RESTAURANT DIGEST: Ruth’s Chris comes to Tech Center; bring your pup to Lazy Dog
Get ready to have the steakiest new year, Denver Tech Center. Ruth’s Chris is now sizzling. The second Denver outpost for the meaty chain opened last week at One Belleview Station. To mark the momentous occasion, there was a steak-cutting ceremony in place of the more traditional (but less delicious) ribbon-cutting ceremony, which should probably be a new law for all new businesses. Do you hear me, Congress? 7001 E.
Belleview Ave., Denver, 303-854-9304; MondayThursday 5-10 p.m., Friday-Saturday 5-10:30 p.m., Sunday 4-9 p.m.; ruthschris.com
Here’s all you need to know about Dog Haus, the hot dog chain that opened recently in Stapleton: The dogs, sausages and burgers are served on King’s Hawaiian rolls. If that’s not enough to get you in the car and heading over, consider this: The Haus’s menu features dogs named after Scott Baio and Billy Idol. That’s some serious stuff right there.
8316 Northfield Blvd., Denver, 303-353-4385; SundayWednesday 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Thursday-Saturday 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; doghaus.com
In today’s hard-hitting news, Westminster’s dog restaurant is finally open! Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar, the California-based chain that loves your fourlegged friend so much that it has a dedicated menu just for dogs, debuts its first Colorado location at The Orchard Town Center. There’s food for people, too. 14618 Delaware
St., Westminster, 720-4595613; lazydogrestaurants.com
Call may have a funny name and home (it resides in an old house in RiNo), but its breakfast and lunch offerings are neither funny, nor old. Some might even call them serious and fresh. (Or other antonyms for funny and old.) The killer breakfast sandwich, graband-go lunch options and made-from-scratch baked goods — Call mills its own flour, people — will get you there during the daytime hours, and next month, when its liquor license comes through, Call will be open for dinner, too. 2845 Larimer St.,
Denver, 303-954-0230; calldenver.com; Tuesday-Saturday 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
You may think you know fried chicken, but do you know Korean fried chicken? Dunked in rice flour to give it a thin, crispy coating, the new Angry Chicken in Aurora just might make you a convert. Choose among original, honey garlic and sweet and spicy flavors. 1930 S. Havana
St., Aurora, 303-3532680; angrychickenco.com
Further proof that we are living in the golden age of fast-casual restaurants: Snarfburger and The Hummus & Pita Co. are coming to Denver.
Snarfburger, from the Snarf’s Sandwiches team, will open its first Denverarea location on Federal Boulevard next summer. The retro-inspired burger shack serves frozen custard shakes, onion rings, grilled cheese and veggie burgers in addition to the requisite burgers and fries.
“We are thrilled to be growing in the Denver area, and we are especially excited to bring Snarfburger to Denver,” said Snarf’s representative Holly Moran. “The zig-zag roof of the former check-cashing building created the perfect opportunity to once again restore existing landmarks, as well as keep up the eclectic and funky vibe that is Snarf’s.”
If you can’t quite pry yourself from the siren song of Snarf’s Italian sub, a Snarf’s Sandwiches will be opening up next door.
New York City-based The Hummus & Pita Co., which specializes in healthy Mediterranean food like pitas and laffas, will move into the former The Melt space on the 16th Street Mall.
Local restauranteur Rachid Elmrini is bringing five Hummus &Pita’s to the metro area, with Cherry Creek and Boulder in mind for the other four locations.
“I’ve lived in Denver for 30 years and have seen the food scene evolve from purely American food to more ethnic and healthy cuisines,” Elmrini said. “I wanted to bring The Hummus & Pita Co. to the Denver area because richly diverse food is being served more frequently than before, so a healthy Mediterranean option like The Hummus & Pita Co. will add more exotic choices.”
You should be able to get your cookie dough hummus fix — yes, I just said cookie dough hummus — mid-March.
Snarfburger: 2535 Federal Blvd., Denver; snarfburger.com; opening summer 2018
The Hummus & Pita Co.: 821 16th St., Denver; hummusandpitas.com; opening March 2018