46 WESTWORD FOOD & DRINK 2023 things one could only see in the Mile High City. My family went several Halloweens in a row, buoyed by a second-place win in the restaurant’s costume contest, back when competing in that contest meant going up against hundreds of other kids to win a Casa Bonita gift certificate. The line for food in that era snaked to the door, and we waited in it without thinking twice, the way I might now join a queue for a new croissant-ified pastry. That at least three generations of Denverites have forma- tive memories like mine made a remodel of Casa Bonita fraught: Yes, it was in dire need of updates and improvements, but when something is a childhood cultural touch- stone, you don’t really want it to change. What Stone and Parker have done to Casa Bonita, then, is truly remarkable. They have lovingly invested millions of dollars in it to make it…the same. Or at least the same as it was in my youth, in all the important ways. Most of that money seems to have been spent on cleaning and restoration; I eavesdropped on a builder talking about the process for restoring the palapa table, for which he removed and cleaned each individual palm frond. The remodel left the key structural ele- ments intact: The layout is the same, down to the grotto tables, puppet theater, waterfall bridge, wishing well and arcade. The skel- eton still roars, and gems still glow in Black Bart’s Cave. There’s still weird stuff around every corner, promising to fuel a whole new generation of unreliable memory-making. And while the dive pool is cleaner, bluer, a bit bigger and more sparkly from star-studded ceiling tiles, it’s exactly where it used to be — in the heart of the restaurant, the epicenter of the entertainment experience. Of course there are some updates, which seem mostly designed to appeal to the cur- rent generation of adults. Bars are easy to find. Dolly Parton grins up from the wishing well. (Was she always there?) The entertainment has been scrubbed of its problematic elements and updated to appeal to all ages. The magic show, for instance, leans into both the surreal nature of the location and a kitschy interpretation of the bygone era from which Casa Bonita rose, while still managing to turn some pretty good tricks. There are some cheeky but subtle jokes for Denverites — I was well into dinner before I spied the street sign near my table that read “Calle Juan el Way.” The food has been completely over- hauled, as you’ve no doubt heard, under chef Dana Rodriguez, who riffed on the old lineup of enchiladas, tacos and chiles rellenos, updating them for today’s palates. She even kept the taco salad. The verdict? I’d put the rehabbed Casa Bonita right up there with Stranger Things and Meow Wolf — other recent masterful creations that tap a deep nostalgia in the youngest Boomers along with Gen Xers and Millennials for the campy kid hor- ror-adventure entertainment that fueled our childhood fantasies and neighborhood games. Yes, I’m excited to raise my sons, nieces and nephews on trips to Casa Bonita, hope- fully letting them roam in the free-form way I did as a child as they discover all the weird and wonderful things that make the place one-of-a-kind. But I’m also excited for me, to get a bit of my childhood back in such a visceral way. So much so that I found myself getting misty as I called out, “Thank you!” to Stone as he passed by my table during the soft opening. One more big update: The refurbished theater is now truly beautiful, with its gilded touches and red leather banquettes. It seems like a prime spot for swanky cock- tail parties — or even weddings. Maybe it’s time for Rob and me to renew our vows. Five months after Casa Bonita reopened its doors, tables are still by reservation only. Sign up to get on the list at casabonitadenver.com. Mi Casa continued from page 44
