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Recent reviews by Seth J.

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Deli Tech

Rating:
3 of 5 Stars

Liked:
The atmosphere. It feels like a New York deli. The wait staff is excellent. They really seem into their jobs. They know their customers. Service with the smile.

Didn't Like:
I think the food is average. There are plenty of other sandwich shops in town that have better tasting sandwiches. Heidi's Deli has everything Deli Tech has and more. And everything seems to taste better at Heidi's.

Location:
DTC

Tonti's Pizzeria

Rating:

4.5 of 5 stars!

Liked:
The sauce is bright red. The crust is sooooo good. Not oily or greasy. Looks like it was cooked over a fire or something. Soft and crunchy and delicious. It's probably the best pizza we've had, but we also really like Pasquini's. Oh, and we can't forget Papa John's. (Just kidding.)

Didn't Like:
We have a bunch of coupons for free cheese pizza. They're delicious but there is something a little but funny tasting about it. I don't know what it is. Maybe it's just my uncultured mouth because Meg doesn't agree. Maybe it's just because I like a little meat on my pizza. At least some pepperoni or something.

Locations:
Parker

Nothing Bundt Cakes

Liked:
Their cakes are delicious and worth every dollar. I give them to clients sometimes to thank them for referrals or for doing business with me. It's always a big hit. Their cakes taste homemade. The frosting is perfectly delicious. The cakes are presented in a delightful way with pretty packaging, bows, ribbons and a card. Meg says the best thing about this place is that the cakes are beautiful and fun. Anyone can make a bundt cake, of course, but Nothing Bundt Cakes has got the presentation part of it down to a "t".

Didn't Like:
All the advertisements attached to cake packaging. Also, one time they crossed orders and delivered a personalized note with a gift card to the wrong client! Oops. But, to their credit, they covered the cost of a new gift card and fully rectified the problem.

Location:
Lone Tree

Hotel Colorado

Rating:
2 of 5 Stars

Liked/Didn't Like:
The setting. The history of the building. The openness of the room. The food was okay. Kind of like frozen food that was thawed. Topped off with a bunch of sauce. Very rich. Meg had a salad that was good, but not amazing. I had a sandwich that I was disappointed in. it had ham and pork roast and cheese. I'd tell you the name of it but I can't remember. I was disappointed in it and couldn't finish it. It kind of tasted like a heart attached. When we got out to eat, we want to be amazed, okay? Once was probably enough for this place. We won't go back, and we not angry about it or anything!

Locations:
Glenwood Springs.

Italian Underground

Rating:
5 of 5 Stars!!!

Liked:
On man, we loved it. Everything about it! I got fettuccine alfredo and Meg got a combination plate. They started us off with some delicious sliced bread that was dense but light. The whipped garlic butter they served with it was divine. The bread presentation in and of itself could've been a meal. We would've been happy. They bought it out at the perfect temperature. Our actual meals didn't disappoint us either. The pasta was cooked just long enough so that it still had a little bit of bite left (as in the turgidity of it). The alredo sauce was sooo good. No too cheesy, not too creamy. Just the perfect balance.

Being that I don't drink wine, I ordered a delicious Italian orange soda with my meal that was a nice balance to the savory goodness described above.

The location was totally cool too. On a really cute street on the cute side (the South side) of Glenwood Springs. Right across the highway from the hot springs. The wait staff, so friendly. Small town feel. Felt like everyone there knew us even though it was our first time. We were told this place is where all the locals go, and we don't doubt it. It felt authentic and real. The floor was glazed brick.

Didn't Like:
Not much we didn't like, but the salad they started us off with was very average. The spamoni was delicous but they had scooped it out and put it in the freezer earlier in the day and so there was that thin layer of hard covering that forms on ice cream when you leave it in the freezer uncovered.

Location:
Glenwood Springs. Wish they had a closer location! We love Italian.

Landry's Seafood House

Rating: 1.5 of 5 Stars


Liked/Didn't Like: Liked the location. It's easy to get to. It was nice that the salad came with the meal. The crab cakes were pretty good but they were slathered in an overpowering creamy sauce. The risotto was bland and sticky. The lobster tails were good but didn't have enough flavor. You have to ask for the free garlic bread, and we weren't too impressed with it. Too crunchy. My baked potato was good, but how hard is it to get a baked potato right? We don't recommend Landry's. So many other great places to go! It's a shame we wasted a good night out at this mediocre establishment. We won't make the same mistake twice.


Locations: Englewood, Lakewood

Hapa Sushi

Rating:
5 of 5 Stars

Liked:
WE LOVE SUSHI! Especially happy hour sushi at Hapa. Like some of our other favorite sushi destinations, the flavors of the sushi rolls at Hapa are so fresh and savory. And sushi is so light when it's done right (in my opinion). You can stuff your face and still walk out feeling good.


Didn't Like:
Some of their signature sushi rolls are overdone. Meaning, they have too much sauce and spice dumped on top. It ruins the fresh lightness that sushi represents for me.

Locations:
Greenwood Village, Cherry Creek, Boulder

Baja Fresh

Rating:

4 or 5 Stars

Liked:

A couple Valentine's Days ago we ate dinner at the nearest Baja Fresh because we had a gift card there and we wanted to avoid the crowds. It was de-lish... I highly recommend taking a trip there for Valentine's Day some time. There is no wait, no crowds, the service is great, and the food makes my mouth water.

Didn't Like:

There was one small problem, my burrito was a little cold...really cold and the cheese was not melted. After a little pep talk from Seth I mustered up enough courage to go up to the counter and ask for a new one...piping hot. It came out a few minutes later and was just to my liking. I love this place. I couldn't ask for anything more from a v-day dinner.

Locations:

Greenwood Village, Denver, Littleton, Aurora, and more!

Ruth's Chris

Rating:
5 of 5 Stars

Liked:
I watched a lot of the goings on of the DNC when it was in town, not because I espouse the values and beliefs of the Democratic Party, but because it was happening in Denver, and I was a little intrigued with the man behind all the hype. Meg and I even ventured downtown to go to Ruth's Chris Steakhouse on the starting day of the convention to celebrate our one year anniversary. Our experience there pretty much overshadowed all the DNC hype. What can we say? We ordered the porterhouse, and man!! They brought out a piping hot plate full of sizzling butter and herbs, and that's what they used to sear the steak. Right in front of our eyes. We had to hold up our dinner napkins to stop the splatter from getting all over our clothes.

The lobster mashed potatoes and creamed spinach were amazing too, and most amazing of all was the banana cream pie. The filling was a white chocolate custard, and it was oh so creamy. Best part were the caramelized bananas it was topped with. Wow again. It was a good night.

Didn't Like:
The price. Everything else was very likable.

Location:
1445 Market St, Denver, CO‎
(303) 446-2233‎

Sushi Den

Rating:
5 of 5 Stars

Liked:
Everything!! Best sushi we've had. Mmmmmmmmmm. The flavors are perfect.

Didn't Like:
The fact that I can't go there twice a week for dinner because it's too pricey!

Location:
1487 S Pearl St
Denver, CO 80210-2226
(303) 777-0826

Pasquini's

Rating:
5 of 5 Stars

Liked:

Great little place! Meg and I were going to meet our friends for dinner at a Chicago-style pizzeria by the name of Beniamo's but it's no longer in business! We didn't find out until we were standing on the corner staring at a sushi restaurant that has taken its place. Our friend is very allergic to seafood so we hopped in my car and drive down Broadway looking for a replacement restaurant. We happened upon a little place called Pasquini's that I'd heard about from my friend Shane Clark. What a treat! Delicious, authentic-tasing Italian food. Well, I can't truly comment on Italian authenticity since I've never been there, but it tasted authentic to me. Their salads are great and their calzones are very tasty. Mmmmmm. We'd recommend this place to anybody. It's got a fun, laidback, open atmosphere, and it's not too noisy.

Didn't Like:
Not a lot of parking, but hey, a lot of great restaurants downtown have that problem so I won't hold it against them.

Locations:
Broadway, Uptown, Highlands, Lone Tree, DTC

Costa Vida

Rating:
5 of 5 Stars

Liked:
The salads! The burritos! The drinks imported from Mexico. The ambience is kinda cool with the huge flat screen TV's constantly showing surfing videos. The sweet pork burrito is the best. Get it smothered.

Didn't Like:
That it's not original. The whole idea for the restaurant was stolen from a chain in Utah called Cafe Rio. But really, I don't care. I forgive them with all my heart, and I thank them for bringing their food to Denver.

Location:
10005 Commons St # 280
Lone Tree, CO 80124-5572
(720) 895-3663

Hacienda Colorado

Rating:

3 of 5 Stars

Liked:

The huge fires burning outside. The waiting area with couches, tables, and TVs. The chips were light, crispy and delicious. The salsa was just right. Our friend Peter got chimichangas and said they were excelente. I got Admiral Guzman's Shrimp Enchiladas and thought they were pretty good. Maybe a little rich for my blood. Meg got fish tacos and loved them.

Didn't Like:

The long wait! Over an hour. Actually we waited about a half hour longer than they told us we'd have to wait, and that was even after calling ahead. Our server was also terrible. Pretty much ignored us the whole time. We had to ask for the check, and even then he was slow.

Location:

Lone Tree, Littleton, Denver, and Westminster

Shane's Top Restaurant Picks

My friend Shane Clark liked to eat out more than anyone I know. Since I don't go out to eat as much, and I often have clients that ask me about restaurants, I asked Shane to put together a list of his favorite restaurants for me. The result of that request is below.

Shane is not with us anymore (He passed away after a courageous fight with brain cancer). However, Shane's list lives on!! I'd like to memorialize his list on this restaurant review blog. I'd like to add reviews of our own as Meg and I get out and experience a little bit more of Denver's cuisine scene. Rather than expect people to frequent this blog, it'll be more about helping me organize my thoughts on local restaurants and keeping track of where we've been, what we like, and hopefully, I'll be able to do a little bit better job at recommending restaurants to people as of result.

Shane’s Top 10 Restaurant’s List:

1. Carmine’s on Penn
2. Harry’s Chop House
3. Oblio’s Pizzeria
4. Romano’s Pizzeria (Littleton)
5. Maggiano’s
6. Abe’s
7. Pete’s Kitchen
8. Jabo’s Bar-B-Que
9. Lik’s
10. Santiago’s

More on the top 10.....

1. Carmine’s is the best family style Italian in Denver. Menu’s are on chalkboards around the restaurant, the place is always packed and loud. Plan ahead because even with reservations you will probably have to wait. The dress is casual but don’t be surprised to see people in Suits or better. Expect to pay $60 or more for two.
2. Harry’s Chop House is New to my list of places to eat. This is uptown dining at it’s best, a small restaurant with the opportunity for live music or a small theatre. Steak here is wonderful, the menu is short, but covers a good variety of food. Good date place, quiet small tables. $60 or more for two.
3. Oblio’s Pizzeria is the ultimate fun date stop. For one on one or group dating the pizza here has to be the best in Denver. The restaurant is east of the Denver Zoo and Colorado Blvd in a nice quiet neighborhood. Open from 5pm until they get tired, the menus are old record covers. Indoor and outdoor seating makes this a great place for a spring or summer evening. $20 or more for two.
4. Romano’s Pizzeria (Littleton). This is not Romano’s Macaroni Grill, it’s much better. Family owned and operated this is a fun and tasty place to eat in Littleton. Service is good and fast and it’s very casual. There is another location in Highlands Ranch but it’s not recommended. $25 to 40 for two
5. Maggiano’s is just good food. This is a great place to take a large group, especially if you’ve planned ahead. Similar to Carmine’s because you can order family style, but not nearly as fun or flavorful. Expect to spend $40 to $60 on dinner and dessert for two.
6. Abe’s is a great little Greek place in old town Littleton. Breakfast Gyro’s are great here lunch is good too. Indoor and outdoor seating as well. Try the desserts, ice cream and traditional Baklava. $10 or more for two.
7. Pete’s Kitchen, this is the ultimate trashy diner. Well, it’s not that trashy. Breakfast here is great, but fairly greasy spoon. It’s almost always busy and if you want to eat on a Saturday morning you’ll need to plan for a wait. There are two locations, one on Colfax and one on University (Pete’s University Café). $20 to 30 for two.
8. Jabo’s Bar-B-Que, I remember this place from when it was in a parking lot and you would wait for 20 minutes or more just to order your food. No other BBQ compares, many different Sauce flavors and heat ranges for EVERYone. If you like it HOT or mild, this is the place to go. $10 to 25 for two.
9. Lik’s Ice cream J This is one of two places that have GREAT ice cream in Denver. Until recently they only accepted cash, so don’t be surprised if that’s all they will accept when you go. All of their ice cream is made in house, so they have some interesting flavors. Personally I like the Guinness ice cream, but all of them are worth trying. Located on 13th west of Colorado. $10 to 15 for two.
10. Santiago’s is the best takeout Mexican you can find in and around Denver. There are locations all over the place. Breakfast burrito’s here are very good, and the green chili is HOT! So get medium or mild. Expect to spend $5 to 10 for breakfast burritos.

Shane’s Other Favorites:

1. Guadalajara’s
2. Wok Up Town
3. Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen
4. Las Delicias
5. Illegal Pete’s
6. P.F. Chang’s
7. Hoong’s Palace
8. Seven 30 South
9. Lime
10. Cheesy Jane’s
11. Appaloosa

More on Shane's other favorites......

1. Guadalajara’s has great Chips and Salsa. If you’d like to practice your Spanish, this is the place to go. The food is good, it’s usually quiet, and they serve Coke products which is always a plus. $15 to 30 for two.
2. Wok Up Town has very good Hot and Sour Soup. I used to work here, the food is good but the restaurant is very small. Great for lunch too, across the street from Children’s Hospital. $10 to 25 for two.
3. Pappadeaux is everywhere, the one here is good, but it’s a chain restaurant. It’s almost always busy and I don’t know what their reservation policy is. Expect to spend $25 to 40 for two.
4. Las Delicias is a great sit down Mexican breakfast place. There are 6 of these restaurants around Denver; the original is located on Pearl and 19th. The best is on Colorado Blvd next to Home Depot. $15 to 30 for two.
5. Illegal Pete’s. So you think you know big burritos, think again. Chipotle has nothing on this place, fresh meat and salsa like everyone else; the catch is that they mix the ingredients before wrapping. They also serve huge breakfast burritos. $5 to 10 each with a drink.
6. P.F. Chang’s is extremely Americanized Chinese food. This is a good date place, the lettuce wraps are famous here, the food is consistent, and they too serve Coke products. This is a busy restaurant, it’s loud there and expensive. Expect to pay $30 to 50 for two.
7. Hoong’s Palace as you can guess is Chinese as well, if you’re near Arapahoe and I25 this is a place worth trying. The food is consistent and the service is good as well. This place is always busy. Should expect to pay $30 or more for two.
8. Seven 30 South is a great brunch place; it’s in the Bonnie Bray district though so Parking is difficult. Location is good as well; Bonnie Brae ice cream ($1 to 10 for two) is across the street as well as The Saucy Noodle Pizzeria. Short trip to Cherry Creek Shopping Area as well as Down Town Denver. Expect to pay $15 to 30 for two.
9. Lime is another new addition to the list it’s semi upscale Mexican but fairly mild. This is a culturally diverse neighborhood but safe as far as I’m concerned. There are many places to eat and being on 6th avenue puts you close to Cherry Creek and Down Town. The tables are small and it’s a little cramped but this is definitely worth trying. $20 or more for two.
10. Cheesy Jane’s. Want a cheese burger? This is your place. Spicy bits are worth trying here, onions and jalapenos battered and fried together, don’t worry it’s not very hot. Coke products are a plus once again and they have other goodies that you’d find in a vintage diner. Expect to pay $10 to 20 for two.
11. Appaloosa is an upscale restaurant and bar that has live music every night. It’s a very loud place because it’s not very large, but the food is pretty good. It’s on the 16th street mall across from Hard Rock Café and is worth trying if you’d like the have a quick bite at lunch or see an unknown band at night in the city. Prices are high here.