An Inside Job I USED TO WRITE ABOUT THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY. NOW I WORK FOR IT. BY MARK ANTONATION F or the better part of the last decade, my job was keeping track of the Den- ver restaurant scene, fi rst as a Westword freelancer and then as the Food & Drink Editor. It was my duty — and my plea- sure — to report every happening, every opening and closing, and every tasty bite I sampled throughout the city. So if you read about a big-name chef jumping to a new restaurant, a hot new taqueria or the closing of a longtime favorite, chances are you read about it in West- word. But since May, I’ve been working FIVE RESTAURANTS WHERE YOU SHOULD BE A REGULAR Now that I’m no longer a food writer, I’m trying to become more of a regular customer at eateries I love. That was im- possible when I was eating for a living; there were so many places to try that I could never become a fi xture at any one bar or restaurant in metro Denver. But now I fi nd myself returning to these fi ve favorites as often as my wallet will allow: The African Grill & Bar 955 South Kipling Parkway, Lakewood 303-985-4497 africangrilllakewood.com The African Grill & Bar has been serving up the cuisine of multiple African na- tions in various locations for more than a decade. The warm hospitality and bold fl avors created by owners Theodora and Sylvester Osei-Forwuo are unequaled in the metro area, and there’s always some- thing new to try on the menu — though lately I’ve been sticking with aprapansa (a spicy cornmeal and tomato-based stew) with slow-cooked oxtail. 26 WESTWORD BITES 2021 for the Colorado Restaurant Foundation, and now I keep an eye on the scene for differ- ent reasons. I still scout out great places to eat, but mostly for my own enjoyment. More important, I’m looking at where the CRF can help out through its mission of hospi- tality workforce education and advancement, mental health and wellness support, and emergency relief assistance. While educational pro- grams like Colorado ProStart, which provides high school education and college schol- arships in culinary and hos- pitality fields, and ServSafe, which offers certification in food and beverage safety through a range of classes, have been part of the CRF for years, I’m helping put out the word to a larger audience in order to get more young people inter- ested in restaurant, hotel and resort jobs Two ProStart students (middle and right) prep morels with chef Thach Tran at Ace Eat Serve. early. During the eighteen months of the COVID pandemic, the organization has also focused on hardship assistance and, more recently, providing incentives to attract workers to restaurant jobs. The pandemic Charlie Brown’s Bar & Grill 980 Grant Street 303-860-1655 charliebrownsbarandgrill.com Monthly meetups at Charlie Brown’s with a group of friends, many of them current or former food writers, start early and end late, mostly on the spacious covered patio, but sometimes near the piano for tipsy sing-alongs. The food is as old-school as the decor; I’m a sucker for a Greek pizza or a shared platter of deep-fried appetizers. Pirate Alley Po’Boys 3215 Zuni Street (no phone) stirtolearn.com/pirate-alley-poboys Pirate Alley is only open Wednesdays through Fridays, when it serves chef Kyle Foster’s New Orleans-style sand- wiches from the back door of his wife’s Stir Cooking School. I usually fi nd myself ordering whatever Foster unveils as a new special, such as this past summer’s blue crab po’boy. Taste of Thailand 2120 South Broadway 303-762-9112 tasteofthailand.net continued on page 28 Much like the African Grill, Taste of Thailand excels in both the kitchen and dining room, thanks to owners Noy and Rick Farrell. Back for the cooler months is Noy’s famous Flu Shot Soup, made with an abundance of Thai herbs and spices, many from the couple’s backyard garden. If you’re a true heat-seeker, don’t skip the Rural Fire, a blazing curry studded with fresh chiles that only comes in one heat level. Thank Sool Pocha 2222 South Havana Street, Aurora 720-485-3682 thanksool.com Thank Sool Pocha is an exemplary Ko- rean pub, with a lively atmosphere, a wide range of Korean booze and well-made dishes built for sharing. The Korean fried chicken is great, of course, but the kim- chi or seafood pancakes are a fi ne place to start, and larger dishes like tteokbokki (rice cakes in a spicy gochujang sauce) and army stew will feed a large group. This is the perfect place to explore soju, since Thank Sool Pocha carries a wide range of brands and fl avors of the grain- based beverage that’s similar to Japanese sake. MARK ANTONATION
