As most of you know by now, I have somewhat of a man crush on Jensen Cummings. Don't giggle. The guy represents everything that the food scene in Denver should be. Let me start by explaining how I met Jensen. A while back, I asked Troy Guard if I could spend a night staging in TAG's kitchen. Not because I wanted to work there, but simply because I love cooking. What better way to learn more about one of my biggest passions then to hang out in one of Denver's best kitchens?

Troy was nice enough to take it easy on me. I did have to work, as any eager young cook would have to, but the end of the night was pretty lax. In fact, the last hour of the night I hung out with the Chef de Cuisine of TAG, one Jensen Cummings. Instead of having a strained look on his face as I peppered him with questions, he just smiled, cooked and explained everything I wanted to know. You see, Jensen isn't a cocky, holier-than-thou chef. He's a guy who loves food and beer, and loves sharing that passion with the people in his community. He's not a part of the cool crowd, he wants you to be the cool crowd.  Hence, my man crush.

Since that night at TAG, I've hung out with Jensen a few times. I staged one night at Row 14, went to a media dinner, and had a few random run ins. The guy is always smiling, always has some new crazy food project going, and is always excited to share his passion with you. With that being said, the second Jensen mentioned his new project, an all meatball restaurant, I was more than intrigued.

The Slotted Spoon opened just a few months ago and it's already graced my belly with ball shaped goodness (stop laughing) on multiple occasions. The menu is pretty easy to understand, pick a ball, pick a vessel, pick a sauce. They also have a sandwich menu too if you panic at the site of too many choices. Both times I've been, I opted for a sandwich off their sandwich menu.

The first time I went the Chicken Picnic sandwich adorned with honey jalapeno BBQ sauce, California slaw, and some provolone (which happens to be one of my favorite sandwich cheeses). In all honesty, I ordered this sub because I thought that a chicken meatball would be the true test of Jensen's meatball chefery. I personally don't like the texture of ground chicken. In fact, if you mention chicken sausage in my presence, 9/10 we're going to be having words outside. The other one time I'll be too tipsy to care. Don't judge. However, this texture didn't offend me, in fact, I actually enjoyed it. It was moist and tender, and didn't have that poultry gaminess that comes with grinding. On top of that, it was well seasoned with Adobo seasonings. Now, when you place that in a hoagie roll with provolone, some sweet BBQ sauce, and some ranch based crunchy slaw, you're in flavor country.

In accompaniment to my meatball sammie was a small bowl of home-style goodness, better known as mac-n-cheese. Oh wait. Let me correct myself, that's bacon mac-n-cheese. Now, if you order the mac, don't go in expecting some Frank Bonanno lobster mac that runs $17 per bite. Nothing against Frank and that dish of magic at Mizuna, but sometimes you just want a taste of home. Jensen's mac is made with 100% "Our gift to the culinary world" American cheese. His words, verbatim. While this may not impress some of you finer foodies, know this: the fresh jalapeno juice adds a flavorful kick that pairs incredibly well with the smoky bacon placed neatly atop that cheesy goodness. It's the perfect balance of home and epicurio.

Food aside, The Slotted Spoon has a cool thing going. Not only does it focus on local ingredients and vendors, but the design and atmosphere is comfortable, clean, and well put together. In fact, it's so well put together, that you could easily be fooled into thinking this was a chain. They spent ample time thinking this concept time, and it shows.

It's probably meal time for you right now, and hopefully you're thinking about The Slotted Spoon. However, you may still be considering Chipotle or Pei Wei. It's quick, easy, and they care about their food. I urge you to stop though, and think about going local. These guys have a very similar set of ideals. And really, don't you need some balls in your life? Yes, you may laugh at that one, as it was intended. Happy eating!

Fabulous photography from the ever so talented Shanna Nichole.

I often told people that serving at NoRTH was the most difficult service job in Denver. I had worked at enough restaurants to know that this was a different beast. You were expected to hit an extremely polished number of service points, and also turn tables at a fast pace. This provided a buzzing, electric atmosphere, and an amazing dining experience for the guests. Well, True Food Kitchen lives up to the FRC standards. While it doesn't have a "fine dining" feel to it, it does stick to it's expected standards in providing a stellar dining experience for it's guests.

Now before you get on my case about this being a chain, let me just dissolve your point. I know FRC has multiple locations of a few of it's restaurants, but I hardly feel like you can call it a chain. When I talk about eating at local spots, I'm encouraging you to avoid places like Chili's or Applebees. I would hardly place any FRC concept in that realm. On top of which, I know the chefs focus on local ingredients and vendors. 

With that being said, I recently visited the newest addition to Denver via Sam Fox, True Food Kitchen. True Food's vision is based off of Dr. Andrew Weil’s anti-inflammatory diet which provides essential nutriets without depriving you of taste. The menu is extremely healthy, but also very delicious. Check out what we had:

Thai Shrimp Dumplings – Perfectly cooked dumplings filled with tender shrimp. Honestly, I'm not much of a shrimp fan, so my word shouldn't be taken as the end-all be-all. (Nor should it ever). My guest though was rather fond of these spicy yet delicate dumplings.

Chicken Sausage Pizza – Tomato, Fennel and Fontina – Strong fresh tomatoe flabvor with a beautiful charred crust and tasty chicken sausage.

Seafood Caldo – Sea Bass, Shrimp, Collards, White Beans, Cilantro, Chili Lime Broth – This dish reminded me of a fish stew I had in Italy, only without the cilantro of course. It was fresh, light, and extremely flavorful.

Grass Fed Beef Street Tacos – Avocado, Cotija, Tomatillo Salsa served with Anasazi beans. This was hands down my favorite meal. The Anasazi beans were a cup full of smokey goodness. I could eat those things daily.

If you haven't been yet, head down to True Food. The atmosphere is clean, well put together, and inviting. The food is healthy, fresh, and downright tasty. Yes, it is technically a chain, but Sam Fox's roots run deep in Colorado. It's not like he's franchising Chili's or anything. When you do head down, grab a cuccumber martini or four. They're outrageously delicious.

First, I’ll thank Clayton for allowing me to guest write for Indie Eats. I work with Clayton on a variety of different projects (Music Ninja, Indie Eats, and hopefully some up and coming projects he and I are trying to manifest). Indie Eats is a blog I visit often, and I enjoy every opportunity I get to contribute to the site.

I also do my own blogging (aservant.posterous.com): my topics tend to revolve around the Lo-Hi area of Denver. So this restaurant review was a quadruple pleasure for me: I get to help out a blog a love, I get to write about a neighborhood I love, I get to help out a restaurant I love, and I get to help out a guy I love.

Call me a big softy.

Anyway, my first two experiences with Central Bistro, located halfway between I-25 and 15 th street on Central, were very good. I live in the neighborhood and often dine at the many establishments located within walking distance of my girlfriend and my apartment on 15th Street. My first experience with Central Bistro was in the late summer of 2012. My girlfriend and I were caught in a sudden rainstorm, looking for a place to get a drink and a snack. We ran into Central Bistro, which had just opened, and found a covered patio table. We sat and watched a rare Denver downpour while snacking on salumi plates and sipping cocktails. Our service was prompt and helpful—our overall experience very pleasant. I liked the place and looked forward to coming back.

The second time I ate at Central Bistro was under different circumstances. My girlfriend and I were looking for a place to eat after being told there was a 45 minute wait at Amado’s. We were really just looking for a quick bite—work had gone late for both of us and we were too exhausted to cook, so we tried Central Bistro again. We had a seat at the bar, ordered a bottle of wine from Mark, the very helpful bartender, and settled in for some small plates. Had I known the food was this good, I would have ordered far more than just an appetizer my first time in.

I ordered a chicken confit soup and a fried chicken small plate. I had the soup first: a delectable, slow cooked confit drenched in a meticulously reduced vegetable broth. I had tasted broth reductions of this caliber at places like Mizuna in Denver and Frasca in Boulder, but those aren’t places I go to often. I was blown away by the levels of complexity and flavor in the soup—particularly given the forgiving price tag of about 8 bucks. My girlfriend had a baby green salad with arugula, sunflower seeds, tomatoes and goat cheese. We followed this with an amazing fried chicken, served on top a Johnny cake with a heavy gravy. The portions were perfect—we both felt content after our plates. We high-fived at the bar, very thankful that we had decided to go to Central Bistro instead of waiting it out at Amado’s. We had a great conversation with Mark as we listened to Gorillaz and Portishead and finished our wine.

Needless to say we were impressed. We resolved to ask Clayton, that oracle of indie restaurants in Denver, permission to write up Central Bistro and share it’s loveliness with our fair city. He agreed!

Our third visit was a proper one. It’s amazing how much of a restaurant you will miss if you just duck in, as I had the last two times I was there. This time I noticed some of the intricate touches the restaurant designers had put into place. No detail was spared. The dining room is cast in the shadow of the neon “HOT” sign over the expo line, the white leather chairs standing in contrast to the bright red sign burning out into the street. The metal work is all adorned with the Central Bistro symbol: a fork and knife crossed with a wine bottle. The bar is more subdued; oak barrels sit on the west side of the bar next to chest high bar tables surrounded by distressed wood and metal. The tops of the room are surrounded by high end whiskey bottles and fruit preserves, reminding me a little of my college apartment—a high end version of it, that is. The bar is situated on the far Eastern extreme, stocked with high end brown liquors and a few notable light ones. The music, so necessary to the vibe of an urban (or any) restaurant, was blue grass. I recognized Led Zepplin’s Bronyur Stomp played by a bluegrass band which seemed fitting for the whiskey heavy environment I was in.

My girlfriend and I were greeted with prompt cocktails that I shared on Instagram: an Old Fashioned for me and a “Star Power” (vodka, pineapple and sage) for my lady. We were treated to a special plate: shaved salmon and caviar all on fried potato cake with dill and crème fraiche to top it. We savaged the dish, enjoying the salty, starchy blend. Our next dish was a house charcuterie: duck prosciutto, copa, mortadello and a few other shaved meats with olives and house made lavosh, crunchy and briny to the finish.

As we awaited the next experience, we asked a few questions about the place. We discovered that the intricate bar woodwork was made from antique boxcar flooring. We learned of the over 70 different types of whiskey were available (Seth, the GM and Mark, the lead bartender, are both enthusiasts) as well as the extensive, almost solely American wine list of the restaurant. The goal for Central Bistro is to be a “Denver restaurant first, and an American restaurant second,” we learned, and that the vast majority of the ingredients were found locally. And being that the restaurant is first and foremost a Denver establishment, the overall goal was to match the flexibility of its Denverite diners with quality and affordable items: if you wanted develed eggs, cheese curds and a stout beer, Central Bistro could accommodate you. If you wanted a delicate seafood dish, artistically garnished with a high end bottle of wine from the good old US of A, well, you could get that too. And we did.

The second plate was a lovely seared scallop, crunchy on the outside and creamy soft on the inside, drenched in sautéed cauliflower, roasted almonds, hamhock shavings and celery root. The seafood fan in me rejoiced! Over the speakers more bluegrass played. I smiled as I recognized the theme from O Brother Where Art Thou, camouflaged among lesser known bluegrass tunes.

Finally came the main course: a flank steak cooked to a perfect almost medium rare with potatoes duchesse and creamed spinach that was just heavenly. At this point, I had to know who the head chef was. I was informed only that his name was Gerrard formerly from “Z Cuisine,” another local favorite of mine, and that the su-chef hailed from Strings, another Denver heavy hitter. My girlfriend and I agreed that the pedigree of the back of the house explained a lot as we scraped the last bit of potato and creamed spinach off the plate.

I’m not a huge dessert fan, but we definitely indulged that night. We ordered the sweet potato cheesecake. I’m going to tell you this: I don’t like desserts, but I totally bogarted this one. The experience was spiritual—in a gluttonous way. It was the most fantastic bit of sweet I had ever experienced (keep in mind that my gf is an avid baker). It was the perfect balance of sweet and salty, mellow and creamy, rich and light. “Fabulous” falls short. Order this. Period. I enjoyed this dessert as a bluegrass rendition of Cold Play’s Yellow came over the speakers. I’m not a Cold Play fan, but the song sounded great on a full belly and with a banjo. I contemplated heaven.

I left feeling really good about the place. It’s a real treat to have such a versatile restaurant just a stone’s throw away from where I live. I could see going down there for a bite during the week or planning my next special event there and in both cases, come away feeling content.

Stop in for your own experience. I’m confident you’ll enjoy it!

Ciao

A Servant

This last Friday, I hustled downtown after work to catch the first installment of this amazingly orchestrated cocktail tour. Unfortunately, the tour started at 4pm, so I was unable to catch the first stop, which was at Tom's Urban 24. Awkward starting times aside, I was still able to catch the next two, which happen to be at two of my favorites. The first location was TAG, which featured the Gamay Some Gin. This artfully crafted cocktail features Terroir Gin from St. George distillery, Geaujolais Syrup, and lemon garnished with a sprig of fresh rosemary.  It was a clean, easy to drink cocktail that really refreshed your palate. Even my guest, who normally doesn't like gin, enjoyed this one.

The next stop was Corridor 44. This Denver staple is a must hit for me, especially on date nights. On this night though, we were straying away from the bubbly and delving into the delicious  Chaisaac Tea. This cocktail featured Makers 42 Bourbon, Apricot Brandy, Grand Marnier, Agave, Spiced Apple Cider, all topped with house made chai whipped cream. It was so well balanced, you couldn't even notice there was bourbon in it. It had bright notes from the cider, but was rich and full bodied with the bourbon and house made whipped cream.

After the drinks we stayed and talked with the rest of the group. Art of Winter and Culinary Connector did a top notch job of making everyone feel comfortable, and introducing everyone to one another. Sometimes these group experiences can be a little awkward, and I can assure you that this is not one of those experiences. I mean, the booze definitely helps everyone feel more comfortable, but the majority of the credit goes to the hosts.

There are two more dates on this cocktail tour, and I highly recommend getting out to one of the two. There's one tonight starting at 4pm, and there's also another one next week. You can pick up tickets on Culinary Connectors site.

Well my foodie wishes came true with Bocadillo. Located on Tejon street just south of 41st lies a little neighborhood gem serving up tapas and sandwiches in the best ways. Bocadillo's mantra is simple. Find great local ingredients, and then plan the menu accordingly. The menu focuses on what's good and fresh, instead of what's just average and always readily available. It's organic, and locally minded, which is exactly the type of place this city needs.

When I went in I opted for the Jamaican jerk chicken sandwich. Before you say it, I know. This isn't a traditional Spanish Bocadillo. However, the restaurant never claims to serve 100% authentic sandwiches, and offers a variety that is sure to please our multi-cultural palates. Back to the sandwich. It was a mix of dark and white meat which provided plenty of rich flavor, which is often missed in a chicken sandwich. On top was a rum braised slaw, that added a great texture. I threw on an assortment of pickled items and sauces from their "Pickle and Dip" bar (which also displays a gorgeous herb garden) and went to town.

While I didn't have the appetitie to try some of the tapas, the table next to me did, and everything looked on point. I will be soon making it down there to give them a try. I highly encourage you do the same, and support someone who's not only doing the right thing, but doing it well.

With that being said, there's no event I get more excited for all year than the Denver Burger Battle. Last year was my first time going, and as long as I'm alive, and this event exists, I'll be in attendance. This year the Denver Burger Battle stepped their game up and switched venues. Instead of a scorching hot parking lot in the middle of downtown, this year we were lucky enough to have our grumbling stomachs grace the field of the Denver Broncos (Praise be to Elway). This in and of itself was an experience, but of course, the fun didn't stop there. 

I was lucky enough to get VIP access so I could cruise through the restaurants offerings before the large crowds started to pour in. This gave me a chance to quickly decide whose I liked best. Now, last year I shared with you my tasting notes on all of the burgers I tried. This year, I'm changing it up a little bit, and have created Indie Eats Denver Burger Battle Awards. So here's three completely made up awards that carry no clout whatsoever outside of my blog. 

The burger that I would love to eat on a Sunday after drinking: The Sink

Texas Onion Straw Burger – Provolone, Cheddar Cheese, Jalapenos, Crispy Onion Rings with Chipotle Mayo.  I love seeing the really unique burgers at the burger battle, but I also love the ones that I would see myself ordering on an average day. With my fondness for spicy foods, and spicy foods being a cure for hangovers, this was definitely one of my favs. The fresh Jalapenos were crisp, and spicy, and the freshness cut through the rich fried onions and melty cheese. While it didn't blow me away, this is something I would order on the regular.

The Burger that had so much going on, but was still amazing: Crave

The Wiseguy – Crispy Mozzarella, Prosciutto, Fresh Basil, Tomato and Onion Drizzled with Balsamic and Olive Oil. Ok, last year I loved the Daffy from Crave. Yes, their burgers have a ton of flavors going on, and they're messy as hell. Here's the thing though, they're pretty damn good. The flavors work together, and don't overcomplicate the burger. If they had a location closer than Castle Rock, I would probably be down there a lot more often.

The Burger that unexpectedly made my knees weak: Mateo's

Colorado Sirloin, Caramelized Onions, Herb Aioli, Gruyere.  I don't make it up to Boulder very often, but I can assure you that I will from here on out, if only to eat something from Mateo's again. This burger was perfectly cooked and seasoned, and had a perfect blend of flavor profiles. The sweet caramelized onions paired with the creamy aioli and the melty gruyere. It was simple, yet extremely sophisticated in it's execution.

Ok, so I know these awards don't have any official meaning to the Denver Burger Battle and it's attendees, but these two do. Here are the official winners of the day:

Judges Choice – Larkburger - Bacon Truffle Cheddar Burger. Truffle Aioli, Applewood Smoked Bacon and Tillamook Cheddar
People's Choice – Crave - The Wiseguy – Crispy Mozzarella, Prosciutto, Fresh Basil, Tomato and Onion Drizzled with Balsamic and Olive Oil

Once again the fine people at the Denver Burger Battle have accomplished pulling off the best food event in Denver. While I definitely encourage you try all the participating restaurants, I also encourage you to plan on going to the 2013 Burger Battle next year. Trust me, you won't be disappointed.

I always enjoyed providing guests (never say customer) with amazing service. Yes there were times where I was frustrated, angry, and downright seething pissed at the sheer stupidity of the general public, but I tried to hide those feelings based on one simple notion. Those people were my paycheck, and that paycheck could choose to be spent at any number of different establishments around town.

It wasn't until college that I truly began to master my craft. I helped open a pizza joint owned by a very reputable chef, and learned from one of the best service individuals out there. I learned that a service experience is something that a lot of people don't understand. I wasn't writing orders down; I was creating an experience. I was doing things that I would enjoy had I gone out to dinner that night. Having this train of thought made me very good at what I did.

Seeing as how my college education took me 8 years (please feel free to make fun) I had the opportunity to continue what I loved on a bigger stage. I left where I was at to work for a very well known restaurateur in Cherry Creek. I won't say this person's name, or the restaurant, just know that it's a difficult place to serve. Servers were expected to turn tables quickly, while hitting a remarkably difficult number of service points. We were tested regularly from secret shoppers and let's just say the turnover rate was ridiculously high.

I hustled. I knew my wines. I knew my menu. I knew my service points. All of these resulted in one thing – a noteworthy dining experience for my guests. I took pride in what I did, and the fact that I did things by the books. Were there assholes? Of course. It's Cherry Creek. But knowing those people were my paycheck, I bit my lip and kept hustling. I carried this on for two years before being asked to interview for a position as a corporate trainer. This would essentially mean that I would travel from new opening to new opening,teaching servers how to give great experiences. I had to turn this offer down because I finally graduated college and was ready to embrace my new career. The fact remains though that I was respected highly enough to be considered for this position.

Ok, at this point I know you're wondering why I haven't really given any insight to the wait staff of Denver. Well, it's coming. Don't get your panties in a bunch.

Every profession deals with ridiculous complaints that are unjustified and piss you off.

This is my biggest pet peeve that I hear about from servers. "Someone sent their fish back because they thought it was medium rare instead of medium…even though the CIA trained chef in back KNOWS that it's a perfect medium." Tough shit.  You dealing with nonsensical complaints is no different than anyone else out there. Work sucks sometimes, which is why it's not called fun. Get over it. I can't count how many times I had to bite my lip as as server, but that's just what you do. I've also had to bite my lip in my current career. That's life. If you want to see really ridiculously rude people, get a government job. Of course if you did that, I'd be reading a blog on how to act appropriately at the DMV.

I'm your paycheck. That doesn't give me a right to be rude, but remember the fact that…well…I'm your paycheck.

Look, I know you want to get off work so you can hit up the Aesop Rock concert at Summit, but here's the deal. You're at work. This is your job. I had no prior knowledge of your plans to hotbox your car and go to a show. Had I known, I would ask for a different server that enjoys the money I'm about to give them. So if I seem a little turned off that you're trying to rush me out, don't complain about me being a dick.

Regardless of how I'm dressed, treat me the same as you would any other guest.

Ok, we live in Colorado. This isn't exactly Madison Avenue. Yes, I probably could benefit from shaving, and throwing on a blazer when I go out to a decent spot, but I like good food! What the hell does that even mean, you ask? Well sometimes my friends and I are out and about and want to go somewhere a little nicer, but we're not dressed the part. That doesn't mean I'm not going to drop the same amount of loot that I would had I dressed up. The last few times my friends and I were judged on how we were dressed at a nice establishment, we ended the experience at one drink and one app, when we would have racked up a decent sized bill had we been treated appropriately.. Don't judge. I've sat at Cap Grill's bar drinking Stoli Doli's in flip flops and jeans, and those guys have never even batted an eye. And they always get tipped well.

Don't be a lazy asshole.

One thing that drives me crazy is servers that don't go the extra mile. A truly unique and incredible service experience should be seamless. A diner should never wonder what's going on, should never ask why they don't have something they need, and they should never wish they had something additional to make their experience better. I was recently on a day-date and met a girl at a overwhelmingly popular breakfast/brunch spot. After waiting for 55 minutes for a table (the food is worth it) it then took an additional 15 minutes to get greeted. Then an additional 25 to get our food. Then an additional 7 to get silverware. That's right, as our food that we had now waited an hour and forty three minutes for got cold waiting for something to eat it with, your tip went down. Weird how that happens… Don't be a lazy asshole. It all comes back to this…I'm your paycheck. Do you want a larger paycheck or a smaller one? It's a simple concept really.

Think of what you would want.

As a server at a nice restaurant and I'm positive you're no stranger to dining out. What pisses you off about service when you go out? Can you honestly say that it doesn't bother you when someone says, "you should hang on to your fork."  If I'm paying for a $15 dollar app, I'm almost positive that the water and electricity costs involved in washing that fork so I can have a new one is included in that price. Replacing silverware should be accepted as common practice. Don't give me your "conservation" argument either. I've seen plenty of dish racks go through the dishwasher half empty. You can easily fit a bin of silverware in that rack.  No one wants to wipe their fork in a napkin, forcing them to then have a crummy napkin in their lap. If I wanted that experience, I would go to Denny's. But I don't, which is why I come to your restaurants. So just do it already.

If you need a good case-in-point, take this story for an example. My last trip to New York I was fortunate enough to eat at Thomas Keller's per se. I know you're not dealing with the magnitude of check totals that those servers are, but bear with me. As the server brought a basket of breads, and explained all of them, I noticed there was a pretzeled roll in there. Being 3 cocktails in at this point, I jokingly asked if they had any mustard to accompany my pretzel. The server smiled and said, "Let me see what I can do."

He returned two minutes later with an array of four types of mustard, and placed it right in front of me. While I was kidding, he knew that I secretly did want some mustard, even if I was at one of the nicest joints in Manhattan. He knew that's what he would like. Think of that as you approach your tables. What would you like to experience?

Don't scoff at the notion that people want to split a check.

Not too long ago, my friends and I went out for Sunday Funday at a Sloan's Lake restaurant. Aside from the simple fact that I've been a server, I also know that we're in the year 2012 and that restaurants have ample technology to split tickets in a variety of ways. These programs assign items to seat numbers, making it very simple to separate items per person. If you ring things in correctly, then you can easily figure out how to separate things. If you're a lazy asshole (see above) then you probably just punched in the drinks all on seat one, because it was far simpler than actually assigning them to the individual that ordered them. This is not my fault as a guest. Yes, we should let you know every time before hand because it's polite. But the funny thing is you don't seem to care about social graces as you rack up a huge tab with my booze sales, that is, until you realize that we need it split. Then suddenly I'm the worst guest in the world for requesting the "unique" favor of splitting my bill according to what we ordered.

Don't be a lazy asshole. Ring your shit in properly and you won't have to worry about this dilemma.

Yes, some people have kids. You were a kid at one point, and probably acted unruly.

I get it. Kids don't spend any money. The simple fact of it is, that kids are going to come out with patrons who want to eat at somewhere other than their local pizza spot. Kids can often be unruly. This is the unfortunate thing about taking kids out to eat. But…if patrons don't take their kids out and teach them how to behave in public, then how will they ever learn? It does suck that this is on your behalf, but remember this. Those people are your paycheck. Oh! There it is again. Also, that family splitting entrees and drinking lemonades may be doing that today, but then later in the month the parents might be going out for dinner alone, and drop some cash on a bottle of Cakebread. That's the thing. This individual experience may suck, but look at the greater picture.

My final message to you is that being a great server is a very rewarding career. You have the ability to make people's nights amazing. Will you have to deal with a few bad apples? Yes. We all do though. It's part of life. Vent to other servers at the bar later that night. That's what I always did, and it always seemed to do the trick.  Here's the beautiful thing though, you can turn an bad apple into a smiling face. You can then turn that smiling face into a repeat customer. And after more amazing service experiences, you can then have people request your section. Amazing service = happy people. Happy people = busy restaurants. Busy restaurants = more money for you. So it's simple really. Just provide every table with a service experience you would be happy with, and in the end, you'll have more loot in your pocket to have fun with.

This time around I was lucky enough to be on the dining room side of the expo window. I brought my mom with me, as she has never had the pleasure of coming to a media dinner. What ensued was 13 dishes of pure deliciousness. At one point my mom looked up at me and said, "I feel like I'm on Iron Chef". I was more than happy to see the sheer glee on my mom's face as the staff of Row 14 brought out dish after dish, and poured glass after glass.

I was invited to shed some light on the new menu that Row 14 is rolling out with the celebration of their one year anniversary. So I know what you're thinking…Indie…what did you like? Well I'll tell you this. I like simple/classic dishes a lot of the time. Don't get me wrong, I loved my meal at Per Se in New York, but I find myself drawn to the taco stands and food trucks more often than not. With that being said, I think you'll be able to see my tastes, in my two favorite dishes.

1. Cherry Wood Smoked Pastrami/Fried Egg/Swiss/Carmelized Onion/Harissa Aioli – I'm not normally a fan of Pastrami, I'm more of a Corned Beef fan. With that being said, this Pastrami was perfect. The right cut to gave it tenderness and chewiness that accompanied the runny egg and the creamy, spicy Harissa Aioli in perfect harmony. I proclaimed at the table that this is the perfect hangover food, and it is. Chef Cummings can expect me in my jammies with bloodshot eyes and a grumpy disposition soon.

2. Pork Cheek Tacos/Napa Cabbage/Asian Pear Pico/Spicy Hoisin/House Sriracha – Boom. House Sriracha? No you didn't! Yes they did, and it's good. Also Cheek is one of my favorite cuts. Delicate, tender, and downright flavorful. These tacos were the shit! I'm a big taco connoisseur, and I must admit, these are one of my new favs. Bravo Row 14.

Aside from a tasty new menu roll out, Chef Cummings also presented a few other ideas of his to the group. The one that I was most excited about was the "Road. Vine. Table" trip. Row 14 has partnered with the Colorado Association for Viticulture and Enology (CAVE) to launch Colorado’s first series of wine-and-farm tours. What the hell does that actually mean? Essentially this – you'll be getting on a bus, having intimate discussions and tastings of Colorado Wines as your drive south. Upon arriving in Palisade you'll have a two-day excursion filled with more wine, multiple winery tours, and meals prepared by Jensen and Mark DeNittis (Owner – Il Mondo Vecchio). This two-day, all inclusive event costs $350 per person, and will most assuredly be worth every penny. Please call Row 14 for more details.

Ok, I know you have internet attention spans, which means most of you stopped reading after the pictures ended, so I will end this here. Chef Jensen embodies what I want in Denver. Playful, locally inspired cuisine at good prices, paired with great wine and beer and served with a big smile. Boom. No need to complicate things. Get down to Row 14, Denver. Jensen is killing it on the regular.

Ok kiddos, it's about that time again. Grills will be fired up, kegs will be tapped, napkins will be abused, and the city of Denver will be prepping for one giant, beautiful meat coma. Yes, it's time for the Denver Burger Battle. This year's event is set to be bigger and better than ever before. While I know most people say that, this time it happens to be very true. Here's the details.

Location: This year is a huge step up from last year, which was no slouch. We'll be gnawing down juicy burgers on the field of the Denver Broncos. That's right, DBB2012 will call Sports Authority Field at Mile High it's home this year. Wicked.

Contenders:

Tickets are only $75 and are going rather quickly. I was lucky enough to attend this event last year, and it's one you simply CAN'T MISS. So click this link, and get ready for some burgers.

After spending some time with a lovely lady from Kansas, I was instructed on how far off Denver BBQ joints are from those of the great state of Kansas. While we may excel at having a rad, mountainous playground in our backyard, tasty green chile as far as the eye can see, and the ever-so-great Denver Broncos, Kansas probably has a leg up on us as far as good BBQ goes.

With that being said, I feel like this is a spot that the aforementioned lovely lady would definitely approve of. Before I get into the food, let me mention this. You will be intimidated as you pull up. The place is tiny, divey, and in an industrial part of town, just off of Hampden and Santa Fe. Don't let this deter you from getting some tasty BBQ though. The staff is pleasant, and the meat is tender. Let's be honest though, as long as the meat is tender at a BBQ spot, who really cares what the restaurant looks like?

I opted for the brisket sandwich, with hot BBQ sauce, and a side of french fries. The slabs of beef brisket overflowed out of the bun and were messily sauced with spicy, sweet, and smoky sauce; just how BBQ should be. The meat was impecabily tender, with not a single dry or tough spot throughout the sandwich. The fries were actual, cut-from-potato fries, which were fried to order. They were served crispy, skin on, with a little bit of salt. The only regret I had was not getting enough napkins, as this was quite a messy meal to have in my car. Oh, which reminds me, there's no seating, so be prepared to take it to your house, your office, or you could always just take it down in your car.