"Pero Comen Como Locos"

Catch Up!

noreply@blogger.com (Sebastian Azcuy-Bronville) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 02:48:00 +0000

Here are a few mementos from the places we've been eating lately:

One of our favorite haunts for happy hour has always been Panzano's in the Hotel Monaco. We recently made our own post happy hour-happy hour in the dinning room. Our late-night meal was centered on their fabulous Fattoria Piatto (Prosciutto d’ Parma, bresaola, duck mousse, Pecorino Gran Cru, Grana Padano, local goat cheese, sliced pear, marinated olives, cranberry orange compote, roasted garlic and grilled crostini). A couple of salads and some wine completed the beautiful repast.

A new place on our rotation lately has been the Izakaya Den on Pearl. Sitting at the sushi bar and trying to figure out what everything is can be a fun way to pass the time. Unfortunately it also makes you want to try one of everything on the menu. Granted this isn't your traditional izakaya; but the creativity of the menu, quality ingredients, and friendly staff transcend the need for a neat classification. We've enjoyed a bowl of miso soup, and then splitting the hearty chirashi bowl.

The gorgeous (and huge) dinning room at Le Grand Bistro & Oyster Bar by the Performing Arts Complex promises an amazing meal. We felt so content and warm in this beautiful place. The food, however, was hit-and-miss. The oysters were bity and flavorless, the marrow was sad. As kitschy as it may sound, my favorite dish was the Lyonnaise Style Wing...really, try them! We have to go back and try again, because we SO want to love this place.

Korean food has been constantly on our radar, but we've been reluctant to jump in an try it. Our first taste was actually at the solid little cafe in H-Mart on Parker Road. They have some very satisfying New Year's soup (manduguk?). Anyways, a tipster told us we had to try Silla (Yelp Reviews) on Peoria and Cornell. We tried to casually look over at our neighbors' tables to see what to expect; it didn't help. The menu doesn't give much info about portions or how to order. Not much help from the staff either. Dang we need some Korean friends!

We decided to try the pan fried dumplings. Beautiful, delicious...too many! You can choose a type of meat and either have them cook it for you, or you can grill the raw, marinated meat at the table. We chickened out and had them cook-up the bulgogi for us. One order was plenty for the two of us. Remember, it comes with a least a dozen small plates of Korean "small plates". Each one was an adventure, some were familiar, some were new and delicious, some were strange and interesting. Regardless, this is a cuisine that demands our attention; we will be back.

Я приехал!...

noreply@blogger.com (Sebastian Azcuy-Bronville) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 16:45:00 +0000

...I'm back!

Desktop Gourmet: Udon 7/25

noreply@blogger.com (Sebastian Azcuy-Bronville) — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 18:59:00 +0000

Today's lunch: Udon with grilled chicken and cukes.

Machete: Por Fin!

noreply@blogger.com (Sebastian Azcuy-Bronville) — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 15:44:00 +0000

Me gustó

I'll get back to you all when I visit again and get some pictures and a better feel for the place.

Machete
2817 E. 3rd Ave.
Denver, CO 80206

Japanese Snacks: Don't Drink It

noreply@blogger.com (Sebastian Azcuy-Bronville) — Fri, 27 May 2011 21:04:00 +0000

I have to try these!

La Abeja: The Bee's Knees of Capitol Hill

noreply@blogger.com (Sebastian Azcuy-Bronville) — Mon, 16 May 2011 15:24:00 +0000

Why does everyone forget about the humble and hard-working bee? La Abeja is a combination tiendita/taqueria/panaderia three blocks from my house that always provides just what we're needing. Need some bolillos and don't want to head to East Colfax? Want some chile seco and can't get yourself to Rancho Liborio? They got you covered.

One thing I don't see many folks of the "lighter skin tones" taking advantage of is the wonderful taqueria that they got going here. Perhaps folks are waiting for Westword's imprimatur before wandering in; I don't know, but if you are, too bad. I'm probably shooting myself in the foot,(and all the other paisanos that know about this place) but let me tell you that this is a great spot to get your weekend breakfast. Beautifuly rich menudo, tasty chorizo con huevo, and of course tacos of all varieties.

Here are a couple of tacos de carnitas I had the other day. Rich, flaky and well seasoned. So come in from the buzz of Colfax, step up to the counter and order yourself something from the big board. Grab a Coca from the cooler and pay. Then find a seat in the comedor, watch the world go by and be reminded why La Abeja deserves your praise.

La Abeja
508 E. Colfax Ave.
Denver, CO 80203

303.832.1911

Ramen: Appreciate the Gestalt

noreply@blogger.com (Sebastian Azcuy-Bronville) — Fri, 13 May 2011 18:46:00 +0000

Love ramen and love this clip on the "proper" way of respecting the dish.

(Via: MostExerent)

Tacos y Salsas Downtown

noreply@blogger.com (Sebastian Azcuy-Bronville) — Tue, 10 May 2011 21:45:00 +0000

Here it is kids, your first tacos picture from the new Tacos y Salsas downtown. Like the other locations, you'll find that the tacos are loaded with meat. You can choose from the standards: asada, al pastor, barbacoa, buche, and carnitas (nope, no lengua).

Let me introduce you to (L to R) carnitas- moist and flavorful; asada - dry and crisp; buche - tender with some crackle.

I'm looking forward to trying their gorditas, the ones I get on Colfax are awesome. I wish they had tortas, no one else seems to have them downtown. My one legitimate gripe, salsas...where are they? They had a sad salsa bar with two salsas rojas and one verde. None of the rich variety that we've come to expect from Tacos y Salsas. Will we get some in the future? Who knows, but I'll be back to find out.

Tacos y Salsas
1531 Stout St.
Denver, CO 80202

Hours: 10am to 10pm (Friday and Saturday until 3am)

Egg McTaipei or Breakfast at Tao Tao Noodle Bar

noreply@blogger.com (Sebastian Azcuy-Bronville) — Mon, 09 May 2011 19:53:00 +0000

Minimalism on a macro scale,
Fried egg; edges crisp, center just soft,
Sesame and green onion bun.
Protection...and a pot of tea.

Tao Tao Noodle Bar

10400 E. 6th Ave.
Aurora, CO 80010

303.366.1761

El Olvido Denver: Take Two

noreply@blogger.com (Sebastian Azcuy-Bronville) — Thu, 05 May 2011 21:46:00 +0000

Nope, I couldn't stay away for very long. After our first promising visit to El Olvido (review here), we knew we had to go back and see how the food had progressed. Specifically we were looking for a richer broth and more tender beef. Pues, vamos a ver!

We decided to start of this meal with the quesadilla appetizer. You get to choose four quesadillas, including: poblano, mushrooms, bacon, or chorizo. We opted for two poblano and two chorizo. If you, think quesadillas were an uninspired choice, you would be mistaken. Seriously. The chorizo was good, but the poblano quesadillas were the stars here. If you've had the pleasure of rajas con crema before, you'll know what I'm talking about. Fire roasted poblano peppers, peeled, cut into strips, sauteed with onions and cooked in heavy cream with some sugar. Oh my! Now put that into a quesadilla...heaven! I don't know if El Olvido goes through all that effort, but they got it down.

Next, and surprisingly quickly, came the main event. Carne en su jugo. If you still don't know what this is here's a primer. I managed to restrain myself long enough to snap a picture or two this time. What do we have here? A large plate of beef in broth with a pile of beans in the middle, yes. And what a plate of goodness it was...different and better than our first time. More subtle on the bacon, deeper broth, and richer, more tender beef. Getting closer; definitely progress. When Jorge came out to ask how it was, our enthusiastic "better!" surprised him. But, I think he was happy to hear that his efforts are appreciated in the kitchen.

We are so happy to have this wonderful restaurant in town. The service is friendly and professional. The Jorges (plural) are gracious hosts trying to make their customers happy. Concern? Yeah, where's all the people? We've been there two Friday nights that have been quiet. Too quiet. So, get out there and support the wonderful new addition to Denver's diverse, regional Mexican food scene.

( First Visit Review Here )

El Olvido
2200 S Broadway
Denver, CO 80210

720.570.2040
http://www.elolvidodenver.com/

News Flash: Tacos y Salsas

noreply@blogger.com (Sebastian Azcuy-Bronville) — Thu, 05 May 2011 21:10:00 +0000

Don't often just repost, but this is important: Tacos y Salsas opens downtown!

( 5/10/11 Update: My Review Here )

El Olvido Denver: Spurring Memories

noreply@blogger.com (Sebastian Azcuy-Bronville) — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 15:08:00 +0000

You can't imagine the emotions that we experienced when we found out that carne en su jugo was going to appear on a menu in Denver. Back in March Westword wrote that Jorge Pingarron was opening a restaurant called El Olvido on South Broadway that would feature that legendary dish; they couldn't open fast enough for us.

What's it all about? If you've been to Guadalajara, you can't miss Karne Garibaldi, a legendary eatery that's grown into a thriving business. They built their reputation on one dish and only one dish: Carne en su jugo, literaly meat in its juice or broth. According to their story, in the late 70's they "cooked-up" this recipe of thin sliced beef cooked in a richly seasoned broth and brought it to Guadalajara.

My trips to GDL have never been complete until I stepped into Karne Garibaldi for a plate of the red stuff. Here's what the spread looked like the last time I was there:

First thing to know: This place has a Guinness World Record for fastest service. As soon as your butt hits the chair, you are served a plate with refried beans, tortillas, grilled onions and chips and red salsa. You are asked one question: "large or small" and officially within 13 seconds you have a plate of carne en su jugo in front of you along with limes, radishes, cilantro, and chopped onion. A mug of horchata rounds out the deal.

Flavor? Incredible! A very rich and thick broth, just a touch of spice, lots of bacony goodness. Yes it's a bit salty with some cumin, garlic, and lime flavors. The meat is extremely tender and thinly sliced. There are bits of bacon and beans in the broth as well. You add a shot of lime, some cilantro and onion then go at it! Spoon or tortilla? The tortilla has to be the way to go, it is SO messy (the tortillas are warmed on a griddle with some oil) but it all sops-up that broth that you came all this way for. This place is known for their mixed quesadillas, these are good accompaniments; but completely unnecessary in my book.

So, El Olvido. What can we say? I was so excited I didn't take any pictures! Argh! There was no question as to what we were ordering, I was shocked were even given a menu. (Check out the menu here if you must)

Pero, a lo que venimos, no? Our waiter, good soldier that he is, assured us that this was going to be better than Garibaldi. We were just hoping to recognize the dish as carne en su jugo! It's clear that Jorge and his crew know what they are shooting for; you literally could take my picture and imagine what you are going to get at El Olvido, right down to the barro plates. The refried beans with corn that you get with your chips is right on. Believe me, this is important; in Guadalajara they've started canning Garibaldi's beans and selling them from their restaurants to take home. Yes, yes, how's the carne? I must say it is really very good. Sliced the right way, cooked with bacon and beans, they're doing everything right. Better than Garibaldi? Not yet. The beef isn't as tender and the broth isn't as rich. What is it? Just more time to refine their cooking/seasoning and muddy-up that broth, I'd say. In fact, the longer you linger at your plate, the better that broth at the bottom gets. They had been only open two days and were already serving up something amazing.

The folks behind El Olvido have done a nice job putting this place together. It has a very classy feel with a lively bar when we were there on a Friday night. They have Negra de barril (draft) as well as anything else you might want from a full bar. I associate carne with a much more casual environment, but once I start getting messy in a plate of comfort, I don't really care where I am!

El olvido is a term that is hard to translate precisely. Some define it as "oblivion"; but it often has to do with drinking to forget the bitterness of life. Don't worry (or don't get too excited, if that's what you're looking for) El Olvido isn't that kind of cantina. But if you have nostalgia for Guadalajara and it's food, this is your place; eating at El Olvido, I did forget for just a moment that I was in Denver. Until we make it back to Guada, this is going to be our go-to place for some great tapatio cooking.

Updated 5/5/11:
( Second Visit Review Here )

Oh Deer! Roast Venison Loin

noreply@blogger.com (Sebastian Azcuy-Bronville) — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 23:02:00 +0000

One of my recent "manias" some would say, has been to learn to work with game. I've been reading French cook books again and pouring over the Gastronomique's recipes for venison. I've always, well, usually enjoyed the venison as prepared in local restaurants. But I've never prepared it myself.

One of the major limiting factors has been access to good meat. I'm not a hunter, not even on TV. I have one friend who is an avid hunter and has offered to prepare a meal, but, I want the raw meat! Just recently I asked him and his wife how they prepare their venison and shared my ideas on cooking. And then they asked, "do you want to try and make something?" Heck yeah! Thought you'd never ask.

On Sunday I was the proud owner of a 2 pound backstrap! Now I just needed to figure out what exactly that was and how it was to be prepared. My recipes were for tenderloin or haunch, not for this. First order of business was becoming familiar with how a deer is broken down. The backstrap, it turns out, is what you and I would call the loin. It runs down the back, on the side of the spine. My piece was about 4 inches in diameter and covered in a silver skin.

Knowing that venison is lean and should be cooked and eaten without delay, I decided to cut the piece in half. This will give me a chance to use the other piece with another recipe, leaving a nice little roast for just the two of us. I then used my knife to peel the skin off.

The recipe I used is one that I had used before on beef tenderloin. The recipe and cooking instructions can be found here on Serious Eats' site. It's a nice spice rub consisting of instant espresso powder, cumin, corrriander, pepper, cumin and ancho chile.

Once you rub the spice mixture on your loin "roast", you put it in a low oven (300) for about 35-40 minutes. You want to get it to 120 degrees inside for medium-rare, 130 for medium-well. A thermometer is a must here!

Don't worry, I didn't forget to sear the meat, and I do know that you have to be careful about over-cooking venison. That's why I was nervous about this project and also why I wanted to tackle it! Rest assured I got you covered on this one, just follow along now.

When your meat is about ready to pop from the oven, get a nice skillet heated. Pull the roast out, add your oil, bring to just about smoking. Add a big pat of butter and the meat to the pan. Sear it on all sides; about 2 minutes should do it. Then remove to a plate and tent with foil. You are going to want that to sit about ten minutes to rest and get just a few degrees hotter.

Meanwhile the fun start for you: make the sauce. You won't find this in the Serious Eats recipe, but here's what I did. (Remember I was using 1 pound of meat, the SE recipe is for about 5 pounds.) Drop the heat on the pan you just used to medium. Add 1/2 cup of red wine and 1/2 cup of beef broth (careful about liquid hitting a hot pan!). Scrape-up the fond with a wooden spoon. Add 1 tblsp. of butter, any drippings from the roast, (peek-and-see if you can get some out of your foil-covered plate), salt and pepper. Reduce until you have a nice and rich sauce...you'll know when!

Ok, let's take a look at our roast. First of all, it has a beautiful dark crust. Underneath, as you can see in the photo is a perfectly cooked roast: medium to medium-rare from butt to center. This works great if you have guests with different preferences.

Taste? Amazing! You guessed it.

My wife and I were very happy with the results. It was definitely venison, but not overly gamey. The crust provided a very nice balance without being overpowering or distracting. The sauce was rich, complex...meaty; again complementing not masking or overpowering the beautiful piece of meat. A side of perfect mashed potatoes, and a syrah to drink made for a perfect meal.

Now, on to the next piece of meat. I'm thinking a nice venison daub. But, what happens when I run out of meat?

Inspired Appetite: Birria

noreply@blogger.com (Sebastian Azcuy-Bronville) — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 17:16:00 +0000

A post over on the Kitchn's site regarding using goat meat reminded me of one of my favorite Mexican dishes ever: Birria

Wonderfully tender and flavorful meat with a heady broth is a perfect dish for a winter day. If you don't feel like cooking (very easy, BTW...recipe), you should check out the good stuff at El Farolito in Aurora. You'll get meat, a mess of bones, rich broth and tortillas to make some of the best tacos you've ever had.

Breakfast on the Hill: the Jelly Cafe

noreply@blogger.com (Sebastian Azcuy-Bronville) — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 16:21:00 +0000

For all the folks on Capitol Hill: Breakfast has arrived. Since Watercourse abandoned us for Uptown and left us with breakfast burritos and coffee at City o'City, we've been hankering for something more substantial. (Yeah, it still hurts!)

The "Breakfast/Lunch" sign at the corner of 13th and Pearl announces proudly the arrival of "Jelly Cafe". Have you checked in with our new neighbors yet? Yes, they did tease us; claiming that they would be opening up on New Year's day. Hung-over drunks in need of breakfast are not someone you want to mess with. But they have short memories, right?

Rest assured, they are open now and serving a very satisfying breakfast. But first let me comment on the fact that the place looks great! This corner has been up-and-down so often, it's indecent! It's really looking good with the clean up of the abandoned cleaners. The inside is nice, booths, a nice bar, and tables throughout. Cute coffee cup chandeliers and crazy cereal boxes on the walls, scream BREAKFAST!

And that's exactly what we've been trying out here. Their Basic Breakfast ($4.79) consists of two eggs, peasant potatoes, and toast with jam. I of course had to add bacon ($2). We also decided to order their Donut Bites ($2.49) which are either jelly filled, or cream filled. Past visits have included their pancakes which come in a variety of "flavors" including cereal varieties!

So how was the food? Really good! The donut bites are a nice start, not too sweet or greasy, a bit dense but a perfect vehicle for the great berry jam they were filed with. The peasant potatoes are perfect red potatoes, crisp on the outside, creamy on the inside. They are seasoned just right and are topped with a bit of sour cream and chopped green onions. I'm not a fan of most places' "home fries" but these are fantastic.

What about the jelly? Currently they are featuring one home-made jam per day. Today it was delicious peach jam. Great consistency, not too firm or runny. It was so good, I had to order more toast to finish up, I couldn't bear to leave any peachy goodness behind! I'm excited to try their other flavors.

I'm sure I'll be back soon, their breakfast menu had so many other interesting items. Breakfast sliders, crazy pancakes, Benedict's of all stripes, etc. The fact that it's on the 13th street strip makes this very interesting as well. I've always seen so much potential here, I'm glad Jelly has jumped in: Welcome!

Jelly Cafe
600 13th St.
Denver, CO 80203

www.eatmorejelly.com

303.831.6301

Motsu: Menudo Izakaya Style

noreply@blogger.com (Sebastian Azcuy-Bronville) — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 19:58:00 +0000

Sometimes the fascination with another culture motivates me to try something that I haven't tried before.

Obviously menudo is a favorite of mine, but I've never tried cooking it. Then I checked out Mark Robinson's amazing and beautiful book Izakaya: The Japanese Pub Cookbook. Wow! I wanted to cook and eat everything in this book; I actually tried several of the recipes.

There is a pub in Tokyo that specializes in their Motsu which is a tripe soup or stew. The chef at this particular izakaya has a French culinary background and has added some interesting touches to the traditional recipe. Even the presentation and the garlic bread provides an interesting twist on this "lowly" pub fare.

Above is my attempt at Motsu; I must say it was divine. Just the right texture and the red wine and akamiso broth was amazing. I will be making this again soon. But at this moment, there is a pot of pozole con pata waiting for me at home. On a cold day like today, it's just right!

Ciao!

Alas! I've no place to go.

noreply@blogger.com (Sebastian Azcuy-Bronville) — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 21:34:00 +0000

Here's the situation. I work Monday through Friday downtown; yes, 8 to 5. One of those people. I work-out Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. That leaves Tuesday and Wednesday.

What to do? Where to go?

I usually eat in the office and would rather leave it that way. However, sometimes I want to go out for a "lunch" break. Just get out of the office and read, write, or just relax.

I don't know where to go.

I went out for a walk today looking over my options. There are restaurants, bars, coffee shops, book stores, hotel lobbies, office building lobbies. None of interest or attractive. I finally decided to go get a coffee at the Brown Palace's shop and sit in the lobby...it was closed for "x-mas decorating".

Coffee to go. Back to the office.

Am I dreaming of the past? Maybe a London club for the idle-rich aristocrat with nothing to do but read the paper over a scotch? Do I have to go to Starbucks?

Tell me.

Kiki's: The Second Round

noreply@blogger.com (Sebastian Azcuy-Bronville) — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 22:08:00 +0000

Friday after work we needed to relax with some good food. Japanese sprung to mind and since we had things to do on South Colorado, we were happy to follow-up with Kiki's Japanese Restaurant.

We had visited this place a couple of months ago when I was on a Japanese kick. Last time we were there we had the Unadon Supreme; basically a rice bowl with avocado, masago, nori, and lots of unagi. We also tried an amazing katsudon; again, a rice bowl with chicken, onion, soy dressing, and a very undercooked egg.

This time we started with miso soup and pickles. We also ordered nigiri-zushi: unagi and hamachi (young yellowtail tuna). From previous experience, we knew the unagi would be delicious; but the hamachi was also very nice. These starters with our Kirin Ichiban, were perfect.

For our entrees we chose the beef yakisoba. This hot mess of stir-fried noodles, beef and vegetables, included rice. That was perfect! As we learned in Oishinbo, the mouth-feel of noodles with a "rice chaser" is amazing! Just slurp in the noodles, chew a couple of times, then shovel in some rice and chew some more. You must resist saying "ga-ga-ga" as you scoop the rice in; also resist screaming, "this is GREAT!" until you chew your food.

Our other entree was a combo plate. I have serious trouble making choices when it comes to new foods. I had the combination of chicken teriyaki and the tonkatsu (breaded and fried pork cutlet). I had had my first tonkatsu just a week ago at the Tokyo Express. Although I liked Tokyo's tonkatsu, Kiki's was so much more tender and juicy. Also the chicken teriyaki was wonderful. A very thin slice of breast very lightly grilled; VERY lightly grilled. Kiki's has a very light touch with their food; what could have been a dry, rubbery chicken covered in gobs of sticky sauce, was instead moist and tender...just barely cooked through.

There is so much more to try at Kiki's, I can't wait to go back. I will keep comparing Japanese restaurants in Denver. Though I'm not an expert; I hope to figure it out well enough to give you some solid recommendations. Any help and tips are greatly appreciated!

Kiki's Japanes Casual Dining

2440 S. Colorado Blvd.

Denver, CO 80222

303.504.4043

Yelp Reviews

New Neighborhood, New Lunch Options

noreply@blogger.com (Sebastian Azcuy-Bronville) — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 19:36:00 +0000

Well, today is the second day at my new job and I had to make a choice. For the last six years I've been working in the LoDo area of Denver. I had lunch down pat; I knew where on the street to find the best tacos, burritos and tamales. I knew where to have an expenses account lunch as well.

But I've moved, downtown to the land of the hi-rise. I've been a bit stumped as to where to go for lunch. Yesterday when my new colleagues treated me to a welcome lunch, I couldn't think of anyplace to go. The name of Earl's came up; since I hadn't been there yet, that's where lunch was.

Hmm, it was different. Maybe Hooter's with better design and a fancier menu? Ok, well thanks girls. No, not the Earl's Girls (do I have to follow that with a "TM"?); but to the ones that took me out for lunch.

Today, I was on my own and lost. I strolled out of the building and saw that Noodle's is opening a new spot down here. The staff was having a tasting. A block over, the Yard House is working on a new location. It kind of feels like the mall over on this side of town. Oh well, I thought, "when in Rome". So I jumped right into the food court of Republic Plaza...what a place! I looked around a bit, then was surprised to find a place called Tokyo Express. I've not seen a Japanese place in a food mall before so I had to try. The menu is actually very interesting: sushi, rice bowls, tempuras, and udons. I saw tonkatsu on the menu and had to order it; I was not disappointed. I started on with the 99 cent bowl of miso, it was rich and full of tofu and seaweed. The tonkatsu is a breaded and fried pork cutlet, served over rice with a huge side of steamed teriyaki vegetables. It takes about 5-6 minutes to prepare and is just right; crunchy on the outside and moist and flavourful inside.
I hope not to eat out everyday, but it's nice to have a place like Tokyo Express to fall back on.

(I almost finished the miso before I remembered to break out the camera, sorry!)

In Search Of: Noodle Kugel

noreply@blogger.com (Sebastian Azcuy-Bronville) — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 22:10:00 +0000

Ever since reading Chabon's The Yiddish Policeman's Union, I was intrigued by deli food. Specifically Jewish deli food as served in Alsaka. Ok, so that's not happening except in his alternate reality. Therefore, the next best option would have to be Kat'z Deli in New York in the middle of winter.

Most of the items that he mentions in the book, I could picture or at least had a certain level of familiarity with. Kugel, on the other hand, was completely alien to me. What could he be talking about, noodles being cut into squares? It took a trip to Kat'z to figure it out.

Wow! These were good! Moist, sweet, chewy and warm on a freezing day. I could eat a whole tray of these. Now my question to you: Where to find something like this in Denver? Leave me a comment if you have any ideas for me to try.

Oishinbo: The Ultimate Menu

noreply@blogger.com (Sebastian Azcuy-Bronville) — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 20:00:00 +0000

I've been reading the amazing manga series Oishinbo by Karity & Hanasaki. If you are unfamiliar with it, it's a series about two competing newspapers in Japan coming up with the Ultimate/Supreme Japanese menu. It is an exploration of the world of traditional Japanese cuisine and its place in the modern world.

I've learned so much about Japanese food while reading this series, but I'm frustrated in not being able to actually taste what they are discussing. Also, not having a good foundation in the basic ingredients, makes it difficult for me to begin imagining what it is they are looking for as they explore the canon of Japanese food. I can only liken it to trying to describe what a good salsa and a bad salsa should taste like to someone who's never had a tomato or a chili pepper.

Though I continue reading with interest, it is starting to feel rather academic and sterile. Should I hold off on continuing and start doing some tastings? Should I figure out what dashi, miso, and shungiko taste like; maybe sample diferent ramens and udons?

After reading the Ramen and Gyoza edition of Oishinbo, we decided to go to Oshima Ramen on Hampden Avenue for dinner. I'm not sure what to say about it. What would Yamaoka think about this place? Again, not having any experience with real ramen or even it's basic ingredients, I'm not sure. My personal taste, influenced by pho tells me that it wasn't all that great. The broth wasn't very hot, though, it was very rich. The noodles were good, the pork was so-so. Hmm.

I'm going to have to do more research before I come to any conclusions. I will try Oshima Ramen again, and I will try some of the other Japanese restaurants in town. I promise, I'll pay more attention, and go beyond sushi.

As soon as I have something to report, I'll check in.

Cupcakes on the go

noreply@blogger.com (Sebastian Azcuy-Bronville) — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 21:10:00 +0000

I'm not the world's biggest fan of cupcakes. I can have one per year and be quite happy, but there is something compelling about a cupcake truck. If you are dying to get cupcakes in creative flavors at all hours and in various locations around Denver, look up Cake Crumbs. My suggestion would be to go to their website and sign-up for Twitter updates. That way you'll always know where they are and what the flavor of the day is.

FYI, this snap was taken at the Denver Public Library book sale, they parked the truck on Broadway and were doing brisk business. That's a snowball on the right and a lemon-something on the left. Delicious!

The Taste from the Dashboard: La Cascada

noreply@blogger.com (Sebastian Azcuy-Bronville) — Tue, 25 May 2010 19:27:00 +0000

Today's "Taste from the Dashboard" is from La Cascada, a troca stationed on the north side of Colfax, just east of I-225. This far east on Colfax, food choices start to get a little sparse. Recently, however, trocas are filling in the gaps.

La Cascada serves tacos, tortas, tostadas, quesadillas, and burritos. Choices of meat are pretty standard for a taco truck: Asada, Carnitas, Buche, Lengua, and Al Pastor. Pictured at left is their Taco de Carnitas ($1.50). How was it? For a troca I'd give it 3 out of 5 stars. They were very generous with the carnitas, it wasn't greasy, it wasn't salty and in fact could have used some salt. The toppings were different, diced tomato and very finely shredded lettuce. I don't know where that idea came from and I would ask for the taco without next time.

Here's the torta de asada that I ordered ($4.00). This was infinitely better than the taco. I was afraid that the steak would be tough or gristly; it wasn't. As you can see the asasda was chopped and topped with lettuce, tomato, avocado. Their was the lightest schmear of beans on the toasted and buttered tellera bun, just right. This torta also could have used a dash of salt; that can be fixed and is better then dealing with salty food.

Their salsas are also the standard red, green and the avocado green. All very tasty, but milder than some might like. I have to say overall that La Cascada is understated with their seasoning, not necessarily a bad thing. Would I go back? Sure would! I'm curious to try their lengua and buche tacos. Give it a go when your out east and let me know what you think.

Tu Tambien?

noreply@blogger.com (Sebastian Azcuy-Bronville) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 18:18:00 +0000

Sometimes signing up for updates from the restaurants where you hang out actually pays off! Sunday was the day for my friends and I to cash in on the free Happy Hour that Tambien shot my way. Yup, free food and happy hour priced drinks for all my guests. Can't beat that!

We were served a couple of platters of sopes, tamales, quesadillas and empanadas. I LOVE the sopes at Tambien and Mezcal. I was also pleasantly suprised with the tamales; I'll have to get an order of those next time. Add to all that some cheap PBR and Tecate and the evening is set. Thanks to Erin and Lauli at Tambien for hooking us up.

Tambien
250 Steele St.

Denver, CO 80206

303.333.1763

(Yelp! Reviews)

Denver's Top 25

noreply@blogger.com (Sebastian Azcuy-Bronville) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 23:20:00 +0000

5280 published a nice list of 25 top restaurants in the Denver area. Agree with many, I'll have to try the rest!

Check it out: 5280 Top 25