Get ready for the month of May this week, and with it, news of everything spring. We’re talking new menus brimming with snap peas, rhubarb, and the first mushrooms of the season. A fresh chef coming into a Downtown Denver hot spot. And, openings popping up like tulips around town.
Read on for more top news stories and send us any tips via Instagram or by emailing info@diningout.com.
The 411
See the co-founder of Sushi By Scratch on Season 2 of Sushi Master starting this week. It’s the only one sushi competition on television right now, and we’re so happy to see Michelin-starred chef Phillip Frankland Lee alongside chef Masaharu Morimoto as a judge. The show is now playing on The Roku Channel. Get a taste of the chef’s mastery yourself at his 10-seat omakase spot in Denver’s Larimer Square.
Love sake? The Kumoya Sake Lottery is back, and you could win one of the Japanese restaurant’s best bottles, Born Chogin. To enter the contest, simply dine at Kumoya in the month of May. For every $100 you spend you will get an entry. Posting stories and reels and tagging the restaurant after your meal will also get you extra submissions.
On May 5, Apple Blossom will welcome a new executive chef, Amanda Singh. Located in the Hyatt Centric Downtown Denver, Singh brings a focus on local sourcing, featuring ingredients from Croft Family Farm, Esoterra Culinary Garden, Hazel Dale Mushrooms, and other Colorado producers.
Mile High Asian Food Week is going on now. There’s 80 restaurants, cafes, and bakeries participating this year, all across the metro area. Check out the full list online and read about some of the spots we plan to hit up too.
Openings and Closings in the News
From the farmers’ market to its own space, Moon Raccoon Baking Co. announced a new retail location opening up in Denver’s Sunnyside neighborhood this summer. The bakery is small at 1,200 square feet, so it will be mostly grab-and-go. Once open, the times will be Wednesday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Until then, customers can find Moon Raccoon at farmers’ markets including City Park, Boulder, Lafayette, and Parker, and through wholesale partners including Pinemelon, Leever’s Locavore, Pacific Mercantile, and Ruby’s Market.
Chef Troy Guard’s Tag Restaurant Group is opening its third and largest location of HashTAG on Tuesday, April 29. The new spot will be at 1125 17th St., in Downtown Denver. The brunch menu remains consistent with the other locations, though this spot boasts a rooftop patio.
Also opening on Tuesday is the Denver International Airport location of Tocabe: An American Indian Eatery. The outpost of Ben Jacobs’, co-founder and member of the Osage Nation, Native American food restaurant is located in Concourse A, near Gate A38. The menu features bison ribs, fry bread tacos, nachos, green chili stew, and salads, among other signature items.
Venalonzo’s Tacos in Centennial is getting ready to open its second location this month. The new spot is located at 18951 E. Mainstreet, Unit A., in Parker. The menu remains similar to the original spot with tacos, burritos, and a whole list of birria items, which includes classic, ramen, pizza, and eggrolls. The setting will be different, and the new restaurant features a 30-foot Aztec dragon and a touch of the owners’ first home in Mexico complete with pictures hanging on the walls.
The former home to Biker Jim’s is now Chili Shack Larimer, a Mexican diner owned by Abraham Olivas. This is the fourth location of Olivas’ concept, each featuring inexpensive items such as burritos and hamburgers starting at $3.99, tacos starting at $2.99 each, and full plates of Tex-Mex classics.
On the Menu
Number Thirty Eight’s kitchen recently debuted an updated menu complete with a line up of iconic sandwiches. Think Massachusetts Onion Burger, Louisiana Fried Cod Po Boy, New York Chicken Parm, and a local twist in the form of Colorado Elk Sloppy Joe Sliders.
Other additions include pizza, wings, and the Rabbit Food salad bowl with spring greens, artichokes, bread crumbs, and lemon vinaigrette. On the less healthy side, the Bison Mac n’ Cheese showcases a full bison rib atop the pasta. At lunch time the menu is much smaller, but includes four special sandwiches in the categories of The Dagwoods and The Hoagies. Lunch is also when you can get chef Adam Branz’s Slug Burger, which he started making during the pandemic as a pop-up in front of Ultreia.
The new spring menu is out at Molotov Kitschen + Cocktails. The line up includes Asparagus Pelmeni with moral mushrooms, Spring Lamb Shashlik, Grilled Trout with snap peas and hakurei turnips, Quail Satsivi with pickled rhubarb, and more.
Uncle Ramen in Wash Park has added its popular tsukemen dipping ramen to the menu for the season. The yearly dish includes the restaurant’s luscious broth with pork belly, chili powder, scallions, and a jidori ajitama egg, along with thick and chewy noodles.
Events
Semiprecious Drinks at Traveling Mercies Bar
Hit up the Stanley Marketplace and Traveling Mercies Bar on Tuesday, April 29 for a preview of Semiprecious Drinks, which is opening later this spring. The upcoming spot comes from the award-winning team behind Thundernolt in Los Angeles. Expect unique drinks, mini martinis, and a whole lot of fun.
Gut Health Lecture at Just Be Kitchen Boulder
On Wednesday, April 30, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. the team behind Just Be Kitchen (JBK) in Boulder is hosting a live, two-hour event all about gut health. The conversation includes Dr. Christine Maren, holistic health coach Suzanne Greiner, and Jennifer Peters, founder of JBK, a gluten, grain, dairy, and refined sugar-free restaurant. Tickets are just $12.50, and light appetizers are included. The event also includes samples of the nutrient-dense and gluten-free Hävenly bread and a sneak peek at new menu items on said gut-friendly bread. Go here to get your ticket.
Winemaker Takeover at Barolo Grill
Reserve a table at Barolo Grill for Friday, May 2 and enjoy a wine takeover by Luca de Ferrari from Poderi Boscarelli in Italy. The third-generation winery owner will be visiting tables to chat about his wine brand, which focuses on terroir-driven expressions of the Montepulciano region and regale with guests. To participate, guests only have to make a reservation and dine in at Barolo Grill from 5 to 9 p.m.
