Larimer Square is becoming the one-stop shop for a full night out in Denver.
The latest addition is Ocean Prime (1465 Larimer St.), which held its grand opening Thursday. The swanky steak-and-seafood restaurant occupies two levels of a building at the corner of 15th and Larimer streets, beckoning spendthrift partiers with gourmet cocktails and glam environs.
Denver’s Ocean Prime is the latest link in a rapidly expanding chain, a “modern American supper club” with locations in six states. The focus is on old-fashioned fine dining, complete with intimate banquettes, bloody steaks and snazzy, white-jacketed waiters. And just like on “Mad Men,” the booze is a-flowin’.
Belly up at Ocean Prime’s Blu Lounge for drinks and appetizers before hitting the town. Like most restaurants of its ilk, Ocean Prime is big on the mixology trend, offering a full menu of “Prime Cocktails.”
The cucumber gimlet is a refreshing hint of springtime in the dead of winter: Bombay Sapphire gin, muddled cucumber and lime. The drink is cool and soothing — the gin’s aromatics blend easily with the fresh flavor of cucumber, and the dash of lime adds a little citrus zip.
At $12, the cucumber gimlet is not for the light of wallet. It fits right in with the rest of Ocean Prime’s specialty cocktails — they’re all in the $10 to $12 range. Luckily, most of them are pretty strong, too, meaning one is probably plenty before a night out.
The pear grapefruit fizz is tempting, a mix of pear-infused grapefruit vodka, lime and grapefruit soda. For a real punch to the liver, try the “Whiskey Clover” (Gentleman Jack whiskey, Hennessy, honey water, lemon and orange) or “Berries and Bubbles” (citrus vodka, blackberries, homemade sour and a sparkle of Domaine Chandon brut).
The Blu Lounge, like Ocean Prime, closes at 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays — which is fine. It’s on Larimer Square, remember? Keep the party alive by just walking down the block to Suite Two Hundred (1427 Larimer St.) or Green Russell (1422 Larimer St.). Or head out into the wilds of LoDo.
Free booze alert!
42Below vodka presents “Carnival of the Cocktail” at the Bluebird Theater (3317 E. Colfax Ave.) on Sunday.
Disguised as a loopy circus of entertainment, the event is also the Colorado regional competition for 42Below’s Cocktail World Cup. Bartenders from all over the area will battle to win a spot at the national contest in New York. Guest judges include local chef and Food Network host Keegan Gerhardt and sommelier William Davis.
The contestants will have to work extra hard to impress one very special judge: Mark Stoddard. The Boulder bartender went all the way to New Zealand last year and won the 2010 Cocktail World Cup as part of Team USA.
Guests can sip free 42Below cocktails, jam to tunes from DJ Rex Buchanan and watch sideshow acts like ice sculpting and the “Mile High Flying Tease.”
Best of all, admission to the carnival is completely free — there’s no RSVP or secret password required. Just show up, and watch the magic happen. It starts at 7 p.m. Sunday.
To-do list:
Tonight at Bar Standard (1037 Broadway), Rockstar Aaron hosts his first Hair Ball — an appropriate event for the DJ, who’s known for his outlandish hairstyles.
The event is aimed at local beauty professionals, with a prize for best hairdo, gift bags and a performance by local burlesque lady Fannie Spankings. The gathering is part of Rockstar Aaron’s “Female Trouble Fridays,” meaning drinks are $1 for the gals from 9 p.m. to midnight.
Beta (1909 Blake St.) welcomes German DJ and Friend of Deadmau5 Moguai on Saturday. On Thursday, indie-electro dudes LA Riots man the decks. Tickets for both shows are $10 at .
