RESTAURANT DIGEST: Mister Oso planned; Taste for Life fundraiser; another Next Door opens
Portland might have “Put a bird on it,” but if Señor Bear chef Blake Edmunds has his way, Denver’s trendy animal of choice will be the bear. Edmunds, along with the rest of the Bar Dough and Bear team, will open Mister Oso (see the connection?) inside Zeppelin Station later this year.
Mister Oso will continue the Latin American vibe of Señor Bear with street food-inspired dishes like Peruvian anticuchos (kebabs, typically beef heart), tacos al pastor, Latin sandwiches and shaved-to-order pork sizzling on a shawarma-style spit.
Mister Oso, inside Zeppelin Station: 3501 Wazee St., Denver, zeppelinstation.com
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If nibbling and sipping on goods from 25 different restaurants and bars sounds like something you want to do tomorrow night, then check out Project Angel Heart’s A Taste for Life fundraiser. The event features food and drinks from hot spots like Hop Alley, Old Major and Stranahan’s Whiskey. Oct. 26, 6-10 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center; projectangelheart.org; tickets $150
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A Fort Collins hot sauce company won big at the Screaming Mi Mi and Scovie awards — likened by Burns and McCoy CEO Jay Turner to the Oscars and Cannes Film Festival for hot sauces. (But you already knew that, right?) If you think spice is the spice of life, give its sauces, mustards and salsas a go. Burnsandmccoy.com
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We’ve been called one of the best city’s in America for food. “Top Chef” filmed its latest season here. Bon Appetit magazine named two Colorado spots to its Best New Restaurants list. But we didn’t score a single measly spot in Esquire’s Best New Restaurants in America lineup, released last week.
Really, Esquire? Considering the restaurants on the list are almost entirely in the usual suspect food cities of New York, Chicago, Portland, Seattle and the California towns, I’m not sure. (Esquire didn’t respond to email requests for comment.)
Did you check out Stapleton’s exquisite Italian restaurant, Cattivella? Or the Stanley Marketplace’s fantastic Annette?
Lon Symensma and Luke Bergman scored with Con- course, and Boulder’s Emmerson, with chefs Michael Gibney and Jeb Breakell coming from Michelin-starred restaurants, isn’t too shabby itself.
Denver, Boulder, a fabulous ranch in the middle of nowhere, should be considered. So next time you’re in town — you will be in town, right? — let’s break bread.
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It’s baaaack …
Two years ago, El Tepehuan closed in Englewood due to an expiring lease. The relocation of El Tep, which has been around since 1978, took a little longer than expected, but on Oct. 16 the neighborhood-favorite restaurant reopened, once again brightening days and making life worth living with its Bob Burrito and Chile Relleno. 3495 S. Broadway, Englewood, 303-781-0243; eltepdenver.com
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Another day, another new Union Station-area restaurant. Wewatta Point is a seafood-centric eatery based off of Los Angeles’ popular Laurel Point. Menu items include a lobster roll, whole Thai snapper, and an eight-layer coconut cake. And there’s poke, too, in case you were worried we had a week without a poke restaurant opening. Crisis averted. 1607 Wewatta St., Denver, 303-893-6779; thepointseafood.com/ wewattapoint
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McDevitt Taco Supply, whose name sounds more industrial than the food (hopefully) tastes, is now open. The American Gladiator-sounding taco names include the Thunder (al pastor or slowroasted pork), Lightning (chicken topped with kale salad) and Tornado (steak). There are also non-Gladiator tacos, but they don’t sound nearly as cool when ordering. 4800 Baseline Road, Boulder, 720-573-4194; mcdevitttacosupply.com
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Congratulations, Longmont: Beet burgers and kale chips are coming your way. Next Door, part of The Kitchen Restaurant Group, opened in the Village at the Peaks development. The restaurant has a little less healthy food like meatball bowls and Carolina pork sandwiches on the menu, too. 1232 S. Hover St., Longmont, 303-3259690; nextdooreatery.com
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How on earth did it take us until 2017 to get a shop devoted to ice cream sandwiches? Peteybird sells the cutest little gourmet ice cream sandwiches in its newish RiNo shop (it opened in September). Think flavors like key lime with graham cracker cookies and pumpkin ice cream with oatmeal cookies and candied walnuts. Beginning Nov. 1, the shop will start selling hot chocolate. 3040 Blake St., Denver, 720-432-2430; peteybird.com
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Congrats to Colorado Springs’ Distillery 291 on having its Colorado Aged 333 Days Bourbon being named U.S. Micro Whisky of the Year (Runner Up) by “Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible,” the industry’s premier publication. Cheers! Distillery291.com