A slew of eateries closed recently, the most surprising of which was The Swan at the Inverness Hotel (200 W. Inverness Drive in Englewood), one of those elegant destination special-occasion spots that seemed destined to go on forever. The hotel reports that the space is undergoing renovations, however, and will reopen under a new name, with a more modern look and food, within the next six months.
Maybe a little less of a shock is the loss of Intrigue (275 S. Logan St.), which had a classy dining room but a hit-or-miss dining experience; no word on where chef-owner Jeff Cleary will land next.
And finally, where to get the fabulous chocolates for Mother’s Day made by owner and creative chocolatier Tammy Davis of the now-closed Sweet Rockin’ Coffee (414 E. 20th Ave.) now that it’s gone is a mystery, as well. The phone there is disconnected too, and there is no other information.
New to you: But whenever a restaurant closes, another one gets its wings. In Boulder on May 4, welcome Karma Cuisine (1911 Broadway) , which bills itself as “organic food with integrity.” Chef-owners Craig and Kirsten Johnstone will offer such vegetarian delicacies as shiitake risotto and Thai coconut miso soup, along with salads, fresh juices, and other lunch and dinner foods. The place will be open Tuesday through Sunday.
Jim Sullivan continues to add to his restaurant empire with Emogene (2415 E. Second Ave.), which he’ll open in a few weeks around the corner from Mao Asian Bistro & Sushi Lounge (201 Columbine St.). The chef at Emogene, a little bistro-meets-patisserie, will be Syd Berkowitz. Sullivan plans to open another Emogene in the Belmar neighborhood too, in an as-yet-undetermined space.
Fans of the old Fratelli’s that used to be at 1200 E. Hampden Ave. in Englewood have been wondering if the new spot in the Republic Plaza (303 16th St.) is any relation. The answer is no, but that’s no reason not to check out Fratelli Pizza & Panini. Owned by brothers Franco and Antonio Celeste, this place offers thin-crust pies similar to the ones they’ve served at their Anthony’s II (3901 E. 112th Ave.) in Thornton for eight years.
“When the old Fratelli’s closed, they left the name available again, so we decided to take it,” Franco says. “It means ‘brothers’ in Italian, and that certainly fits us.”
The new executive chef at Strings (1700 Humboldt St.), moved over from 240 Union, is Ed Kent. Along with Strings sous chef Bonnie Hopkins, Kent has reworked the menu to include more spring items and lighten things up a bit.
Mea culpa: Sometimes the fingers and the brain simply do not work in unison. I was thinking Culinary Institute of America in last week’s review but typed Culinary Institute of Art instead as the place from which chef Rebecca Weitzman of Caf Star earned her degree. My apologies, and thank heavens she knows food and not painting.
Free advertising: It is the Art Institute of Colorado (675 S. Broadway), however, that will host the fundraiser “Plate Escapes” in its restaurant, Assignments, on May 16 at 6 p.m. to raise money for student scholarships. Graduates of the program, including Elise Wiggins of Panzano, Aaron Whitcomb of Table 6 and Ian Kleinman of Nine75 (the revamped Sullivan eatery Moda Ristorante, which will open May 13), will do the cooking. Cost is $75 per person; call 303-824-4975.
The Mile High Chapter of the Colorado Restaurant Association launches a “Restaurant Learning Series,” four seminars open to all restaurant types, at its office (430 E. Seventh Ave.) over the summer. Topics include using the Internet to increase restaurant traffic, and preventing sexual harassment in the workplace. Cost is $10 for CRA members and $15 for non; call 303-830-2972.
Dining critic Kyle Wagner can be reached at 303-820-1958 or kwagner@denverpost.com.
