Unlike the old days when Larimer Square owners held on to tired restaurant concepts like a child with a threadbare blankie, Joe Vostrejs and company at Larimer Associates know when to let it go and move on.
Six months ago, when Larimer Associates opened Madison Street, a neighborhood eatery at 1222 Madison St. in Congress Park, the notion was to give folks a casual menu stacked with tacos and burgers.
When customers clamored for more sophisticated fare, Vostrejs invited established chef Troy Guard, creator of TAG and TAG Raw Bar on Larimer Square, to buy into the venture as part-owner and chef.
On Monday, Guard took over the place with the goal of eventually revamping the menu, incorporating his signature touches that blend Asian and Latin flavors.
“We just kept talking about the fact that he needed another opportunity,” Vostrejs said, now that TAG has been open since 2009, and TAG Raw Bar is a tiny operation in the walkway off Larimer. “I told him, ‘You know, I have this crazy idea. Why don’t you buy into Madison Street?’ That gave Troy the expansion he was looking for by putting him in charge of a kitchen that was ready to be elevated to the next level.”
Guard said he’s not sure what direction he’ll take in the menu yet.
“The neighborhood has been loving the space, but they come more for drinks because the food has been too inconsistent,” Guard said. “I want to bring the food level up a notch.”
Paperless passengers.
United and Continental airlines are encouraging passengers to go green Friday in honor of Earth Day by using a mobile-phone boarding pass instead of the paper version.
Each time a Continental or United customer uses a mobile boarding pass, parent company United Continental Holdings will donate $1 to help Protect an Acre with its global nonprofit partner Conservation International.
For customers using a mobile app for Android or iPhone — available for Continental only — the company will double the donation to $2 to the program that works to curb tropical deforestation.
Mad man.
Longtime Denver-Boulder ad man Chuck Porter will be given the 2011 Silver Medal Award from the Ad Club Denver in conjunction with the American Advertising Federation during a reception at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Aloft Broomfield Denver, 8300 Arista Place.
The founder and chairman of the Crispin Porter + Bogusky agency is being recognized for outstanding contributions to advertising by raising the bar for industry standards, and for creative excellence and responsibility in the area of social concern.
Porter joined the Crispin Agency in 1988 as creative director and partner. The agency was renamed Crispin & Porter and within three years had doubled in size. Today, CP+B has more than 1,000 employees worldwide.
Registration for the event is at .
EAVESDROPPING
Two women talking about Facebook at the Corner Office:
“I’ve known you since you had 470 friends.”
“Now I’m at 530.”
“Really? That’s how we judge how long we’ve known each other now?”
Penny Parker’s column appears Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Listen to her on “Caplis & Silverman” between 4 and 5 p.m. Fridays on KHOW-630 AM. Call her at 303-954-5224 or e-mail pparker@denverpost.com.
