2345 W. 112th Ave., Westminster, 303-404-9939
5-9:30 p.m. Sunday-Thursday: 5-10:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday: 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Sunday brunch: Lounge/bar opens daily at 3 p.m.
The look: Talk about an extreme makeover. This longtime location has transformed from a locals’ fave, Gussie’s, to an abandoned Mexican dive to a contemporary, high-end steakhouse, with low lights, warm woods and padded leather seating. A bar anchors the lounge with a welcoming fireplace, and a waterfall shields the dining room from the entryway.
On the menu: Plenty of flesh, cooked over charcoal (chef Christopher Cina plans to make his own), as well as salmon, mussels, crab and scallops, with a variety of mix-and-match sides and sauces. Our server dismissed the house salad as “just chopped iceberg” and recited a complicated pricing structure for upgrades that we found a little off-putting. The sides and sauces could have been a bit more generous, considering the prices ($24 for our 6-ounce filets and $33 for the lamb chops). But each dish was cooked exactly as requested, with richly flavored mustard cream, brandy peppercorn and truffle butter sauces.
The vibe: This end of town has always lacked an elegant steakhouse with a bar you’d want to hang out in. Judging by the Jaguars, Escalades and Mercedeses in the parking lot, the clientele can afford to pay $4 more for a fancier salad.
When to visit: Special-occasion dinners, or whenever you want a really good steak (or a drink and some apps in the lounge).
Kristen Browning-Blas, The Denver Post
