Jim and I had just finished our first experience with Kansas City BBQ at Arthur Bryant’s and when the first time seems like a charm, it’s hard to believe that anything else could be better. But onward ho…

We pulled up to Gates Bar-B-Q and already my hole in the wall radar went up. It was located in an old, kind of run down, strip mall type of area. This can often be a bit of a turn off for those eaters who judge a book by it’s cover, who take one look at the place and head to the nearest Chilies where they know the food is “safe.” Fear not ye Baby Back Rib lovers, run down strip malls are often the sign of a great hole in the wall and thus, great food!

So, into Gates we went, stomachs full but taste buds ready. Like Arthur Bryant’s, Gates had quite the line of customers waiting. We soon found out that most everyone in line knew what they wanted already and it moved pretty quickly. As we waited I took a minute to look around. Unlike Arthur Bryant’s, Gates was full of families dressed in their Sunday best. Friends were meeting friends, families were dining together after church, and the world all of a sudden became much smaller. Gates was not a tourist stop and was full of regulars who all knew the cashier ringing up their orders. Jackpot! This was another sign of a great restaurant.

At Gates you shuffle through line with a tray, almost cafeteria style, ordering side dishes and telling the person behind the bar what kind of main dish you would like. The Short End Pork Ribs were on our to-do list, along with a side of beans recommended to us by our buddy back at Arthur Bryant’s. Mounds of food were slung, yes once again it was literally slung, onto our plate…Kansas City sure doesn’t skimp on the meat! We grabbed some of Gates famous sauce and headed to a table in the dining area with our tray.

I forgot to mention that as we were paying for our order, our new friend had hopped in line a few customers behind us and was passionately making sure we had ordered the right thing. Sure enough we got it! Whew, no BBQ massacre today!

We sat at a nice booth to enjoy our BBQ, made sure the pork ribs were all sauced up, rolled up our sleeves once again, and dug into BBQ meal number two. The short end pork ribs were incredibly tender, falling off the bone as we ate them. They came served on soft white bread. The sauce was nice and thick, and pretty sweet. When comparing it to Arthur Bryant’s the sauce at Gates is thicker, sweeter, and smoother. It had less of a chili powder taste, and I am pretty sure I could eat the sauce by itself by the spoonful.

Oh true BBQ joints, how could I ever choose between you? I now see why our local friend makes two stops each time he goes out for BBQ. One is just not enough. Even though they do BBQ differently, when it comes to making the best, both Arthur Bryant’s and Gates know exactly what they are doing!

Travel Tips and Info:

• If you are planning on trying both BBQ places in one day, share meals. The portions are huge.
• Check out the website for Gates Bar-B-Q!

Asking a local for BBQ advice was the best move we made all day. He walked us through the menu at Arthur Bryant’s, telling us what we should order and how to disguise our novice ways. Not only did we get food advice from an expert, we seemed to have also made a new best friend. We chatted in line about barbeque and soon we were exchanging cell phone numbers and planning on meeting over at Gates once we finished our first course of BBQ. The local was adamant about knowing our verdict on the two Kansas City legends.

After taking to heart all of the local advice from customers in line, Jim and I decided to abandon the traditional idea of ordering ribs and to try the pulled pork open face sandwich. The sandwich comes with two large pieces of white bread, completely covered by tender pork that has been slow cooked in Arthur Bryant’s traditional way. A mountain of fries was slung, literally, on the side and we were quickly shuffled through the line. Before sitting down we grabbed some of Arthur Bryant’s famous original BBQ sauce and plenty of napkins! Things were about to get messy!

Here’s the beef : (Or should I say, the pork?)
The white bread had soaked up the sauce, making it impossible to pick up…I love that! The messier, the better. We used our forks and dug in. The pork was incredibly tender and we could easily tell it had been slow cooked to perfection. Knowing that much pride is taken in how the meat is cooked, I can see why Arthur Bryant’s is so proud of their BBQ. I barely had to chew! The original sauce was unlike most BBQ sauce we have had. It was much thinner and grittier, but rich and spicy with a chili power taste. It went perfectly with the sandwich and was even amazing with the fries.

Our final verdict:
BBQ Bliss! We ate our whole sandwich in perfect fairy-tale happiness, losing sight for a second that we had another full meal to go. I highly doubted that this BBQ meal could be topped, but there was only one way to find out!

Travel Tips and Info:
Don’t go in unprepared. Check out the Arthur Bryant’s menu.
When in doubt, ask the locals!

Our barbecue story ended up much different than I thought it would. Our author planned a little unknown suspense and threw in a few twists that would later prove to create a better barbecue story than I could have ever imagined myself. It all began on a chilly spring day at the end of a quick, weekend trip to Kansas City…

Kansas City is known for its barbecue, so naturally my excitement immediately went through the roof of the car as we pulled up to a two-story, red brick building with a red and white metal awning over the front door and windows. We were arriving at Arthur Bryant’s, an old and famous barbecue joint that has been visited by Americans, both famous and not, for decades. Arthur Bryant’s is located in a Kansas City neighborhood at 18th and Brooklyn, just down the street from the African American Baseball Hall of Fame. Immediately, I had felt like we were stepping out of time and getting ready to listen to Billie Holliday in the 1930’s. And within the historic walls of Arthur Bryant’s we found quite the hustle and bustle of locals shouting out their barbecue orders, carrying their heaping plates of food with pride and anticipation, and walking out with top pant buttons undone and a huge smile on their face. We had come to the right place for sure.

Ordering true barbecue for the first time can be quite the daunting task. For starters, I had heard that it is imperative that you know what you are doing and that you order your food with confidence. Also, the menus can be quite extensive. If you don’t know what you are doing, reading a barbecue menu can feel much like reading something in another language. Talk about the pressure of being a first-timer!

Being the incredible thinker that he is, Jim turned to a local for some barbecue advice. And here is where the author of our barbecue story throws in a little twist. The man behind us in line advised us to leave Arthur Bryant’s altogether and head to Gates Bar B.Q. just a few blocks away if we really wanted good barbecue. You might now be wondering, as I was then, why this man would be in line for barbecue at Arthur Bryant’s if he knew he could get better barbecue at a place that is just a stone’s throw away.

Feeling as if the best barbecue was now at stake, we needed to get the skinny. The man explained to us that he enjoys the sandwiches, large portion sizes, and generally the meat at Arthur Bryant’s the best. However, his favorite sauce is created at Gates, another famous Kansas City barbecue joint down the street. As the man was telling us this story, he was practically whispering. I slowly started to notice other customers “non-chalantly” listening in and giving us strange looks. I was pretty confused until I said the name “Gates” in what was apparently too high of a volume. The entire line of customers turned to me, put their fingers to their lips, and I kid you not…shushed me! I felt as if I had mentioned “He Who Must Not Be Named” in the halls of Hogwarts. One lady even flat out told me not to ever mention Gates Barbecue while at Arthur Bryant’s. It was then and there that I realized we were dealing with something much bigger than just meat and sauce. We were experiencing the true rivalry that goes on between American barbecue joints.

Jim and I decided that if we wanted to really know true barbecue and experience this American rivalry, we would need to try both places. This was our last day in Kansas City, so leave your belts at home and wear your stretchy pants because we were about to eat two full barbecue meals, from two famous barbecue joints, back to back!

Ironically, my journey into the world of barbecue all began with Mexican food. It was one of those days when I had quite the hankering for Green Chile. I came home from work and turned on the Travel Channel, which is frequently my background cooking “music.” The Chowdown Countdown was just starting and was highlighting true American barbecue. To find the best of the best they traveled to locations that are known for being some of the giants of barbecue; the Carolinas, Nashville, Texas, and Kansas City.

Now, being from Colorado, my idea of barbecue has always been grilling hamburgers and hot dogs in the backyard and dipping my chicken nuggets in little packets of BBQ sauce at Wendy’s. I had heard people talk about Southern barbecue, but I guess it never really registered that it was something different than grilling steak.

When the Countdown began explaining true barbecue I was quite surprised to find that it said nothing about backyard parties, gas grills, and dunking chicken fingers in sauce. In fact, I learned that true barbecue is not about the sauce, but about the way the meat is prepared; smoked, slow cooked, at lower temperatures and generally over wood or charcoal. Apparently, true barbecue is an art form and quite legendary in different parts of our country. Americans take pride in their barbecue and, come to find, they take it very seriously. Cooking methods are secret, sauce recipes are locked in safes, and each place has their set of beliefs in what is the “right” way to barbecue.

Little did I know that making green chile that night was just the beginning of my experience with this American classic, and that baseball and business would soon bring Jim and I to Kansas City.

When it comes to coffee shops I have something I need to confess.  I love Starbucks!  Many might even classify Jim and I as Starbucks snobs, but rest assured, snobs we are not.  We both have genuine reasons for really loving this Fortune 500 Company both from an employee perspective as well as frequent customers.  However, when it comes to wanting a coffee shop that makes you feel like you have traveled somewhere new and are experiencing a unique culture for the first time, you will want to find somewhere just like Stella’s Coffeehaus in Denver.

Stella’s is located in one of Denver’s most coveted yet quaint neighborhoods on South Pearl Street in Platt Park, just a stone’s throw away from the University of Denver.  Jim and I first tried Stella’s one summer evening after dinner when the weather was perfect for sitting outside on their front porch, where we could watch the eclectic group of coffee and tea drinkers come in and out of the shop.

Stella’s is in an old house on South Pearl Street.  You enter through a gate in the front yard, your espresso drinking family is relaxing on the porch, and the front door is always unlocked and ready for guests.  It is full of different rooms and each have their own character.  Some have books, some have exposed brick walls, some are filled with original, local artwork, and others have a lot of seating for groups that want to meet somewhere cozy.  No matter where you sit, it is guaranteed that you will feel a sense of warmth and nostalgia.

Heading up to the counter we were immediately surprised by the simple menu Stella’s has to offer.  This may sound like a drawback but keeping a menu simple makes it easy for customers to decide what they would like to have and it also sends the message that quality is better than quantity.  Agreed!  A lot of guests at Stella’s that night were ordering chai or other tea drinks, but Jim and I decided to stick with our usual: a simple cup of coffee.

We sat out on the front porch and enjoyed our drinks among the eclectic group of people gathered there: University students, artists, hippies, friends, couples, and young parents.  On this particular night we even spotted a true Denver cowboy strolling in for a cup of coffee.  Stella’s is the perfect fit for anyone!

If you are in the business of drinking coffee or tea, or if you just like finding one of those great spots to cozy up and hang out, Stella’s is just the place!

More Info About Stella’s:

• Stella’s coffee is made from locally roasted coffee beans.
• They offer a wide range of pastries that are natural, organic, and Gluten free.
• Feel free to sit outside in the winter with a cup of coffee, they have fire pits on the porch!
• Stella’s has great late night hours and free WiFi.

Visit Stella’s website!

I am not sure how I ran into the book the Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins or what about it made me decide to read it. I am generally not a science fiction reader, and I don’t often dabble in plots that take place in a post-apocalyptic world. So I was surprised to find that I was not just sort-of interested in this one, but highly interested in it. Having read the short description of the book online I was impressed at the twist Suzanne Collins was offering to the common and very well explored “future world” theme. The elementary school teacher in me began picturing this being the perfect alternative ending to The City of Ember. I am excited to say, that the Hunger Games was riveting and surprising at each and every turn and I am still left feeling a bit haunted.

The Hunger Games tells the story of a young girl named Katniss who we meet in a very bleak, future world where the capital (government) longs to control it’s districts and people through force and fear. One way they express their power and control is on Reaping Day where two teens, one boy and one girl, between the ages of twelve and eighteen are chosen from each district to fight to their death at the Hunger Games. Being a twist between Roman gladiators, Hatchet, and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, each teen must survive in the games arena, hoping for the deaths of the other players, and being the last one standing in the end. The whole event is televised and the districts watch in anticipation and excitement, cheering on their own.

Collins goes to great lengths to develop her characters and her plot, which is something that can be difficult to find in a young adult fiction book. I am particularly impressed with Katniss, the book’s heroine. She is brave, and yet vulnerable. She has fierce skills in tracking, using a hunting bow, and facing the danger of the woods with experience. All of these aid her greatly in the games making her role much less barbaric than those of the other teens. On some small level Katniss reminds me of a youthful version of Evangeline Lilly’s character, Kate, on the TV series Lost.

This book is written for young adults, but is captivating to adults as well. Collins has that “magician” like capability of making you turn pages to continue reading even though an hour ago you started saying, “this is definitely the last chapter I am going to read today.” I highly, highly recommend the Hunger Games and if you find yourself needing more of it after reading the first book, check out the sequel Catching Fire and the soon to be released third book, Mocking Jay.  I can’t wait!

For the longest time 5280 Magazine would catch my attention in the check out stand at the grocery store.  I would flip through it, realize I must have this list of top places to eat, and pay the $4.99 that it cost per issue.  Finally Jim decided the checkout stand madness must end and when 5280 had a promotion he purchased a year subscription for me.  Now this little gem is delivered straight to our mailbox and each month I do a little happy dance when it comes.  Jim and I love 5280 Magazine because it serves as our guide map to food in Denver.  5280 Magazine has become that “friend” who you always ask for a restaurant recommendation because you know you can trust their taste buds.

This past month 5280 Magazine wrote an article highlighting the twenty-five best restaurants in Denver.  Here is what 5280 says about their search for Denver’s best:

“For the past 12 months, we’ve tasted, dipped, spooned, and sipped our way through Denver and Boulder’s finest restaurants.  We’ve had some truly unforgettable meals, and yes, we’ve had a few disappointments along the way.  But when we sat down to put together this ranking, what became abundantly clear was the depth and breadth of our local restaurant scene—in which you’ll find not only elegance and execution, but also creativity and whimsy.  Put very simply, there’s never been a better time to be dining in Denver.  Cheers.”

The mini-article on each restaurant gives you the perfect amount of information to decide if this particular eatery is for you.  You will find a short description of the food they are known for, a little about the atmosphere, and where it is located.  This is one of those lists that I will most definitely tuck away for a date night when we are in the mood to try something new.

Check out this article…5280 Magazine has made it available online.
Enjoy spending time on the 5280 Magazine website.  You will find Denver at its best!

Our last stop during Denver’s Restaurant Week was a steakhouse where carnivores unite, loosen their belts a few notches, and brace themselves for a meal full of both pleasure and pain.  Last weekend Jim and I joined some of our friends at a Denver Churrascaria called Texas de Brazil.  Before heading to this Brazilian Steakhouse we were warned about the incredible amount of food that we would be served and that it would be wise to fast over lunch.  Texas de Brazil is a meat Mecca where food is served all-you-can-eat, so we made sure we arrived with a big appetite and loose clothing.

Jim and I are Churrascaria virgins, so after being seated our waitress explained the way a Brazilian Steakhouse works. Churrasco is a Portugese word meaning beef or grilled meat.  At a Churrasscaria they pride themselves on a serving style called Espeto Corrido or Rodizio where waiters stop by your table with skewers of meat and large knives.  Don’t be scared…the waiters use these knives to slice meat from the skewer, right onto your plate.  In some cases, you use small tongs to grab the meat hanging from the skewer.

At Texas de Brazil they serve various types of meat: A house special sirloin, flank steak, bacon wrapped filet, lamb, ribs, roast pork, chicken wrapped in bacon, and Brazilian sausage.  The waiters serving the meat are very attentive and all you have to do is turn your table card from red to green and they will stop by endlessly until you turn your card back to red.    I know this is a Brazilian style of eating, but here we find America at its best.  With barely lifting a finger we just flip a simple little card, our meat is sliced directly onto our plates, and we can eat our hearts out until we are tired.  If you start feeling in need of a meat rest, flip the card to red.  It is a classic eat, flip, rest, and repeat.

Before diving right into the meat I took a trip to the salad bar to try the lobster bisque that our waitress highly recommended.  I can say with all certainty that this was the best salad bar I have ever encountered.  It had a few of your traditional salad bar items such as leafy greens and veggies but it also had items such as smoked salmon, grilled provolone cheese, buffalo mozzarella bites, and grapes and blue cheese.  I could have easily dined on the salad bar alone but I made sure to leave some room knowing the meat would be flowing the second I sat down.

When I returned to the table the waitress had brought mashed potatoes and plantains to go along with the meat we would be eating.  I settled in my seat, put my napkin on my lap, flipped my card to green, and took the classic fork-and-knife-in-hand position as I braced myself for the meat medley.  All of the meat was cooked perfectly and eat different type has a unique and delicious flavor.  Jim and I both washed down all of this incredible food with a glass of Caipirinha, the national cocktail of Brazil.  I can honestly say that all self-control went out the window that night.

If you are looking for a restaurant with a colorful atmosphere, incredible food from beginning to end, and something unique, most definitely try Texas de Brazil.  Go hungry!

Tips and Info:

• Visit the Texas de Brazil webite.
• Texas de Brazil is pricey.  Outside of $52.80 week in Denver, this Churrascaria costs $45.00 per person, not including tax, tip, and drinks.  It is, however, all-you-can eat and most definitely worth trying at least once.  If you fill in your information on their comment card they will send you future deals and a free meal on your birthday.
• Denver has two other good Churrascarias: Fogo de Chao and Rodizio Grill

I think I can truly say that the restaurant Bang! in the Highlands has been the most surprising dining experience I have had in Denver. For starters, the name threw me off completely. Hearing a word like Bang! most likely would make anyone think of vibrant, spicy food. In reality Bang! is know for it’s Southern style comfort food such as hush puppies, country fried chicken, and meatloaf.

After discovering that Bang! is famous for its meatloaf I was sure it was not the place for me. I grew up eating meatloaf that was made exactly like my mom’s famous Italian meatballs, which is a coveted secret recipe by anyone who has tasted her cooking. Knowing that this was one of Bang’s specialties, we decided to order the meatloaf that comes with a side of mashed potatoes and Bang’s own ketchup. With my nose still turned up a bit when our food came I sliced off a piece of the meatloaf, made sure I had a good amount of ketchup on it, and sampled the feared dish. Well, as they might say it in the South, “that is some fahn meatloaf.” I will also admit to being a bit of a ketchup snob knowing that nothing really beats Heinz, but Bang’s ketchup was a great addition.

I was also surprised to find that Bang! is located in an old house where you don’t enter through the front door, but you squeeze through a narrow passageway to the back. You then enter through the patio in the backyard. It is a small house, filled with local artwork for sale on the walls and tables and chairs situated in little nooks and crannies. With painted walls and interesting artwork, I do have to say that Bang! fits the eclectic, artsy-fartsy atmosphere of the Highlands.

I highly recommend taking a trip to this restaurant. It is quite the surprise, which I guess is the true meaning of the word Bang!

Tips and Info:

• Bang! has been featured in Denver’s 5280 Magazine.
• If you are heading to Bang! be sure to take the time to enjoy the uniqueness of the Highlands. It is a charming area filled with boutiques, privately owned coffee shops, used bookstores, and some of Denver’s trendiest places to eat. Check out the Highlands website to find out about the street fair.

Take a look at the simple Bang! website to preview their menu.

Tucked away in Denver’s most swank-ified area is a get down and get greasy, hole-in-the-wall burger joint and bar known as the Cherry Cricket. The Cherry Cricket is located in Cherry Creek, an area known by Coloradoans and even people outside of the state to be upscale and pricey. It is a land where Neiman Marcus reins supreme and people valet park their Ferraris at the mall.

However, don’t let this land of wealth stop you from taking a trip into its heart to have a burger at the Cherry Cricket. The first time I heard about the Cherry Cricket was last July, from one of my favorite shows on the Travel Channel called Man Versus Food. I do have to say that there is nothing like walking into a restaurant that I first learned about on the Travel Channel.

We headed to the Cherry Cricket for a late lunch anticipating that the crowd would die down and our wait would be minimal. Lo and behold, upon arriving at 1:30, there was quite the group of hungry people waiting outside in the cold and snow. Knowing it would be worth the thirty minutes we were going to have to wait, we zipped up our coats, pulled on some mittens, and checked out the menu they had posted outside.

Surprisingly we did not even wait thirty minutes before we were welcomed into the relaxed atmosphere of the restaurant. Several people were crowded around the bar watching sports and others were playing pinball, pool and darts in the back. Each table was filled and I felt like we had just stepped off Rodeo Drive and into a classic, small town bar.

Because we had already spent ample time pouring over the menu outside, we knew right away what to order. At the Cherry Cricket you choose your burger size and it comes with the basic toppings. The menu includes a good-sized list of unique toppings you can add to customize your burger. Each of those toppings range from $0.75 to $1.00. Although I am sure I could eat a larger burger, I knew I should probably stick to the quarter-pound Little Cricket. Jim ordered the half-pound Cricket Burger. Because we were there with another couple (Jim’s brother and his wife who also happened to hear about this place on Man Vs. Food) we decided to order a basket of fries to share between the four of us. We topped it all off with a Diet Coke.

When our food came I was very glad that I had decided upon the quarter-pounder. It was pretty big. After much anticipation and waiting, I grabbed my burger with two hands and dug in. It definitely had that great, old-fashioned taste and was quite the little grease factory. (Just as a true burger should be). I hear that singers often eat greasy food before they perform and I am thinking I was ready to sing the National Anthem at the Super Bowl after this one.

So, the Cherry Cricket now resides on the Hayes’ list of favorite places to eat in Denver.

Visit the website for the Cherry Cricket and don’t miss out on checking out the menu and reading about the restaurant’s history.