I believe the term refreshment was born on warm day, uttered from the lips of a man who just gulped the first swig of a cold pint of beer. The carbonation swelled and burst, like music in perfect timing with the hops, a percussive symphony on his taste-buds and he thought, perfect. He searched for a word, a measure of his overwhelming joy. He felt reborn, but in the sensory respect. The word, like poetry unraveled from his mouth: refreshment.

This was the day man first loved beer, at least, that’s how I picture the definition forming.

The truth is that the term refreshment came about sometime in the mid 15th century. It was used to describe food and drink, non-alcoholic drink, to be precise.

How short-sighted of our ancestors to exclude beer from the definition.

The good news is that somewhere along the line, the non-alcoholic rule got tossed and now we are free to refer to anything as “refreshing.” The extremely good news is that as a humble dweller of Denver, you have access to some of the most tasty brews the world has to offer. To celebrate this fact, every month of the year the Mellow Mushroom of Downtown will be featuring a new “Brewery of the Month.” On May 1st, members of the Odell Brewing Team will be at Mellow Mushroom Downtown (Tabor Center) doing beer tastings from 5-7, giveaways and 3$ Odell beers. 4$ pints will be available for the rest of the month of May. As an added bouns, Odell will be featuring a special batch for the occasion, an Oatmeal Coffee Amber. When it is time for June, you need not despair, for a new brewery will be featured. So if beer is something you find as refreshing as a great deal, cruise down to the Mellow Mushroom on May 1st and enjoy some,

Cheers!

Zengo, my favorite Asian Latin Fusion spot is dishing up some new things.

Zengo is one of our neighborhood favorites.  They whip up what I consider to be the best Tuna entree in town, offer one of the best patio’s for late summertime dining, and more than a few of my friends consider their Mojito the ultimate Denver drink.  They also do something all of us in the neighborhood by offering some locals deals for those of us who share an address in Riverfront Park.

Cheers Zengo, we love that too.

So I was pleased to get a chance to sample some of their new menu offerings at a press dinner last night.     Here’s that menu in case you want to duplicate it for yourself and try all the new dishes…

Welcome Cocktail
Pomegranate Kumquat Caipirinha
Leblon Cachaca / Muddled Kumquats / Pomegranate / Ginger

First Course
Xiaolongbao Soup Dumplings
Pork / Crab / Linguica Sausage / Green Onion / Jalapeno Ginger Black Vinegar

Second Course
Crispy Shanghai Spring Roll
Chicken / Shrimp / Tempura Baiano Bamboo / Carrot / Mushroom / Won Bok Sichuan-Acai Berry-Giner Dipping Sauce

Third Course
Coconut Crusted Bholino De Bacalhau (our favorite)
Coconut / Salt Cod / Potato / Serrano Green Onion / Cachaca-Soy Hot Mustard Sweet and Sour Sauce

Paired With

Coconut Batida Cocktail
Fresh Coconut Water / Boca Loca Cachaca / Muddled Lime

Fourth Course
Picahna Steak & XO Style King Crab
Dry Aged Top Sirloin / King Crab / Hot Bean Paste / Broccolini / Black Bean Ginger Sauce

Paired With

Szechuan-Tini
Gin / Junmai Sake / Muddled Cucumber / Szechuan Peppercorn

Dessert
Coconut Tapioca
Mango-Kumquat Gelee / Lychee Sorbet / Schiso

Paired With

Spiked Acai Tea
Green Tea Vodka / Acai Liqueur / Acai Berry Juice / Lychee

The menu started today so you don’t have to wait to give it a try.

Now you might think this is the something new I wanted to share.  In a way it is.  All the dishes were delicious.  Denver can always use some good soup dumplings (Lao Wang Noodles on Federal is still my favorite) and Zengo delivers as it always does across the board.  The Picahna Steak was amazing.  I still don’t think anything will sway me away from my adoration of their tuna as my Zengo top pick, but this comes close.

And of course XO sauce on anything will be a success.  Have you had their XO Edamame?  If not forget everything else and start with these delicious spicy green delights.

But I digress… the big news is that Zengo is opening a wine bar.  Yes folks, add another addition to the plaza when Zengo blows through the adjoining wall to create their own new wine bar space I believe is going to be called “Al Lado” (means next door).  The chef kindly shared the name but I didn’t ask the spelling.

I’m guessing a spring time opening but only time will tell when this new treat will open.  I asked about their ability to get some outdoor seating as that spot (previous offices) doesn’t have any currently and it sounds like the answer is…. maybe.

New menu, new wine bar… sounds like just one more reason to love living downtown.  And the trend is to break down a wall.

Z-Cusine broke down their wall to add the À Côté wine bar.  Colt and Grey is breaking down a wall (and adding a basement) to create Saint Ellies… now it’s Zengo‘s turn.

Zengo’s new menu additions are a special Shanghai-Sao Paulo tasting available until March 31st so don’t put it off.

Happy Thanksgiving Denver!

Today I just thought I’d share a little video about some great wine pairings and since the topic around the table consistently includes sharing whatever great wines we have found around town.

So… one thing led to another and the idea for a Denver Wine Talk Forum came up. Let’s hear your favorites around town and which little wine nook you found it at. Cheers!

Okay foodies and booze hounds… a new speakeasy has opened up on Tejon across from LoHi Steak Bar.

November 15th marked the opening of William & Graham in LoHi. I haven’t been yet so this is more of a neighborhood service announcement so comment here on your experience. I can’t wait to give it a shot.

The front is a bookstore where they take your reservation to go beyond the facade and enter the restaurant bar area. Food and drink are supposed to be great.

UPDATE –

Couldn’t resist so we stopped in to check it out and ended up scoring seats at the bar and stayed rooted to that spot. This place is amazing and so are their amazing mixologists behind the bar..

Order a drink they made up for me last night… It’s called “The Urban Brain”. This cocktail masterpiece was created by Williams and Graham mixology master Heshoa Smyth. He wrote down the ingredients for me and said he’ll make it for anyone who comes in and asks for it.

1.5 oz Wodka Vodka
0.5 oz Dimmi
0.5 oz Vida Mezcal
1 inch Muddle Cucumber
1/8th Muddle Aijou Pear
½ oz Lemon Juice
½ oz Ruby Grapefruit Juice
½ oz Habanero Honey Juice
Garnish Salt Rim + Smoked Mynthe Cucumber Slice

Go, go now. Go before everyone knows about this place and you can’t get a seat and…. wait a minute.

What am I thinking… I need to keep this place a secret so Ali and I can always get a seat.

Forget what I said. Why don’t you just stay home and watch a the new Ashton and Kim reality dating show.

It’s been a busy 2011.  Linger opened (best views and location… and what a great reuse of a Mortuary).  Ale House opened (best summer beer drinking location).

I’m sure many other opened.   But this past weekend I found my favorite new opening of 2011 with Charcoal.

I won’t repeat their menu.. you can check it out at their website charcoaldining.com.

For simplicity let me just say that among our table of four there was not one dish we didn’t all love from small dishes to large.  It’s a mix of European traditional food and modern techniques.  I loved it.

It is also worth sharing their philosophy on wine.  Basically… wine goes with every meal.  Charcoal helps you to accomplish this by finding affordable delicious wines (or perhaps they just don’t mark them up as much as most restaurants) and offering smaller size glass options.

Thanks Charcoal.  I’ll be back.

Here is the summary from their website on who Charcoal is…

The story of Charcoal Restaurant is based on a single premise: Offer great food and wine with excellent service in a fine dining atmosphere at affordable prices. The team of Charcoal Restaurant absolutely believes it is possible.
OUR STORY
Our food is contemporary European cuisine cooked with classic and innovative techniques.

CLASSIC. The classic comes under the direction of Executive Chef Patrik Landberg and his team.  Chef Landberg’s extensive culinary credentials makes Charcoal Restaurant a fine dining experience of the first caliber. The kitchen only uses the highest quality ingredients prepared in a simple and clear presentation style. Our goal is to let the primary ingredient be the star, not mask it through too much sauce or garnish. Many items on the menu are carefully prepared to be as flavorful and healthy as possible. The menu is designed to allow you to have a selection of small, appetizer or full size entrees.

INNOVATION. The innovation comes from the custom designed “Bincho” grill.  Bincho cooking is believed to have originated in the 8th century and, while used throughout Asia, is often identified with Japan. The making of Bincho charcoal is time consuming involving multiple refining steps of burning the wood over a kiln until it reaches temperatures of 2,400 degrees Fahrenheit and several days of curing. The end result is charcoal that burns at an extremely high temperature and is virtually smokeless in comparison to other charcoal. We only use charcoal that comes from sustainable forests and contains no fillers or volatile substances- just pure hardwood. Because of the high temperature, food is cooked quicker. Meat is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Vegetables retain their flavor. Many of our signature dishes are prepared on the Bincho grill.

SERVICE. Our staff, led by Front of the House Manager, Aric Sandoval, is trained not to be pretentious or overly formal. They are trained to help you relax and enjoy the dining experience while still providing expert and informed service. We want all customers to be treated equally with warmth and respect.

WINE. Wine should be drunk with every meal. However, the pretentiousness and often-stratospheric price makes, for many, wine a special occasion. At Charcoal Restaurant, you can have a flight, half pour, full pour or bottle at affordable prices. We choose our wine, not just on taste, but also on what offers great customer value. Our custom designed Napa wine dispenser allows you to sample many wines by the glass.

ATMOSPHERE. We created a restaurant that is refined, yet comfortable. A mixture of old and new. Relax in any of our zones of comfort: the patio, lounge, bar, dining room, grill or, for a truly exquisite experience, reserve our private dining room. For a lucky few, in the dining room, reserve our chef’s table and interact and enjoy the culinary expertise of Chef Landberg and his team. We hope you notice our antique chandeliers from South America as well as our Colorado custom designed grills. We did not overlook the small details like changing tables in the bathrooms and purse hooks throughout the restaurant. The sound system was specifically designed to provide different acoustic levels throughout the restaurant so no matter where you are, you can enjoy our thousand song music library.

THE SPECIAL TOUCHES. If you feel like dining at home, use our convenient on line ordering of delicious Bincho boxes, filled with specially prepared kitchen creations. Lastly, to make your arrival and departure extra comfortable, use our reserved parking close to the restaurant.

We are proud to open our first restaurant in the Golden Triangle. We will be good neighbors.

Read the Charcoal Dinner Menu.

The official ribbon cutting will be at 7 PM but those who can sneak out of work early can look forward to sampling seven new ales in the beautiful Denver afternoon sun.  And here are the seven initial ales the Denver Beer Co. will be providing.

Kaffir Lime Wheat- A brilliant straw pour with mild lacing, this wheat has a nose of fresh lime citrus, lemon grass, and banana.  A boldly refreshing porch pounder with bright tones of Kaffir Lime, clementine, mild spices and a crisp, clean finish.

Rye 25 Pale Ale- With a nose as complex as the highway, Rye 25 billows notes of hay and spice with underlying granny smith apple on the nose.  The drink is forward with rye and cinnamon while subtle vanilla and citrus round out the finish.

Gear Up IPA-  A tribute to the auto garage we now call home, this dry-hopped IPA beams with piney citrus and musky/bittersweet hop tones.  The drink is full of flavors ranging from grain and sweet malt, to honeysuckle and tangerine.

Graham Cracker Porter- A campfire in a glass, this robust beauty has seductive notes of vanilla, smoked cedar, and mulling spices on the nose.  A dark pour with mild lacing, she is a rollercoaster of lush chocolate and fig fruits diving into a semi-dry finish of truffle and cherry.

Platte Pils-  With silky malts and sweet grain on the nose, Platte Pils is a clean, smooth brew.  Herbal tones mix with zesty citrus flavors that lead onto a mid palate of mild yeast tones and a finish as refreshing as a cool dip in the river on a hot summer day.

Confluence Pale Ale-  Sweet malt tones on the nose, this easy-drinking Pale is as inviting as grandmother’s cookies.  A citrus-driven hop presence on the mid palate with a crsip finish make this the prefectly balanced brew for cooler summer evenings.

Stormy Summer Stout (until we come up with a more clever name summer stout) -  A cloudy, creamy pour with a nose of chocolate and dark fruits brings a palate of roasted malts, vanilla, and bittersweet hops.  A dark brew you can drink on a hot day, this is a light, refreshing stout.

So gear up for some beer tasting, get ready to try some DBC Pretzels… and make a guess at what Denver Food on Wheels might be showing up in partnership with Denver Beer Co.

Or course I love to poll to see what the most in demand flavors are in the Denver so here’s a question for you.

Do you want the good news first or the bad news… okay the good news.

Denver Beer Co., the new brew pub on Platte street in LoHi/CPV is opening up August 12th.  The ribbon cutting invite is right here Facebook style.   The starting lineup: Platte Pils, Graham Cracker Porter, Kaffir Lime Wheat, Gear Up IPA, Rye Twenty Five, Confluence Pale Ale, and Summer Stout.

You can also vote for your favorite brews here and see if the Denver Beer Co. Brewmasters are watching.

Ok, now the bad news.

Remember when I wrote the post that we were losing the Squeaky Bean at their Tejon location but the silver lining was that those great mixologist masters from the Bean were going to reopen a new cocktail bar called Occidental in the same spot (and hopefully a new Squeaky Bean somewhere else in town).

Well the silver lining turned out to be fake… the word on the street is that the landlords and the Occidental team couldn’t come to an agreement.

Really?  It’s like Washington arguing about the debt ceiling… nothing ever happens.

Oh well, I’m disappointed to say the least.  First the loss of the Bean and then the dashed hopes about the Occidental going in.  I wonder if the ARV Holdings (the landlord and folks tied into Rosa Linda’s next door to the Bean Spot) have something planned for that location and just don’t want a deal.  I’m sure someone out here knows what they were thinking but that someone isn’t me.

Anyhoo.  The Bean’s cocktail master Sean Kenyon is temporarily (?) at Euclid Hall while a new hot spot for the Squeaky Bean is negotiated.

I heard a rumor it could be the previous site of Little Peppinas… but it’s only a rumor.

Since Beer is the winner of this post today’s photo comes from a very very very little mountain town known as ParPan in Switzerland where Ali and I hiked up a mountain with friends to find this little tiny wooden shack serving beer, sausage, and blocks of cheese. Yep folks, when you are doing mountain hikes in Switzerland you might just run across beer and cheese to be eaten at picnic tables looking out to the mountains. Awesome!

Here is the rumored location… anyone heard of any other possible locations?


View Larger Map

Whoo boy, you know I’m going to love any place that has a pup in it!  And this pup was helping out the team at the Denver Beer Co. to put the finishing touches on their new Platte Street Location.

If you haven’t been paying attention then you may not know that Denver is a serious Brew town.  Whether it’s a Lager, Pilsener, Porter or Stout Denver has some home grown talent that we should be proud of…. and one of them is about to debut a new Brew Pub in the territory where LoHi and Riverfront Park connect.

In this Denver heat I’m not craving a glass of red wine, white wine, or even a cocktail. I crave a frosty mug filled with delicious brewed beer. So this is a good sign I don’t have to wait much longer.

I was scooting by with my camera and couldn’t help but stop to share a few shots as they put on the finishing touches.  The first thing I noticed that was new in their progress was the welcome sight of patio rails.  Ah, nothing like a nice cold beer on a patio with a cool Denver breeze (obviously I’m having this fictional beer at night and not in our 99 degree heat). If you check out the photos below or on The Urban Brain Facebook page you might notice the bar… they joke it’s courtesy of the pine beetles. I like the bar, hate the beetles.

But I’m guessing it will be pretty cool inside as well as the new Denver Beer Co. wisely kept the row of garage doors that will turn this brew pub into an open air environment for pouring beers.  The framework for the bar was being put in place and some of the lighting was in place, a sure sign that finishing touches mean an opening only weeks away.

Officially the owners shared that they hope to be sharing their brews within 2-3 weeks.  Based on the smell of hops it looks like the initial batches are well on their way to being ready.

They plan to have roughly 12 micro brews on tap at a menu limited to giant pretzels (sounds like a good pairing with beer).  But foodies don’t despair, if you aren’t sated to consider a heavy stout a meal the Denver Beer Co. does plan to have a lineup of food trucks to keep you well fed.

That’s friggin’ brilliant.  My hope is that the trucks rotate through different options so my friends and I can enjoy some spontaneous dinner plans.  Dinner on wheels where if you don’t like the current menu you can just wait until the next truck arrives.

I’m not sure the pace of food trucks will be that rapid… but I can imagine a future where a series of trucks delivering gourmet food makes a lap of all the Denver hotspots.  It’s a win win… bear with me on this.

The food delivery trucks will probably get more customers by hitting a series of hot spots packed with hungry patrons AND the folks kicking back waiting to decide what to eat can wait until their favorite choice arrives.

You know those silly discussion that take place trying to get a group to decide what to eat.. GONE!  Just sit back at the Denver Beer Co., enjoy your beer, and wait until a food truck makes you drool.

Let’s face it folks, we have it pretty good in Denver.  The new Denver Beer Co. is just one more reason to love our city.

So let’s all bid a friendly welcome to the team at Denver Beer Co. and raise your pint glasses in a toast!  Want to learn more about Beer styles.. here’s a cliff notes version.

Oh, and you should learn a little bit more about the amazing new trend of gourmet Food Trucks.  In New York the trucks are spreading like wildfire.  They involve affordable entries to the market for our budding chef’s and gastronomic masters and let’s face it.. they get more exposure traveling from location to location.   But I’m guessing none have a liquor license yet so a partnership that serves brew just makes sense.  So of course I want to track where the Food Trucks are here.

Here are more pics from the almost finished Denver Beer Co.  More on the DBC later!

Cheers! And if you just HAPPEN to have time to create a nice stout I wouldn’t mind. But in the meantime you can share which 12 types of beer you would most like to see on tap at the new Denver Beer Co. (poll below, photos below poll).

Mike

Today’s post was SUPPOSED to be about Bike to Work Day.  It was supposed to talk about how Bike Friendly Denver is.  It was supposed to talk about the great benefits of living a mostly car free lifestyle (Yes, I still drive to the mountains).  It was on my todo list.

But last night when I was planning out my morning I thought… I’ll bike to my 7:30 meeting on Tejon and stop at see if the Squeaky Bean is open for an early breakfast.  I loved going there for brunch on the weekends last summer, sitting outside on their patio relaxing with my paper and coffee.   And of course I’d been there for dinner and AWESOME cocktails many times over the winter with friends.  I just couldn’t remember if their breakfast hours during the week.

So before going to bed I googled them and WHAMMO!!! I learned the Squeaky Bean Closed on the 12th.

That’s right Urban Brain Fans… your chance to enjoy the Squeaky Bean on Tejon is over.  I’ll leave the reasons why to these stories in the press..

• Westword:  The Squeaky Bean will close on June 12, reopen as a new bar in July and sprout a new restaurant later this year
• Denver Post:  Farewell, for now, to Denver’s Squeaky Bean

Well that was a bummer.

I’m glad to hear that the previous Squeaky Bean will reopen as the Occidental.  In fact I did begin salivating a bit when I read in the Westword article  that the new Occidental will be focused on their classic cocktails offering…

“lots of charcuterie, oysters, housemade terrines and pâtés, some vegetarian offerings from our garden and the farm, and a lot of different caviars matched with vodkas”

I have to tell you, their Mixologists are awesome.  That puts the competition for top drinks as Linger, Root Down, and the new Occidental (at least if they are the same as Squeaky Bean).

And for those who loved the Bean… the location may be changing and I selfishly want them to find a new LoHi home but they will be somewhere in Denver.  A lot of invitations were floating out from different neighborhoods in the hopes claiming the new Bean.

Let’s help the Bean folks out… share where you think the new Bean should go and if you have a spot you know of share a comment.

Well SB, you will be missed.  Occidental, you will be welcomed.  The New Bean… we can’t wait to see your new digs.

Oh yeah, I love the culinary delight of oysters. They are salty little refreshing bites of the ocean. And let’s face it, Denver is one heck of a long distance from any place that oceans grow naturally.

But thanks to modern technology all of us can enjoy some of the best oysters in the world right here at 5280 feet. The key is finding out how to enjoy they economically. Unfortunately I happen to love the Kushi and Kumamoto Oysters that you find at Jax or other great Oyster houses downtown for about $18 a half dozen.

Ouch.. and yet so worth it.

But on Mondays the folks at LoHi Steak Bar do a special oyster night and they do sell out fast. We got there just after 7:30 tonight and they were all gone (tear). During LoHi’s oyster Mondays you can get…
$3 Oyster Shots
Peel-and-Eat Shrimp ($11 ½-pound, $18 1-pound)
$5 Stella Artois Drafts (you keep the glass)
$5 Prosecco

Not bad… but lets hear your favorite spot for oysters in our Mile High city far from the waves of any salty beach. Share your deals in a comment PLEASE… Oyster lovers must stick together.
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