Wine Loft hallway with mirrors...
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Date: June 21, 2011
Event: LodoBites
Location: Downtown Denver
The Participants: TVGuy, TVGal, BeardedJeff, PregnantRobyn, WithBabySusan, EverybodyLovesRobert, WeaponsBob, TheFetchingGretchen, MarMan, JustinMac, Justin'sGirl
To recap, we're breaking down Lodo Bites, a restaurant "Food Crawl" in downtown Denver.. 4 hours, 11 people, 20 restaurants.... we're 1:50 in and we've completed the first 10 so we're a touch ahead of schedule... let's hit the second ten, shall we?
Restaurant: Wazee Supper Club
Menu: Pizza, Cookies
Been Here Before?: Yes
Would I Return? (1-10): 2
Restaurant's Effort During Event (1-10): 4
Notes: The last two years they've served pizza and cookies which on paper sounds good but the results have been less than favorable... I think the place is wildly overrated and the pizzas are very pricey... but some people swear by it.. this year we have the same cookies (which kinda suck) and the pizza which is just okay.. the line was really slow, as always... moving along...
Notes: The last two years they've served pizza and cookies which on paper sounds good but the results have been less than favorable... I think the place is wildly overrated and the pizzas are very pricey... but some people swear by it.. this year we have the same cookies (which kinda suck) and the pizza which is just okay.. the line was really slow, as always... moving along...
Restaurant: Ocean Prime
Menu: Tuna Tartare
Been Here Before?: No
Would I Return? (1-10): 5
Restaurant's Effort During Event (1-10): 2
Notes: This place was packed, and we were told to "just go stand somewhere, order some drinks and there is someone walking around with tuna"... not a good first impression.. after 5 uncomfortable minutes we skedaddled out of there... there are some places that are LodoBites "friendly".. this isn't one of them.... they really shouldn't even attempt it next year... (having said that, I'm sure the food is great and the space is cool and I'll dine there eventually..)
Yes, we thought Ocean Prime had the Award for Worst LodoBites Experience sewn up... and yet, our next stop took it to a new level....
Notes: This place was packed, and we were told to "just go stand somewhere, order some drinks and there is someone walking around with tuna"... not a good first impression.. after 5 uncomfortable minutes we skedaddled out of there... there are some places that are LodoBites "friendly".. this isn't one of them.... they really shouldn't even attempt it next year... (having said that, I'm sure the food is great and the space is cool and I'll dine there eventually..)
Yes, we thought Ocean Prime had the Award for Worst LodoBites Experience sewn up... and yet, our next stop took it to a new level....
Restaurant: Lime
Menu: Margaritas
Been Here Before?: Yes
Would I Return? (1-10): 1
Restaurant's Effort During Event (1-10): 1
Notes: I have a non LodoBites story about Lime that I'd like to share first... TVGal's ex-Boss knew someone there and had me call him to perhaps help with some special birthday touches for TVGal's Birthday pub crawl... he said no problem, I'll hook you up.. just let them know to contact me when you get here...
Flashforward to her birthday.. we get there, tell the hostess that we are here for a special day and would you please be so kind as to call (can't remember his name now so let's go with Edgar) the manager.. we sat outside, ordered a margarita and Edgar showed up... and sat down at our table...
....and never left our side for 90 minutes....
Easily one of the weirdest restaurant experiences I've ever had.. he dominated the conversation, bored us to tears and was generally a very odd fellow... btw, nothing "special" occurred.. no discount, birthday cake, muffin, snack, mint, lozenge, moist towelette... nothing. (Well, if you call the really bland food special, then fine...)
As we left to go across the street it felt like he was going to join us... seriously... he sort of shadowed us up the sidewalk and there was a moment where we thought he was coming with us (again, none of us had ever met him or knew him before this night)... fortunately someone distracted him with a restaurant question and we quickly made our exit...
Where were we.. oh yeah, LodoBites..
Anyway, every year Lime does a margarita for their LodoBites entry... this year the experience can be summed up in 3 quick bullet points....
1. It was loud in the basement bar where you were supposed to go.. like, "you can't talk to the person next to you" loud... the DJ up in the corner had his little stereo cranked to a setting approaching "Bleeding From Your Ears", and it really kinda sucked.. it's not a club folks, its a restaurant... and it was 8pm on a Tuesday... what the hell?
2. The bartenders who were giving out all the complimentary drinks were also swamped with other customers because Tuesdays is "$1 taco night" at Lime, so the place was packed. The LodoBites folks were basically an afterthought to the barkeeps, and why not as they weren't making a lot on tips certainly... but maybe next time have one person there with some pitchers made up that could keep things moving... it was a crowded mess....
3. The margaritas kinda sucked. Most of our group took two sips and then toddled off to the next location... (on the flip side, I really like their $1 tacos and the lime shooters... but I would avoid the downtown location like the plague from this point forward and stick to the alternate locations...)
Hands down the worst of our 20 locations... moving on...
Notes: I have a non LodoBites story about Lime that I'd like to share first... TVGal's ex-Boss knew someone there and had me call him to perhaps help with some special birthday touches for TVGal's Birthday pub crawl... he said no problem, I'll hook you up.. just let them know to contact me when you get here...
Flashforward to her birthday.. we get there, tell the hostess that we are here for a special day and would you please be so kind as to call (can't remember his name now so let's go with Edgar) the manager.. we sat outside, ordered a margarita and Edgar showed up... and sat down at our table...
....and never left our side for 90 minutes....
Easily one of the weirdest restaurant experiences I've ever had.. he dominated the conversation, bored us to tears and was generally a very odd fellow... btw, nothing "special" occurred.. no discount, birthday cake, muffin, snack, mint, lozenge, moist towelette... nothing. (Well, if you call the really bland food special, then fine...)
As we left to go across the street it felt like he was going to join us... seriously... he sort of shadowed us up the sidewalk and there was a moment where we thought he was coming with us (again, none of us had ever met him or knew him before this night)... fortunately someone distracted him with a restaurant question and we quickly made our exit...
Where were we.. oh yeah, LodoBites..
Anyway, every year Lime does a margarita for their LodoBites entry... this year the experience can be summed up in 3 quick bullet points....
1. It was loud in the basement bar where you were supposed to go.. like, "you can't talk to the person next to you" loud... the DJ up in the corner had his little stereo cranked to a setting approaching "Bleeding From Your Ears", and it really kinda sucked.. it's not a club folks, its a restaurant... and it was 8pm on a Tuesday... what the hell?
2. The bartenders who were giving out all the complimentary drinks were also swamped with other customers because Tuesdays is "$1 taco night" at Lime, so the place was packed. The LodoBites folks were basically an afterthought to the barkeeps, and why not as they weren't making a lot on tips certainly... but maybe next time have one person there with some pitchers made up that could keep things moving... it was a crowded mess....
3. The margaritas kinda sucked. Most of our group took two sips and then toddled off to the next location... (on the flip side, I really like their $1 tacos and the lime shooters... but I would avoid the downtown location like the plague from this point forward and stick to the alternate locations...)
Hands down the worst of our 20 locations... moving on...
Restaurant: Bistro Vendome
Menu: Duck, Gazpacho
Been Here Before?: Yes
Would I Return? (1-10): 1
Restaurant's Effort During Event (1-10): 6
Notes: The reason I rank it so lowly on the "Would I Return" scale is that it just isn't TVGal's cup of tea... It's a lovely space and I'm sure a very good restaurant... but French Food just isn't our bag...
Notes: The reason I rank it so lowly on the "Would I Return" scale is that it just isn't TVGal's cup of tea... It's a lovely space and I'm sure a very good restaurant... but French Food just isn't our bag...
Restaurant: Euclid Hall
Menu: Sausage, Bratwurst, Chicken/Waffles, other apps...
Been Here Before?: Yes
Would I Return? (1-10): 10
Restaurant's Effort During Event (1-10): 6
Notes: As a caveat, I'm just going to come out and say that Euclid Hall is not only my favorite new restaurant in Denver, it might very well be my favorite restaurant period. But it was really warm in there, they had $1 beer tastes out of a glass the size of a thimble, and it was their first year and they had everyone off to the side in an odd space (rather than the more desirable upstairs area) but none of that mattered once the waves of apps came out....
I don't need to drag this out other than to say that is some of the finest food being served anywhere by anyone... bravo. My wife despises fish and yet had four Fish n Chip bites (eight million better tasting that it sounds) on our last visit and the best thing I've eaten this year was their Cauliflower Salad. (Believe me, I know.. weird, right?)
Notes: As a caveat, I'm just going to come out and say that Euclid Hall is not only my favorite new restaurant in Denver, it might very well be my favorite restaurant period. But it was really warm in there, they had $1 beer tastes out of a glass the size of a thimble, and it was their first year and they had everyone off to the side in an odd space (rather than the more desirable upstairs area) but none of that mattered once the waves of apps came out....
I don't need to drag this out other than to say that is some of the finest food being served anywhere by anyone... bravo. My wife despises fish and yet had four Fish n Chip bites (eight million better tasting that it sounds) on our last visit and the best thing I've eaten this year was their Cauliflower Salad. (Believe me, I know.. weird, right?)
Restaurant: The Wine Loft
Menu: Mushroom Bruschetta, other apps
Been Here Before?: Yes
Would I Return? (1-10): 10
Restaurant's Effort During Event (1-10): 8
Notes: Quiet location, great space, table filled with apps... always fast, good and fun. (As an aside, best sangria I've ever had in my life is here.. it has bananas in it for god's sake.... bananas!)
Notes: Quiet location, great space, table filled with apps... always fast, good and fun. (As an aside, best sangria I've ever had in my life is here.. it has bananas in it for god's sake.... bananas!)
Restaurant: Dixons Downtown Grill
Menu: Aztec Chicken
Been Here Before?: Yes
Would I Return? (1-10): 2
Restaurant's Effort During Event (1-10): 5
Notes: Dixon's frankly has sucked hard the previous two years.. so went in with a little fear... actually the food wasn't bad... I really don't have anything else to say here...
Notes: Dixon's frankly has sucked hard the previous two years.. so went in with a little fear... actually the food wasn't bad... I really don't have anything else to say here...
Restaurant: Backcountry Provisions
Menu: 5 different sandwiches, beer
Been Here Before?: No
Would I Return? (1-10): 10
Restaurant's Effort During Event (1-10): 10
Notes: By now we are ahead of schedule and our swelling bellies can be seen from space.... so as we went into Backcountry for the first time (with that name we had no idea what to expect.. jerky? Trail Mix?) we were floored by the giant table of sandwiches set in front of us.. of course, we were so full that we barely could look at them, but they seemed delicious anyway... I'd def. go back to try one... also, the manager was beyond friendly, and very gracious with his pitcher of blueberry beer. Yes, blueberry.
Look, I know that liking fruity beer is somehow admitting you are little less of a man... you know what? So be it... I could have drank a gallon of that beer... I love Apricot Beer, Beer with Lemon or Orange Slices in it, hell, I've even enjoyed a strawberry offering... and I don't care. Sue me. Viva la Fruit beer!
Anyway...
Notes: By now we are ahead of schedule and our swelling bellies can be seen from space.... so as we went into Backcountry for the first time (with that name we had no idea what to expect.. jerky? Trail Mix?) we were floored by the giant table of sandwiches set in front of us.. of course, we were so full that we barely could look at them, but they seemed delicious anyway... I'd def. go back to try one... also, the manager was beyond friendly, and very gracious with his pitcher of blueberry beer. Yes, blueberry.
Look, I know that liking fruity beer is somehow admitting you are little less of a man... you know what? So be it... I could have drank a gallon of that beer... I love Apricot Beer, Beer with Lemon or Orange Slices in it, hell, I've even enjoyed a strawberry offering... and I don't care. Sue me. Viva la Fruit beer!
Anyway...
Restaurant: Big Game
Menu: Cocktails, Sliders, Sushi (ran out of)
Been Here Before?: Yes
Would I Return? (1-10): 9
Restaurant's Effort During Event (1-10): 7
Notes: Big Game (the game refers to giant televisions with sports on them, not the heads of antelope affixed to the wall) was a superstar last year... this year they were running a little low on food due to it being later in the evening but I won't hold it against them.. still seems like an excellent place to eat and drink and watch a game.... we'll just have to get there earlier next year...
Notes: Big Game (the game refers to giant televisions with sports on them, not the heads of antelope affixed to the wall) was a superstar last year... this year they were running a little low on food due to it being later in the evening but I won't hold it against them.. still seems like an excellent place to eat and drink and watch a game.... we'll just have to get there earlier next year...
Restaurant: McCormick's Fish House
Menu: Martini
Been Here Before?: Yes
Would I Return? (1-10): 7
Restaurant's Effort During Event (1-10): 7
Notes: Like Dixon's, McCormick's had frankly sucked the previous two years... crappy fried appetizers and other thoughtless offerings.... which sucks, because McCormick's has a great Happy Hour and a pretty good rep amongst my friends.. this year thankfully they diverted everyone to the attached Cruise Room Martini Bar for an adult beverage and left the food behind... good idea folks...
At the bar we took an informal poll and the winners seemed to be Euclid Hall and Wine Loft.. the losers were clearly Ocean Prime and Lime... but we were all stuffed to the gills, happy, and pleased... all of us vowed not to eat again until late Autumn, and we began departing for the night...
Which makes what happened next sort of insane...
Notes: Like Dixon's, McCormick's had frankly sucked the previous two years... crappy fried appetizers and other thoughtless offerings.... which sucks, because McCormick's has a great Happy Hour and a pretty good rep amongst my friends.. this year thankfully they diverted everyone to the attached Cruise Room Martini Bar for an adult beverage and left the food behind... good idea folks...
At the bar we took an informal poll and the winners seemed to be Euclid Hall and Wine Loft.. the losers were clearly Ocean Prime and Lime... but we were all stuffed to the gills, happy, and pleased... all of us vowed not to eat again until late Autumn, and we began departing for the night...
Which makes what happened next sort of insane...
JustinMac and Justin'sGirl went to another restaurant (Linger) and ordered a drink... and ceviche.
Yes, more food. Because why go to 20 restaurants when you can visit 21?
See ya next year LodoBites...
_____________________
Rachel: You are having a party tonight?
Joey: I am kind of having a thing for the Days of Our Lives people.
Rachel: And you weren't gonna tell us? How did you think you were gonna get away with that?
Joey: I do it every year.
Rachel: You do it every year?
Joey: I didn't have to tell you that!
Rachel: That's why you got us tickets to that play! To get rid of us!
Joey: Yeah...
Rachel: And last year, is that why you sent us to that Medieval times restaurant?
Joey: Yeah...
Rachel: And the year before that, when you set up that nightime tour of that button factory!
Joey: I can't believe you guys went for that one!
--"Friends" (NBC)
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