fig and Tiger Spritz, which will also be available in zero-proof form. The team’s version of an Espresso Martini features Mr. Brown Coffee, a brand of canned coffee from Taiwan that comes in vanilla, black, and macadamia nut, a personal favorite of Masar. On the whimsical side, large format cocktails will be served in tea pots with tea cups. There’s also a great wine program featuring varietals meant to go well with Asian food.
As for the chefs, the name of the restaurant comes from their zodiac signs, with Chang born the year of the pig and Masar the year of the tiger. They first met in Los Angeles while working for chef Shirley Chung at Ms. Chi. Masar met Chung during the chefs’ stint on Bravo’s Top Chef, season 11. Before the show, Masar, a Colorado native, led the kitchen at Tommy Lee’s Uncle, and had been working on cooking and researching Asian foods for years.
Now, with Chang’s Taiwanese heritage and Masar’s love of the cuisine, plus both their skills in the kitchen, Pig and Tiger was born. Expect to taste the duo’s expertise soon. They plan to open in about four weeks, but like anything, it’s all reliant on Denver’s restaurant permit system. Of course you can still get a taste of their food at Avanti Boulder at Peko Peko, the Japanese and ramen concept they launched last year in the former Pig and Tiger stall.
