Quote of the Day

What is patriotism but the love of the food one ate as a child?

--Lin Yutang

Table 6

14  November, 2008

The setting: Table 6 restaurant in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Downtown Denver. A small, intimate space with no more than 12 tables, a bright open kitchen, and a high bar area to enjoy pre-dinner drinks and start to dream of the meal to come. 

The table: the Doctor and I out for an evening of catching up, paired with great food and a snappy bottle of wine. Do we do it any other way?

The wine: In the mood for a Grenache/Syrah blend, the Doctor and I deferred to Sommelier Aaron Forman for his suggestion of an earthy wine to take the chill out of the cold night. A bottle of Acustic 06 Montsant, produced just south of Barcelona, gave us that earthy, woodsy bouquet we were craving, and continued to develop and open up throughout the meal for a really tasty bottle experience. 

The food: After much deliberation and negotiation (the foodie rules apply at this type of spot), the Doctor started with the Little Phillies and I settled on the Confit Fresh Bacon. As us food nerds typically do, plates were passed and "oohs" and "ahhhs" were the only syllables uttered for several minutes. 

The Little Phillies were reminiscent of home-cooked pot roast with just enough aged Provolone, grilled onions and Sriracha Aioli to whet the appetite for more. 

While the Little Philles were pretty smokin', the Confit Fresh Bacon may have been the winner for the evening -- served with bacon and date brittle and a chilled celery truffle curd, the 3x1x1" slab of pork belly sat next to a bed of arugula tossed in olive oil and lemon juice. The savory meat with sweet accoutrement incorporated with a touch of vague spiciness made for an excellent dish that night. 

Entrees were just as difficult to decide over, with yummy choices like Ahi Noodle Casserole with Orecchiette, Lobster Mushrooms, Idiazabal and Fried Shallot, or the delectable sounding Grilled Beef Hanging Tender served with Blue Cheese Bread Pudding, Spinach, Onion Ring and Red Wine Gastrique. 

In the end, the Doctor settled on the Chanterelle Chicken Pot Pie, a perfect example of gourmet comfort food ready to take you back to childhood. Only with better taste buds. I chose the Butternut Squash Ravioli, a sweet pasta dish complimented by a healthy dose of fennel, parmesan and parsley, and the dish took me back to New Orleans with its aromatic big flavors. 

Dessert was at the Doctor's recommendation: an order of Chocolate Beignets with Vanilla Creme Fraiche that literally burst with molten chocolate under a fork. A perfect treat to end the night. 

The verdict: I gave the Doctor quite a lot of grief throughout the night that the Denver dining scene was going to be a breeze for me; chains and Mexican joints were easy to conquer, and the city's people eat to live rather than the live to eat attitude inherent in New York and New Orleans. If Table 6 is a suggestion of meals to come, I cannot wait to discover all the fabulous, hidden food my new city has to offer.