Metro Denver’s food scene has never been as vibrant as it is today, something The Denver Post’s food writers and the rest of the staff of The Know understand. That’s why we’re out on the town as much as possible. Each month, we’ll provide you with recommendations about a few of the dishes we tried over the previous weeks. Want to hear about them early? Subscribe to the Stuffed newsletter, where we introduce one of these dishes every Wednesday.
CôNu’s Corner Càfê and Bánh Mì Sandwiches
My favorite thing about biting into a really good bahn mi sandwich is how the flaky crunch of the baguette scares you for a moment because it feels like the crust is going to poke a hole in the roof of your mouth, but instead gives way to the softer interior of the bread and then to the salty, savory and sometimes sweet fillings that rush up from the middle.
That’s how it went with the Vietnamese pork barbecue (bánh mì thịt nướng) sandwich I ordered at CôNu’s Corner Càfê, a unique combination of a convenience store (get a bag of Taki’s, a Red Bull and a Lotto ticket) and cafe (have a bowl of hot pho, spring rolls and a banh mi). It featured pork marinated in “a sweet and savory mixture of soy sauce, hoisin sauce, garlic, sugar, and lemongrass before being grilled,” the menu reads. It is then assembled with pickled vegetables, cucumber, cilantro, and sliced jalapenos. It tasted great, the the roof of my mouth was safe. — Jonathan Shikes
4400 W. 29th Ave., Denver; conuscorner.com
Split Lip: An Eat Place
Split Lip, located inside the Number Thirty Eight venue and bar, makes flavor-packed, cheffed-up versions of casual regional dishes, like Nashville hot chicken, Oklahoma-style onion burgers, and Buffalo wings. The latter is, of course, perfect for football season, and Split Lip sells two kinds. The Alabama white barbecue sauce (vinegar, mayo) has a slow burn to its sweetness, while the ones made with Road Dawg hot sauce from Colorado’s own Sauce Leopard have more of a classic taste and were happily less spicy than I expected. Both versions are brined for 24 hours before being smoked and then fried over a two-day process. — Jonathan Shikes
3560 Chestnut Place, Denver; splitlipeatplace.com
Samosa Shop
Chef Dave Hadley takes his grandmother’s Indian recipes and turns them on their head at Samosa Shop, his Indian-American fusion farmers market pop-up turned in-house kitchen for Honor Farm, a downtown cocktail bar with a haunted theme. In addition to a rotating assortment of samosas, tacos and sandwiches, the two-time “Chopped” champion also serves up a perfect bite with his Lamb Kabob Smashburger, which is made with lamb, a house-made sauce, dill and American cheese. Salt, fat, acid and heat combine to form a hamburger you won’t soon forget. — Jonathan Shikes
1526 Blake St.; samosashopco.com
Tokyo Premium Bakery
Earlier this month, I researched and wrote a story about shokupan. This fluffy, sweetish white milk bread is a favorite in Japan, particularly for egg salad and fruit sandwiches sold at convenience stores. Several Denver cafes and restaurants have started serving similar sandos, but you can buy warm loaves yourself at Tokyo Premium Bakery and delight in making sandwiches of your own. That’s what I did, starting with this recipe for a tamago sando — although there are any number of recipes out there online. The bread is like nothing else I’ve had before, and I’ve been craving it ever since. So, I’ll likely be returning to the bakery for another loaf. — Jonathan Shikes
1540 S. Pearl St., Denver; tokyopremiumbakery.com