February is the month of love, and we fell hard for lamb, farm dinners, and some of the best sandwiches. While so many great dishes passed our lips, we picked out 10 of the highlights.
What was your favorite dish of the month? Let us know in the comments.
Egg Cups at Black Cat Farmstead
To pick one dish of the multi-course meal at chef and owner Eric Skokan’s newly launched Black Cat Farmstead does a disservice, the entire meal was outstanding. However, the most visually stunning plate came first on a tray of hors d’oeuvres, the egg cups. Each delicate egg was carefully opened, used, cleaned, and then filled with a savory garlic flan, pickled shiitake, mustard seeds, and sesame. Yes, the three-bite starter proved as rich and decadent as it sounds.
While we can’t promise the egg cups will be served in the same manner, or even again, excerpt true farm-to-table bites at each dinner, currently $145 per person. The restaurant is uniquely placed on part of Skokan’s 500-acre, full-scale diversified organic farm, which supplies the majority of ingredients for the meal. Instead of a one-building model, the farmstead features individual greenhouses heated with a wood-burning stove. Because of this, reservations are required, and highly recommended. 9889 N. 51st St., Longmont, blackcatboulder.com
Smoked French Dip at Windfall Brewing
We had a lot of reasons to visit the Orchard Town Center in Westminster, and checking out Shawn Murray’s brewery and restaurant was one of them. First, the place is fun, with pin ball machines, claw machines, and whimsical decor filling the space. Guests can wander by the brew tanks and then sample one of the many beers made right there.
Then there’s the menu, where everything offered is hand-made, not frozen (save for the fries). The house-smoked brisket French dip ($19) showcased this dedication. With melty cheese and onions, it was something akin to French onion soup in glorious sandwich form. Yes, you will want to eat it all. 14694 Orchard Pkwy., Suite 400, Westminster, windfallbrewing.co
Aren Five Spice at Coffeegraph
The Highland neighborhood has a new coffee shop that highlights the joys of Indonesian coffee and Asian ingredients. While technically we didn’t have a bite there, Coffeegraph’s drink haunted our palate the whole month. Dubbed the Aren Five Spice ($8), this cup of coffee has proved so popular, owners Brenda and Troy Carlson said it will soon move from the February menu and to the regular.
Inside the magic concoction you’ll find espresso blended with the shop’s signature Indonesian Gula Aren syrup, which offers a caramel-tinged sweetness melded with traditional aromatics including cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg. You can order it hot or cold, and made with milk or non-dairy alternatives. 3800 Julian St, Denver, no website
Winter Panzanella at Abejas
If you haven’t been to this cozy Golden eatery, now is the time. Everything we tried there was fantastic, but one the favorites came in the form of bread salad. The Winter Panzanella ($17) offered a melody of tastes from sharp grapefruit to earthy beets to buttery cashews.
It all worked together with the house-made focaccia pieces, buffalo mozzarella, bits of roasted zucchini, and savory rosemary vinaigrette. Go now to try it while the winter menu is still in play, though we are sure if you miss it the next round of dishes crafted by chef Tommy Kummer will also stun. 807 13th St., Golden, abejasgolden.com
Bò Lá Lốt at Dan Da
Off the build-your-own roll section on the Dan Da menu, order the Bò Lá Lốt ($22.95), a platter of juicy betel-leaf-wrapped sausages with all the fixing. Betel is a flowering plant in the pepper family, and native to Southeast Asia. The ingredient isn’t often found around Denver, which is too bad since it imparts a peppery taste akin to arugula. Chef and owner An Nguyen makes it especially delicious while paired with the fatty meat and surrounded by fresh herbs, crisp lettuce, pickled daikon, and cucumber. 9945 E. Colfax Ave., Aurora, dandavn.com
Seasonal Vegetable Pesto Sandwich at Sullivan Scrap Kitchen
Vegetables, when done right, offer just as much flavor, heft, and savory notes as a piece of meat. And while you can add lamb sausage ($5), bacon ($4), or chicken ($7) to the Seasonal Vegetable Pesto ($14), there’s more than enough on the house-made focaccia to satisfy already. In fact, the regular sandwich boasts roasted seasonal vegetables, stem-and-seed pesto, goat cheese mousse, greens, and tomato.
On the side comes a huge pile of house-cut fries, making the plate a great lunch or brunch deal. Diners also get the sense of doing good since chef and owner Terence Rogers aims to use every part of the ingredients, as well as maintaining a dedication to recycling, compost, and reusable items. 1740 E. 17th Ave., Denver, sullivanscrapkitchen.com
Chilaquiles at Onefold
To be honest, we weren’t sure about ordering chilaquiles from a non-Mexican breakfast spot. Turns out we were wrong to be worried, these were some of the best in town. For $14.50 you get a filling plate featuring house-made tortilla chips that stay perfectly crisp inside the green chili and consume sauce toss. The dish tops off with pico de gallo, cotija cheese choice, and eggs done in your preferred style. Add on bacon, chorizo, sausage, barbacoa chicken, or carne asada for an extra fee. 1420 E. 18th Ave., Denver, eatonefold.com
Lamb Shawarma at Ash’Kara
Sometimes a dish slays not only because it’s delicious, but because it evokes heartfelt memories. Such is the case with the simple Lamb Shawarma ($17) off the lunch menu at Ash’Kara in LoHi. For me, each bite brought back the feeling of grabbing gyros from street vendors in New York City between classes, my first foray into the world of great food.
At Ash’Kara the thin gyro meat gets wrapped tight in a fresh laffa, a type of thin pita cooked in the wood-fired oven. The juicy lamb melds lovingly with house-made toum, a Lebanese garlic sauce. A side of lightly pickled beets, carrot, and cucumber help cut the richness perfectly, rounding out the meal. Pro tip, add on a side of harissa ($2) to give the dish a bit of spice as well. 2005 W. 33rd Ave., Denver, ashkaradenver.com
Tea Salad at Urban Burma
Inside Mango House you’ll find Urban Burma, brothers Siri and Martin Tan’s comforting Burmese take-out spot. While the traditional plates of noodles and curries should be on the list to try, a recent taste of the Tea Salad ($12) wowed thanks to its multi textures and overall freshness. And yes, real tea leaves are part of it, albeit fermented to give a tangy, green-tinged flavor to the dish. Also mixed into the salad is cabbage, tomatoes, fried peanuts, garlic, and crunchy yellow lentils. To try this, a curry, and a samosa, opt for the $17 Taste of Burma plate. 10180 E. Colfax Ave., Aurora, urbanburma.co
Mexico City Hot Chicken Taco at Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant
Each year Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant locations celebrate blood orange season with a special menu, which is available until March 23. On the list is the Mexico City Hot Chicken Taco, and it’s 100-percent craveable. The blood orange aspect comes out in the spicy habanero glaze, giving a bit of zest to the rich heat.
Paired with the juicy fried chicken underneath and a cooling slaw, this is one of the best dishes, and we hope it makes it to the regular menu. While we tried the taco at the downtown location, you can go to any of the other places to try it. Multiple locations, riograndemexican.com
