There’s a little slice of heaven up in Old Town Arvada, and it’s name is Manneken Frites. This Belgium-inspired fry and beer shop is the perfect answer to, “where should we have a snack right now?”
I accidentally stopped by this place while meeting a friend in Old Town. I walked by and saw the fries on their logo, and knew I had to swing by and at least check out the menu. And by check out the menu, I mean have a beer and an order of fries.
With hot, crunchy, fresh french fries, 16 different house-made sauces, and a stellar list of Belgian brews, this place is a no-brainer. I honestly don’t really think I need to write much more. But I did take this fancy picture for you. And you say I never do anything nice for you.
I also had a chance to catch up with the GM and ask him a few questions. Check out what he said below.
IE: Where’s your favorite spot to grab Indie Eats?
MF: Highland Tavern
IE: One of my personal favorites as well. Ok, other question is, what’s one tip for the at-home fry cook?
MF: You have to fry your fries twice. The first time you fry it you will get the inside to a baked potato consistency. The second fry is in a hotter temperature, and is meant only to crisp the outside.
Manneken Frites was pretty much awesome. The entire staff was warm, friendly, and inviting, and the fries and brew were top notch. Take a trip up to Old Town Arvada, and check it out.
If you’ve been following me on twitter, or here on my blog for longer than a week, you know that I love pizza. As sophomoric of a favorite food as it may be, I still love it. I think part of my love came from my childhood, where my pops would make some killer pizza dough about once a month.
Now, for this post, we’re just gonna get down and dirty. No cutesy banter – let’s just get down to cooking. The only thing I will preface about this recipe, is that I like my pizza crunchy, which is why I use the semolina flour. If you like your pizza a little softer, please don’t use semolina – instead just use all-purpose. Keep in mind, that your cooking times may change if you make changes. So don’t blame me for a burned pie.
Ingredients
- 1 Package of fast rising yeast
- 7/8 cup of 105 degree water
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- sprinkle of pepper
- 1 tbsp EVOO
- 1 tbsp milk
- 1 1/2 Cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup Semolina flour
Instructions
- Put 1 package of fast rising yeast into 7/8 cup of very warm (105 degrees) water. Add 1 teaspoon of sugar and stir. Let sit for 10 minutes or until very foamy.
- Put 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour into Cuisinart with 1 teaspoon salt and sprinkle of pepper. Start mixing flour and pour yeast/water mixture into the flour.
- Add 1 tablespoon of EVOO and 1 of milk while mixing.
- Mix for about 40 seconds. The dough should form into a ball and be somewhat sticky but not wet. You may need to add water if it is not forming into a ball or add flour if it is too sticky.
- Preheat oven to 500 degrees, and place your pizza stone in.
- Pull the dough out of the cuisinart and put it into a oiled bowl turning it over in the bowl to coat all sides of the dough. Clover with plastic and let rise until double in size (about half an hour).
- Pull dough out dust with flour so it isn’t sticky. Divide in half and roll each half out for pizzas.
- I put my rolled out dough into the oven for about 5 minutes before putting toppings on, so the pizza keeps its shape better.
- Total cooking time should be about 10 to 12 minutes but just keep checking it.
This recipe will make 2 12 inch pizzas (roughly). How you choose to top it, is completely up to you. For this particular occasion, I chose to top it with my red sauce, Mozzarella and Parmesan, Fresh Tomatoes, Prosciutto, and Fresh Basil.
With pizza, you really can’t mess up the topping situation. I’m more of a purist myself, but you can choose to dress it up however you like it.
If there’s one thing you need to know about Executive Chef Jensen Cummings, it’s that he has a really unique view on what the food scene in Denver should be like. More informed. More communal. More playful. Be willing to try new things, say hi to an unknown neighbor, and enjoy some of the best products this great city has to offer.
This philosophy is close to my heart. My personal goal is to introduce people to new flavors, and products that are near and dear to the Front Range. So when Jensen bumped into me at the Denver Burger Battle, and asked if I’d like to come hang out in the kitchen for a night, I was more than pleased to accept.
So on this evening, I was not actually dining at Row 14. But I have since been in to have dinner with Mrs. Indie Eats. While this isn’t a normal restaurant review, it’s close enough. So instead of scrambling to come up with an more accurate title, I will leave it at what it is. Because Indie Eats Stages at Row 14 doesn’t sound right, and Fireside Chats with Chef Jensen Cummings is a little long winded.
Anyways, I came in to Row 14′s kitchen for a Colorado Wino night. This particular night was a blind tasting of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc from Colorado. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to participate in the wine tasting, but from the looks of it, everyone was really enjoying the offerings. The great thing about this event was it was free. Free wine from Colorado Winos and free snacks from Row 14′s kitchen. All of this ties back into what I was talking about with Chef Cummings. Free events like this are going to attract more people, and continue to make Denver a better epicurean society.
So Chef Cummings prepared some great snacks, some of which are featured in the slide show below, but he also let me hang out and see the full menu. I even got to plate some dishes on my own. That’s right Denver, if you had the House Salad that night, it was made by yours truly. Sadly, I didn’t take a picture of my greatness, but here are some shots of what the professionals put together.
The plates that went out were amazing. They all have a global flare to them, and playfully incorporate different tastes, and cooking methods. One of my favorite things about this menu is it’s easy to understand. It’s not intimidating, and this execution makes it easy to experience different flavors from across the globe.
As usual, I had to ask Jensen my closing Indie Eats’ questions. Here’s what he had to say.
IE: What’s your favorite spot to grab local grub?
JC: I am a big fan of Moe’s BBQ. You can get great bbq and bowl all in one spot. Can’t beat that. Its also within walking distance of my place, which is nice.
IE: What’s one tip you have for the at-home cook?
JC: Seasoning! Always take the time to season your product precisely. Don’t just throw salt and pepper at the ingredient. Make sure that you get the right amount of seasoning on each bite. Use one hand to season and the other to handle the product, that way no moisture gets onto your seasoning hand and clumps up the salt or pepper. It is something that is really important for the home cook and the professional cook!
Make sure to like Row 14 on Facebook. They consistently have new events, as well as late night stoner dish specials. Yep, I wrote that out correctly. Those dishes are for the inner fat kid in all of us.
All of these pieces come together in one cohesive conclusion. Row 14 is a great addition to Denver. It’s not overpriced, it’s not too fancy, and the food is really well thought out, and executed. Chef Jensen Cummings is a very bright Chef, and I love what he’s trying to do for the Denver food scene.
Do yourself favor, head down and grab a bite. You won’t be disappointed.
If there was ever a food event in Denver that makes me jump up and scream like an 8 year old girl going into the Hello Kitty factory, it’s this one. Twelve of Denver’s best-burger-boasting hot spots serving up what they hope will be crowned as the best in Denver. Couple that with free brews from the Great Divide Brewing Company and Avery Brewery, and wines from Infinite Monkey Theorem and you have a full fledged flailing-on-the-ground joy-fest on your hands.
I can honestly say that the emotions above were pretty much what I was feeling for days. Sitting at my desk at work, ingesting very light servings of raw veggies (gotta take care of the ol’ ticker), I went over my gameplan.
“Ok, I’m going to try and blaze through as many as possible before the crowds get big.”
“No, wait. I’m going to take my time and only eat small bites from each. Because I want to be able to cover each and ever burger for my readers.”
“Oh screw it. I’m going to pre-game at Amato’s to build a hunger, then I’m just going to get after it like it’s nobody’s business.”
So, as you might have guessed, I went with option three. Mrs. Indie Eats and I decided to park by Amato’s so we could have a nice walk from Union Station afterwords. Not that a walk like that would even make a dent in the caloric mecca we were about to embark on – but hey – a guy’s gotta make an effort to feel good about himself. Right?
Anyways, after a quick “warm-up” at Amato’s bar, we walked briskly down to Union Station. Dodging homeless, occasionally jay-walking, and huffing up and down the stairs of the pedestrian bridge we made our way down. Fortunately, we were one of the early ones to get in line. We casually made small talk with people, even though we really could care less about anything they say. No offense to any of them, but we were only trying to busy our minds from being overwhelmed by the insanely delicious smells wafting through the air.
We were finally let in, and we attacked. Not like a “stalk through the jungle of Vietnam” kind of attack, but more like “storming the beaches of Normandy” kind of attack. After grabbing a quick beer, we quickly cruised through the first few burgers. In a melee of meat and suds, we found ourselves through eight of the contestants. Below is what we experienced.
LoHi Steak Bar – Ground chuck slider with red onions, bacon, tomatoes, blue cheese and lettuce. Served with Fries.
Thoughts: This burger had a classic blue-and-bacon combo that was perfectly balanced. It was also extremely easy to eat, and was served with some really tasty fries. I know that shouldn’t matter, but you kind of miss fries while eating all these burgers!
Elways – A quarter of a full burger topped with egg-and-bacon salad, house-pickled relish and hot sauce aioli.
Thoughts: I wasn’t crazy about this burger because it lacked freshness. I know that doesn’t matter to some people, but I do like some veggies on my burger.
Thoughts: Ok. This was really good for a veggie burger, but it just doesn’t compare to everything else there. I love Root Down, and I would order this for my meal if I were there. But I wasn’t.
Cherry Cricket – A quarter of their classic burger with jalapeno cream cheese.
Thoughts: The Cricket is a great landmark in Denver, but I felt that this burger didn’t meet the standard that was set by some of the other restaurants. I had hoped that they would have “brought it” a little more.
Euclid Hall – Kobe Short Rib Burger with housemade Kielbasa, kimchi and foie gras mousse all served on a tiny toasted english muffin.
Thoughts: This was one of my favorites. The kielbasa added such a unique flavor, and the minimal encasement of english muffin made a unique, original, and damn delicious burger.
Crave – A burger with roasted duck, ginger garlic cream cheese, red pepper, avocado, lettuce, onion and hoisin sauce.
Thoughts: This was probably my favorite burger. Unique. Bold Flavors. Really inventive. The only downfall was it was an absolute disaster to eat.
H Burger – Burger topped with lettuce, tomato, onion, Hatch green chiles, smoked cheddar, bacon and red-pepper jam.
Thoughts: Richness from the cheddar and bacon flavors, but still had that fresh qualities that balances a burger out.
Park Burger – Harris Ranch beef with fried egg, baby swiss, rosemary ham, and burger sauce
Thoughts: I liked this burger quite a bit. It was juicy, rich, but still had a nice balance with some fresh ingredients as well.
At this point in the night I had hit a full on food wall. Eight different burgers in probably about 20-25 minutes. Add in some beers, the occasional fry, and even a tiny little milkshake, and I was done for. So we started walking around and mingling. I got to rub elbows with some of Colorado’s culinary elite, which was nice, and we met up with some friends of ours.
I kept waiting. Waiting for this full to subside, but it didn’t. I actually became increasingly more full. At this point in time there was about a 50 person line for the places that I needed to still try, so I threw in my paper towel, retired my plastic plate, and shed a tear.
I’m so sorry I let you down. Feel free to make fun of me as much as necessary, via twitter or facebook. Since I didn’t get to give you a full report on all of the competing burgers, I felt that I should at least let you know who won.
This event is truly up my alley. What I mean by that is it showcases the amazing local talent we have. From each of the participating restaurants, to the guest judges who are local restaurateurs themselves, to the beer and wine sponsors. This event is Colorado. Colorado Burgers. Colorado Beers. Colorado Wines. And it does Colorado proud.
Whether you want to make fun of me or not, one thing remains the same. This event is hands down one of the best in Denver. It’s an amazing experience, and something you should definitely aim for next year. Make sure to buy your tickets early too, because it does sell out.
So as you may have read in earlier posts, I’m not a classically trained chef. I grew up in an Italian family where cooking was a part of everyday life, and that’s where I learned my fundamentals. I’ve always wanted to go to culinary school, but I also really enjoy what I do for a living as well. Either way, I decided that it was time to get some classical training. Without wanting to go into massive debt from student loans, I decided that maybe a class at Cook Street was the answer.
Cook Street is a great institution in Denver. It is an actual cooking school, where students can take accredited courses for their culinary degree. But then they also offer single classes, perfect for the at home cook, or maybe even an intriguing date night. Based on the fact that it’s an accredited cooking school, you know you’re going to be getting top notch instructors. And let me tell you, my experience was nothing less than having a highly trained, and knowledgeable chef guiding us through.
My fellow students and I started working on some snacks that the school had provided, and awkwardly engaging in social interaction. After 10 minutes our so, our Chef, Brian, came out and walked us through what we were going to be preparing for this evening. Chef Brian exuded a professorial quality that assured you of two things. One, this guy really knows his stuff. And two, he is excited to share his knowledge with you.
Now, normally I would walk you through each of the techniques, and cooking instructions that we walked through. That’s usually how I set up my recipe posts on my blog, but to be honest, Cook Street is an experience. And walking you through every detail is not going to do this experience justice. So instead, I’m going to entice you pictures, and my extensive food vocabulary. Well, my vocabulary isn’t that extensive, but I’d like to think that it is. Especially because I’m a food blogger. Wait, did I just discredit myself? I digress.
Anyways, what better way to start off a French Classic meal than with some Mussels and Frites. We steamed the mussels in a simple white wine broth, fried up some tasty french fries, and served them both with a creamy bright aioli. This dish was amazing to learn because as many times as I try making fries at home, they never turn out right. So it was really great to get a tip from a professional. Check out my artsy photo below. I think it turned out nice for being taken with an iphone.
After this course, we went into the main. Pan seared Hangar Steak Au Poivre Vert and a Cous Cous stuffed Tomato. This was one another great part of the class because we got to learn about something that every at home cook has issues with – cooking protein. It was absolutely incredible to be able to sit there and ask question after question to such a knowledgeable chef. This, in and of itself, was worth every penny.
After absolutely demolishing anything that was edible on my plate, we went up and assembled our dessert. We had previously made everything for this dish, so assembly was simple. We had a Chocolate Souffle with Raspberry Coulis and Creme Anglaise. I’m not much of a desert guy, but I will tell you that this extremely decadent and delicious. It was rich and chocolaty, but still had nice freshness to it from the coulis.
Overall, the evening was a blast. I had about 20 questions that had been bothering me for years get answered by a pro, I made delicious dishes and got to enjoy them with unlimited wine. Yes, you read that right. When you take a class at Cook Street they do wine pairings with your meal. And they always made sure your glass is full.
This is something that is truly a unique and entertaining thing to do in Denver. I know you get bored with the same routine. Dinner then a movie. Dinner then a bar. Dinner and a multi-state crime spree. Wait. That last one doesn’t apply. Anyways, this is that thing to change your routine. You have to work with a partner, so this is perfect for your next date. It would also apply to corporate events, parties, and more. And last but not least, if you just want to learn some new skills, or master a few dishes, this is the best possible way.
Classes are affordable, available, and are of every type of culinary variety you can imagine. Go to their site now, sign up, and get yourself some new cooking skills.
If you need to know one thing about me, it’s that I absolutely love pizza. Sometimes I think I have the culinary needs of a four year old. If anyone ever asks the question, “what do you feel like for dinner tonight”, there’s about a 90% chance I’ll give in to those childish needs to eat cheesy goodness.
Pizza is comforting, filling, and can be incredibly delicious. It can also be shit. Pure shit. There is a lot of pizza places in Denver that I think are pretty good, a few that are wonderful, and plenty that have no business serving food. It my eyes, the simpler the better. The less the ingredients are processed, the better tasting the pie will be.
I recently was down at the First Friday Artwalk on Tennyson, when I had that sweet siren call of charred dough hit my nostrils. Not being overly interested in the art that we were looking at, I politely excused myself from the group, and followed that smoky trail. Is that wood they’re burning? Why yes it is. I walked about a half block, before I saw what I was looking for. The Basic Kneads Pizza Truck.
Three people, an 800-900 degree wood-burning oven, and a slew of simple, fresh ingredients were all packed into this beautiful mobile package. Remember how I told you that I have the culinary needs of a four year old sometimes? Well don’t laugh when I tell you what I ordered. Like any little kid, I had to go for the pepperoni pizza.
The crust was thin, and expertly charred. It carried that natural, wood fired feel that ads another flavor dimension to the experience. The sauce was really simple – crushed tomatoes, and fresh oregano. I really enjoyed this style of sauce because you still get nice big chunks of tomatoes, which give that nice bright, fresh flavor. And last but not least, the cheese. Oh, the cheese. A blend of shredded mozzarella and fresh mozzarella. The perfect balance between flavor and meltiness.
What ensued was me figuring out that I had found one of the better pizzas in Denver. In fact, I loved it so much, that I recently drove into downtown during rush hour, just to bring a pie home for dinner. For my second encounter, I opted for the Margherita, which is pictured below.
After I had the pleasure of enjoying Basic Kneads pizza a few times, I decided it was time to write it up. I called the owner, and asked him a few questions.
IE: What’s one tip you have for the home cook?
BK: You can buy tiles from home depot, and use those instead of a pizza stone. They’re cheaper, and essentially do the same thing. Also, don’t be afraid to crank up your oven, and cook the pizza at a really high heat.
IE: What are some of your favorite spots around town to grab local grub?
BK: I’ll take a food truck over a restaurant any day. But, I also like Bones, and Tacos y Salsas.
Basic Kneads is something that you should really make a special trip to check out. I promise you, you will be extremely satisfied. You can find them at the Civic Center during lunch on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and at Great Divide Brewery on Wednesdays and Fridays for Happy Hour and Dinner.
So before you pick up the phone to call Papa Johns. For the love of christ, hang up, and drive down to wherever Basic Kneads truck is
I know that most of you read my blog to find great dishes from around the Denver Metro area, but I also know this; food and traveling go together. So this post is a little combination of the two. Don’t worry, I won’t have you come over and look at pictures of the Statue of Liberty or Times Square, but I will share with you some of the dishes that I enjoyed while in NY.
The only thing I disliked about eating in NY was I didn’t have enough time to eat everywhere I want. This city is a culinary mecca. Every food from every different culture can be found on the stunning island of Manhattan. That being said, these are the ones that I did get to try, and that I would recommend you try, when you get to go to the Big Apple.
My favorite NY tradition/Non-fancy-schmancy meal: Katz Deli – The Corned Beef
If you go to Katz, keep these two things in mind. DO NOT LOSE YOUR TICKET. They will give you a ticket, which is how they keep track of what you eat. If you lose it, it’s $50 charge to leave the door. And also, bring cash. They do not take credit card.
The sandwich below is simply put, the best corned beef sandwich I’ve ever had. Ever. And there was nothing fancy about it. Bread. Thousand Island. Corned Beef. That’s it. Served with some pickles, and a Brooklyn Brewery Lager.
My favorite restaurant in Little Italy: Da Nico
It’s hard to choose what restaurant to go to in Little Italy. Each one has a salesman outside walking the streets, trying to get you to come in. “We have beautiful fish justa for you, only 10.99 served witha the pasta”. And no, I’m not ramping up the stereotypical Italian accent. That’s really how they talk. But even if I was, I can, because I’m Italian. So there. Wow, I really get off track sometimes. Oh well, I gotta keep you guessing!
Anyways, Da Nico’s is my favorite there. The dishes are traditional, staff is friendly, and the restaurant looks like something out of an Italian Piazza.
If you go to Da Nico, keep this in mind, the servings are huge. You can easily split a dish, and have a cheaper meal. And a cheaper meal is always a nice thing, especially when you’re in NY.
The pizza below is simple, fresh, and authentic. Anything you get there is top notch, so don’t be scared to order anything that strikes your fancy.
My favorite non-ridiculously-expensive-with-great-food-spot in Times Square: Schnippers
Times Square, while absolutely astounding, is a tourist trap. There are some great spots around there, but they are pricey. And all the other restaurants in Times Square know they can serve less-than-desirable plates of expensive garbage, and they will still have drove after drove of tourist stopping by. But you can easily cruise around the corner to Schnippers. It was featured on Throwdown with Bobby Flay for their Sloppy Joes. This place is affordable, simple, good for the family, and downright tasty. We had a Cheesy Joe, Mac and Cheese, and a couple of beers, and escaped at just under $30 (trust me, that’s cheap for Times Square).
If you go to Schnippers, opt for the Sloppy Joe. It’s a little taste of Americana in one of the greatest cities in America.
The picture below is of our food, served simply on a plastic tray.
My first Mario Batali Restaurant: Otto
I’m a huge fan of Food Network, and I love Molto Mario. The guy is genius when it comes to Italian cuisine, and so it was a must that we try one of his spots. We chose Otto so we could have something a little less fancy, but still really delicious. The place is modeled to resemble an Italian train station. It’s pretty awesome. Instead of your name for a reservation, you get a ticket with an Italian city on it. When your city appears on the board above the host stand, your table is ready.
If you go to Otto, keep this in mind: The pizzas are cracker thin. If you have an appetite, bring your wallet. Not that it’s pricey, but I know a lot of people equate pizza to a cheap dining option. Just be prepared to spend more than you expect.
I highly suggest the house made prosciutto. The freshness is apparent in the texture. You know that dry edge of the prosciutto you get when you buy it at the grocery store? That’s not the case here. Not even close.
We then moved on to an array of salads and pizzas. The salads were simple. Fresh greens. Bright Vinaigrettes. And the pizzas were incredible. We went with the Garlic, Olive Oil and Fresh Chilies Pizza, The Vongole (which is pictured below), and the Margherita. The difference between these pizza and others, was the quality of ingredients. The cheeses were to die for, and that translated into each and every delicious bite.
There were a few other things that we had while we were there, that you have to try. Bagels in NY are a cheap breakfast option, and they’re made the correct way. Boiled, then baked. Hot dogs are also a staple to any New Yorker, and can be found just about anywhere. If you really want to save some money, check out any “Papaya Dog”, i.e, Gray’s Papaya, Chelsea Papaya, etc. These places are dirt cheap. Lastly, swing by any pizza-by-the-slice place. My wife and I would have them cut a slice in two, for a quick cheap snack.
We also had the amazing opportunity of dining at Per Se, but that experience was a blog post all on its own. So that will be coming shortly. I hope you all get to go to NY at some point soon. The city is alive and vibrant with every culture imaginable. There’s history, sightseeing, shopping, Broadway shows, but best yet – some of the best food in the world.
If you’re anything like me, you’ve ventured through every isle, of every different grocery store, in search of a salsa that is halfway decent. The stuff in the middle isles isn’t fresh enough, and the stuff in the produce section is often just a Pico de gallo with little to no flavor. Why can’t get a decent salsa while we’re at the store? We do they force us to drive to a Mexican food restaurant, and get some messily slopped into a Styrofoam container? Well, you won’t have to worry about that anymore. Next time you’re at the store, grab these ingredients, and make it yourself. It’s easy. I promise.
I know that each restaurant has its own style of salsa. So as a preface, I will tell you that mine has a bright tomato flavor with predominant vinegar and cilantro notes as well. I’m pretty particular when it comes to salsa at a restaurant, and I think mine happens to be pretty damn good. But, I’ll let you be the judge of that.
Ingredient List – I’m breaking out the ingredients into two categories. Pre-Cuisinart and Post-Cuisinart. It’s way easier than listing everything out in the steps.
Pre-Cuisinart Ingredient List
1 15oz Can of Tomato Sauce
1 Cup of Chicken Stock
1 Cup diced Roma Tomatoes – If Tomatoes aren’t in season, feel free to substitute with canned diced tomatoes. In the winter time, they’re more likely to have better flavor than fresh ones.
5 Cloves of Garlic – Minced
1 tsp Red Wine Vinegar
1 tsp Lime Juice
1 Tbsp Scallions
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Black Pepper
1/4 tsp White Pepper
1/8 tsp Cumin
1/4 tsp Paprika
1 Jalapeno – Diced – I like to leave the seeds in, because I like the heat. To make a tamer salsa, just take make sure to core the Jalapeno, and remove the seeds.
Put all of these ingredients into your pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes.
Pull out your Cuisinirt, blender, or stick blender. I personally use my Cuisinart, so the directions are written as so. But any way you can blend this all up, feel free to do so.
Post-Cuisinart Ingredient List
1/2 Cup Diced White Onions
1 1/2 Tbsp Chiffonade Fresh Cilantro
Add these two ingredients, with the ingredients from above into the Cuisenart. I like to hit the pulse button repeatedly until it gets to the consistency I like, but you can just turn it on. Now, if you like a chunkier salsa, just tap the pulse button a few times. I like it when it’s a little chunky, but easy to eat, and scoop with a chip. And I’ve provided you with a fancy little picture from my phone to show you. Please feel free to laugh at my photography skills.
After your done, the salsa will be hot, and won’t have the proper flavor just yet. Put it into a large bowl, and place it into your refrigerator to cool. I like to wait until the next day to eat mine, but you can eat it after about an hour or two. Once it’s cool, it will start to develop it’s true flavors. And at this point, is when you should have your test taste. Immediately after your first taste test, drop your spoon on the kitchen floor, sprint to the computer, and tweet about how amazing I am. Ha. Just kidding. I do hope you enjoy this little gem though. It’s bright, flavorful, and it’s always better when it’s homemade – right?
There’s something to be said about a chef that “goes the long route”, and if there’s a chef that embodies that statement, it’s Olav Peterson. I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with him at his beautiful restaurant, Bittersweet. What followed was an hour and a half of food, philosophy, and an overall enlightening experience.
Before I get into the interview, or the dishes, I’d like to give you a little background information on this interview. While I love finding new places to go eat, I also love having a true dining experience. I know these experiences don’t occur often for most people, but when they do, they are truly unforgettable.
That being said, Bittersweet is a true dining experience. They focus highly on seasonal cuisine, fueled by their garden that surrounds the restaurant. This means that while you’re eating at your table, you can glance out the window and actually see where a part of your dish came from. This is pretty impactful, especially given our tendencies to choose the easy route in our day-to-day eating habits.
I had a few choice questions to ask before we got to the food. I did have to shorten some of the answers for easy reading, but if you’d like to hear the full interview, it’s listed right below the questions. Either way, I think these give you a great insight into the ethereal mind of Chef Olav Peterson.
IE: What age did you start cooking?
OP: 14
IE: Where did you go to culinary school?
OP: I studied more in Europe basically – kind of the school of hard knocks.
IE: Who’s your favorite Chef?
OP: I like different aspects from all sorts of different chefs when it comes down to it. There are a variety of people who inspire me such as: Ferran Adria, David Burke, Grant at Alinea. But I don’t necessarily have one particular one.
Locally my favorite chef is Ian Kleinman though.
IE: What’s your favorite ingredient to cook with?
OP: There is no favorite ingredient, it really just depends on the seasons. And that really refers to our food here at Bittersweet – artisanal cuisine, seasonally driven. My favorite ingredient changes from day-to-day.
One thing that I can definitely say is necessary in all foods is salt. It always enhances flavor, it always brings flavor out.
IE: What staples do you keep in fridge or pantry at home?
IE: If you could choose your last meal, what would it be?
OP: That’s a good question. Spaghetti with meat sauce. It was always my favorite food growing up as a kid.
IE: What’s one guilty pleasure in food you have?
OP: I don’t really have a guilty pleasure per se – uh, sandwiches. Sandwiches as a whole would be my guilty pleasure.
IE: What’s it like opening up a restaurant with your wife?
OP: It’s great – the whole aspect of being able to be with your wife every day. We have an 8-week old newborn who I get to see everyday – that’s really why we started the whole thing – more or less spend more time with each other
Also, we have a love for food and gardening, it was kind of the natural progression. Really, at the end of the day, that’s why we did it – to be together.
IE: Bittersweet focuses on providing a Farm-to-Table experience. What types of vegetables are you growing now?
OP: We’re just starting it basically. There’s 2 blueberry bushes out there. Tomatoes, peppers, squashes, cucumbers, and we will plant corn – we’re just waiting for it to get a little warmer. Corn’s just kind of fickle.
We have a second garden which houses chard, leafier greens, lettuce greens, basil, dill, chives.
IE: Any tip for the home gardener?
OP: We use chives basically everywhere. You’ll see 30-40 chive plants intermingled. Primarily, what chives do is deter aphids.
IE: What’s your favorite spot to grab indie eats?
OP: There’s some cool little taquerias around town, and stuff like that, that I think are really good. There’s one on I-25 and Evans called La Taqueria Carniceria.
Devil’s Food my wife and I go to a lot for brunch. It’s in the south Gaylord area.
IE: People always want to know tips and tricks from Chefs. Got anything for my readers?
OP: It’s pretty simple really, just love your food. Really enjoy the process of what your doing.
I worked with a few chefs that really beat into us as young cooks that you have to remember – whether it’s a vegetable or a piece of meat – that entity died for a reason. A cow died for a reason. It died to become steak. That steak you should respect, because at one point this had a life. You should really take care, and love that part of it – these are all aspects of how we get to good food.
IE: That’s an awesome philosophy.
After a tour of the gardens that surround the restaurant, we sat down to try a few select dishes. Now, Chef Olav will tell you that he doesn’t have any favorites, but I still made him select what I was going to have. For these dishes, I had the Chef walk through each of them for me. Below I have a brief description of what we ate, but if you’d like to know more, the audio clip is provided as well.
Dish 1 – Alsacienne Tart – Spring Vegetables and Haystack Mountain Goat Cheese
Dish 5 – Poussin – Wild Boar Ham and Grilled Spring Onion Dressing, Hazelnut Puree, Smoked Jus
Unfortunately I wasn’t able to get a shot of the Lamb Sausage dish – I had some technical difficulties. Maybe next year I’ll spring for a photographer, ha! Anyways, once I had finished all of the dishes, I realized what Chef Olav was talking about. I couldn’t pick a favorite either. Each of them had a very unique profile and was incredible in their own way. I will say this though – the Sweetbread Reuben was the most intriguing to me. I normally don’t care for sweetbreads much, but this dish was so inventive, and prepared in such a different way that I have to say this is the dish I would suggest to people. Not because it was my favorite, but because it could introduce you to something you normally wouldn’t eat.
Being able to try new things, and experience dining at its best is something that is often under-appreciated in America. Don’t get me wrong, I love grabbing a taco from a street vendor, but I also love to have an experience with friends and family over a dinner table. This “dining experience” is something that was very apparent in the way Chef Olav goes about running a restaurant. It’s apparent in his garden. It’s apparent in cooking. He’s about “going the long route” which is something to truly be appreciated.
Bittersweet is a wonderful addition to Denver, and the neighborhood it’s in. It’s a stunning building, surrounded by serene gardens growing fresh vegetables and incredible flowers. Even in a down economy, having an experience like dining at Bittersweet is something everyone should aim for. Whether it’s a birthday, graduation, anniversary, or just that much needed date night, this is something that you should treat yourself to.
It’s difficult to write a blog post on every restaurant I go to. Sometimes I don’t feel it’s a good fit for my format, sometimes I have a bad experience, and sometimes restaurants go into radio silence when I try to email them a few questions. The last one never ceases to amaze me. Anyways, I was sitting on my couch the other night – casually ignoring my wife’s choice in television – and I started looking through all the pictures on my phone. Having a meal with my wife, family, or friends is my favorite thing to do. Especially when the wine is flowing, and the food is tasty. So I end up having a library full of food pictures.
I got to thinking – there’s a lot of dishes and events in the past few months that are noteworthy. So, in somewhat of a montage of the past 5 months – here are some great things to check out. While they may not have received an actual blog post – they’re getting the attention they deserve here.
Enjoy.
Above is probably the best egg drop soup I’ve ever had. The guys at LeeReedy/Xylem introduced me to Wokano on 11th and Ogden – and by introduced I mean they had what some might call an addiction. Anyways, I finally decided to give it a shot. This was definitely the highlight of my meal. Some egg drop soups seem to be chicken stock with eggs and maybe a few veggies tossed in. This was not the case here. This soup boasted a rich, earthy broth, bamboo, and delicately cooked eggs. It is absolutely worth heading down for.
When my wife and I decided to buy our home in Denver, we thought we should experience everything up north before we moved. The dish above is from Empire in Louisville, Colorado. This swanky spot has great contemporary American cuisine, and a brash owner to back it up. The Calamari Salad we had was one of the best I’ve ever had, and the Braised Colorado Lamb Shank above continued the trend. The caveman-esque bone provided a beautiful backdrop to the deliciousness that followed. It might have been a special that night, but – everything we had there was wonderful. And downtown Louisville was bustling, colorful, and way more fun than we had expected.
Aye Conyo! You almost want to exclaim it when eating this tasty Cuban Sandwich from Buchi on 38th. They have a small delightful Cuban menu, with sensational coffee. Sitting inside Buchi gives you a complete authentic feel. I love it when a restaurant can not only nail the food and drinks, but also gives off an authentic atmosphere. The sandwiches are worth a drive from any corner of the metro area. Seriously. They’re that good.
Big Papa’s BBQ. A lot of you have already read about my experience there for lunch, but I recently went to one of their Super Secret Supper Society events. A 4-Course BBQ Meal paired with Grand Lakes Beers – and all for free. Yes, it sounds way too good to be true, but it’s not – just like ‘em on Facebook for details. Anyways, what ensued was a beer and slow-cooked meat induced coma that lasted until after lunch the next day. If you get a chance, opt for the Catfish Nuggets to share at the table. Simple, fresh, and wildly addicting.
Omakase – (お任せ?) is a Japanese phrase that means “It’s up to you” (from Japanese 任す, entrust). When at TAG, Omakase means, “It’s up to TAG”. This means that when you go in for this culinary splendor, you have no idea what you’ll be eating that night. You are putting your trust in their kitchen staff. They will bring you out four courses of epicurean delight. When we went we took my parents, and it was one of the most enjoyable dining events we’ve all ever been to. The mystery kept you engaged with the service staff, and the creativity that came out of the kitchen was phenomenal. But let’s face it, coming from Troy Guard – would you expect anything less? This is something I highly recommend everyone do. It’s a “Food Event” that isn’t by invite only, and it’s worth every penny.
I lived in Northern California when I was a kid, and the one thing that I miss most is In-n-Out. Anytime I go to a state that has them, I start to have mini-panic attacks when I see that big golden arrow directing me to flavor country. The recently revamped Madison Street offers a close 2nd with their Double Double Animal Style. Thank you Chef Cummings for developing a burger that includes two patties, two slices of cheese, grilled chopped onions, and oh-so-tasty spread. If you’re familiar with this burger, but can’t get to an In-n-Out soon, this will calm those insatiable cravings.
So if you’re looking for a couple of new spots to check out this summer – any of these will do. There’s a few nice lunch spots on the list, as well as something that would be great for a birthday or anniversary celebration. I’ll have more reviews, recipes, and chef interviews coming soon – so stay tuned!
