When it comes to thriving restaurant neighborhoods, sometimes the rich just keep getting richer.
So it is with northwest Denver, which has enjoyed a vibrant dining scene for a decade now, with one hot spot after another. The latest: , a lovely and lively room at 4450 W. 38th Ave.
Opened in late September by owner Chris Sargent, a Denver restaurant veteran (his credits include and ), Brazen is a fun spot with a creative menu emphasizing small, shared plates in the contemporary American vein. It also pays attention to creative cocktails: On a brisk night, try the Gunpowder, a mix of rum, aquavit and black pepper-fennel syrup.
The room is at once sleek and cozy. Designed by in Denver, the space features a polished concrete floor, steel shelving and lighting fixtures and dark wood. There is also a chef’s bar where you can watch the open kitchen. And despite the hard surfaces, the sound level is more muted than you might expect.
Word is already out on the restaurant, and not just among neighborhood residents: One of the diners on a recent evening was , the talented chef and co-owner of in the RiNo district.
This is creative comfort food. The restaurant’s name notwithstanding, there is a subtle quality to much of the fare. It is seasonally driven, starting with a French onion soup with sherry, crostini and Gruyère, one of the great melting cheeses.
The kitchen enjoys pairing cheese and produce, with generally excellent results.
A poached-pear salad offered fine flavor match-ups on a chilly evening. The pears were accompanied by peppery arugula, a creamy blue cheese and pickled shallots.
Another hit was a bru-schetta of chevre with roasted butternut squash and arugula napped by a caramel-black pepper gastrique. The latter sounded a tad counterintuitive but absolutely worked. Goat cheese also anchored a salad of delicata squash, pomegranate and grains, a good marriage of color and texture.
Less successful were marinated beets and burrata, which arrived with bread chips and shaved radish. The roasted maroon and gold beets could have spent just a bit more time in the oven, and the burrata collapsed when the fork hit it. I know this cheese is supposed to have a super-soft center, but this version turned into a puddle on a plate.
Amid all this delicacy, some plates go big.
Spicy deviled eggs were a novel take on the church-supper classic, with goat cheese, a dash of lemon juice and a zap of harissa, the classic North African chile sauce. Just to make sure you got the point, each yolk mix was topped with a slice of red pepper.
Tomato meatballs were coarsely ground and would delight the most discriminating nonna. Braised in marinara, they came atop a rich, creamy polenta and were dusted with Parmesan. I would return on any cold night for this dish, pairing it with a glass of Zenato Valpolicella, one of the menu’s 11 wines by the glass.
We also enjoyed a butternut squash tortellini, perfectly al dente and spiced with pickled cranberries and sage brown butter.
Large plates are designed to be shared, from a roasted chicken half with confit potatoes and a mustard demi-glace to a 24-ounce pork shoulder with cheddar grits and shishito peppers.
Parties of two with a yen for fish should consider the whole roasted striped bass, which arrives crispy in a cast-iron pan with caramelized onions, kale and salt-and-vinegar chips. A lot of food, a lot of flavor.
A word about the service. This is a friendly, well-trained staff. They are quick to the table and know their food.
If I have a quibble about the Denver dining scene, it’s that, despite the many terrific servers out there, it sometimes feels like the kitchen outstrips the waitstaff when it comes to professionalism. At Brazen, they are perfectly matched.
And one more thing: Brazen boasts a small patio where patrons can roast s’mores after dinner. A tip of the hat to the person who came up with that.
William Porter: 303-954-1877, wporter@denverpost.com or twitter.com/williamporterdp
BRAZEN Contemporary American 4450 W. 38th Ave. 720-638-1242,brazendenver.com
*** Great
Atmosphere: Warm, cozy room with an unintrusive sound level
Service: Friendly, knowledgeable
Beverages: Beer, wine and imaginative cocktails
Plates: Small plates, $6-$12; entrées (for two), $27-$29 or market
Hours: Monday-Friday, 4:30 p.m.-2 a.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5 p.m.-2 a.m. Sunday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Details: Street parking
Two visits
Our star system:
****: Exceptional
***: Great
**: Very Good
*: Good
Stars reflect the dining reviewer’s overall reaction to the restaurant’s food, service and atmosphere.
