For as land locked and distant from the ocean we are Denver sure has a huge number of awesome sushi choices.  But then again, this is the day and age of fast jets and packed on ice convenience.  It doesn’t matter whether you are eating Japanese Madai looking at the Ocean in San Francisco or on Colfax, that sushi still was flown in from Japan.  Now what does matter is how fast it arrives, who is picking it out on site in Japan, and who prepares it.  It also matters what sort of a selection you have, the inventive pairings or simple preparation of the sushi chef, and of course the bang for your buck.  And let’s not forget ambiance, service, creativity and fun.

All these things factor together for your vote for the Best Sushi in Denver.  I have my favorites, and I love it fresh.  I was in Japan last year and during that trip I think I spent half a day at the Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo because I love sushi so much.  I arrived in the wee hours of the morning, just as they were starting to set up and before many of the workers, let alone other tourists had arrived.  I was jet lagged and woke up at 3 am so this was easy.  The market is amazing and I recommend you plan to add this to your list of sights if you visit tokyo.  the fish come in, are auctioned, chopped, iced, sealed wrapped, boxed and shipped in an amazing feat of organization.  Hundreds upon hundreds of small stands line this dockside location with every possible fish, eel, or squiggley thing you can imagine.  I got a treat knowing that somewhere in the ranks of people milling about was the buyer for my local Sushi Spot and the items he picked out were going to be ending up on someone’s plate in Denver within 24 hours.  AMAZING. I finished my morning by stopping by a very small local sushi stand/restaurant (not sure how to describe this, it was a permanent temporary structure) on the outer edge of the market and had one of the best breakfasts or sushi meals ever. Talk about fresh… WOW!!! A link to my Japan Photos on Flickr is here. http://www.flickr.com/photos/theurbanbrain/sets/72157602140178957/

Anyway, let’s hear from you Denver… where do you go for your favorite sushi fix.

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Today feels like Fall. It’s cold, gloomy and a constant mist seems to fall from the sky. I could swear I was back in Ohio but if that was true the weather would stay this way through March.

What the weather is doing to me is a different story. It is making me crave a sit down breakfast, a hot cup of coffee, and my newspaper. This is the kind of day that just begs for warm and cozy comforts. So I ponder… where should I go. I love Snooze and eat there almost every time I get a breakfast craving. I also love the Gallop Cafe where the warm atmosphere and huge windows make enjoying food a delight. Of course the Gallop also has my absolute favorite early morning bloody mary… and it is a Friday. Nah. [Read more →]

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The Urban Brain Best of Denver 2008

Denver Opinions

• Denver’s Picks for the Fall 2008 TV Season

Food & Drink

• Best Breakfast
• Best Pizza
• Best Sushi
• Best Sunday Brunch
• Best Indian Restaurant
• Biggest Cougar Bar

Urban Places & Spaces

• Denver’s Best Neighborhood OVERALL - You pick the reasons
• Most Dog Friendly Neighborhood
• Best Neighborhood for Singles
• Best Neighborhood for Architecture
• Best Neighborhood to Invest in
• Denver’s Safest Neighborhood
• Best Neighborhood to live without driving
• Best Neighborhood to Raise a Family
• Best Neighborhood for Foodies

Other

• Denver’s Best Cab Company

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So I finally got a chance to do the famous Winter Park Ski Train. With my ties to Vail it took me a little longer to give this a shot, but I am glad I did.

I’ll do a quick summary for those of you who are thinking about it. First of all, groups are the best. We had a group of 107 folks so we pretty much ruled a car and a half. At first I think everyone worried about seats and being right next to each other but the reality is that with train travel everyone is walking, talking, leaning, moving pretty much all the time. It’s a social scene on wheels.

The views are amazing, although again this became second place quickly to everyone being social. Yet far more scenic than a flood of taillights on I-70.

If you live downtown the Ski Train has a special appeal. We walked over the bridge in Riverfront Park right at 7:00 for our 7:15 departure. I personally set my alarm for 5:30 to take the pup for a long walk and to give me quite a bit of time cushion just in case, so it is not a good night to plan a big Friday out on the town.

Then on the train everyone greets each other, has fun, and kicks back and RELAXES all the way up. No white knuckle driving, no fighting traffic, and there is always a place to buy coffee or breakfast only a short walk away. Some slept, some read the paper, most chatted. Nice.

On the way back this gets magnified into a huge social gathering. Beverages flow throughout the car, there is laughter everywhere and no one is driving. What a great solution for downtown residents… instead of trying to balance doing apres with the drive home and fighting crowds on that sometimes painful return the ski train becomes the apres location. No risk, no worries. One person said it was just like staying in the mountains with no worries about the commute. Considering I carried my skis there and back in less than ten minutes I’d have to agree.

Some bits of advice for you…

Avoid car 2. It’s behind the engine so the front is sealed. Don’t worry, you don’t get any fumes but the lack of ventilation gets TOASTY. We had folks stripping down to the minimum so maybe chair two will be the naked car. Your choice.

There isn’t much you can do about this worry, but if you get behind a slower train your trip could take a bit longer. This happened on our way up but not on our way back. Not too bad, some folks slept longer and the train is comfy. But keep this in mind if you are making strict plans involving timing and make sure you have a puppy sitter on reserve in case your return is late.

Get your food or drink quick if you want it. They sold out of burritos pretty fast on the way up and while they had beer all the way through the trip back, the Stella was the first to go. Don’t forget they close the catering car when they think they are 30 minutes away from the station. This might be longer so if you want stock up before they close.

There is a great lounge car with scrabble and other games. Consider grabbing a spot there for awhile if you have a small group but be quick if you want a seat.

We will be doing the Ski Train again. Give it a shot for yourself. I forgot to mention that the train stopped on a cross track exactly where another train was heading at us. The folks in our car started getting a little bit nervous as it got closer.. and closer… and closer. Then we quickly moved, picture is one of others below.

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I am so dang excited about Union Station Neighborhood I can’t wait to hear more… unfortunately I’ll be in another country and I am so bummed to be missing this.

September 12, 2007 - Invitation to Thursday, September 20th Breakfast Meeting

UNION STATION REDEVELOPMENT AT 3% PRELIMINARY DESIGN STAGE!

Friends of Union Station will hold a Breakfast Meeting on Thursday, September 20, 2007 in the Theater Room of the Oxford Hotel (entrance at 1637 Wazee Street) from 7: 30 to 9 A. M.

There will be a cover fee of $5 per person. Coffee, tea and a continental breakfast will be provided.

Mr. Eric Anderson of Parsons Brinckerhoff, Senior Project Manager for the redevelopment of Union Station, will present an updated status report on the project. Due to design considerations and negotiations between the City/RTD and Union Station Neighborhood Company over the past three months, there has been a dearth of information about the development plans. Now with the project reaching the 3% preliminary design refinement stage, more insight into the planned transportation elements and the impact on the surrounding site is coming to light. The meeting will be an excellent opportunity for you to ask questions and get clarification.

Seating is limited, so please RSVP to info@friendsofunionstation.org soon.

Thank you. We look forward to seeing you at the meeting.

Friends of Union Station

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Since I have my scooter now and am searching for excuses to use it (ie “sure I’ll go pick up lunch” or “lets get carry out, I’ll fly”) I thought it might be a fun time to try and find the best breakfast pastries, breads, etc. in Denver. So every morning before work I jump on my scooter and cruise out to search out something I can bring back and share with the office.

Not exactly Magellan setting out for the new world, but a good enough of an excuse to cruise around as any. Plus I get to share my finds with others so maybe there is some good karma there as well.

The ground rules are easy. I don’t want to get in my car so the distance shouldn’t be too great (not that I wouldn’t scoot far, I just don’t have that much time before work) and any pastry could work. Bagels, croissants, donuts, etc. Just as long as it counts as breakfast fare.

Day one I scooted up through the Highlands. I remembered seeing a number of bakeries around the 32nd street area. Sure enough, just past Duo I saw a familiar sign for a bakery. It was Rosales Mexican Bakery located at 2636 W. 32nd Ave. I parked my scooter and shot inside.

First of all, the bakery looks like a wonderful spot for great authentic cookies, sugary breads, and other sweet delights. For breakfast fare the options were equally as sweet. Already prepared were a number of sugared donuts, Pan Dulce, and other tempting items.

I asked about other donuts they might have and they said they were about to slather up a number of fresh donuts with some Mexican chocolate sauce. That works for me.

Minutes later I am headed out the door with a dozen donuts under my arm. 6 sugar coated and 6 smothered in chocolate. Not exactly a health breakfast but a little indulgence now and then is good for the soul.

I brought the first day’s bounty back and they got quickly snatched up. The most popular… the chocolate. The donuts themselves had an even richer, more sugary texture than most donuts. Perhaps a characteristic of the Mexican Bakery technique.

And there you have day one of the pastry quest.

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Just wanted to make sure and pass this info on for you. The previously announced Pasquini’s is now OPEN!!

I didn’t get a chance to check it out as I was grabbing myself some breakfast at the Gallop Cafe but I do plan to try it some night soon. Rumored to have the Best Calzones in town this opening of a second location in the Highlands should do great.

Who has the best Pizza in Denver?  You decide.

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This morning I was cruising by Dixon’s on an errand and decided to stop in for an early morning breakfast. How surprised was I when I found that the inside was packed and not a soul on the patio.

When I was asked if I wanted to be inside or out, with the sun shining and a cool breeze, I of course opted for the outside. What can be better than sitting on a beautiful city street patio with a cup o’ joe and some good vittles? Apparently everything. The waiter said everyone thought it was too chilly outside.

C’mon Denverites… toughen up.

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I mentioned this a few posts ago but I just had to go back and get a picture for you of the Lola Hash.

Of course it had nothing to do with the fact that I wanted to also eat the hash again at Lola’s great brunch. Fried Oysters, calamari, squid with sweet potatoes, chorizo, pickled Jalapeños, and a fried egg on top. Yummy. Don’t forget to throw in a french press coffee and you are set. Lola is only open for breakfast on the weekends so don’t try to go in during the week.
But bring your appetite as this is a huge amount of tasty vittles.

Here is the link.

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I had a window of time off yesterday and decided to hit Vail for some skiing. For those who haven’t been up there lately, there is finally some spring snow. I did my tele turns through at least a foot of powder while freezing my booty off every tele step of the way. And when I mean cold, I mean COLD. The good news was that it kept everyone else off the mountain. Open slopes for me, wahoo!

This morning on my way back I hit one of my favorite mountain trip pit stops. The log cabin cafe in Frisco is just off the interstate and is a great little spot to grab early morning grub either on your way to skiing or on the way back. I got there a little after 6 am and they were empty, but open which is the most important thing.

The log cabin cafe has this great breakfast called the 2 2 2. Its two pieces of bacon or sausage, two eggs, and two pancakes for under $5, or over $5 if you upgrade to french toast (which I recommend). This is one relaxed little mountain hut on the main road in Frisco that will fuel you up with tasty items.

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