THE "CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD" IS ALIVE AND WELL
IN WHEAT RIDGE - CALL GREG FOR INFO

"A gourmet restaurant in Cincinnati is one where you leave the tray on the table after you eat. - Unknown

August 3, 2004

FROM THE "BRAND SPANKIN' NEW" LIST. Former Piatti and Blue Sky Grill general manager Lee Moffett has opened Fourleaf Chopped Salads at 6840 S. Dallas Way, Greenwood Village. Gee, I can't wait. Salad. Ask Lee about his former career. He wasn't always in the food industry. Go ahead, ask him. Tell him The Fox knows all.

New ownership at Vincenza's (8000 W. 44 Ave, 303/420-8400). Old-timers may remember this as the Wheat Ridge Dairy. The food has been outstanding, with lots of fine Italian fare, great pizza, and some of the best breads in town. The former owner, known by some as the Pizza Nazi, has left the country. Owner Greg Allan will be delited to welcome old customers back. He's from the class of happy shiny people. G and I had dinner there recently and it's as good as ever, if not better. As in the food is fabulous. And the prices are sooo looo.

Oh yeah. Those of you that think Frank Sinatra has died haven't been to Vincenza's on a Friday or Saturday nite. If you close your eyes and listen to the vocal sounds of Frank Lechuga, you'll swear that Old Blue Eyes is standing in front of you. A simple request will assure you of hearing your favorite Sinatra tune. Of course gratuities are always appreciated. G and I plan on being there at least one of those two nites every weekend as long as Frank keeps on belting out those tunes we both grew up with. Oh, if that name is familiar, he's one of the seven famous (Denver) Lechuga brothers. Chuck is the one that runs the Italian eatery of the same name at 3609 Tejon Street (303/455-9040).

Nonna's Chicago Bistro has opened with regional Italian eats at 6603 Leetsdale Drive. I don't know what "regional Italian" is. I guess maybe it might be Italian, probably from some region in Italy, waddaya think?

Now open is the Kona Grill at the Cherry Creek Shopping Center, in the former Roy's Cherry Creek space (3000 East 1 Ave, 720/974-1300; www.konagrill.com). Hear tell they got one beeeg Kahuna Bugger. I's gonna check it out next week. The great-looking menu on their website is gonna getcha.

A new Spicy Pickle Sub Shop has opened at 2660 Pearl St. in Boulder. I hope these guys can read the ingredients of their meats better than the dudes on Union Street in Lakewood can.

There's a relatively new chain of Mexican eateries in town, Little Anita's. They're outta Albuquerque, New Mexico and are getting raves from all quarters including G. The oldest location in Denver is at 1550 S. Colorado Blvd, (303/691-3337), and the newest is at 1050 W. Colfax Ave, 303/534-8888) across from Auraria Higher Education Center where G can dine daily. Their website, www.littleanitas.com, is there but is outta date. But they're working on it.

Sweet Buddy Roo's Specialty Chocolates and Ice Cream has opened at the back of a shopping center in Louisville (1156 W. Dillon Road, #4 720/890-1717) serving house-made super-rich ice cream, allegedly the East Coast style of shakes and malts. Well, I'll be the judge of that. By the by, I hope y'all read the recent stories on ice cream including my column a few weeks back. Lucky you cuz there will be more; I just got four huge books on ice cream. As for the chocolates, they'll have to go far to beat muh Denver fav, Sweet Rockin' Coffee (414 E. 20 Ave, 303/318-9788; www.sweetrockincoffee.com).

Gandolfo's New York Deli is open daily in the Boston Building (1670 Champa St, 303/629-6969; www.gandolfosdeli.com). Gandolfo's is a franchise whose founder grew up in New York but moved to Utah. We'll have to see if the Mormons corrupted his palate. Y'all know that the only good restaurant in Utah is at the Conoco station.

ON THE "CLOSED BUT NOT REALLY" LIST is Indigo Café (250 Josephine St, 303/996-9966; www.gofishgrille.com) But Indigo Café owner Larry Herz and chef Ian Kleinman have opened Go Fish Grille in the same spot. Kleinman is one of the area's most talented chefs so it oughta be great. His dad, Stephen, is the fab chef at Boettcher Bistro at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.

FROM THE "UPDATES AND CHANGES" LIST: Chicago, (6680 W. Colfax Ave, 303/233-0500; www.Chicago-Colorado.com), has expanded its dinner menu to include such entrees as pan-roasted fresh Lake Superior whitefish and walleye. Didn't know they had a "dinner" menu since they close at 8 pm. Besides, their Vienna dogs are too small and over-priced. But their website is cool.

Chef/owner Robert Sansone took the leap July 15, when the 20-year-old Chez Walter Restaurant becomes Sansone's European Bistro after a makeover. Many of us will miss Chez Walter (Schmuki) but we wish him well in his retirement, and wish Robert good tidings in his new venture.

One of Denver's finest Mexican eateries, Jack-N-Grill, (2524 Federal Blvd, 303/964-9544) has finished its expansion, altho it never closed (ceptin' on Mondays). Still serving fab buggers (on Lehndorff's and my Top Ten) along with super yummy Albuquerque fare. If you ain't had the carne adovada quesadillas, you ain't lived. And if your tum-tum can't take the chili, there's plenty of gringo food on the menu besides the buggers. This fall the entire family will be out front roasting chiles and selling them by the bushel.

Z-Ribs, (8590 W. Colfax Ave, 303/233-7477; www.z-ribs.com) home of the fabulous smoked baby-back ribs smothered with green chili, has finally reopened after minor renovations. The newest menu addition is strawberry pie. But of course no one wants strawberry pie cuz they want brownies with the ribs. Hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Saturday, noon to 7 p.m. Sunday. Most of the time. Try the pork loin sangie; you ain't had the good stuff 'til you've had this stuff.

The Old Stone Church Restaurant has reopened (210 Third St., Castle Rock, 303/688-9000; www.theoldstonechurchrestaurant.com) with former chef-owner Jeff Richard (of New Orleans fame) back at his old stompin' grounds. He has revamped the menu as well as completely renovated the building. The menu is now South By Southwest (not an Alfred Hitchcock film) with cuisine from New Orleans as well as Santa Fe. Yeah, you can have green chili on top of your gumbo…I don't know, why you ask such silly questions? I do know it will please your palate as well as your pocketbook since the menu prices are very reasonable.

The Ivy Café (5709 E. Colfax Ave.) is already going strong, a casual spot owned by Goose Sorenson and Brian Klinginsmith, whose Solera (5410 E. Colfax Ave.) continues to offer good grub usually at dinner. Ivy is mostly a bakery.

Sparks Steakhouse is now Steakhouse 10 (3517 S. Elati St, 303/789-0911). They changed their name cuz some sleazy lawyer from New York threatened 'em. But they do offer great steaks and good service.

Jabo's Bar Be Q (9682 E. Arapahoe Road, 303/799-4432) found a place in Sunset Magazine's recent list of the West's Ten Best Barbecue Joints. Colorado eateries also earning honorable mentions were Serious Texas Bar-B-Q in Durango and Chuck's Bunkhouse BBQ in Strasburg. Never been to none of em.

After 16 years in Aurora, Jus Cookin's Restaurant has moved from Aurora to Lakewood (840 Tabor St, 303/205-0123) to a building they own. Aurora's loss is Lakewood's gain, altho there were a number of Arapahoe County plates in the parking lot recently. In case the address confuses you, its just north of 8th and Simms.

Bubble and Squeak (Odds and Ends)

The Red Room, 320 E. Colfax Ave., has reopened with a new menu including wild mushroom and steak risotto. . . . Assignments Restaurant, the student-staffed eatery at the School of Culinary Arts, is open again after a summer break. Lunch and dinner are served Monday thru Saturday…Julia Blackbird's New Mexican Café has moved to 3434 W. 32nd Ave. I presume the tele didn't change to go two blocks.

Meanwhile, steak joints are opening at a sizzling pace. Fleming's Prime Steakhouse is coming to Inverness Business Park, while Elway's and Bob's Steakhouse will open in Cherry Creek North. . . The Cracked Pepper Café has opened at 750 Santa Fe Drive, serving breakfast, Allegro coffee and Liks Ice Cream...Soleil Grille and Wine Bar is rocking in the former Mediterranean Health Cafe space at 2817 E. Third Ave, Cherry Creek North… Mici (1531 Stout St, 303/629-6424), an Italian-style deli, is now open.

Cya.