RESTAURANT UPDATE
I want this place to be good. I want to like it. I really, really do. Sam's is probably my favorite all-around restaurant in Denver and they own Victory, too. I first visited Victory shortly after they opened (at least a year ago). It's a beautiful space, truly stunning. Gorgeous high ceilings, dark wood everywhere, dramatic red velvet curtains hanging at the back and a long bar on one side of the room. You feel as though you've stepped back into the 1920's at first- it's an awesome first impression.
Unfortunately, it all goes downhill from there. I don't know why they have felt the need to ruin that 1920's, classy vibe. First ruiner: cheesy looking menus- reminded me of a cheap Italian joint. Not only are the menus ugly, but they're covered with weird, unfunny quips and "jokes". If that wasn't bad enough, someone had the bright idea to take those same unfunny jokes, type them up, FRAME them, and stick them right up on the back of those lovely dark wood booths. Maybe I'm the one missing the joke...
When we dined there on Saturday night at prime dinner time (7'ish), the place was pretty dead (although still really really noisy for some reason). The service wasn't bad at all- our server was sweet and prompt with refills, which I always appreciate. But man were there a lot of employees wandering aimlessly. It seemed like every 5 seconds another employee was walking past our table... it just felt like a constant stream. I don't know if it's where we were sitting, but it if was, they should have put us somewhere a little more 'out of traffic'.
The food- very very mediocre. Admittedly, I just had a burger rather than one of their overpriced, out-of-place entrees. But honestly, how can you be so cheap with the mushrooms on a mushroom-swiss burger? Mushrooms are cheap! There were like 5 of them on my burger though :( And they looked like those weird little canned ones that had been microwaved or something. If you can't get a burger right, I'm not paying $25 for a pasta or fish item. We didn't even bother with desserts, although I was intrigued by the flaming cherries jubillee and bananas foster. I would have felt silly ordering these in an empty restaurant- and besides, I didn't trust the cooks with an open flame.
Showing posts with label denver. Show all posts
Showing posts with label denver. Show all posts
Friday, August 17, 2007
Cuba Cuba Cafe
I've been wanting to go to Cuba Cuba forever, and I'm not sure why I haven't- I only live a couple of blocks away. I finally got my chance for a family celebration recently. Walking in, you feel like you're entering a (very cool) friends house. It may feel that way because, well, it is a house. Two houses to be exact, cobbled together and painted a soothing, tropical shade of turquoise. Note the (fake) palm trees out front, and you'll feel transported to an illicit country-which-shall-not-be-named.
We started out with a pitcher of tasty, tasty Mojitos... or 'swamp water' as pops refers to it. They're an awesome deal- the waiter said we'd get 8 drinks out of the $35 pitcher, but we managed around 12 (3 each for a group of 4 of us sharing). Even after my big meal I was still tipsy. Score! The rest of the fam was happy with the bottled Red Stripe, which you can't find everywhere in Colorado.
We are kind of picky about our Cuban food, having lived in Florida for many years. I am also skeptical of paying a lot of money for it, since you can buy it for next to nothing down there. I was happy to see all my Cuban favorites, such as Ropa Vieja on the menu. I opted for the special of the night, duck cooked 'Vaca Frita' style- crispy on the outside, juicy inside. Yummy! The paella looked delicious too. For dessert we almost all opted for the Quatros Leches... a traditional Tres Leches with chocolate milk added in. Also wonderful.
Great atmosphere, excellent service, and a happy family. I'll be back!
We started out with a pitcher of tasty, tasty Mojitos... or 'swamp water' as pops refers to it. They're an awesome deal- the waiter said we'd get 8 drinks out of the $35 pitcher, but we managed around 12 (3 each for a group of 4 of us sharing). Even after my big meal I was still tipsy. Score! The rest of the fam was happy with the bottled Red Stripe, which you can't find everywhere in Colorado.
We are kind of picky about our Cuban food, having lived in Florida for many years. I am also skeptical of paying a lot of money for it, since you can buy it for next to nothing down there. I was happy to see all my Cuban favorites, such as Ropa Vieja on the menu. I opted for the special of the night, duck cooked 'Vaca Frita' style- crispy on the outside, juicy inside. Yummy! The paella looked delicious too. For dessert we almost all opted for the Quatros Leches... a traditional Tres Leches with chocolate milk added in. Also wonderful.
Great atmosphere, excellent service, and a happy family. I'll be back!
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Steuben's
Steuben's is the latest creation from the masterminds behind Vesta Dipping Grill (aka My Favorite Restaurant of All Time). Of course, when I heard this, I got myself over there as fast as humanly possible, led by my tongue and stomach. I was not disappointed.
The atmosphere at Steuben's is sort of Brady Bunch-meets-Isaac Hayes. Wood-paneling and mirrored walls, high booths and glassware from Grandma's estate sale make the place feel hip in a homey way. In warmer times, grab a seat outside, either on the front patio (good for people watching along 17th Ave) or on the side patio (cool lawn furniture and strings of lights overhead). I haven't found a bad seat yet.
Steuben's boasts an impressive drink menu, chock full of good Flying Dog beers, old-fashioned fun drinks like Mint Juleps, Gin Rickey's, and (for the non-drinkers) Egg Creams and Yoo-Hoo. Oh, and don't forget the delicious sweet tea- a downright delicacy here in the frozen tundra of Denver.
Everything about the food at Steuben's is fun. Just looking at the menu makes me smile. If you want a comfy appetizer, go for the delectable deviled eggs. If you're feeling more adventurous, try the habanero honey fried corn- 4 little cobs of corn rolled in honey butter and coated with a spicy dusting. Yums! I know many others who swear by the gravy fries.
I've only personally tried two of the entrees on the menu, as I'm usually drawn to the wonderful sandwiches and sides. The Memphis BBQ Ribs were amazing though! Fall-off-the-bone meat, sweet and spicy sauce... mmm. Definitely a good meal. In my opinion, the macaroni and cheese entree is not the best deal. It didn't seem that much bigger than a side of mac and cheese, but it costs $5 more. The side is definitely worth it though, as it is one fantastic plate of mac and cheese. Rich and creamy, but not in an overwhelming way. Some other entree offerings include Cioppino, Fried Chicken and a Vegetarian Chile Relleno. Specials are also offered nightly, featuring items such as Prime Rib and Carne Adobado.
Now for my favorite part of Steuben's. The sandwiches! I've eaten about half of the items on this section of the menu, and I loved them all. The Cubano was not quite what I used to get growing up in Florida, but still tasty- and the chimichurri is so good it's made it's way onto Vesta's menu. The Cheese Steak is out of this world! Greasy and sopping with cheese-wizzy goodness- just the way it should be. I look forward to trying the Maine Lobster Roll at some point, but I'm having trouble shelling out $16 for a sandwich.
The sandwiches don't come with sides, but the prices are very reasonable, and it's nice to have some choices. The side of Steuben's Fries are a must- tons of thin-cut fries served in a tin can. You can also choose baked beans, pickles, creamed spinach, and many other items.
Lastly, Steuben's offers a great brunch on the weekends from 10-3. The Egg in a Hole is a nice piece of toast with an egg in the middle, covered in one of the most delicious sauces I have ever had. I literally wanted to lick my plate. My dining companion ordered the Cast Iron Vanilla French Toast, which is actually battered in vanilla ice cream. How can you go wrong with that? It's also got a nice sticky caramel sauce on the top.
I have only had one less-than-stellar experience at Steuben's (one night all of our food seemed to have been marinated in garlic), but I have let that go the way of the dinosaur. Every other experience there (and there have been many, at all hours of the day and night) has been wonderful. The service is great, the prices are shockingly low for such quality, and the food is just what I would expect from the Vesta team.
Free parking is available on the east side of the building, as well as along the side streets in the surrounding area. Metered parking is available right out front along 17th Ave.
The atmosphere at Steuben's is sort of Brady Bunch-meets-Isaac Hayes. Wood-paneling and mirrored walls, high booths and glassware from Grandma's estate sale make the place feel hip in a homey way. In warmer times, grab a seat outside, either on the front patio (good for people watching along 17th Ave) or on the side patio (cool lawn furniture and strings of lights overhead). I haven't found a bad seat yet.
Steuben's boasts an impressive drink menu, chock full of good Flying Dog beers, old-fashioned fun drinks like Mint Juleps, Gin Rickey's, and (for the non-drinkers) Egg Creams and Yoo-Hoo. Oh, and don't forget the delicious sweet tea- a downright delicacy here in the frozen tundra of Denver.
Everything about the food at Steuben's is fun. Just looking at the menu makes me smile. If you want a comfy appetizer, go for the delectable deviled eggs. If you're feeling more adventurous, try the habanero honey fried corn- 4 little cobs of corn rolled in honey butter and coated with a spicy dusting. Yums! I know many others who swear by the gravy fries.
I've only personally tried two of the entrees on the menu, as I'm usually drawn to the wonderful sandwiches and sides. The Memphis BBQ Ribs were amazing though! Fall-off-the-bone meat, sweet and spicy sauce... mmm. Definitely a good meal. In my opinion, the macaroni and cheese entree is not the best deal. It didn't seem that much bigger than a side of mac and cheese, but it costs $5 more. The side is definitely worth it though, as it is one fantastic plate of mac and cheese. Rich and creamy, but not in an overwhelming way. Some other entree offerings include Cioppino, Fried Chicken and a Vegetarian Chile Relleno. Specials are also offered nightly, featuring items such as Prime Rib and Carne Adobado.
Now for my favorite part of Steuben's. The sandwiches! I've eaten about half of the items on this section of the menu, and I loved them all. The Cubano was not quite what I used to get growing up in Florida, but still tasty- and the chimichurri is so good it's made it's way onto Vesta's menu. The Cheese Steak is out of this world! Greasy and sopping with cheese-wizzy goodness- just the way it should be. I look forward to trying the Maine Lobster Roll at some point, but I'm having trouble shelling out $16 for a sandwich.
The sandwiches don't come with sides, but the prices are very reasonable, and it's nice to have some choices. The side of Steuben's Fries are a must- tons of thin-cut fries served in a tin can. You can also choose baked beans, pickles, creamed spinach, and many other items.
Lastly, Steuben's offers a great brunch on the weekends from 10-3. The Egg in a Hole is a nice piece of toast with an egg in the middle, covered in one of the most delicious sauces I have ever had. I literally wanted to lick my plate. My dining companion ordered the Cast Iron Vanilla French Toast, which is actually battered in vanilla ice cream. How can you go wrong with that? It's also got a nice sticky caramel sauce on the top.
I have only had one less-than-stellar experience at Steuben's (one night all of our food seemed to have been marinated in garlic), but I have let that go the way of the dinosaur. Every other experience there (and there have been many, at all hours of the day and night) has been wonderful. The service is great, the prices are shockingly low for such quality, and the food is just what I would expect from the Vesta team.
Free parking is available on the east side of the building, as well as along the side streets in the surrounding area. Metered parking is available right out front along 17th Ave.
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