Chicken Fight! is coming this Thursday! In other news, the GABF has nearly sold out, restaurants are adding free music to their menus, and a popular burger place just released a chicken sandwich for the first time. We also gleefully announce the sentencing of a former Denver restaurant owner.
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The 411
Get Your GABF Tickets ASAP
Already the Great American Beer Festival’s (GABF) general session on Saturday, October 10 sold out. Luckily, there are still tickets for Sunday, October 11. But don’t wait, if you want to go, book right now. Need more pushing? The news is out and the official pour list is now live.
Keep in mind that this year the festival has moved to Denver’s Levitt Pavilion. And if you really want to attend Saturday’s session, you can still purchase a PAIRED ticket, which gets you chef-crafted small bites to pair with select craft beer and cider found nowhere else at the festival.
Jarod Leonard is Cooked
Sometimes the news is good and finally, swindler Jared Leonard, the man who used to run AJ’s Pit Bar-B-Q Barbecue and Campfire Evergreen, has been sentenced. Leonard came to Denver in 2018, fell in love with the state, and decided to stay. While it seemed like a good move, it wasn’t so hot for those who worked with him or trusted him. Turns out he not only messed with workers wages, but stole money from the IRS too.
The former restaurateur was arrested last year on charges of stealing $1.6 million in loans her received through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, which was created to help businesses weather the effects of 2020’s COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of paying his employees, he used it to buy a house.
Now, Leonard is sentenced to 30 months in prison and $2.8 million in restitution. This doesn’t help any of the Colorado people who got swindled by him, but at least he has to answer to some of his deeds.
Free Music Series
Every Wednesday at 6 p.m., head to The All Inn Hotel and its café and bar All is Well in Denver for a free outdoor music showcase. Each session brings a different artist, along with a full menu of cocktails, wine, and aperitivo bites available all night long. Reserve a spot for future events here, all tickets are free.
Free Vinyl DJ Sets
Make your weeks full of music! Peach Crease Club now has a weekly rotating DJ set on Thursday nights. Join the fun from 8 to 11 p.m. and also enjoy a culinary-driven cocktail, non-alcoholic tipple, and everything in between. Find out who is playing via news on the bar’s Instagram.
BOGO Birthday Drinks
All month long Local Jones wants to celebrate the birth of you and the hotel’s 10th anniversary. Head to Halcyon, a hotel in Cherry Creek any day in August and, if you happen to be 21-plus and born that month, you can get a BOGO cocktail.
Sincerely Sancerre & Sushi
In Cherry Creek, Broadway 10 toasts summer with the Sancerre & Sushi deal. For just $30, guests get a crisp glass of Château de Sancerre from France’s Loire valley (normally $24 a glass) plus a choice of any of the creative sushi rolls from the menu (rolls typically start at $16). The deal runs daily until 4 p.m.
On the Menu
New Weekly Prime Rib Night
Did you hear the news? Every Wednesday starting at 5 p.m., the Steuben’s in Uptown dishes up an individual prime rib feast. Get it portions of eight- or twelve-ounces. Each serving comes with a baked potato, broccoli and carrots, Yorkshire pudding, au jus, and a creamy horseradish sauce. Quantities are limited each night, so call to make a reservation in advance. Bonus, all Woody Creek gin or vodka martinis are only $10 all night long.
Meow For New Menu Items
Located in the Warwick Denver hotel, Gattara just released a new, refreshed menu full of Italian-American bites. Think Insalata Capricciosa, a mixed green salad laden with prosciutto, crudo, olives, roasted peppers, and fresh mozzarella. There’s now a creamy burrata on the menu, topped with cherry tomatoes, fresh mushrooms, basil, and a dash of balsamic.
On the pasta side, the Fusilli Pazzi has Italian sausage, bell peppers, asparagus, garlic and shallots in a marinara sauce. Try the Risotto del Bosco with mushrooms, guanciale, parmigiano, and plenty of butter and garlic. There are even more comforting creations to sample, and you can find out more on the restaurant’s website.
Chicken Burger
For the first time ever the fast-casual Park Burger has put a crispy chicken sandwich on the menu. Dubbed The Hot Honey Ranch Chicken, the dish debuts on Tuesday, August 18, and features fried chicken, pepper jack cheese, pickles, lettuce, and homemade hot honey ranch sauce on a toasted brioche bun.
Writer-Driven Sandwich
We all know about “chef-driven” dishes, but what happens when a writer teams up with a chef to create the ultimate sandwich? Taste it for yourself at Odie B’s in Sunnyside and RiNo, where 5280’s food editor Mark Antonation worked with chef Cliff Blauvelt to create the “Mark Sandonation.” On said masterpiece you’ll find pork and cabbage gyoza filling turned into a patty, panko-breaded and deep fried. It’s then topped with togarashi slaw, okonomi Kewpie mayonnaise, and the restaurant’s own pickles. It’s on the menu now, until August 26.
Tacos For All
Ash & Agave in Cherry Creek now offers The Full Riot, a fresh take on Taco Tuesday. The weekly deal features unlimited street tacos, bottomless chips and salsa, and endless Standard or Naked margaritas for $39 per person. Want to skip the drinks? Opt for the Taco Riot for $29 instead.
The Mexican restaurant also announced news of its Familia Night, a weekly three-course dinner for $29 per person where kids 12 and under eat free. Inspired by the tradition of gathering around the table for Sunday supper, the new offering is designed to make family dinner an easy and weekly tradition.
More From Broadway 10
Not only does the Cherry Creek restaurant have the aforementioned wine and sushi deal, but also just released a new lunch menu. Highlights on the appetizer side include: Steak Tip Hummus with feta, pomegranate molasses, and pita; Brussels Sprouts Salad with bacon, dates, corn, cotija, and a roasted jalapeño vinaigrette; and Grilled Watermelon Salad with lettuce, whipped poblano-feta, red onion, and crispy quinoa.
On the entree list, try the Champagne Chicken Salad with pineapple, dates, feta, pecans, strawberries, sunflower seeds, croutons, and champagne vinaigrette; or the Karashi Miso Salmon with wasabi aioli, shallots, crispy onion, tobiko, and micro greens.
Don’t Miss This Week
Need some dining out recommendations? Try these three hot spots, and make sure to check out the week’s events.
Wednesday: Writer Ruth Tobias dived into the world of masa in Denver, and it got me thinking about Molino Chido and how it’s been a hot minute since I visited. You can bet I’ll be there today to dive into a plate of street tacos.
Thursday: So today is Chicken Fight! and while I’ll certainly be enjoying all that fried chicken and wing deliciousness in the evening, I will need to fuel up before. Turns out The Great Divide Brewery & Roadhouse RiNo will be competing with its burger (yes we have burgers there too). Sounds like I need to investigate this news for lunch.
Friday: I finally have a reservation for Sheep, the id est pop-up at the Clayton Members Club in Cherry Creek. The menu comes thanks to The Wolf Tailor’s chef Taylor Stark and Kelly Whitaker, co-founder of the restaurant group. Think of it as a taste of the Michelin-starred restaurant’s menu, but even more exclusive. I’ll let you know my thoughts next week.
