It’s not often I get to visit Colorado, so why not try the best of the best?! So, how did Rioja measure up to this recognition?

Goat Cheese Biscuit. Seasoned Flatbread. Lavender Sourdough. Loved the lavender sourdough. Perfect note of lavender paired with sourdough!

Pre-meal Rosé. 

Chardonnay. Bodegas Dinastia Vivanco, Rioja.

Amuse bouche: Pork belly bite. 

Fresh Bacon. Pork belly. Cardamom. Curried Garbanzo Bean Pureé.

Duck Confit Flatbread. Lemon Pistachio Pesto. Gorgonzola Dolce. Cherries. Port Pickled Red Onion.

Beet Gnocchi. Strawberries. Hon-shimeji Mushrooms. Walnuts. Tarragon. Horseradish-fromage blanc.

Pacchetti. Rapini Mousse filled Saffron Pasta. Heirloom Tomato. Italian Sausage. Burrata. Basil.

Artichoke Tortelloni. Artichoke Mousse. White truffle brodo. Queso de Mano. Chervil.

Seared Sea Scallops. Arugula Risotto. Baby turnips. Artichoke. Saffron-lemon Puree.

Beignets. Sweet Goat Cheese. Black Mission Fig Filled Pastries. Ruby Port Wine Reduction.

Hand made ice creams.  Left to right: Apricot Ice cream. Tangerine Sorbet. Cognac Ice Cream. Lace Cookie Plate.

Candied Mint. 

**Keep in mind that “The Chef” and I like to order various menu items and create our own tasting menus so some of the dishes were split in two by the chefs in the kitchen. That’s why the portions appear a bit small, but each small bite was bursting with deliciousness.

I know this sounds super cliché, but the entire meal was like an orchestrated musical. There was never a moment that I felt I was waiting for my food. It’s almost magical how they organized it. Those who are not in the industry don’t realize how difficult food service can be and I can understand why when restaurants like Rioja make it look so easy.

Now, onto the food…

They catered to exactly towards my palate! Delicate, light, and bursting with flavor. I had so many favorites. The amuse bouche was scrumptious and I could eat a bowlful! My favorite pasta was Chef Jen’s signature pasta, the Artichoke Tortelloni. Next, would be the Fresh Bacon dish. It sat on top of a savory Curried Garbanzo Bean Pureé. Lastly, the sweets deserve some mentioning especially since my hometown is the home of the beignets (New Orleans)! The beignets were delicious and complimented the ice cream and sorbet dishes well. My favorite ice cream was the Cognac. “The Chef” jokes that I’m an alchie, but you can’t blame me for having great taste!

From top to bottom, Rioja excelled in great service, food orchestration, and flavorful execution. I can’t wait til I visit Denver again to try brunch at Rioja!

Rating: 5/5 spoons

Jalapeno cornbread and biscuit. 

Butter. Olive Oil. Salt.

Koch Ranch Ancho Goat Albondigas. Coconut Curry Corn Sauce. Grilled Flatbread.

Plum and Miso Marinated Quail Breast. Plum and Miso Emulsion. Wilted Greens.

Rio Grande Valley Citrus Seared Scallops. Spinach Carrot Puree. Grilled Scallions. Navel Orange Supremes.

Forelle Pear Salad. Texas Wine Poached Pear. Maytag Blue Cheese. Texas Pecan Crumbs. Prosciutto Crisps. Pear-Balsamic Vinegar.

Smoked and Grilled Duck Breast. Roasted Red Bell Pepper Aioli. Sauteed Cabbage. Peppered Bacon.

German Chocolate Cheesecake. Pastry Tuile

A great meal! Very well-seasoned and thought out dishes….My favorite dishes that we ordered were the Scallops and the Pear Salad. Scallops were perfectly cooked and the Maytag Blue Cheese in the salad was the best blue cheese I’ve ever eaten. It paired so well with the pear… haha no pun intended. The entree I could have gone without was the duck..it was slightly overcooked, although the flavors were great.

As if national recognition (AAA Four Diamond Award) wasn’t enough, they support the locals…all the more to try out this great restaurant. Whether you’re on vacation or even a local, an experience is awaiting you here…

Wine collection.

Spoonbread. I know it’s only bread, but for some reason, this is the most memorable dish. When I think Dante’s Kitchen, the first thing that comes to mind is spoon bread… Moist and buttery. Warm and syrupy.

Duck Fat Roasted Smashed New Potatoes.

Mashed potatoes infused with Duck Fat??? How can you say “No” to that?!

Seared Scallops. Smoked Peach Puree. Basil Oil.

Slow Cooked Duck Neck Stuffed Buckwheat Crepe. Vineyard Currants. Farro. Chicken Cracklin’.

I’ve never had farro until now, but the way they prepared it was delicious! It was well-seasoned and went really well with the duck neck filled crepe…

Bubble and “Squeak Breads”. Pan-fried Sweetbreads. Housemade Sauerkraut. Dark Beer and Corned Beef Broth.

Escargot. Bordelaise Sauce. Roasted Marrow Bone.

It’s been years since I’ve last been to Dante’s Kitchen and I’m almost sad I hadn’t returned sooner. This was such a good meal…Not a single dish failed to please. Every dish was thoroughly prepared and well thought out. Sauces and broths were simple yet jampacked with flavor.

Dante’s Kitchen has a pretty romantic setting, but would still be great for a night out with friends! Honestly, any restaurant is great for any setting. You can’t go wrong with delicious food and good company =)

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Amuse Bouche. Asian-inspired dish w/ Salmon Sashimi. Fresh Herbs.

Smoked Cornmeal Encrusted Louisiana Oysters. Andouille Spoon Bread. Manchego Foam.

“KFC” Korean Fried Chicken Wings. Pepper Jelly glaze. Kimchi.

Black Lacquered Duck Tortellini. Indian Orange Mascarpone. Toasted Pine Nuts. Vanilla Tapioca. Black Duck Tea.

Nice presentation! The scallops come in this vintage looking cigar box…it helps to hold the smoke in the box so the scallops absorb every bit of smokey flavor. Let’s just say..it does the job! The scallops were delicious!

Cohiba Smoked Scallops. Chorizo Dust. Carmelized Cauliflower. Fennel Choucroute.

Hanger Steak. Crispy Sweetbreads. Sweet Kumquat Bordelaise. Pommes Frites.

Sweet Corn Caramel Flan. Salted Corn and Caramel Ice Cream. Vanilla Milk Foam. “Cracker Jacks”

Strawberry Delight. Toasted Almond Cake. Smoked Black Tea Honey Crunch. Strawberry Sour Cream Ice Cream. Strawberry Gel. Fizzy Rock.

Root’s menu is extremely creative and the presentation is just superb. I love the way Chef Phillip Lopez throws together such diverse elements and combines them to build flavors that work together so well like the duck tortellini (pictured above). Vanilla tapioca and Black duck tea?? Who woulda thought? And it tastes so good! I will say that because of the design and flair in each plate, it doesn’t stuff you so order accordingly.  The other downside was the desserts…Lots of elements and full of different and interesting flavors, but I felt it was a bit “deconstructed”.

Overall, innovative dishes. Great atmosphere. So if you’re feeling like refreshing your palate with molecular gastronomy-type dishes, check out Root!

Rating: 2.5/5 spoons