Epicurean Encounters: Russell's Smokehouse, Denver

Growing up in Alabama, I was exposed to lots of excellent southern barbecue. It's one of the things I miss from the south. Who can resist the pull of succulent, tender, smoky meats that doesn't burn a hole in your pocket? Luckily for me, this slow cooking trend has invaded the west.
One hidden, literally, gem of slow cooked meats is Russell's Smokehouse in Larimer Square. This subterranean cave of southern delights is somewhat off the beaten path. You can find it as you head towards the courtyard of Bistro Vendome. A set of stairs leads down
to the Smokehouse as well as Green Russell, a speak-easy drinking lounge. Both are part of chef and restauranteur, Frank Bonano's empire.
While spectating in the Chalk Art Festival one Sunday night, a sudden monsoon wrestled chalk art gawkers into the myriad restaurants on Larimer Street. Fortunately, few were aware of the existence of Russell's Smokehouse. We were seated right away.
The Smokehouse is a calm, cool, dark refuge from the ground level mass of humanity. You instantly feel relaxed upon entering. Vintage gyro ceiling fans hanging from exposed ducts provide quick relief from the summer heat. We were seated in the spacious booths that could double for postprandial nap cots. A sprinkling of patrons sat at the bar which faces the booths. There is another dining area centered by a stone fire place. Art work appropriately trends toward abstract and whimsical animal husbandry. Be sure to check out the bathroom walls.
I gleaned a total of three servers including the bartender, but they kept things running smoothly with the efficiency of a well oiled machine. I could only glimpse the kitchen through a small delivery window, but they appeared equally unharried. We were informed by our server that they were out of a couple items right away instead of after we had our heart set on them.
My cocktail, the Car RamRod, was made with Russell's 10 year bourbon, a curiosity since the restaurant hasn't been open that long. Perhaps chef Frank has a liquor crafter hidden somewhere mastering his small batch bourbon. The drink arrived without ice in a double old fashioned glass with a small orange peel. Sweet and citrusy, it was smoothly drinkable. The cocktail menu is always changing on the whim of the bartender, but they can certainly craft something to your specifications.
To assuage our guilt from our carnivorous entrees, we split the spinach salad. Baby spinach tossed in just the right amount of creme fraiche dressing were accompanied by fingerling potatoes. The potatoes were warm and toothsome, but I wish they were roasted for more golden color and crunch. I inadvertently inhaled the pickled red onions which caused me to cough a bit. Shaved fennel added additional sweetness and a hint of licorice. It was a satiating salad and plenty to share for only $8.
On Sunday nights, they offer fried chicken with mash potatoes and gravy for $12. A half chicken including breast, thigh, and leg is dipped in seasoned batter and fried until golden. A generous mound of the creamiest and richest mashed potatoes with a ladle of white gravy is shut your eyes good. My only wish with this comfort dish is that the gravy on the chicken came on the side. Even though, it was with a light hand, the chicken became soggy in spots with the gravy.
The half rack of baby back ribs was impressive to behold. We counted 9 ribs. It is slow smoked with a dry rub which you can then dress with three house made sauces simply labelled: "sweet, spicy, and vinegar". The rib meat was off the bone tender and robust with flavor. The beautiful garnet sweet sauce completes the barbecued meat. The spicy sauce adds a subtle hint of heat. It should not intimidate the wimpiest non-spice consumer. I also liked the mustardy tang of the vinegar sauce. The two sides that we picked for this dish aren't much to write about. I'm not a big fan of baked beans. They always seem unappealingly bland and cloyingly sweet. I consider them a filler. The collard greens with bacon were also disappointingly unflavorful and undercooked.
Stuffed to the gills, we still had two weighty doggy bags to take home. True to form, Russell's Smokehouse does meats low and slow very well. I would like to try some of their non-traditional sides such as the Israeli couscous and barley with fava beans which may prove better options considering the lackluster traditional sides.