In the dining column for this paper, I normally critique one restaurant a week.
But that doesn’t mean I eat out at only one place a week. Far from it.
The truth is, I’m out there stuffing my gullet at least five nights a week, plus a handful of lunches. That’s a lot of time to spend in restaurants, and a lot of experiences – some pleasant, some infuriating – that go undocumented.
This week, I take a cue from some of my favorite gossip columnists and turn the past few weeks of my work life into a blind-item guessing game.
Sorry, no prizes.
Just asking …
… AT WHICH downtown power- lunch hotspot did our waiter recently confide that as the minimum- wage hike takes effect, they’ll shrink their salads to cut costs?
… AT WHICH new downtown sushi-and-Chinese lunch spot was I dissuaded from ordering sushi by my waitress, who warned: “No. Don’t get sushi. That will take too long. Order something Chinese.”
… AT WHICH central Denver neighborhood red-sauce joint did the waitress crinkle her nose at my burger-ordering dining companion and say, “We prepare our burgers well-done. We don’t do a good job with rare here.”
… AT WHICH popular Washington Park bakery known for its devilish delights was I served burnt (not just strong, burnt) coffee? On consecutive visits?
… AT WHICH highly regarded Capitol Hill restaurant does an outdated snapshot of me serve as the host-station screensaver?
… AT WHICH ritzy new Denver steakhouse did it take 15 minutes (I timed it) from the moment we sat down to the moment we were offered a cocktail, and 10 more minutes before the martini was delivered, lukewarm and sans garnish?
… AT WHICH Civic Center restaurant, recently redesigned and reopened, was my party pointedly ignored by three lunchtime staff members, including the well-known manager, as we waved frantically for the bill? The place was all but empty.
… AT WHICH ubiquitious steakhouse chain did our waiter accept the return of a Red Bull-infused cocktail, commenting, “Yeah, no one likes that drink.” Later, he dissuaded our table from ordering a newly added dessert item, shaking his head and saying, “Don’t get that. It’s really bad.”
… AT WHICH south-suburban sushi bar was my sushi order prepared by the overworked waitress rather than the sushi chef, who was nowhere in sight? The cuts were clunky and rubbery.
… AT WHICH glitzy Highland newcomer is the menu (and website) packed with misspellings and typos?
… AT WHICH north-suburban Italian local did we receive entirely incompetent service from a staffer who, less than a week later, was being shadowed by a trainee?
… AT WHICH high-concept East Washington Park restaurant do they serve soup in a square bowl, making it impossible to scoop out the last few spoonfuls?
… AT WHICH restaurant, one I recently lauded in these pages for its friendly service, have several readers been disappointed by just the opposite – snotty service? My voicemail overflowed with complaints during the week after my review ran.
… AT WHICH sprawling, beautifully designed Northfield Stapleton restaurant and bar did the bartender recently announce “Last call!” at 9:15 p.m. … on a Friday?
Just asking, that’s all.
Dining critic Tucker Shaw can be reached at 303-954-1958 or at dining@denverpost.com.
