5280 Lists Denver's 25 Best Restaurants

     The much anticipated issue of 5280's annual 25 best Denver restaurants is here.  My goal is to eat my way through the list, such is my dedication to restaurant reviewing.
     I begin with a Highland favorite, Duo.  First opened in 2005, Duo has been a regular on numerous Denver's best restaurants lists.  I have only been to Duo once and for brunch.  Now was a good time for a revisit.  
     We made reservations for a Sunday night, one of the few on 5280's list of restaurants open on Sunday.  We easily found street parking.  The open and cozy dining room is rustic with exposed brick, overhead duct work, and decorative window panes.  Even the lighting fixtures resemble mixing bowls.  The kitchen looks out into the dining space.  All the chefs that night were women.  Rare, but serendipitous.  We were seated next to the windows which allowed for entertaining street viewing.
     The menu was succinct and featured seasonal produce.  The server brought a sampling of flavorful house marinated olives.  The wine list had a well rounded selection of wines by the glass.  Don chose a French Syrah blend from the Rhone region, and I ordered a Nebbiolo/Barbera from the Piedmont region in Italy.  Both were full bodied and complex.  
    We ordered the open faced Lamb Tartine to start.  It came with shaved lamb atop a smear of grainy mustard on three grilled, hearty, artisan toasts, garnished with julienned pickled radish and red onions.  The lamb was somewhat lacking in flavor or perhaps overshadowed by the accouterments.  
    The Farmer's Market Salad came with julienned squash, mixed greens, heirloom tomatoes, and the  perfect amount of charred leek dressing.  
    Our entrees of Buffalo Sirloin and Bershire Porkchop were more rustic than refined in presentation.  My buffalo was cooked medium rare and more tender and flavorful than most beef.  The potatoes in the fricassee were flavorful but slightly underdone.  Don's pork chop was a bone in, thick cut, and flavorful, however, the smear of barbecue sauce on top obscured the grill marks and was a bit of a turn off aesthetically.  His green beans were also undercooked.
     Even though it was a Sunday night, we decided to indulge in some French press coffee with our dessert.  The flourless chocolate cake was an artistic rectangular slab rather than the ubiquitous wedge.  Two beautifully quinnelled (oval shape) pumpkin chantilly cream and tuille cookies complimented the cake.  
     Service was very good for a busy night.  New silverware was presented after each plate.  The server was very knowledgeable about both the wines and the food.  Coffee was hot and pressed for us at the table.
     Overall, I think Duo pays attention to details, especially in their meticulous knife cuts, and is a good value for your money.  

Lamb Tartine

Farmer's Market Salad

Duo's Kitchen

Buffalo Sirloin

Bershire Porkchop

Flourless Chocolate Cake with Pumpkin Chantilly

Transcendence

     Recently I watched an episode of PBS's "Inside the Mind of a Chef" where Chef David Chang of NYC's Momofuku silently weeped after partaking a most delectable morsel of sushi from a venerable but obscure sushi chef in Tokyo.  
     I have long believed that truly transcendent food has the power to affect as much as any piece of art, poetry, film, or theater.  Our cooking has improved so much in the past 112 days that I have recently been moved to tears on two occasions.  Both times our production could not have been more flawless.  Our food was seasoned so well that each taste element: sweet, salty, fat, and acid was balanced to perfect harmony.  One classmate lovingly observed that she was able to taste individuals' personalities shine in each plate.  
    Cooking is a dance where, hopefully, many rehearsals lead to an effortless tango with your partner.  Sometimes you don't even have to speak, and the other person has already anticipated your next move.  It's a beautiful thing.
     Below are some products from our collaboration:

Grilled Cornish Ham with Basil Butter

Calamari and Arugula Salad

Gnocchi with Sundried Tomato Pesto

Red Pepper, Olive, Anchovy Focaccia

Caprese Salad with Housemade Mozarella

Spaghetti alla Puttanesca

Tiramisu

Trauma Drama

      It's only been three weeks into this block, and there has already been three injuries.  A student suffered second and third degree burns grabbing a hot pot handle.  Another student snipped the webbing between her index and third finger which barely missed her tendons and required 4 stitches.  And yesterday, while pureeing hot stock in the Vitamix, the liquid exploded burning my skin.  Luckily, it wasn't very extensive and a fellow classmate had the equanimity to procure an ice bath for me to soak my arm, which I very much appreciated.  Poor chef is probably looking forward to the conclusion of this block with us.
     I have enjoyed this chef's laissez-faire teaching style.  It is clear that he has a depth of knowledge that comes only with many years in the industry.  Additionally, he is calm, humorous, and respectful.  He never makes you feel like and idiot.  What I appreciate most about this chef is that he does not blatantly pick favorites.  
     What I have observed with all of the chefs thus far is their level of education.  They are all well read, not just in  the culinary arts but current events, politics, and popular culture.  I have as much respect for them as the medical doctors I worked with in my previous profession.
     Today ends our lovely week in Spain.  Below are some of the dishes we have made thus far.  Our plating has improved to rival that of fine dining restaurants.

Roasted Rack of Lamb with Haricots Vert

Spanish Meatballs in Sherry Sauce

Chorizo Stuffed Pork Tenderloin 

Paella a la Madrilena

Halibut en Paupiette

Spanish Roasted Leg of Lamb

     

Restaurant Week: Barolo

     The last time I dined at Barolo in Denver was over 10 years ago.  The fact that the restaurant has thrived for so long speaks volumes.  I have wanted to revisit Barolo, thus Restaurant Week provided the perfect opportunity.  Even though our reservation was for a Thursday night, the place was packed to the gills.  Instead of a three course dinner like other Restaurant Week participants, for $30 per person,Barolo offered a four course dinner of antipasti, primi piatti (first course), secondi piatti, and a dolce (dessert).  
     Additionally, for $23, they offered an Italian wine pairing with each of the four courses.  Don wisely chose the wine pairing, and I asked the knowledgeable server to select a glass of white wine that would pair well with most of my meal.  She brought me an Italian chardonnay, which unlike Californian chardonnays, was not oaky.  It was crisp and dry with a medium finish and was excellent throughout the meal.
     Our first courses were a salad of prosciutto with Rocky Ford cantaloupe and a field green salad with summer vegetables.  The melons were artfully cubed  and their sweetness balanced the saltiness of the prosciutto.  The green salad was beautifully plated with a generous dollop of creamy Haystack Mountain goat cheese and a toast point. 
     The primi piatti was a hearty house made fetuccini with a piemontese meat sauce which tasted like it had been simmering all day.  The pasta was perfectly al dente.  The risotto was aromatic, rich, and creamy, and topped with earthy foraged mushrooms and Olathe sweet corn.  Umami heaven in every bite.
     We thought perhaps the main course would be a small portion as everything else had been pretty substantial up to this point.  The secondi piatti proved us wrong.  The branzino arrived with a perfectly pan crisped skin that tasted as good as it looked.  The plating of this dish was particularly lovely.  The eggplant puree, free of superfluous seasonings, allowed the sweetness of the vegetable to shine.  I don't usually like fish entrees because they are so hard to prepare well, but this one blew me away!  Don's slow cooked pork shoulder was equally enjoyable.  The meat was tender and full of flavor, the polenta provided a creamy mouth feel, and the pickled summer vegetables delivered the acid needed to balance the richness of the dish.  
     The dessert proved to be as exceptional as the last three  dishes we savored.  The vanilla panna cotta was the perfect ending to a delightful evening of eating and drinking.  The Tahitian vanilla bean dust added visual interest as well as flavor.  The Palisade peach compote was a lovely use of seasonal and local produce.
     The restaurant's annual educational hiatus to Barolo, Italy really shows in the knowledge of the waitstaff.  The service was on par with the food.  I believe I have a new favorite Denver restaurant.  

Field Green Salad with Goat Cheese

Prosciutto with Melon

Risotto with Mushrooms

Pasta with Meat Sauce

Branzino with Eggplant Puree

Pork Shoulder 

Vanilla Panna Cotta with Peach Compote