Denver Food

As the Holidays approach I start to think of all the wonderful food I will enjoy on my trip back home to Colorado. It's been since September 28, 2008 that I've been home, and as you can imagine there are several places which I miss. So here's my list of the 'best of' for my two homes, aka three cities. :) This will be a two part blog, as I will feature Denver first.

Denver:
Fast Food - My favorite fast food joint of all time is not really available in Minnesota. While I'm told there is one at the U of M student center I do not count it. Why you ask? Well one, it's not open when I need it to be, I cannot drive through, and there's only ONE. The best place to eat fast food in Colorado is Chick-Fil-A. Brought to us by the good people of Georgia, these Southern Baptists are not open on Sundays. They believe they should be able to run a profitable business 6 days a week. Let me tell you, it's tasty enough to do just that. Want some entertainment? Go to the fast food joint across the street and watch hundreds of people pull up and look through the windows looking to see if it's open. My favorite thing to get at Chick-Fil-A is the original sandwich no pickles. The criss-cut fries are perfectly salted and perfectly crunchy, not too much of either. If you have time to sit down inside an employee comes around and asks you if you'd like a refill on your soda. Another favorite at Chick-Fil-A are the chicken nuggets. If I sway from my sandwich I get the big pack of these little guys. Tender, juicy, they're just plain awesome.

Cookies - For those who have been blessed to live in NYC their entire lives they know the deliciousness of a Black & White cookie. It's not really a cookie, more of a cross between a cookie (in cookie shape) and a cake (cake texture.) It's the best of both worlds, the handling of a cookie and the tastiness of a cake. The frosting is split, 50/50, half black and half white. The Black frosting is more creamy, like you'd see on a cupcake. The White frosting is a little bit hardened, like you'd find on certain types of cookies. I use a fork and knife for mine, I get a little bit of each side. Why am I mentioning these cookies when discussing foods I love in Denver? Simple, there's a great little place called The New York Deli News. It's off of Hampden by I-25. My Great Aunt Anne moved from NYC and we brought her a Black & White cookie. She said they were so authentic she bought any family that visited a batch of them. They were delicious, and I plan on sneaking a few back on the plane. The place also has great Ruebans, but I don't like Rye Bread or Sauerkraut.

Hot Dogs - Now I know some people don't like hot dogs. Here's why, you're eating the wrong ones. What you need to be eating are quality all beef dogs. Now I don't have anything against Oscar Mayer or Ball Park, however, every time I've tried them I get a hard piece of unidentified white substance in my dog. I get disgusted and can't stand to eat another one. For pre-packaged dogs there are a few that are worthy of praise, the most accessible is Hebrew Nationals. Kosher means that only the front half of the cow body is used, no butts, no lips, no hooves. Kosher also means the cow is killed in a humane way, as opposed to many (not all) non-Kosher brands. For the best hot dog restaurant visit Mustard's Last Stand on University Ave right next to the Denver University campus. These are real Chicago style dogs. However, I get ketchup, onions & fake cheese on mine. The buns are flown in from Chicago, they have those seeds all over them and the dogs are thin and delicious. My Uncle Greg could probably eat 10 if he wasn't eating elsewhere. Otherwise he just requires two to three for a snack. To be honest, I can't blame him, they're so tasty, it's hard not to love them.

Pizza - I am sad to admit there is nothing in Denver that compares to Minneapolis/St. Paul when it comes to pizza. No Punch Pizza (hint hint, please build one!!), no Carbone's, no Cossetta's, no Homemade. Honestly, I eat so much pizza here because I know there's nothing like it back home.

Philly Cheese Steaks - There are a few places, my favorite was always Pat's right by the King Soopers off of Parker Road on the way to downtown Denver. Pat is from Philadelphia, and so when he moved to Denver he decided to open a Philly Cheese Steak place. Well he flies in his bread from Philly and he makes the best cheese steaks. I remember coming home from Minnesota and my Mom picking me up at the airport, and my Dad bringing me home a Philly Cheese Steak from Pat's. They had leftovers, but they knew how much I loved it. It was the cutest thing ever. I like mine without the green peppers.

Mexican Food - This isn't even really a fair comparison, because Colorado Mexican is better than Minnesota Mexican, from what I've experienced at least. In Colorado there are a few different types of Mexican cuisine. For a more coastal version of Mexican we visit Las Brisas - my Dad loves the guacamole they make at your table. For the hole in the wall, real authentic Mexican food we go to La Fogata. My Dad used to work across the street from this place. Everything is numbered, so unless you know Spanish, you just point. For delicious Mexican in more of a Chili's or Applebee's setting we go to Brewery Bar, the closest to use is Brewery Bar 4. My Mom & Dad love the Chile Relleno. For a more upscale version of Brewery Bar we frequent La Hacienda Colorado. Each restaurant has a different taste, but all are delicious. And unlike in MN, I eat Mexican food more frequently and haven't gotten food poisoning yet. Knock on wood.

Chinese Food - I have tried a LOT of Chinese food places in the cities. So far, there are places that have good appetizers and places that have good main dishes (we'll discuss those in the next blog.) None of them compare to the Chinese food back in Colorado. In Aurora there is this gem of a place that most of us know about. If it ever goes out of business I'll be shocked. It's called Paradise Asian Cafe. It's right off of Smoky Hill Rd. by E-470. Well what makes this so much better than any place in Minnesota? Well for starters it's super clean. Everything is nice looking, and it's family run. Then there's the lunch special. For under $8 you can get a meal, cup of soup, fried rice and a serving of an appetizer. I fancy the Sesame Chicken with their AMAZING Crab Cheese Wontons & Egg Drop Soup. I haven't EVER had Sesame Chicken as delicious as I have here. Every single time it's piping hot and fresh. The outside is crunchy, never soggy. And the chicken isn't questionable, it's all white meat and never chewy. That's not all they do well, my Dad always gets the Mongolian Beef and it's got quite the kick to it without losing the flavor. I could eat here all the time, and will definitely visit when I go back for the Holidays.

Korean Food - To be fair, I have yet to visit King's in Fridley, MN to compare, however there is a large Korean population in Aurora. There are several Korean restaurants and there is a Korean market set up close by as well. For a more intimate setting I like to visit Sila. For larger parties Korea House is required. Both are phenomenol. Korean Smokeless BBQ's are some of my favorite places. I always order the Kalbi or sometimes written Galbi. The meaning is the same, marinated short rib. If you have a few people eating they bring the meat out and you are in charge of cooking it. They bring out cups of rice and at least twenty different little side dishes. Different types of kimchi, pickled cucumber, bean sprouts, lots of different things. Lettuce to make your own lettuce wraps. I can never get enough Korean food. I know I may be biased, but it's my favorite type of Asian cuisine (which is a hard choice, as ALL Asian Cuisine is delicious!)

Ok, for those that think I'm being Colorado bias, my favorite Minneapolis/St. Paul places will be in next week's blog. If you're in Denver or Minneapolis/St. Paul and you have a favorite restaurant that I didn't mention or you want to let me know about it so I can blog about it. Thanks!