96 APRIL 4-10, 2024 westword.com WESTWORD | MUSIC & VENUES | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | SHOPPING & SERVICES | CONTENTS | Englewood bar with a vegan food menu bangs out consistently clever concoctions in the form of different tequila- or mezcal- based margaritas that are reliably delicious and colorful in equal measure for just $6. Past marg recipes have drawn inspiration from balancing contrasting fl avors, creating a veritable Venn diagram of sweet and spicy notes including cantaloupe and habanero; pineapple and guajillo; or mango and pob- lano with ginger. On Tuesdays you can also sample pours from Fellow Traveler’s deep agave spirits collection for $1 off. Best Soul Food Blazing Chicken Shack II 5560 East 33rd Avenue 720-596-4501 blazingchickenshackii.com If there are two things you should eat in Denver before you die, it’s the oxtails with rice and the caramel cake at this homey Park Hill restaurant and bar. Timing is critical on both, as the succulent oxtail is only served Thursday through Saturday, and the caramel cake sells out quickly, so be sure to order a slice at the beginning of your meal. But both represent the soul of soul food — the kind of cooking that beckons you in like a dinner bell and makes you stay like a grandma’s admonitions until you’re beyond stuffed. Of course, everything at Blazing Chicken Shack tastes great and comes with a generous side of Southern hospitality, whether it’s the extra-crunchy and not-too-fussed-with fried chicken, the steaming slabs of catfi sh or the surprising gumbo. Best Banana Pudding Chef Zorba’s 2626 East 12th Avenue 303-321-0091 chefzorbas.com This dessert is bananas, B-A-N-A-N-A-S. This longtime Congress Park staple is best known for its Greek fare and breakfast fa- vorites, but be sure to save room for a sweet treat, too. Chef Zorba’s pastry case is lined with options like thick slices of chocolate cake and baklava, but the sleeper hit is the ultra-creamy banana pudding, with just the right amount of banana chunks and wafers that manage to still retain a bit of crunch. Best Place to Get a Whole Slow-Smoked Hog Frank’s Bar-B-Que 4700 West Colfax Avenue 303-893-9181 franksbbq.com The Volkmer family has been smoking meats since 1969, when they founded their family business in Bay City, Texas. In 1980, they moved to Denver and have been serving ’cue in the Mile High ever since. While Frank’s specializes in Texas-style beef brisket, the real showstopper is the whole roasted pig, a specialty it has been perfecting for over thirty years. The prep- aration is simple: A whole hog is loaded into the smoker and cooked low and slow for upwards of eighteen to twenty hours. Orders have to be placed in advance, but this is one hell of a way to feed a big group that’s down to go whole hog. Best Chicago-Style Eats Da Sauce 2907 Huron Street 720-328-8742 dasaucepizza.com Husband-and-wife team John and Jandee Craig opened their first restaurant, Da Sauce, in a storefront near Coors Field in the spring of 2023. There’s a walk-up counter in front and some bar seating and tables in the back, with an open kitchen in between. That’s where they’re serving Chi- cago favorites including thin, tavern-style pies with John’s secret sauce; Italian beefs — dipped, if that’s how you like ’em; and classic Windy City dogs dragged through the garden. Also on offer: housemade ice cream that guests have been known to gob- ble up by the pint while watching a game. Best Pizza Buffet Woody’s Wood Fired Pizza 1305 Washington Avenue, Golden 303-277-0443 woodysgolden.com Bart Bortles, a local hospitality legend, founded Woody’s in Golden in 1993. At one point, he expanded the brand to several lo- cations, but today only the original remains. It’s now run by his son, Jon, and it’s a local favorite for a lot of reasons. One big one, though, is the buffet — something we’re extra happy to have around after all buffets went on an extended pause during the pan- demic. Along with all the salad and pizza you could want, this spread also includes a Woody’s fan favorite: beer cheese soup. Best Classic Chicken Wings CD’s Wings 7685 West 88th Avenue, Westminster 303-467-7700 6710 South Cornerstar Way, Aurora 303-993-8662 cdswings.com Digger Schwartz and his wife, Ryan, took over the original CD’s in Westminster from two of his former hockey coaches in 2007. Eleven years later, they moved it to a larger location to accommodate the demand for CD’s deep fried wings. We love the wide variety of sauce options and the fact that you can fully customize your order. Want all fl ats, extra crispy, swimming in sauce? No problem. Last year, the Schwartzes teamed up with longtime hospitality pro Dean Copeland, who opened his own CD’s in Aurora with plans to add a third in Parker soon. Best Chicken Wing Deal Adobo 3109 Federal Boulevard 720-242-9994 adoboxo.com From food truck to brick-and-mortar, Blaine Baggao has grown his business over the past eight years through hard work, a good dose of creativity and some seri- ous passion for food. The menu at Adobo includes Filipino staples like lumpia and chicken adobo as well as dishes inspired by Baggao’s roots in New Mexico, and there are specials daily, Food and Drink continued from page 94 continued on page 98
