92 APRIL 6-12, 2023 westword.com WESTWORD | MUSIC & VENUES | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | SHOPPING & SERVICES | CONTENTS | about its spice level: “Hot, not recommended for the fi rst-time visitor.” Go mild unless you can handle the punch from Thai chiles, which are used liberally here, along with generous amounts of other spices — galan- gal, lemongrass, garlic, kaffi r lime leaf and ginger — adding depth to the fi ery fare. Best Thai Delivery Khan Toke Authentic Thai 1468 South Cherokee Street 303-854-9974 khantokecolorado.com This ghost kitchen from owner Jonathan Konsila operates out of a ChefReady facil- ity, and he runs it alongside his wife and brother, as well as his parents, who are from Thailand. The bold fl avors from the delivery-only concept deliver big, with a number of dishes not often seen on menus around town. The pad Thai and tom yum soup are excellent, but the moo nam tok, a grilled pork salad with roasted rice, mint, shallots, green onions and Thai chile pow- der, left us ready to eat our way through the rest of the menu. Pro tip: Get the mango sticky rice, too. Best Drunken Noodles Thai Pot Cafe 1350 South Colorado Boulevard 303-639-6200 thaipotcafe.com Thai Pot Cafe got its start in a small space on South Colorado Boulevard and moved into its current large and airy home a few blocks away in 2014. While there’s a lot to love on the menu, it’s the drunken noodles that have become a best seller. There’s always a nice char on the thick noodles, plus you can choose any heat level (zero to seven is “American hot,” while a ten is “Thai mild,” with options going up from there). The best part, though, is that the dish is loaded with a variety of veggies, in- cluding eggplant, green beans, tomatoes, onions and broccoli, making for a nour- ishing veggie-heavy meal, whether or not you decide to add pork, chicken, beef, tofu, shrimp or squid. Best Thai Eatery and Coffee Shop Combo Esme Cafe 10111 Inverness Main Street, Englewood 720-643-5446 esmecafe.com The quaint Esme Cafe debuted in Engle- wood in late 2022 and doubles as a low-key Thai restaurant. Stop by in the mornings for a cup of coffee, a cappuccino or a dirty chai paired with a pastry, then come back for lunch or dinner to dive into the rice and noodle dishes. Popular staples include boat noodle soup with a rich, deeply fl avored broth, khao soi and salmon fried rice. Best Korean Restaurant Seoul K-BBQ & Hot Pot 2080 South Havana Street, Aurora 303-632-7576 seoulkoreanbbq.com Seoul K-BBQ & Hot Pot sports two deli- cious, quintessentially Korean dining expe- riences, with the left side of the restaurant dedicated to all-you-can-eat hot pot and the right devoted to Korean barbecue. On the hot pot side, diners select a base broth and meats before selecting ingredients from the vast buffet of options. From noo- dles to vegetables to spices and, of course, kimchi, the possibilities are endless. For barbecue, bring a group and go for one of the combinations that includes a smatter- ing of banchan, along with soup and the choice of beer or soju. Best Indian Restaurant Urban Village Grill 8505 Park Meadows Center Drive, Lone Tree 720-536-8565 urbanvillagegrill.com While chef Charles Mani doesn’t claim to make the “traditional” Indian fare with which most Colorado diners are familiar, plenty of items on the menu at the three- year-old Urban Village Grill speak to the classic recipes. But thanks to Mani, the butter chicken, 24-hour dal and coconut curry come with a French culinary twist, too. Surprisingly, they also come with just one spice level; diners can up the heat quotient with the chef’s special hot sauce — the better to impart the greatest fl avor and health benefi ts, according to Mani. An- other unique aspect of the Park Meadows restaurant: outdoor grilling stations where diners can order plates of marinated meats to cook al fresco. Best Ethiopian Restaurant Queen of Sheba 7225 East Colfax Avenue 303-399-9442 In the nearly three decades that it’s been in business, not much has changed at Queen of Sheba Ethiopian Restaurant. Although Colfax has grown around it, the tiny strip- mall restaurant still boasts some of the city’s best African food. What sets it apart from other Ethiopian eateries — and there are a lot within a stone’s throw — is the homestyle cooking of proprietress Zodi Aboye, who acts as host, server and chef. The smell of rich, warm spices fi lls its cozy quarters, which are decorated with folk art and photos from the horn of Africa. Dishes are eaten by hand, using only the tangy un- leavened injera as a vessel. Platters of fl a- vorful stewed meats and vegetables offer a sampling of options, and the comfort foods, like lamb and lentils, are savored best with a cup of seasoned tea or honey wine. Because of Queen of Sheba’s limited seating and popularity, reservations are recommended. Best French Restaurant Bistro Vendôme 2267 Kearney Street 303-825-3232 bistrovendome.com French fare is having a moment in Denver, and while there are a variety of new addi- tions to the scene, Bistro Vendôme’s recent move to a new location has given it fresh energy. After shuttering the original locale in Larimer Square, chef and restaurateur Jennifer Jasinski and partner Beth Gru- itch’s restaurant is Food and Drink continued from page 90 continued on page 94
