Bliss Cafe, a hip, mod venue for food, music

by Elisa Cohen

ARVADA – Bliss, the state of ecstatic happiness so far from reach at times it seems a foreign word. With children attending schools along the Aurora border and the outer edges of Arvada and their dueling night time performance schedules, our family sampled the food at Bliss in Olde Town Arvada, in part because the café looked so inviting and in part because it was equidistant from two events our children were involved with in their schools. Luckily for us, the food was good, the mod hip environment was charming, and the service was quick enough that we all managed to make it to our destinations in time to enjoy the events of the evening. Read more

Red Trolley – ice cream and more

by Elisa Cohen

Now that winter’s chill is finally starting to feel itself inside our bones, we headed off to Red Trolley at 32nd and Clay for some delectable homemade ice cream and gelato treats. Yeah, eating a big dish of handmade pear sorbet may seem off season, but to offset the chill, a kicking cup of their Novo coffee or any other hot drink makes for a delightful dessert diversion any time of the year. Read more

Julia Blackbird’s zesty, spicy fare

by Elisa Cohen

I know no one is going to be very sympathetic to this minor woe in our lives, but because of our responsibility to explore new restaurants each month, we virtually never return to our old favorites. Considering the strengthening effect long-term businesses have on the stability of our neighborhood, we decided to return to Julia Blackbird’s for some New Mexican fare served up in its colorful environment. Read more

A masterpiece deli indeed

by Elisa Cohen

HIGHLAND – The towering lime green walls bathed in bright sunshine, a fabulous view of the pedestrian bridge just across the street, and the succulent and flavorful juicy nirvana of an seared Wild Ahi Tuna sandwich all led me to agree with the name of the eatery in which I was enjoying another meal – The Masterpiece Delicatessen.

I spent several of my college years living in the historic apartment building across from Olinger’s Mortuary, now Lola’s. At that time, the 16th Street Bridge was still intact and this intersection was a bustling hub of at least three different buses all headed downtown. The street quieted down when the bridge came down and now it boasts busy bike lanes as the Pedestrian Bridge is just one of three bridges linking North Denver to lower Downtown. With the renewed traffic and the construction of more apartments and lofts around the area, a local eatery serving its built in clientele makes sense. But once visitors taste the sandwiches available at Masterpiece Deli, this will become a destination deli for those seeking hearty and delectable eats. Read more

El Senor Sol hits and misses

by Elisa Cohen

JEFFERSON PARK – El Señor Sol sits grandly in the large, old brick building that formerly housed the Zang Brewery across the street from the Denver Aquarium. Its sign proclaims that this place serves REAL Mexican food. We checked it out this past week and found that we enjoyed several of the meals, but we also found others bland and unremarkable. Read more

Los Carboncitos fires up flavors

by Elisa Cohen |

HIGHLAND – A flaming yellow orange building with fires painted on the windows screams “Try Us” with its exuberant color scheme and signage. And so we did. Many times, with the repeated excellent experience leading us to believe this is one of North Denver’s better traditional Mexican tacquerias. While I hate to admit it, Ruth Tobias a writer for the Boston Globe alerted me to the possibilities of tacqueria delight on 38th Avenue. While visiting my sister outside of Boston, I read about all of the fun things to do in Denver during the DNC. She raved about the huarache, the foot long corn tortilla pizza-like dish, available at Los Carboncitos. Back in Denver, we stopped by to see if the rave was warranted and found ourselves in agreement with Ms. Tobias. Read more

Billy’s Inn replaces dark and smoky with warm decor and tasty fare

by Elisa Cohen |

BERKELEY – Billy’s Inn at 44th and Lowell used to be a drinking and smoking locale. When Colorado voters were beginning the process to ban indoor smoking, the former owner James Von Feldt fought to keep the right to allow patrons to light up to their addicted content. He lost that battle and subsequently sold the business to a group of investors who envisioned fish tacos, juicy burgers, and a casual dining experience on the patio and in the refurbished interior could perhaps make up for the income lost by enabling patrons into their early smoke-related deaths. Judging by the packed crowds for weeks after opening, the gamble is paying off, and North Denver residents looking for a casual dining experience are the winners. Read more

Brasserie Felix provides French foodies with new NW destination

Move over Italian; move over Mexican; North Denver is becoming a go to place for French cuisine. With thoughts of steamy French onion soup, Steak Tartare and other French dishes on our mind, we headed out to the newest French restaurant recently opened on Tennyson Street. Read more

Affordable sweet and savory crepes satisfy in charming setting

by Elisa Cohen

First published in the North Denver Tribune

LODO – Much to my children’s sorrow, I am not a sweets lover. That means their pleas for dessert stops and candy shopping  fall on unsympathetic ears. So when they started advocating strongly to review Crepes ‘n Crepes for the newspaper, I put them off.  Apparently during some moment of weakness, I promised this French bistro to be our next review. Never wanting to be accused of lying, we donned our helmets and rode downtown for a late breakfast, early lunch. After enjoying a deliciously savory and filling lunch crepe, I was happy that my kids had been so insistent on this destination. Read more

Chubby’s serving up super spicy affordable Mexican fare on 38th Ave.

by Elisa Cohen

First published in the North Denver Tribune
SUNNYSIDE – As I was leaving my day job a while back, I was greeted by a young acquaintance. “Are you done for the day?” he asked. “Nope, I have to find somewhere to eat as I am writing up a new review for the Tribune. Where do you like to eat?” I asked. A pained expression flashed briefly across his normally smiling face. In that instance I remembered that his parents had been recently deported and he was struggling to make it on his own. I wished I could take back the question. “I don’t go out much,” he said, but then after a moment said, “You could try Chubby’s, it’s pretty good,” and then he wished me a nice weekend. Read more