December 30, 2025 • 50 mins
This year, we kept it casual. Personal based awars & left March Madness to speak for the community. Tonight CB & Kip pick 5ish categories for awards and they both give their personal winner of the year.
Favorite Bite
New Cummer of the Year
Sleeper Sandwich Spot
Favorite Bite Outside CO
Happy Hour Heroes
among others!! Check it out. Happy Holidaze Everyone!
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/stoned-appetit--3077842/support.
Favorite Bite
New Cummer of the Year
Sleeper Sandwich Spot
Favorite Bite Outside CO
Happy Hour Heroes
among others!! Check it out. Happy Holidaze Everyone!
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/stoned-appetit--3077842/support.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
The end of year Stony Awards is presented by our
friends over at Muraki and Nobo Dispensary. If you're looking
to load up before the New Year's maybe you're one
of the people that doesn't party like Amateur Hour on
the thirty first, well, then you should swing by Nobo,
load up, sit on your couch, enjoy the last days
of twenty five before we really dial in our diet
(00:22):
and our behavior in twenty twenty six. Obviously, I'm just
fucking kidding. We're still gonna be degenerate assholes in twenty
twenty six, but we can all pretend like we're not
at the end of twenty twenty five. And you would
be remiss if you didn't holler at the specials you
have coming from Nobo. Speaking of the deals and specials,
you should be checking out fat Grams and Roaki Cannons.
(00:45):
Muraki has an award winning flower. They have approachable price
points on their cartridges, as well as a litany of
great concentrates under their skews from Mighty Melts and Glacier.
You can find those across the state, across the Front
Range and the Metro, but we thoroughly recommend shopping over
at Nobo, where you can find the Fat Gram's two
(01:07):
gram pins. Check it out, check out this episode. Congratulations
to all our winners and thanks for supporting us through
twenty twenty five. We'll try to be better at twenty
twenty six. Welcome back, ladies and gentlemen, to the last
episode of the season. From your guests or yours that
stoned up a tea, It's me Kip and across the
(01:29):
digital airwaves. It looks like he's calling in from a
baby's nursery, but it could be his personal studio space.
We got CB. How are you, brother?
Speaker 2 (01:38):
Happy holidays, dude, Happy holidays to you.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
We hit the month mark. I've been able to keep
a human being alive for a month.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Pretty good. I had over under three point six weeks,
so I guess you know I did.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
I did a mus took a stumble.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
We almost took the stumble the other day, great father,
I'm sure in which case I imagine, just like if
I start to stumble, like my body's gonna take over
and I'm just gonna throw myself into harm's way, you know,
like snap my neck or something.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
Just to say that you gotta get yourself some new
balances so that you have proper grip for if we
ever get cold or snowed.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
Yeah, I'm excited, like first holiday as a family of three.
And even though it's not feeling really Christmasy here due
to the weather, I don't hate it.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
Yeah, as we say this, the wind is starting to
pick up. I mean, goddamn, Dorothy's been talking about the Midwest.
It's gonna be like Dorothy's house swinging outside our fucking
homes for the next couple of weeks. We're doing the
Stonies again, but we're doing them a little different this year.
Without doing public voting. We're just gonna do them a
little bit different this year, where you and I give
(02:57):
some of our favorites throughout the year, and then we'll
just save the big awards for the March Madness bracket,
which we'll return this year, assuming I don't get canceled
again in February, so we will have March Madness again
to claim Denver's Top Restaurant. As we try not to
(03:17):
use the B word too terribly often, but tonight we
have got a couple different categories and they are going
to be a doozy before we dive into those Chris,
the one thing I forgot to talk about is a
shout out to our friends over at odie Bee's sandwich shop.
They did something really cool. I've been bothering Cliff and
(03:40):
Kara asking them. I was like, if you fillatio, if
you'll make a chicken caesar rap. Well, on Friday they
texted me, They're like, the day has come. They made
a spicy chicken caesar rap at Odb's. Rhino Chris, the
thing was the size of my melon, and you know
I've got a big head. It's full of appslutely fucking nothing.
(04:02):
And it was delicious, spicy chicken fried cut like pies,
cut up into pieces, and then bing bang boom hit
it with a caesar salad and then they used obviously
a little asiago cheese and a cruit, but they added
goldfish to make it really pop, and then they threw
it on a garlic nod. You could smell that bitch
(04:24):
coming out of the kitchen.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
I love the goldfish edition. That was clutch.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
Yeah, it was just a nice little add on. So
I just want to give a shout out to our
friends at Odb's. They knocked it out of the fucking park.
They knocked it out of the park.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
That's awesome.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
Unfortunately I did not get I did not have enough
free time to get my hands on one of those.
But just knowing your heart, I would have ordered one.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
Oh yes, that's all that matters in spirit, and we'll
just have to try to recreate it now they are obviously,
you know, in the community.
Speaker 3 (04:59):
I should have gone on an ordered one and treat
it like a like an Xbox Christmas Day thing where
somebody bought one in line just to break it out
in front of everybody. Way and I starts just taking
that shit outside and slammed it down.
Speaker 1 (05:13):
That sounds fucking good.
Speaker 4 (05:14):
Yeah, just be like, hey, sorry, I didn't know that
I remember that, but yeah, so it was.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
It was delicious. It was cool, and we made a
deal that we would make a donation for every single sandwich,
every single Kip Wilson sold to Humane Colorado, which is
formerly the Dumb Friends League, a righteous community organization here
in town that helps get dogs adopted and takes them
in from kill shelters. If you're looking to add a
(05:46):
new family member without procreating like Chris and his wife did,
Humane Colorado is a great opportunity to bring in a
bit bit or an adult from the cold this year.
So reach out to Humane Color and we'll be sure
to make that donation gets through. So good call, Chris,
thanks for their mind you on that. You ready to
(06:08):
do this?
Speaker 3 (06:10):
Yeah, let's go for it, dude. What I've realized is
that every time I hit like a pin or something,
it's like a constant wake and bake because I'm never
like fully not tired, but I'm never like super tired.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
I just live in this in between state right now.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
Well, shout out to our friends in Rocky, the Indica
Sativa Hybrids. They have a little something for everybody. I
went to their holiday party at work Bench last week.
We had a big time eight like fucking kings. Those
Josh and the fam over there, they kill it. They
absolutely kill it.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
Into these awards, all right.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
We got nine or ten awards. The first award of
the year to the most memorable bite, Chris, the most
memorable bite of the year. And I'll let you do
the honors. What was your most memorable memorable.
Speaker 3 (07:10):
So I'm gonna have to go with like on this one.
I thought about it for a good a good while
this morning, and the first thing that popped in my
head was the blue cheese tart. I'm sorry, like you know,
like I don't know if you've mentioned them in a
ward or if not for tonight, but I mean that
(07:31):
thing like it was so good. I was looking forward
to it. It delivered on on all notes. I would
I would eat that four times a week.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
I mean, that thing is so delicious. It's treated as
an appetizer, but it could easily be a dessert. It's rich,
it's savory, it's got a little sweet queue to it.
It's a fully encompassing bite. And you're not wrong. While
Rugaro maybe getting some flowers on this year podcast again
this evening, as they have many a times this year,
(08:06):
that bite is very deserved and one of the reasons
it's up that restaurant is up for in another award.
That is a great call, Chris Best. My most memorable
bite not best bite. My most memorable bite was this
tagliatilla like raggu from Restaurant Olivia at Savor the Season,
(08:28):
the annual fundraiser put on by Et Didvert Chef Tie
at Restaurant Olivia. Fucking just beat the bottom out of
this course like it had like you would think a
little game year vibe, but it was almost like sweet
and rich at the same time. It is so goddamn
good and the pasta program and the noodles. As he's
(08:48):
about to launch his second restaurant in January, I mean,
I'm giddy as a schoolgirl that now there will be
one option that's closer than his location down in wash
Park because I'm out here on the West Side. But
it was a one and done where if you didn't
have an opportunity to get it. It's okay, it's maculate,
(09:08):
it's immaculate, and everything he touches seems to turn to gold.
Speaker 3 (09:12):
It's crazy that watch Parks seems so far away, but
it kind of is. But that being said, so I'm
thinking when my mom and sister are flying out here
the day after Christmas, so I'm thinking maybe Steph and
I get away for a day night. And I'm thinking
Olivier because I still haven't been there yet. But I'm wondering,
(09:35):
like is the best route the prefee menu or like
I'm going to Holacart reversion see, I mean, like I
don't know, I don't you know. I've only heard about
it and I've tasted food at Savor of the season
before from them, and it's delicious. But I'm just curious
(09:56):
as to whether or not you know the prefee is
the best or if you should just go all the cars.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
I mean, team over there obviously a Micheline recognized restaurant.
They're you can do no wrong. If you wanted to
shoot from the hip and go your own way, you
definitely could. But at the same time, I think you
would probably like give them the keys to the car,
especially if it's your first time and let Tye know
if he's in house, be like first time here, cannot wait,
(10:27):
And I think that you really couldn't go wrong no
matter which option you chose.
Speaker 3 (10:30):
And you know the nice thing though, and this is
where I love and some restaurants, I mean, I'll take
it either way. But some restaurants when they do the
pre feet, you know, they give you a couple of
options in each category. And I was, I was peaking
at that menu yesterday, and you can choose between like
three or two in certain categories.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
So that that may be I may have answered my question.
Speaker 1 (10:54):
Yeah, look at that. I love it. I love it,
so all right, Chris, what's our next genre of a
war for the evening.
Speaker 3 (11:02):
Maybe we go with uh, I guess, uh, let's go
with underrated sandwich spot.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
Oh okay, all right, so what is the criteria?
Speaker 3 (11:15):
So I don't I mean, just just like I guess
when I was thinking about this, and it may not
even be underrated, but just one of those sandwich shops
that flies flies under the radar, but whenever you go there,
it delivers a solid sandwich. It doesn't have to be
some like fancies fancy or some like up and coming
(11:35):
sandwich shop. Just a shop that you go to every
now and then, but you leave there being like, damn,
that was a great sandwich.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
That's a great call. And I love this genre. That's
a great It's a wonderful topic. Chris, who is your
winner for underrated food Shop of the Year. Honestly, we
just gave Odbs their flowers and they have a lot
of accolades in their own so they may not qualify
for this despite being a fucking bangering for sure.
Speaker 3 (12:05):
Yeah, I mean, honestly, I'm going with Mead Street. I'm
going with me, like I'm sorry, I've been there, Like
I don't know if maybe it was because I was
around the Highland Square area this summer, you know, but
I popped in there. I'd say probably in the past
six months. I've had it like two or three times.
And every time I've had it, I've had a great sandwich.
(12:30):
Like I leave there, like the deli meat is stacked high,
grab a beer. I don't know, I like it, like
it was a good sandwich for me this year. And
the tons of great sandwiches out there, and there's great
sandwich spots, but that one to me this year, like
when I went in, I just I liked it.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
I mean, that's a really good call. And it's in
that same camp of well, I can eat half of
this now and half of this when I get and
get high as bird pussy.
Speaker 3 (12:59):
Yes, yeah, So that's my go to What would your
most underrated?
Speaker 1 (13:05):
So I've been doing some work with Eat Denver where
I've been trying to hit you know, some restaurants that
maybe not necessarily are oftentimes overlooked, but ones that we
don't hit very often. And I feel like it kind
of falls into a burger category, but it could be
a sandwich spot as well. And it's Guaya Massala Burger
(13:27):
and and they have a Tiko Masala chicken cheese steak
Chris that I mean, it's just it's in a kind
of a casual like our casual like strip mall right
off of sixth Avenue in cap Hill, and it's they
have obviously it says Burger in the title, but they
(13:47):
kind of have a lot of like street food or
street eats, like casual fare and food. When you're just
kind of like going in there, it's the Tiko Masala
cheese steak, and it's so goddamn good. It's inventive, and
it's oftentimes not like thought of as a regular hitter.
And they have another location, but when I was in
(14:10):
there like doing a pitch, I was like, gosh damn it,
the sea is so fucking good. And if I find
myself in the area, I'm like, I can just swing
through and grab one. And it's moderately priced, it's oftentimes overlooked,
and I just think between that it's a stoner Munchie
menu top to bottom. But they have a Tika Masala
(14:32):
chicken cheese steak that I think everybody are Yeah, cheese
steak that would be they'd be remiss not to get.
And they have them in vegan or veggie. I can't
remember if it's like jackfruit or what the other dish
may be, and it's just fucking delicious, and it's just
a unique sandwich spot that has oftentimes overlooked or not
(14:53):
thought of at all. So wing to give them their flowers.
Speaker 3 (14:57):
Nice, I like that, that's a new one. Would love
that fucking sandwich.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
Yeah, and I feel I think they have like cap
Hill and then maybe one in Lodo or somewhere else,
and they may have a few of them around the Metro.
I'm not exactly sure, but I know that they actually
beat the brakes off of that sandwich. So they're getting
my flowers of the day.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
Nice, go to the next one.
Speaker 1 (15:22):
The next one is Newcomer of the Year. Because we're perverts.
It's spelled exactly how you would expect it to. It's
one that gives you a pants tint. It's somewhere that
it was either new to you or relatively new to
the community. It's one that gave you. It's food that fucks,
that gets your heart as a rock when you leave there.
And so the Newcomer of the Year, there's a lot
(15:44):
of great options to choose from. Is a lot from
our friends, guests of the pod. Everything in that, but
mine went to Larugaru. I went three times in their
first week. I've been a few times back since, but
I've tried to spread out the love a little bit.
But with the roots, an ode to Southern cuisine, the
use of a chicken on a stick. Despite being a
(16:05):
guy that hates Oxford, they use comeback dressing. They let
McClain make a salad every month. Their white sauce for
their granddad's chicken is the actual closest representation as you
you can vouch to a true Alabama white sauce where
it's almost a little thinner, a little more vinegary than
it is just a fucking lazy ranch. They really have
(16:27):
gone the extra mile to kind of paint a picture
of our where we come from, you know, flavors of
our home. And so Newcomer of the Year a place
that made me, you know, hit three back to back,
and I haven't been able to do that since I
was twenty three. That back to back to back, it
was my Newcomer of the Year is John David Wright's
(16:47):
Kitchen out of LaRue Guru right there in five points.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
Nice love that and we gave you a pants.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
Tenth this year, Well we don't want.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
I mean, like we don't.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
I'm just saying Ruguru is good just because we say
we we genuinely think it's a solid product.
Speaker 1 (17:08):
Yeah. Everybody I've sent there, whether they're fucking coeliacs, vegetarians,
people that aren't from the South and don't understand the
love around fried fish, chicken, veg whatever, the use of
fresh ingredients. And of course, with Mary Allison and McClain
behind running the bar program, their cocktails fuck and they're
wineless is exceptional. I mean it gives me a pants tint.
(17:31):
Whether I'm walking in or walking out, I'm chubbed up.
They are hands down my newcomer of the year.
Speaker 3 (17:37):
And if you're ever there and you're doubting on whether
or not you should go for that second martini, the
answer is yes, go for it.
Speaker 1 (17:45):
I have someone who regularly gets yelled at for ordering
one too many, Yeah, go for it. To do it.
And the best part is, like, the dakris are great,
the martinis are great. Grab yourself a glass of wine,
I mean whatever, And if you give, you know, let
them do dealer calls it, let them decide. The staff
has got impeccable taste. They're not going to steer you
(18:05):
wrong there. They're a wonderful group on an an institution
that I feel with an open a kitchen open late
after a concert, it serves if you find yourself with
an appetite, can't beat it with a stick. No matter
the time, a Rugaru gets you gets me all wooly
gets excited.
Speaker 2 (18:25):
I love that during this time of year.
Speaker 3 (18:27):
Okay, so my newcomer of the year, it's not necessarily
new on the scene, but it got some new digs,
and so I'm gonna give my Newcomer of the Year
to Outside Pizza. Like like I mean, like not only
not only is there a pizza really fucking good, but
(18:49):
they've added a few things and they've got like a
permanent spot, you know like that. I think you know
a lot of times when you start talking about places
that you enjoy and the food's great, the service is great,
it all kind of works together, and I think that's
what this spot.
Speaker 1 (19:06):
Like.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
The owners are great.
Speaker 3 (19:08):
They had a cool food truck, they turned it into
an opportunity and now they're that cerebral brewing. It's it's awesome.
It's it's an awesome spot.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (19:20):
The community loves them and they make good pizzas and
they make you feel good, you know, like they're just
solid people all around.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
So I guess New.
Speaker 3 (19:31):
Digs Comer of the Year for that one. And I
think they're like expanding their hours, Like I want to say,
they're maybe Wednesday through Sunday now or something.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
But if you haven't been over there.
Speaker 3 (19:44):
To check them out, it's it's a must, especially like
you know, whenever they're rocking with a special pizza, usually
come up with really good ideas, but all that stuff,
like you can get a full mill in there.
Speaker 1 (19:58):
Yeah, I feel like they even cat you know. They
they really championed the pickle pizza trend that was going
and made it like not only sexy, but delicious, even
for those that don't like that, Brian your flavor. They've
done collabs with others that are either like maybe their
kitchen was on fire, maybe people were trying to draw
attention to their brewery. They are doing the Lord's work.
They're great fucking humans and they're making dankats food. That's
(20:21):
a great call, Chris, and that reminds everyone that their
new location inside the church at Cerebral wonderful place to
take friends or family during the holidays. The aesthetics are gorgeous,
and if you're a beer person, you can't beat that
with a stick, even though they may even I don't know,
they may have a full bar.
Speaker 2 (20:39):
Yeah, I know that they don't bar, but they have wine.
Speaker 1 (20:42):
Yeah, okay, that's right.
Speaker 2 (20:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (20:43):
And then you know, the space is pretty big, and
they also have like upstairs, they have a couple of
couches set up with some big screen TVs. So it
may not be a bad idea to, like, during the
holiday season, go catch a game there.
Speaker 1 (21:00):
You know, little playoffs, whether it's College of Pro I know,
we'll dive a little bit into that. Your your guesses
at the end of the episode as to what Babe
will do. I love it, Chris, that's a great call
for Newcomer of the Year. What's our next award going down?
Speaker 2 (21:19):
What was it?
Speaker 3 (21:21):
I think we were talking about best place outside of
Colorado to eat?
Speaker 2 (21:28):
I get out of town.
Speaker 3 (21:32):
God, I mean, I guess, I guess it would have
to be like when I went down to Toto Santos.
I did, I did. I did have some really good
meals down in Mexico.
Speaker 2 (21:43):
Shocker.
Speaker 3 (21:44):
It's like, get the fuck out of here. It's hard
It's hard to have a bad meal in Mexico wherever
you are, unless you're at like some stupid resort, and
in which case you know you deserve it. But yeah,
being down there in Todo Santos, I forget ah, this
is gonna bother me. Maybe I'll do a quick Google
search if zaying can help out. But I need to
(22:07):
figure out what this restaurant was we went to, because
this guy's like.
Speaker 2 (22:14):
He's kind of known as like.
Speaker 3 (22:17):
The Baja like the Baja dude, Like he's he really
popularized like Baja cuisine and like brought a lot of
stuff to that region. I need to figure out what
it was. But definitely definitely down there. It's also good
when they're just cooking with local products.
Speaker 1 (22:37):
That's I get it completely. And I mean I was
just harping about, you know, coming from the South, missing
flavors of home to give a whole city Mine of
the year, and it was me going down to Charleston, Chris.
I was just smitten for three fucking days, high as hell,
eating to my heart's content. And I mean there's too
(22:59):
many restaurants to name, but Jack Rabbit Phillies from Schuey's restaurant,
or Leons Oysters or the low Down or the you know,
it was one of those times like usually when you
and I go to the Food and Wine Classic and Aspen,
we go to specific events and or we're in the
grand tasting just like you know, squirreling bites tucking them
(23:22):
away for winter. I mean, this time I had the
opportunity to kind of skid atle out of the festivities
and just go eat with some friends and Jack Rabbit Phillies,
which was an agent restaurant in the North side of Charleston,
just knocked my socks off. I loved the oysters and
the shrimp and the biscuits. Jack Rabbit Phillies was fucking
(23:43):
delicious as well, and so you couldn't beat it with
a goddamn stick. But really, I want to give the
whole city of Charleston flowers, because goodness gracious. I mean,
if y'all are looking for a representation of true Southern cuisine,
everything from the biscuits of the bourbon and everything all
the seafood in between, it was fucking immaculate. Charleston needs
(24:05):
to be on everyone's short list when looking for a
location to travel as a Goremond thoroughly recommended. I can
give you a laundry list of spots to visit, and
then including a few that I missed except for in
the tasting tents like Cultura or what was it Chubby Fish,
you know that does the caviar sandwiches on a potato
Hawaiian roll. Like. There were places I didn't even get to,
(24:29):
but the experience I got to have for the first
time there in twenty some odd years since I was
in college. Yeah, not twenty something years. That was wrong.
Math was wrong. Yeah, fuck man. Yeah, I was there
like six I was actually eating this time around, instead
of just eating like I mean, I mean, their soul
(24:52):
food program at Hannibal's was so goddamn good. Like I
could not find a bad bite if I tried. People
were ordering baskets of shrimp on the pier while you
watch boats get pulled out of like you know, the water,
Like you just sit there and eat to your heart's content.
It's wonderful. Cannot recommend Charleston enough. I'll give anybody that's
headed down there my full list of recommendations. And soon enough,
(25:15):
our buddy Johnny fucking carry Oll is about to open
a restaurant. So if you get the interest in Mexican
cuisine while you're down there in the low country, he's
got your covered.
Speaker 3 (25:24):
God, I need to go to another city and get
some good food. Like you just need that every now
and then. Nothing nothing wrong with what we got here
in Denver, but sometimes you need you need to spread
those wings.
Speaker 1 (25:36):
And that's what age are you going to start taking that?
Bebe on planes and trains and automobiles. Well, I guess
automobiles already.
Speaker 2 (25:44):
Oh we're going on a plane in February.
Speaker 1 (25:46):
Oh nice, Okay, yeah, we're.
Speaker 3 (25:48):
Going out to San Diego. Uh But I think like
the play though is uh. I think I'm gonna have
him in like one of those like carry like Ergo
baby things and just have him on my chest because
he's getting used to that now he just falls.
Speaker 1 (26:07):
Hey there, you got a piece of just played the hits,
whatever the hits are, to get through that three hour,
two and a half hour jaunt. Just do it. And
if that doesn't work, give it a z Anax or
a little bourbon. That's what always knocks me out.
Speaker 3 (26:20):
I tell you, I tell you what we started. When
we give him a bath time, we call it bubbles
jazz bubbles, So we'll play some smooth jazz for him
while give him him a bath. Absolutely fucking loves it.
Absolutely loves it.
Speaker 1 (26:35):
It's a great cute little tradition you'll have. And I
like the name for it. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (26:39):
We uh, we took him out this past weekend to
wax Trax Records the new location.
Speaker 1 (26:44):
Because we're over here in the West Side.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
Yeah, we have to pick out every Christmas now. I
think we started this like three years ago. We pick
out a Christmas record which is great, and I can't
remember the other one.
Speaker 1 (27:01):
That's that's a good one all the same. What's our
next one? So that one was best place to our
favorite place to eat this year outside of Colorado? What's
our next for the year?
Speaker 3 (27:16):
Uh?
Speaker 2 (27:18):
What was it?
Speaker 1 (27:19):
Isn't my turn to pick?
Speaker 2 (27:21):
Go for it all right.
Speaker 1 (27:23):
This one's called the Michelin Got It Right Award for
all year. We just shit all over these people, like
we want them to show their work. I think is
the best way for us to describe it. But they
you know, a blind squirrel finds a nut, a broken
clock is right twice a day, and this is called
the Michelin guy got it Right? Award, and the award
(27:45):
goes to I'm giving it to mescal Edia. Johnny Curriel
I called it when they opened a year ago in November.
When he opened Mescal Edia, I thought it was the
best of his bunch, of all of his restaurants. I
enjoyed it most with the seafood Forward program, the wall
of mescal the kind of like long running bar where
(28:09):
you know, half of the restaurant is, you know, chef's
table are tasting almost like where you're watching them kind
of work. And then obviously we've seen that it's got
odes to Contramar of Mexico City, as Johnny has put it,
as well as it's got awards for sexiest Bite by
Esquire or whatever. But they got an award after only
(28:31):
a Michelin star, after only being opened for eight or
nine months, which is oftentimes a little bit unheard of.
But realistically I thought that it was very deserved, and
so I wanted to give my flowers or them their
flowers to mescal Eddia Chef Jordan, chef Johnny. Obviously, Casey's
(28:53):
the queen that runs the show, and it is kind
of the straw that stirs that drink. But Mescal Eddie
my Michelin guide actually got it right. Award of the.
Speaker 3 (29:04):
Year, okay, and I've got two because I can't remember,
but I don't think.
Speaker 1 (29:14):
They got We're not thinkers, so go for it.
Speaker 2 (29:17):
Yeah, and clearly I'm not.
Speaker 3 (29:20):
So uh. I don't know if they got the nod
in the first year or maybe they did, but I
gotta say, like mock fam uh with the bib did
they get did they get the kind of last year?
Speaker 1 (29:32):
But Verry deserve it all the same. They fucking beat
the brakes off of it. And you know they make
Cantonese inspired dishes with a little American twist, and you know,
I'll I'll run over there for those, but I will
cheese sticks, noodles, dumplings. They fucking kill it too, I
will say.
Speaker 3 (29:50):
And because I don't, I don't know if it's definitely
not the Michelin status but the recommended like wildflower making
it on there because it wasn't on the the first year?
Speaker 1 (30:00):
Was it that? I can't speak too, because I remember
we spoke about thinking it deserved more accolades or recognition
this year, but I can't remember where it stood on
the list last year.
Speaker 3 (30:14):
Yeah, you know, it's funny, you don't really hear much
about Wildflower.
Speaker 1 (30:19):
And it should. It deserves, you know, it deserves a
little bit more praise and love because it almost is
like it's quiet, it's quaint, but it's it's refined, you know,
dining tucked away over there and lowline. Yeah, it is
a great spot that's oftentimes overlooked. So I think they
definitely got it right, whether it's the first year or
the second. And then obviously matc famb shout out to
(30:41):
Chef Ken and Doris. So that's a great call. I
love it. Chris, what's our next category of the evening?
We're down to our last like three maybe four?
Speaker 3 (30:52):
Uh yeah, I think let's go best food haul stall.
Speaker 1 (30:57):
Oh all right, Chris, who you got?
Speaker 3 (31:03):
I mean maybe because it's like new and it's close
or like new in this food hall and it's close
to me. But I gotta go with Folking rapid Os.
That foe says all Fox, and I've like that's one
of those places, like you know, I was thinking about
like best food hall period, which you know, Edgewater and
(31:26):
Stanley are both great, but Edgewater is fantastic right now
and Folking rappid Os are delivering every time. I took
some friends from out of town there. They fucking loved it.
Everything's good. I've gotten it like four or five times
in the past four so at least once a month,
(31:48):
which is pretty solid to be in a rotation like that.
So yeah, that's my.
Speaker 1 (31:55):
It's a fucking wizard as well, like and kind of
creating five dishes broth noodles broth less, I mean, and yeah,
the proximity thing definitely plays, but also the flavor does
like it. And I feel like we've talked about this
at nauseum, but Edgewater, a public market, is really up
to their game. Glad he's over there is fucking bangers.
(32:18):
We've obviously always been a regular at Coanjo Ethiopian. They
kill it not only during the holiday season with their
door a lot, but throughout the year, like with their TIBs.
God damn. Like Edgewater is really up their game with
a lot of dang foo and long is no different
to that category. I mean, his food is fucking delicious.
That's a great call, Chris. I think mine is not
(32:40):
going to be a stranger to many, as it's been
kind of peppered through the news. The chefs that are
behind the concept are friends of ours and they have
been guests on this pod. It's Melino Cheeto, the new
taco stand from chef Tommy Lee of hop Ally and
Uncle and Michelin's Star winning chef Michael Diaz de Leon.
(33:04):
And that is inside the Stanley Marketplace. Technically it's a restaurant,
but it's pretty much a food stall as they're all
kind of a little bit different, you know, and all
new pop ups. So that is my food food hall
Stall of the Year goes to Melino Cheeto Bo. Yeah, Chris,
(33:25):
our next gest uh our next one is going to
be let's do a podcast, will shift gears from food
to talk a little bit about just the content itself.
This is Guest of the Year, our favorite interview that
we were able to have. Who's getting your guest of
(33:46):
the year, Chris.
Speaker 3 (33:49):
I mean I gotta say, like, oh, really, I guess
I guess Carlyon Carr because it's.
Speaker 1 (33:57):
A great call. She was on my short list too.
She was.
Speaker 3 (34:02):
You know, if we if we were like SNL and
had like jackets like she'd have, she'd have a robe,
she'd have like a third, third, fourth. Yeah, but I
mean no, like I mean It speaks for itself because
after we talked to her about the Kyanti Fest, I
(34:23):
think we talked to her about some other stuff before
that as well, But after speaking with her, I went
ahead and bought myself a ticket for the Kianti Fest.
So if that tells you anything, it tells you that
it was fun talking with her about her love of
Kiyanti and how cool that place is and like the
(34:43):
region and uh yeah, how cool Kiyanti Fest was.
Speaker 1 (34:48):
Dude, classic Kianti Classico is a new found love for me.
It was a great interview and it was a fun
one where we got to drink, eat. It was a
great one. Mine came down to two Chris two finalists,
or really two I almost wanted to do a split award,
(35:09):
and one of them is one of our robe where's
a regular guest of the pod, It was Denise Nicholson.
Every time she comes on the pod, she's not only
spit in game about cool shit going on in the community,
cool restaurant she's hyped on at the time because she
gets out there and eats a lot, but she's one
of those ones that'll give it back to you as
much as you know. She'll take it when you're just
(35:31):
fucking around like busting chops. So Denise and Chris Shephard,
for those that don't know, the founder of Southern Smoke Foundation,
he joined us on the pod for a brief ten
minute interview when I was down in Charleston to talk
about you know, he got a daytime Emmy for his
local YouTube show or his local TV show, but he
(35:55):
took the time to chat with us, and he's been
nice enough to goof off with us and Aspen, he
translates on the pod just as well as he did
in person. Not what the industry means to him, It
just like it hits my core. And I was like,
this is cool as shit, like getting to interview someone
that's doing really righteous shit in the community and it's
(36:16):
not like just you know, obviously he made his stripes
and sharpens his teeth owning restaurants down in Houston before
focusing on the people of the hospitality industry. And so
I gave it a split award. I could not play favorites.
You know, Denise is our Scarlett Johansson. She is our
justin Timberlake, and she always brings the hammer twice a
(36:38):
year on the pod. But also a first timer. You know,
we popped Chris's cherry and he just spoke so eloquently
about the hospitality industry. And were my two winners. I
know I cheated, I gave two winners, but at the
same yeah, I was like, fuck it, I can't do it.
I can't do it. So all right, we have two
(36:59):
more awards before we get out of here. We want
to give a shout to our friends at Nobo. If
you're listening to this before the holiday season has wrapped,
you've got to get over there. Their December deals. They've
got bogos on edibles, they've got deals on flour and concentrates.
If you're having to put up with your family, there's
no better way to remedy or counteract Uncle Eddie being
(37:21):
a slat dick at the dinner table talking about fucking
Trump for god knows what else. Just pop that ten
milligram gummy you got from Nobo Dispensary. You get Bogo
going all December long. Swing over there and snag some.
And if anybody has worried or scared about flying with
edibles and or vappins, shoot us a DM on social media.
(37:42):
I'll give you our tips as long as you're not
leaving the country, we feel kind of safe in our
methodology and how we get them across the finish line.
Shout out to our friends at NOBO, thanks for a
great year of content of smokeables and I mean our
food crawl that we just did a few weeks back.
Y'all are a flagship institution in our community, and y'all
(38:05):
are a necessary stop off or shopping space before the holidays. Chris,
our last two are chill happy Hour and our blackbird
spot of the year. Which one do you want to
do first?
Speaker 2 (38:19):
Uh? I'll go chill Happy Hour?
Speaker 1 (38:23):
All right? What was your chillest happy hour? What's the
spot that maybe is kind of bespoke, are oftentimes overlooked
because they don't have a fucking DJ or you know,
Penny Margaritas.
Speaker 3 (38:36):
Dude, the spot I've recently liked to hit on. Uh,
all right, I'm gonna give it too. I'm gonna give
it to I'm gonna split. So I'm gonna say, like
during the summertime, sometimes after work, and I don't even
technically know if they have an happy hour. Maybe they do,
maybe they don't. But City Park golf Cart, of course,
(38:59):
I'm telling you, man, on a summer day, if you're
on that side of town and you're just like, hey,
I'd love to catch a little drink, catch a view,
just go over there. Like it's not that loud, you know,
it's kind of calm. You can just have a beer
by yourself or with anybody else. And sometimes they may
have the dinner buffet up.
Speaker 1 (39:18):
It's great, dude, I was gonna say that, even their
fucking chicken wrap heads. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (39:25):
Yeah, So that's a great spot to enjoy your beer
and like there's you know, it's cheap.
Speaker 2 (39:31):
You know, you don't.
Speaker 3 (39:32):
Have to like worry about anything, Like going there solo
is a great one, or meeting with people. But my
other one has to be car Driver because I love
like it is still kind of quiet in there.
Speaker 2 (39:45):
So if you.
Speaker 3 (39:46):
Maybe like skip lunch or had like a really early
lunch or had a busy day, it's a fun spot
to hit up around four and have a little snack
and have a drink.
Speaker 2 (39:58):
I love it.
Speaker 1 (40:00):
I mean, car Driver was gonna be my one of
my answers for the Blackbird Spot of the Year, But
I love cart Driver's happy hour, whether it's Negroni's or
the half priced fucking pizza is the fact that they
do two happy hours. They do normal happy hour from
like four to five or whatever, and then they do
late night happy hour and almost like an industry hour
(40:23):
for those that work in hospitality get off at ten
o'clock and just want to have a fucking fernet and
coke and or just a pizza, eat half take home
tin fish with some sour dough or piana bread. It
beats the brakes off it cart drivers. Late night happy
hour is sturdy as an ox also, so that's a
good one. Mine is kind of in that same camp.
(40:44):
I don't know if it's necessarily a priced friendly one,
but a wonderful spot to stop into, and it actually
does have discounts, but it's not like a crazy Oh,
I'm going out of my way to get a drink
here because it's actively cheaper. But it's then really huge
wine bar on forty fourth and Yates. Jen was recently
(41:05):
in an article about Colorado maybe a wine town in
addition to a craft beer town. And I tell you what,
at four o'clock you can slide into her spot. It's
almost like golden hour. The light comes to the natural
light comes through. She has all this foliage. She has
comfy couches, She has larger like family style dining tables,
(41:26):
like almost like from your own dining room. And then
she has a long L shaped bar that can seat
ten twelve, fourteen folks and the camaraderie alone and like
Jen knows her regulars. She knows like what they like,
do they like their wines dry? You're usually a red person,
Like do you want to try something new? I know
(41:47):
you're kind of an adventurous one. She knows the folks.
It almost feels divish, for it's all wines old world,
some colend She comes from Santa Barbara, so obviously she
has some New World American wines as well, but her
knowledge and she does these pop up events like in
the middle of like the afternoon, with purveyors from people
(42:08):
like Portugal and Lebanon, and you know, all sorts of
like odd locations where you wouldn't expect a room to
end up selling out for people tasting these adventures through
grape juice. But Vin Rouge Wine Bar its at like
forty fourth and yates. I love hitting it when I'm
coming back from like the Sprout's grocery store. Or something
(42:30):
like that. Or I'm on my way back to Arvada
from the city of Denver. I'm like, why don't we
just get off the chair to have a glass of wine.
You know, it's a pretty sunset. You'll get some of
that light. I love the foliage. You know, we've been
talking about Mexico City, but also it has a little
Parisian vibe, and that it's a small storefront but runs
deeper into the back, like on the shotgun style, with
(42:52):
like a secret exit in the back. But it's just
it's a fun little spot. She serves cheese, nuts, salami,
and you know, cured meats, and then a litany of
different wines from all over the world. And she is
as knowledgeable as the days are young. So Vin Rouge
Winebar is quickly become my favorite spot. And it's here
(43:13):
on the West side. So I love that you picked
one near your office, because I picked one that like
I tried to hit because I had a pill of
a day, or traffic was a cunt trying to get home.
That's a great call. And then our last one of
the year, and the last one of the night is
the blackbird spot of the year. If you don't know.
Blackbird is currently doing a deal in Denver where if
(43:34):
you dine out three times between now and it actually
start in November, but between now and the end of
the of this year, you'll be automatically entered to win
a vacation to Aspen, Veil or Breckinridge. They're giving away
vacations to all three, including ski ski passes, hotel, accommodations,
(43:57):
and all sorts of other shit. So we want to
give them their flowers because they're doing that. And all
of the restaurants on that platform are local restaurants, so
there's a ton of different restaurants that you could pick from,
and I kind of alluded to one earlier, but there's
a ton more. And so Chris, I want to hear
who is your Blackbird restaurant of the Year, A spot
(44:21):
you've enjoyed, tapping in, paying through the app, capitalizing on
their campaigns are challenges or you're just like, hell, yeah,
I can't wait to support this restaurant and I get
my money back in points where I can then go
and spend those anywhere I would like.
Speaker 3 (44:39):
Okay, so I've used I've used it, actually quite a
few times.
Speaker 1 (44:44):
I've used it thirty three times since they launched in July.
Speaker 3 (44:48):
And I got to say, like, one of the spots
that we hit up and had a good time it
was Champagne Tiger.
Speaker 1 (44:58):
Damn it, damnit. Oh great call.
Speaker 3 (45:02):
If you look at like the amount of visits I've had,
then it would be like car Driver, just because it's
right down the street. But if I look at like
where I visited, and the one that was like, the
one that almost like not not necessarily Blackbird was the Pool.
But it was like I was trying to figure out
what to do, and I was looking like, oh, I've
(45:24):
got a little bit of cash in my Blackbird, Like
what's available that we haven't been to in a minute,
And Champagne Tiger's fucking fun, dude, and the food is
goddamn good.
Speaker 1 (45:36):
Yeah, that was a great call, great call, Chris. They
were going to be mine. So I'm going to pivot
to my backup. And that's not a bad problem to
have because in all of my adventures, this is a
spot that we probably don't think about regularly, but it's
one that easily hit whenever you or your maybe kind
(45:56):
of coming to or fro or looking for a quick
light bite and I'm going with Altreya while I've used
the app more at Taberneta because I go to my
lunch I do a lot of lunches there. Oltreya has
a banger happy hour. They also just recently launched a
sandwich shop inside Union Station. But as you know, I
(46:19):
fucking love Tinfish. They have just that fucking leg of
ham that they'll just shave off for you to sample
try or you can order. I mean, they have a
tened brinzino that was just like, God damn it, this
is good, and I mean the team over there is
fucking being the breaks off of it. I went over
(46:39):
there yet a couple of days ago just for charcuterie
fromage and a fucking glass of wine before a work event,
because it's a great place to just put your feet
up and you can either pay with the fly points
or you can just stack them. And because Oltrea wasn't
brutally expensive or anything, it was kind of somewhere in
(47:00):
the middle, you know, it was like, okay, perfect, I'll
just bank my points for this one and if I
need to spend them later. But finding old Traya on that,
like I was looking on the map for oh where
can I go to qualify for the Blackbird gamifying system,
and I saw Old Traya was on there and that
team over there is fucking awesome, and I just wanted
(47:23):
to give them a shout out. Champagne Tiger, I think
was probably one of my most used ones, and rightfully so.
Between birthday parties, drag runches and we've done dinner dates
for the steak our pois steak Freets with the peppercorn sauce.
I don't know. I'm not French, I don't fucking know.
(47:43):
But Oltreya has that Aberian Peninsula vibe where it's also
another one of those tucked away locations that only has
a few seats and it's just kind of nice to
be kind of just close enough to the train that
you can stop in if you're twenty minutes early for
your train, or you want to wait an extra thirty
(48:04):
before you catch it on the way home. Old Trea
is my Blackbird Spot of the year.
Speaker 2 (48:09):
Nice. I think you have some categories.
Speaker 1 (48:12):
Yeah, well, you know, we shared some variety. We highlighted
some of our favorites, some of our favorite people, as
well as we brought to some attention to some spots
that we don't oftentimes give recognition to anything we missed.
Speaker 2 (48:25):
No that I can think of. You want to go
get drunk, No, I will have a glass of wine
with dinner tonight.
Speaker 1 (48:37):
Look at you, you're growing up.
Speaker 2 (48:39):
I know I'm an adult.
Speaker 3 (48:41):
So they say, no, We're about to have a jazz
bubble session and then see what the night has in
store for us.
Speaker 1 (48:50):
Hopefully I'll get a full night's sleep and we can
all get prepared for the holidays. I'll be sure to
come by your house for the duckla orange as well
as if you are feeling froggy. I think we're gonna
invite our friends over that are of the Jewish descent
who don't necessarily celebrate Christmas to join us at our
(49:11):
dinner table for short rib lasagna. So if you want
to hang out with Lippi and Jamie and some of
our other friends, feel free to bring the bed over.
I mean, shit, let Jamie babysit the kids. I know, right, Yeah,
So either way, we want to wish all of our
listeners a merry Christmas, a happy Hanukkah, a happy New Year.
(49:34):
We'll be back after the new year. We'll probably bank
some interviews in the meantime, just so that we hit
the ground running and next year hopefully we don't get
canceled and we're still able to support great restaurants and
great events and institutions across the country in the world,
treating each other with kindness and respect. It's kind of
a tough time out there for everybody, and the holidays
(49:57):
are especially tough on a lot of folks, so you
don't know what battles everybody else may be going through,
So show some love to your neighbors as well as
to the strangers that you come across with in the wild.
Don't forget to tip your restaurant's staff. The hospitalities teams.
They're getting work to overload with holiday parties, with people
coming in and demanding fucking one offs and things that
(50:20):
aren't on the menu. So be kind, don't bitch about
service fees. Just understand that they exist, and tip appropriately,
and maybe even throw a couple extra bucks in there
because it is the holiday season and they would genuinely
appreciate it as much as everybody else.
Speaker 3 (50:36):
Yeah, definitely, crack a smile, give a hug. It all
helps during this.
Speaker 1 (50:43):
Season, exactly, Chris, Exactly, Well, y'all until next year, Stay high, hungry,
be kind holidays, y'all. Cheers,
The end of year Stony Awards is presented by our
friends over at Muraki and Nobo Dispensary. If you're looking
to load up before the New Year's maybe you're one
of the people that doesn't party like Amateur Hour on
the thirty first, well, then you should swing by Nobo,
load up, sit on your couch, enjoy the last days
of twenty five before we really dial in our diet
(00:22):
and our behavior in twenty twenty six. Obviously, I'm just
fucking kidding. We're still gonna be degenerate assholes in twenty
twenty six, but we can all pretend like we're not
at the end of twenty twenty five. And you would
be remiss if you didn't holler at the specials you
have coming from Nobo. Speaking of the deals and specials,
you should be checking out fat Grams and Roaki Cannons.
(00:45):
Muraki has an award winning flower. They have approachable price
points on their cartridges, as well as a litany of
great concentrates under their skews from Mighty Melts and Glacier.
You can find those across the state, across the Front
Range and the Metro, but we thoroughly recommend shopping over
at Nobo, where you can find the Fat Gram's two
(01:07):
gram pins. Check it out, check out this episode. Congratulations
to all our winners and thanks for supporting us through
twenty twenty five. We'll try to be better at twenty
twenty six. Welcome back, ladies and gentlemen, to the last
episode of the season. From your guests or yours that
stoned up a tea, It's me Kip and across the
(01:29):
digital airwaves. It looks like he's calling in from a
baby's nursery, but it could be his personal studio space.
We got CB. How are you, brother?
Speaker 2 (01:38):
Happy holidays, dude, Happy holidays to you.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
We hit the month mark. I've been able to keep
a human being alive for a month.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Pretty good. I had over under three point six weeks,
so I guess you know I did.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
I did a mus took a stumble.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
We almost took the stumble the other day, great father,
I'm sure in which case I imagine, just like if
I start to stumble, like my body's gonna take over
and I'm just gonna throw myself into harm's way, you know,
like snap my neck or something.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
Just to say that you gotta get yourself some new
balances so that you have proper grip for if we
ever get cold or snowed.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
Yeah, I'm excited, like first holiday as a family of three.
And even though it's not feeling really Christmasy here due
to the weather, I don't hate it.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
Yeah, as we say this, the wind is starting to
pick up. I mean, goddamn, Dorothy's been talking about the Midwest.
It's gonna be like Dorothy's house swinging outside our fucking
homes for the next couple of weeks. We're doing the
Stonies again, but we're doing them a little different this year.
Without doing public voting. We're just gonna do them a
little bit different this year, where you and I give
(02:57):
some of our favorites throughout the year, and then we'll
just save the big awards for the March Madness bracket,
which we'll return this year, assuming I don't get canceled
again in February, so we will have March Madness again
to claim Denver's Top Restaurant. As we try not to
(03:17):
use the B word too terribly often, but tonight we
have got a couple different categories and they are going
to be a doozy before we dive into those Chris,
the one thing I forgot to talk about is a
shout out to our friends over at odie Bee's sandwich shop.
They did something really cool. I've been bothering Cliff and
(03:40):
Kara asking them. I was like, if you fillatio, if
you'll make a chicken caesar rap. Well, on Friday they
texted me, They're like, the day has come. They made
a spicy chicken caesar rap at Odb's. Rhino Chris, the
thing was the size of my melon, and you know
I've got a big head. It's full of appslutely fucking nothing.
(04:02):
And it was delicious, spicy chicken fried cut like pies,
cut up into pieces, and then bing bang boom hit
it with a caesar salad and then they used obviously
a little asiago cheese and a cruit, but they added
goldfish to make it really pop, and then they threw
it on a garlic nod. You could smell that bitch
(04:24):
coming out of the kitchen.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
I love the goldfish edition. That was clutch.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
Yeah, it was just a nice little add on. So
I just want to give a shout out to our
friends at Odb's. They knocked it out of the fucking park.
They knocked it out of the park.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
That's awesome.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
Unfortunately I did not get I did not have enough
free time to get my hands on one of those.
But just knowing your heart, I would have ordered one.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
Oh yes, that's all that matters in spirit, and we'll
just have to try to recreate it now they are obviously,
you know, in the community.
Speaker 3 (04:59):
I should have gone on an ordered one and treat
it like a like an Xbox Christmas Day thing where
somebody bought one in line just to break it out
in front of everybody. Way and I starts just taking
that shit outside and slammed it down.
Speaker 1 (05:13):
That sounds fucking good.
Speaker 4 (05:14):
Yeah, just be like, hey, sorry, I didn't know that
I remember that, but yeah, so it was.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
It was delicious. It was cool, and we made a
deal that we would make a donation for every single sandwich,
every single Kip Wilson sold to Humane Colorado, which is
formerly the Dumb Friends League, a righteous community organization here
in town that helps get dogs adopted and takes them
in from kill shelters. If you're looking to add a
(05:46):
new family member without procreating like Chris and his wife did,
Humane Colorado is a great opportunity to bring in a
bit bit or an adult from the cold this year.
So reach out to Humane Color and we'll be sure
to make that donation gets through. So good call, Chris,
thanks for their mind you on that. You ready to
(06:08):
do this?
Speaker 3 (06:10):
Yeah, let's go for it, dude. What I've realized is
that every time I hit like a pin or something,
it's like a constant wake and bake because I'm never
like fully not tired, but I'm never like super tired.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
I just live in this in between state right now.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
Well, shout out to our friends in Rocky, the Indica
Sativa Hybrids. They have a little something for everybody. I
went to their holiday party at work Bench last week.
We had a big time eight like fucking kings. Those
Josh and the fam over there, they kill it. They
absolutely kill it.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
Into these awards, all right.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
We got nine or ten awards. The first award of
the year to the most memorable bite, Chris, the most
memorable bite of the year. And I'll let you do
the honors. What was your most memorable memorable.
Speaker 3 (07:10):
So I'm gonna have to go with like on this one.
I thought about it for a good a good while
this morning, and the first thing that popped in my
head was the blue cheese tart. I'm sorry, like you know,
like I don't know if you've mentioned them in a
ward or if not for tonight, but I mean that
(07:31):
thing like it was so good. I was looking forward
to it. It delivered on on all notes. I would
I would eat that four times a week.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
I mean, that thing is so delicious. It's treated as
an appetizer, but it could easily be a dessert. It's rich,
it's savory, it's got a little sweet queue to it.
It's a fully encompassing bite. And you're not wrong. While
Rugaro maybe getting some flowers on this year podcast again
this evening, as they have many a times this year,
(08:06):
that bite is very deserved and one of the reasons
it's up that restaurant is up for in another award.
That is a great call, Chris Best. My most memorable
bite not best bite. My most memorable bite was this
tagliatilla like raggu from Restaurant Olivia at Savor the Season,
(08:28):
the annual fundraiser put on by Et Didvert Chef Tie
at Restaurant Olivia. Fucking just beat the bottom out of
this course like it had like you would think a
little game year vibe, but it was almost like sweet
and rich at the same time. It is so goddamn
good and the pasta program and the noodles. As he's
(08:48):
about to launch his second restaurant in January, I mean,
I'm giddy as a schoolgirl that now there will be
one option that's closer than his location down in wash
Park because I'm out here on the West Side. But
it was a one and done where if you didn't
have an opportunity to get it. It's okay, it's maculate,
(09:08):
it's immaculate, and everything he touches seems to turn to gold.
Speaker 3 (09:12):
It's crazy that watch Parks seems so far away, but
it kind of is. But that being said, so I'm
thinking when my mom and sister are flying out here
the day after Christmas, so I'm thinking maybe Steph and
I get away for a day night. And I'm thinking
Olivier because I still haven't been there yet. But I'm wondering,
(09:35):
like is the best route the prefee menu or like
I'm going to Holacart reversion see, I mean, like I
don't know, I don't you know. I've only heard about
it and I've tasted food at Savor of the season
before from them, and it's delicious. But I'm just curious
(09:56):
as to whether or not you know the prefee is
the best or if you should just go all the cars.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
I mean, team over there obviously a Micheline recognized restaurant.
They're you can do no wrong. If you wanted to
shoot from the hip and go your own way, you
definitely could. But at the same time, I think you
would probably like give them the keys to the car,
especially if it's your first time and let Tye know
if he's in house, be like first time here, cannot wait,
(10:27):
And I think that you really couldn't go wrong no
matter which option you chose.
Speaker 3 (10:30):
And you know the nice thing though, and this is
where I love and some restaurants, I mean, I'll take
it either way. But some restaurants when they do the
pre feet, you know, they give you a couple of
options in each category. And I was, I was peaking
at that menu yesterday, and you can choose between like
three or two in certain categories.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
So that that may be I may have answered my question.
Speaker 1 (10:54):
Yeah, look at that. I love it. I love it,
so all right, Chris, what's our next genre of a
war for the evening.
Speaker 3 (11:02):
Maybe we go with uh, I guess, uh, let's go
with underrated sandwich spot.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
Oh okay, all right, so what is the criteria?
Speaker 3 (11:15):
So I don't I mean, just just like I guess
when I was thinking about this, and it may not
even be underrated, but just one of those sandwich shops
that flies flies under the radar, but whenever you go there,
it delivers a solid sandwich. It doesn't have to be
some like fancies fancy or some like up and coming
(11:35):
sandwich shop. Just a shop that you go to every
now and then, but you leave there being like, damn,
that was a great sandwich.
Speaker 1 (11:44):
That's a great call. And I love this genre. That's
a great It's a wonderful topic. Chris, who is your
winner for underrated food Shop of the Year. Honestly, we
just gave Odbs their flowers and they have a lot
of accolades in their own so they may not qualify
for this despite being a fucking bangering for sure.
Speaker 3 (12:05):
Yeah, I mean, honestly, I'm going with Mead Street. I'm
going with me, like I'm sorry, I've been there, Like
I don't know if maybe it was because I was
around the Highland Square area this summer, you know, but
I popped in there. I'd say probably in the past
six months. I've had it like two or three times.
And every time I've had it, I've had a great sandwich.
(12:30):
Like I leave there, like the deli meat is stacked high,
grab a beer. I don't know, I like it, like
it was a good sandwich for me this year. And
the tons of great sandwiches out there, and there's great
sandwich spots, but that one to me this year, like
when I went in, I just I liked it.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
I mean, that's a really good call. And it's in
that same camp of well, I can eat half of
this now and half of this when I get and
get high as bird pussy.
Speaker 3 (12:59):
Yes, yeah, So that's my go to What would your
most underrated?
Speaker 1 (13:05):
So I've been doing some work with Eat Denver where
I've been trying to hit you know, some restaurants that
maybe not necessarily are oftentimes overlooked, but ones that we
don't hit very often. And I feel like it kind
of falls into a burger category, but it could be
a sandwich spot as well. And it's Guaya Massala Burger
(13:27):
and and they have a Tiko Masala chicken cheese steak
Chris that I mean, it's just it's in a kind
of a casual like our casual like strip mall right
off of sixth Avenue in cap Hill, and it's they
have obviously it says Burger in the title, but they
(13:47):
kind of have a lot of like street food or
street eats, like casual fare and food. When you're just
kind of like going in there, it's the Tiko Masala
cheese steak, and it's so goddamn good. It's inventive, and
it's oftentimes not like thought of as a regular hitter.
And they have another location, but when I was in
(14:10):
there like doing a pitch, I was like, gosh damn it,
the sea is so fucking good. And if I find
myself in the area, I'm like, I can just swing
through and grab one. And it's moderately priced, it's oftentimes overlooked,
and I just think between that it's a stoner Munchie
menu top to bottom. But they have a Tika Masala
(14:32):
chicken cheese steak that I think everybody are Yeah, cheese
steak that would be they'd be remiss not to get.
And they have them in vegan or veggie. I can't
remember if it's like jackfruit or what the other dish
may be, and it's just fucking delicious, and it's just
a unique sandwich spot that has oftentimes overlooked or not
(14:53):
thought of at all. So wing to give them their flowers.
Speaker 3 (14:57):
Nice, I like that, that's a new one. Would love
that fucking sandwich.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
Yeah, and I feel I think they have like cap
Hill and then maybe one in Lodo or somewhere else,
and they may have a few of them around the Metro.
I'm not exactly sure, but I know that they actually
beat the brakes off of that sandwich. So they're getting
my flowers of the day.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
Nice, go to the next one.
Speaker 1 (15:22):
The next one is Newcomer of the Year. Because we're perverts.
It's spelled exactly how you would expect it to. It's
one that gives you a pants tint. It's somewhere that
it was either new to you or relatively new to
the community. It's one that gave you. It's food that fucks,
that gets your heart as a rock when you leave there.
And so the Newcomer of the Year, there's a lot
(15:44):
of great options to choose from. Is a lot from
our friends, guests of the pod. Everything in that, but
mine went to Larugaru. I went three times in their
first week. I've been a few times back since, but
I've tried to spread out the love a little bit.
But with the roots, an ode to Southern cuisine, the
use of a chicken on a stick. Despite being a
(16:05):
guy that hates Oxford, they use comeback dressing. They let
McClain make a salad every month. Their white sauce for
their granddad's chicken is the actual closest representation as you
you can vouch to a true Alabama white sauce where
it's almost a little thinner, a little more vinegary than
it is just a fucking lazy ranch. They really have
(16:27):
gone the extra mile to kind of paint a picture
of our where we come from, you know, flavors of
our home. And so Newcomer of the Year a place
that made me, you know, hit three back to back,
and I haven't been able to do that since I
was twenty three. That back to back to back, it
was my Newcomer of the Year is John David Wright's
(16:47):
Kitchen out of LaRue Guru right there in five points.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
Nice love that and we gave you a pants.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
Tenth this year, Well we don't want.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
I mean, like we don't.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
I'm just saying Ruguru is good just because we say
we we genuinely think it's a solid product.
Speaker 1 (17:08):
Yeah. Everybody I've sent there, whether they're fucking coeliacs, vegetarians,
people that aren't from the South and don't understand the
love around fried fish, chicken, veg whatever, the use of
fresh ingredients. And of course, with Mary Allison and McClain
behind running the bar program, their cocktails fuck and they're
wineless is exceptional. I mean it gives me a pants tint.
(17:31):
Whether I'm walking in or walking out, I'm chubbed up.
They are hands down my newcomer of the year.
Speaker 3 (17:37):
And if you're ever there and you're doubting on whether
or not you should go for that second martini, the
answer is yes, go for it.
Speaker 1 (17:45):
I have someone who regularly gets yelled at for ordering
one too many, Yeah, go for it. To do it.
And the best part is, like, the dakris are great,
the martinis are great. Grab yourself a glass of wine,
I mean whatever, And if you give, you know, let
them do dealer calls it, let them decide. The staff
has got impeccable taste. They're not going to steer you
(18:05):
wrong there. They're a wonderful group on an an institution
that I feel with an open a kitchen open late
after a concert, it serves if you find yourself with
an appetite, can't beat it with a stick. No matter
the time, a Rugaru gets you gets me all wooly
gets excited.
Speaker 2 (18:25):
I love that during this time of year.
Speaker 3 (18:27):
Okay, so my newcomer of the year, it's not necessarily
new on the scene, but it got some new digs,
and so I'm gonna give my Newcomer of the Year
to Outside Pizza. Like like I mean, like not only
not only is there a pizza really fucking good, but
(18:49):
they've added a few things and they've got like a
permanent spot, you know like that. I think you know
a lot of times when you start talking about places
that you enjoy and the food's great, the service is great,
it all kind of works together, and I think that's
what this spot.
Speaker 1 (19:06):
Like.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
The owners are great.
Speaker 3 (19:08):
They had a cool food truck, they turned it into
an opportunity and now they're that cerebral brewing. It's it's awesome.
It's it's an awesome spot.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (19:20):
The community loves them and they make good pizzas and
they make you feel good, you know, like they're just
solid people all around.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
So I guess New.
Speaker 3 (19:31):
Digs Comer of the Year for that one. And I
think they're like expanding their hours, Like I want to say,
they're maybe Wednesday through Sunday now or something.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
But if you haven't been over there.
Speaker 3 (19:44):
To check them out, it's it's a must, especially like
you know, whenever they're rocking with a special pizza, usually
come up with really good ideas, but all that stuff,
like you can get a full mill in there.
Speaker 1 (19:58):
Yeah, I feel like they even cat you know. They
they really championed the pickle pizza trend that was going
and made it like not only sexy, but delicious, even
for those that don't like that, Brian your flavor. They've
done collabs with others that are either like maybe their
kitchen was on fire, maybe people were trying to draw
attention to their brewery. They are doing the Lord's work.
They're great fucking humans and they're making dankats food. That's
(20:21):
a great call, Chris, and that reminds everyone that their
new location inside the church at Cerebral wonderful place to
take friends or family during the holidays. The aesthetics are gorgeous,
and if you're a beer person, you can't beat that
with a stick, even though they may even I don't know,
they may have a full bar.
Speaker 2 (20:39):
Yeah, I know that they don't bar, but they have wine.
Speaker 1 (20:42):
Yeah, okay, that's right.
Speaker 2 (20:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (20:43):
And then you know, the space is pretty big, and
they also have like upstairs, they have a couple of
couches set up with some big screen TVs. So it
may not be a bad idea to, like, during the
holiday season, go catch a game there.
Speaker 1 (21:00):
You know, little playoffs, whether it's College of Pro I know,
we'll dive a little bit into that. Your your guesses
at the end of the episode as to what Babe
will do. I love it, Chris, that's a great call
for Newcomer of the Year. What's our next award going down?
Speaker 2 (21:19):
What was it?
Speaker 3 (21:21):
I think we were talking about best place outside of
Colorado to eat?
Speaker 2 (21:28):
I get out of town.
Speaker 3 (21:32):
God, I mean, I guess, I guess it would have
to be like when I went down to Toto Santos.
I did, I did. I did have some really good
meals down in Mexico.
Speaker 2 (21:43):
Shocker.
Speaker 3 (21:44):
It's like, get the fuck out of here. It's hard
It's hard to have a bad meal in Mexico wherever
you are, unless you're at like some stupid resort, and
in which case you know you deserve it. But yeah,
being down there in Todo Santos, I forget ah, this
is gonna bother me. Maybe I'll do a quick Google
search if zaying can help out. But I need to
(22:07):
figure out what this restaurant was we went to, because
this guy's like.
Speaker 2 (22:14):
He's kind of known as like.
Speaker 3 (22:17):
The Baja like the Baja dude, Like he's he really
popularized like Baja cuisine and like brought a lot of
stuff to that region. I need to figure out what
it was. But definitely definitely down there. It's also good
when they're just cooking with local products.
Speaker 1 (22:37):
That's I get it completely. And I mean I was
just harping about, you know, coming from the South, missing
flavors of home to give a whole city Mine of
the year, and it was me going down to Charleston, Chris.
I was just smitten for three fucking days, high as hell,
eating to my heart's content. And I mean there's too
(22:59):
many restaurants to name, but Jack Rabbit Phillies from Schuey's restaurant,
or Leons Oysters or the low Down or the you know,
it was one of those times like usually when you
and I go to the Food and Wine Classic and Aspen,
we go to specific events and or we're in the
grand tasting just like you know, squirreling bites tucking them
(23:22):
away for winter. I mean, this time I had the
opportunity to kind of skid atle out of the festivities
and just go eat with some friends and Jack Rabbit Phillies,
which was an agent restaurant in the North side of Charleston,
just knocked my socks off. I loved the oysters and
the shrimp and the biscuits. Jack Rabbit Phillies was fucking
(23:43):
delicious as well, and so you couldn't beat it with
a goddamn stick. But really, I want to give the
whole city of Charleston flowers, because goodness gracious. I mean,
if y'all are looking for a representation of true Southern cuisine,
everything from the biscuits of the bourbon and everything all
the seafood in between, it was fucking immaculate. Charleston needs
(24:05):
to be on everyone's short list when looking for a
location to travel as a Goremond thoroughly recommended. I can
give you a laundry list of spots to visit, and
then including a few that I missed except for in
the tasting tents like Cultura or what was it Chubby Fish,
you know that does the caviar sandwiches on a potato
Hawaiian roll. Like. There were places I didn't even get to,
(24:29):
but the experience I got to have for the first
time there in twenty some odd years since I was
in college. Yeah, not twenty something years. That was wrong.
Math was wrong. Yeah, fuck man. Yeah, I was there
like six I was actually eating this time around, instead
of just eating like I mean, I mean, their soul
(24:52):
food program at Hannibal's was so goddamn good. Like I
could not find a bad bite if I tried. People
were ordering baskets of shrimp on the pier while you
watch boats get pulled out of like you know, the water,
Like you just sit there and eat to your heart's content.
It's wonderful. Cannot recommend Charleston enough. I'll give anybody that's
headed down there my full list of recommendations. And soon enough,
(25:15):
our buddy Johnny fucking carry Oll is about to open
a restaurant. So if you get the interest in Mexican
cuisine while you're down there in the low country, he's
got your covered.
Speaker 3 (25:24):
God, I need to go to another city and get
some good food. Like you just need that every now
and then. Nothing nothing wrong with what we got here
in Denver, but sometimes you need you need to spread
those wings.
Speaker 1 (25:36):
And that's what age are you going to start taking that?
Bebe on planes and trains and automobiles. Well, I guess
automobiles already.
Speaker 2 (25:44):
Oh we're going on a plane in February.
Speaker 1 (25:46):
Oh nice, Okay, yeah, we're.
Speaker 3 (25:48):
Going out to San Diego. Uh But I think like
the play though is uh. I think I'm gonna have
him in like one of those like carry like Ergo
baby things and just have him on my chest because
he's getting used to that now he just falls.
Speaker 1 (26:07):
Hey there, you got a piece of just played the hits,
whatever the hits are, to get through that three hour,
two and a half hour jaunt. Just do it. And
if that doesn't work, give it a z Anax or
a little bourbon. That's what always knocks me out.
Speaker 3 (26:20):
I tell you, I tell you what we started. When
we give him a bath time, we call it bubbles
jazz bubbles, So we'll play some smooth jazz for him
while give him him a bath. Absolutely fucking loves it.
Absolutely loves it.
Speaker 1 (26:35):
It's a great cute little tradition you'll have. And I
like the name for it. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (26:39):
We uh, we took him out this past weekend to
wax Trax Records the new location.
Speaker 1 (26:44):
Because we're over here in the West Side.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
Yeah, we have to pick out every Christmas now. I
think we started this like three years ago. We pick
out a Christmas record which is great, and I can't
remember the other one.
Speaker 1 (27:01):
That's that's a good one all the same. What's our
next one? So that one was best place to our
favorite place to eat this year outside of Colorado? What's
our next for the year?
Speaker 3 (27:16):
Uh?
Speaker 2 (27:18):
What was it?
Speaker 1 (27:19):
Isn't my turn to pick?
Speaker 2 (27:21):
Go for it all right.
Speaker 1 (27:23):
This one's called the Michelin Got It Right Award for
all year. We just shit all over these people, like
we want them to show their work. I think is
the best way for us to describe it. But they
you know, a blind squirrel finds a nut, a broken
clock is right twice a day, and this is called
the Michelin guy got it Right? Award, and the award
(27:45):
goes to I'm giving it to mescal Edia. Johnny Curriel
I called it when they opened a year ago in November.
When he opened Mescal Edia, I thought it was the
best of his bunch, of all of his restaurants. I
enjoyed it most with the seafood Forward program, the wall
of mescal the kind of like long running bar where
(28:09):
you know, half of the restaurant is, you know, chef's
table are tasting almost like where you're watching them kind
of work. And then obviously we've seen that it's got
odes to Contramar of Mexico City, as Johnny has put it,
as well as it's got awards for sexiest Bite by
Esquire or whatever. But they got an award after only
(28:31):
a Michelin star, after only being opened for eight or
nine months, which is oftentimes a little bit unheard of.
But realistically I thought that it was very deserved, and
so I wanted to give my flowers or them their
flowers to mescal Eddia Chef Jordan, chef Johnny. Obviously, Casey's
(28:53):
the queen that runs the show, and it is kind
of the straw that stirs that drink. But Mescal Eddie
my Michelin guide actually got it right. Award of the.
Speaker 3 (29:04):
Year, okay, and I've got two because I can't remember,
but I don't think.
Speaker 1 (29:14):
They got We're not thinkers, so go for it.
Speaker 2 (29:17):
Yeah, and clearly I'm not.
Speaker 3 (29:20):
So uh. I don't know if they got the nod
in the first year or maybe they did, but I
gotta say, like mock fam uh with the bib did
they get did they get the kind of last year?
Speaker 1 (29:32):
But Verry deserve it all the same. They fucking beat
the brakes off of it. And you know they make
Cantonese inspired dishes with a little American twist, and you know,
I'll I'll run over there for those, but I will
cheese sticks, noodles, dumplings. They fucking kill it too, I
will say.
Speaker 3 (29:50):
And because I don't, I don't know if it's definitely
not the Michelin status but the recommended like wildflower making
it on there because it wasn't on the the first year?
Speaker 1 (30:00):
Was it that? I can't speak too, because I remember
we spoke about thinking it deserved more accolades or recognition
this year, but I can't remember where it stood on
the list last year.
Speaker 3 (30:14):
Yeah, you know, it's funny, you don't really hear much
about Wildflower.
Speaker 1 (30:19):
And it should. It deserves, you know, it deserves a
little bit more praise and love because it almost is
like it's quiet, it's quaint, but it's it's refined, you know,
dining tucked away over there and lowline. Yeah, it is
a great spot that's oftentimes overlooked. So I think they
definitely got it right, whether it's the first year or
the second. And then obviously matc famb shout out to
(30:41):
Chef Ken and Doris. So that's a great call. I
love it. Chris, what's our next category of the evening?
We're down to our last like three maybe four?
Speaker 3 (30:52):
Uh yeah, I think let's go best food haul stall.
Speaker 1 (30:57):
Oh all right, Chris, who you got?
Speaker 3 (31:03):
I mean maybe because it's like new and it's close
or like new in this food hall and it's close
to me. But I gotta go with Folking rapid Os.
That foe says all Fox, and I've like that's one
of those places, like you know, I was thinking about
like best food hall period, which you know, Edgewater and
(31:26):
Stanley are both great, but Edgewater is fantastic right now
and Folking rappid Os are delivering every time. I took
some friends from out of town there. They fucking loved it.
Everything's good. I've gotten it like four or five times
in the past four so at least once a month,
(31:48):
which is pretty solid to be in a rotation like that.
So yeah, that's my.
Speaker 1 (31:55):
It's a fucking wizard as well, like and kind of
creating five dishes broth noodles broth less, I mean, and yeah,
the proximity thing definitely plays, but also the flavor does
like it. And I feel like we've talked about this
at nauseum, but Edgewater, a public market, is really up
to their game. Glad he's over there is fucking bangers.
(32:18):
We've obviously always been a regular at Coanjo Ethiopian. They
kill it not only during the holiday season with their
door a lot, but throughout the year, like with their TIBs.
God damn. Like Edgewater is really up their game with
a lot of dang foo and long is no different
to that category. I mean, his food is fucking delicious.
That's a great call, Chris. I think mine is not
(32:40):
going to be a stranger to many, as it's been
kind of peppered through the news. The chefs that are
behind the concept are friends of ours and they have
been guests on this pod. It's Melino Cheeto, the new
taco stand from chef Tommy Lee of hop Ally and
Uncle and Michelin's Star winning chef Michael Diaz de Leon.
(33:04):
And that is inside the Stanley Marketplace. Technically it's a restaurant,
but it's pretty much a food stall as they're all
kind of a little bit different, you know, and all
new pop ups. So that is my food food hall
Stall of the Year goes to Melino Cheeto Bo. Yeah, Chris,
(33:25):
our next gest uh our next one is going to
be let's do a podcast, will shift gears from food
to talk a little bit about just the content itself.
This is Guest of the Year, our favorite interview that
we were able to have. Who's getting your guest of
(33:46):
the year, Chris.
Speaker 3 (33:49):
I mean I gotta say, like, oh, really, I guess
I guess Carlyon Carr because it's.
Speaker 1 (33:57):
A great call. She was on my short list too.
She was.
Speaker 3 (34:02):
You know, if we if we were like SNL and
had like jackets like she'd have, she'd have a robe,
she'd have like a third, third, fourth. Yeah, but I
mean no, like I mean It speaks for itself because
after we talked to her about the Kyanti Fest, I
(34:23):
think we talked to her about some other stuff before
that as well, But after speaking with her, I went
ahead and bought myself a ticket for the Kianti Fest.
So if that tells you anything, it tells you that
it was fun talking with her about her love of
Kiyanti and how cool that place is and like the
(34:43):
region and uh yeah, how cool Kiyanti Fest was.
Speaker 1 (34:48):
Dude, classic Kianti Classico is a new found love for me.
It was a great interview and it was a fun
one where we got to drink, eat. It was a
great one. Mine came down to two Chris two finalists,
or really two I almost wanted to do a split award,
(35:09):
and one of them is one of our robe where's
a regular guest of the pod, It was Denise Nicholson.
Every time she comes on the pod, she's not only
spit in game about cool shit going on in the community,
cool restaurant she's hyped on at the time because she
gets out there and eats a lot, but she's one
of those ones that'll give it back to you as
much as you know. She'll take it when you're just
(35:31):
fucking around like busting chops. So Denise and Chris Shephard,
for those that don't know, the founder of Southern Smoke Foundation,
he joined us on the pod for a brief ten
minute interview when I was down in Charleston to talk
about you know, he got a daytime Emmy for his
local YouTube show or his local TV show, but he
(35:55):
took the time to chat with us, and he's been
nice enough to goof off with us and Aspen, he
translates on the pod just as well as he did
in person. Not what the industry means to him, It
just like it hits my core. And I was like,
this is cool as shit, like getting to interview someone
that's doing really righteous shit in the community and it's
(36:16):
not like just you know, obviously he made his stripes
and sharpens his teeth owning restaurants down in Houston before
focusing on the people of the hospitality industry. And so
I gave it a split award. I could not play favorites.
You know, Denise is our Scarlett Johansson. She is our
justin Timberlake, and she always brings the hammer twice a
(36:38):
year on the pod. But also a first timer. You know,
we popped Chris's cherry and he just spoke so eloquently
about the hospitality industry. And were my two winners. I
know I cheated, I gave two winners, but at the
same yeah, I was like, fuck it, I can't do it.
I can't do it. So all right, we have two
(36:59):
more awards before we get out of here. We want
to give a shout to our friends at Nobo. If
you're listening to this before the holiday season has wrapped,
you've got to get over there. Their December deals. They've
got bogos on edibles, they've got deals on flour and concentrates.
If you're having to put up with your family, there's
no better way to remedy or counteract Uncle Eddie being
(37:21):
a slat dick at the dinner table talking about fucking
Trump for god knows what else. Just pop that ten
milligram gummy you got from Nobo Dispensary. You get Bogo
going all December long. Swing over there and snag some.
And if anybody has worried or scared about flying with
edibles and or vappins, shoot us a DM on social media.
(37:42):
I'll give you our tips as long as you're not
leaving the country, we feel kind of safe in our
methodology and how we get them across the finish line.
Shout out to our friends at NOBO, thanks for a
great year of content of smokeables and I mean our
food crawl that we just did a few weeks back.
Y'all are a flagship institution in our community, and y'all
(38:05):
are a necessary stop off or shopping space before the holidays. Chris,
our last two are chill happy Hour and our blackbird
spot of the year. Which one do you want to
do first?
Speaker 2 (38:19):
Uh? I'll go chill Happy Hour?
Speaker 1 (38:23):
All right? What was your chillest happy hour? What's the
spot that maybe is kind of bespoke, are oftentimes overlooked
because they don't have a fucking DJ or you know,
Penny Margaritas.
Speaker 3 (38:36):
Dude, the spot I've recently liked to hit on. Uh,
all right, I'm gonna give it too. I'm gonna give
it to I'm gonna split. So I'm gonna say, like
during the summertime, sometimes after work, and I don't even
technically know if they have an happy hour. Maybe they do,
maybe they don't. But City Park golf Cart, of course,
(38:59):
I'm telling you, man, on a summer day, if you're
on that side of town and you're just like, hey,
I'd love to catch a little drink, catch a view,
just go over there. Like it's not that loud, you know,
it's kind of calm. You can just have a beer
by yourself or with anybody else. And sometimes they may
have the dinner buffet up.
Speaker 1 (39:18):
It's great, dude, I was gonna say that, even their
fucking chicken wrap heads. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (39:25):
Yeah, So that's a great spot to enjoy your beer
and like there's you know, it's cheap.
Speaker 2 (39:31):
You know, you don't.
Speaker 3 (39:32):
Have to like worry about anything, Like going there solo
is a great one, or meeting with people. But my
other one has to be car Driver because I love
like it is still kind of quiet in there.
Speaker 2 (39:45):
So if you.
Speaker 3 (39:46):
Maybe like skip lunch or had like a really early
lunch or had a busy day, it's a fun spot
to hit up around four and have a little snack
and have a drink.
Speaker 2 (39:58):
I love it.
Speaker 1 (40:00):
I mean, car Driver was gonna be my one of
my answers for the Blackbird Spot of the Year, But
I love cart Driver's happy hour, whether it's Negroni's or
the half priced fucking pizza is the fact that they
do two happy hours. They do normal happy hour from
like four to five or whatever, and then they do
late night happy hour and almost like an industry hour
(40:23):
for those that work in hospitality get off at ten
o'clock and just want to have a fucking fernet and
coke and or just a pizza, eat half take home
tin fish with some sour dough or piana bread. It
beats the brakes off it cart drivers. Late night happy
hour is sturdy as an ox also, so that's a
good one. Mine is kind of in that same camp.
(40:44):
I don't know if it's necessarily a priced friendly one,
but a wonderful spot to stop into, and it actually
does have discounts, but it's not like a crazy Oh,
I'm going out of my way to get a drink
here because it's actively cheaper. But it's then really huge
wine bar on forty fourth and Yates. Jen was recently
(41:05):
in an article about Colorado maybe a wine town in
addition to a craft beer town. And I tell you what,
at four o'clock you can slide into her spot. It's
almost like golden hour. The light comes to the natural
light comes through. She has all this foliage. She has
comfy couches, She has larger like family style dining tables,
(41:26):
like almost like from your own dining room. And then
she has a long L shaped bar that can seat
ten twelve, fourteen folks and the camaraderie alone and like
Jen knows her regulars. She knows like what they like,
do they like their wines dry? You're usually a red person,
Like do you want to try something new? I know
(41:47):
you're kind of an adventurous one. She knows the folks.
It almost feels divish, for it's all wines old world,
some colend She comes from Santa Barbara, so obviously she
has some New World American wines as well, but her
knowledge and she does these pop up events like in
the middle of like the afternoon, with purveyors from people
(42:08):
like Portugal and Lebanon, and you know, all sorts of
like odd locations where you wouldn't expect a room to
end up selling out for people tasting these adventures through
grape juice. But Vin Rouge Wine Bar its at like
forty fourth and yates. I love hitting it when I'm
coming back from like the Sprout's grocery store. Or something
(42:30):
like that. Or I'm on my way back to Arvada
from the city of Denver. I'm like, why don't we
just get off the chair to have a glass of wine.
You know, it's a pretty sunset. You'll get some of
that light. I love the foliage. You know, we've been
talking about Mexico City, but also it has a little
Parisian vibe, and that it's a small storefront but runs
deeper into the back, like on the shotgun style, with
(42:52):
like a secret exit in the back. But it's just
it's a fun little spot. She serves cheese, nuts, salami,
and you know, cured meats, and then a litany of
different wines from all over the world. And she is
as knowledgeable as the days are young. So Vin Rouge
Winebar is quickly become my favorite spot. And it's here
(43:13):
on the West side. So I love that you picked
one near your office, because I picked one that like
I tried to hit because I had a pill of
a day, or traffic was a cunt trying to get home.
That's a great call. And then our last one of
the year, and the last one of the night is
the blackbird spot of the year. If you don't know.
Blackbird is currently doing a deal in Denver where if
(43:34):
you dine out three times between now and it actually
start in November, but between now and the end of
the of this year, you'll be automatically entered to win
a vacation to Aspen, Veil or Breckinridge. They're giving away
vacations to all three, including ski ski passes, hotel, accommodations,
(43:57):
and all sorts of other shit. So we want to
give them their flowers because they're doing that. And all
of the restaurants on that platform are local restaurants, so
there's a ton of different restaurants that you could pick from,
and I kind of alluded to one earlier, but there's
a ton more. And so Chris, I want to hear
who is your Blackbird restaurant of the Year, A spot
(44:21):
you've enjoyed, tapping in, paying through the app, capitalizing on
their campaigns are challenges or you're just like, hell, yeah,
I can't wait to support this restaurant and I get
my money back in points where I can then go
and spend those anywhere I would like.
Speaker 3 (44:39):
Okay, so I've used I've used it, actually quite a
few times.
Speaker 1 (44:44):
I've used it thirty three times since they launched in July.
Speaker 3 (44:48):
And I got to say, like, one of the spots
that we hit up and had a good time it
was Champagne Tiger.
Speaker 1 (44:58):
Damn it, damnit. Oh great call.
Speaker 3 (45:02):
If you look at like the amount of visits I've had,
then it would be like car Driver, just because it's
right down the street. But if I look at like
where I visited, and the one that was like, the
one that almost like not not necessarily Blackbird was the Pool.
But it was like I was trying to figure out
what to do, and I was looking like, oh, I've
(45:24):
got a little bit of cash in my Blackbird, Like
what's available that we haven't been to in a minute,
And Champagne Tiger's fucking fun, dude, and the food is
goddamn good.
Speaker 1 (45:36):
Yeah, that was a great call, great call, Chris. They
were going to be mine. So I'm going to pivot
to my backup. And that's not a bad problem to
have because in all of my adventures, this is a
spot that we probably don't think about regularly, but it's
one that easily hit whenever you or your maybe kind
(45:56):
of coming to or fro or looking for a quick
light bite and I'm going with Altreya while I've used
the app more at Taberneta because I go to my
lunch I do a lot of lunches there. Oltreya has
a banger happy hour. They also just recently launched a
sandwich shop inside Union Station. But as you know, I
(46:19):
fucking love Tinfish. They have just that fucking leg of
ham that they'll just shave off for you to sample
try or you can order. I mean, they have a
tened brinzino that was just like, God damn it, this
is good, and I mean the team over there is
fucking being the breaks off of it. I went over
(46:39):
there yet a couple of days ago just for charcuterie
fromage and a fucking glass of wine before a work event,
because it's a great place to just put your feet
up and you can either pay with the fly points
or you can just stack them. And because Oltrea wasn't
brutally expensive or anything, it was kind of somewhere in
(47:00):
the middle, you know, it was like, okay, perfect, I'll
just bank my points for this one and if I
need to spend them later. But finding old Traya on that,
like I was looking on the map for oh where
can I go to qualify for the Blackbird gamifying system,
and I saw Old Traya was on there and that
team over there is fucking awesome, and I just wanted
(47:23):
to give them a shout out. Champagne Tiger, I think
was probably one of my most used ones, and rightfully so.
Between birthday parties, drag runches and we've done dinner dates
for the steak our pois steak Freets with the peppercorn sauce.
I don't know. I'm not French, I don't fucking know.
(47:43):
But Oltreya has that Aberian Peninsula vibe where it's also
another one of those tucked away locations that only has
a few seats and it's just kind of nice to
be kind of just close enough to the train that
you can stop in if you're twenty minutes early for
your train, or you want to wait an extra thirty
(48:04):
before you catch it on the way home. Old Trea
is my Blackbird Spot of the year.
Speaker 2 (48:09):
Nice. I think you have some categories.
Speaker 1 (48:12):
Yeah, well, you know, we shared some variety. We highlighted
some of our favorites, some of our favorite people, as
well as we brought to some attention to some spots
that we don't oftentimes give recognition to anything we missed.
Speaker 2 (48:25):
No that I can think of. You want to go
get drunk, No, I will have a glass of wine
with dinner tonight.
Speaker 1 (48:37):
Look at you, you're growing up.
Speaker 2 (48:39):
I know I'm an adult.
Speaker 3 (48:41):
So they say, no, We're about to have a jazz
bubble session and then see what the night has in
store for us.
Speaker 1 (48:50):
Hopefully I'll get a full night's sleep and we can
all get prepared for the holidays. I'll be sure to
come by your house for the duckla orange as well
as if you are feeling froggy. I think we're gonna
invite our friends over that are of the Jewish descent
who don't necessarily celebrate Christmas to join us at our
(49:11):
dinner table for short rib lasagna. So if you want
to hang out with Lippi and Jamie and some of
our other friends, feel free to bring the bed over.
I mean, shit, let Jamie babysit the kids. I know, right, Yeah,
So either way, we want to wish all of our
listeners a merry Christmas, a happy Hanukkah, a happy New Year.
(49:34):
We'll be back after the new year. We'll probably bank
some interviews in the meantime, just so that we hit
the ground running and next year hopefully we don't get
canceled and we're still able to support great restaurants and
great events and institutions across the country in the world,
treating each other with kindness and respect. It's kind of
a tough time out there for everybody, and the holidays
(49:57):
are especially tough on a lot of folks, so you
don't know what battles everybody else may be going through,
So show some love to your neighbors as well as
to the strangers that you come across with in the wild.
Don't forget to tip your restaurant's staff. The hospitalities teams.
They're getting work to overload with holiday parties, with people
coming in and demanding fucking one offs and things that
(50:20):
aren't on the menu. So be kind, don't bitch about
service fees. Just understand that they exist, and tip appropriately,
and maybe even throw a couple extra bucks in there
because it is the holiday season and they would genuinely
appreciate it as much as everybody else.
Speaker 3 (50:36):
Yeah, definitely, crack a smile, give a hug. It all
helps during this.
Speaker 1 (50:43):
Season, exactly, Chris, Exactly, Well, y'all until next year, Stay high, hungry,
be kind holidays, y'all. Cheers,
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