My former Denver Post BFF Margaret Jackson and I dined at Bittersweet Wednesday, a 4-year-old Washington Park West neighborhood spot, to check out the new menu that owner/co-chef Olav Peterson says has more options and smaller plates for sharing. Call it a response to the evolution of Denver dining.

Peterson said that the menu revamp was inspired by his customers who were typically ordering a couple of appetizers to share and splitting an entree. His artisanal approach to handcrafted cuisine has resulted in a new menu with more options and smaller plates, encouraging more sharing and tasting among guests.

Previously, the menu featured 14 items; the updated, expanded menu features 18 items and smaller portion sizes, allowing guests to try more dishes during one dining experience while allowing Bittersweet to lower prices per item. Rather than separating appetizers from entrees and so on, the menu is organized by the item’s origin – from the garden, from the water or from the field – and all dishes are similar in portion size.

In tandem with the new menu, Bittersweet will also launch its “Thursday Tasting Menu” this month, comprised of four courses with wine pairings, and priced at $50 per person. A seasonal tasting menu will be introduced each month and offered on Thursdays.  Selections include $5 small plates, $7 signature cocktails and $5 beer and wine.

For reservations and more information, go to www.bittersweetdenver.com.

Coohills, the fab French-inspired eatery at 1400 Wewatta, will be hosting the final Beats on the Creek of the summer on Tuesday. The bridge opens at 6 p.m. and My Blue Sky: Allman Brothers Tribute will be performing from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Award-winning My Blue Sky is comprised of seven experienced Colorado musicians that share the passion and love of the music of the Allman Brothers Band (and family of bands). The Allman Brothers Band has a unique blend of southern rock, blue and jazz that has inspired musicians and fans for decades. The band’s music and performances have created memories for everyone that have stood the test of time.

Coohills owners Tom and Diane Coohill would like to give a special shout out to The Alliance for Sustainable Colorado for partnering with them and making Beats on the Creek such a successful fundraising event.

During the last concert of the season, stop by The Alliance table on the bridge to purchase a $3 raffle ticket to be entered to win a bottle of champagne or a $100 Coohills gift card. (All proceeds go to The Alliance for Sustainable Colorado.) For more information, go to www.coohills.com.

Stanley Marketplace, which will open its doors within the former Stanley Aviation headquarters at 2501 Dallas St. in Aurora next year, announces the addition of Sazza to its list of upcoming restaurant offerings.

Sazza currently operates one other location, which has been open for more than nine years, within Greenwood Village’s Cherry Hills Marketplace. Sazza serves fresh pizzas and salads, made with all-natural, organic ingredients, sourced from local farmers when in season. The restaurant is known for its eco-friendly practices, which include composting and using compostable to-go items; up-cycling, by utilizing staff shirts and silverware donated by customers rather than purchasing them new, and by managing an educational urban farm.

Sazza’s Stanley location will offer expanded food and beverage menus that still incorporate all of the favorites from the flagship location. Additionally, the restaurant will operate a working farm at Stanley, encompassing a half-acre of surrounding land, which will be used for educational and community outreach events.

“We’ve always lived our lives as sustainably as possible,” said Jeff Rogoff, one half of the husband-and-wife team behind Sazza. “Simply, we want to try and leave this planet in better shape for our children; this is our inspiration. At Stanley, not only will we manage another farm, but the Stanley team has also asked us to start a composting program for all the marketplace tenants.”

Comprised of more than 100,000 square feet on 22 acres, Stanley Marketplace aims to become the community’s new centerpiece, and will be home to a spacious community park, indoor/outdoor event venue, office space and a wide array of dining, shopping and recreational options.

Flightline Ventures, a Stapleton-based firm comprised of longtime neighborhood residents who saw a need for a community-based marketplace and sought to fulfill it, is behind the development of Stanley. Partners Mark Shaker, Lorin Ting and Megan Von Wald teamed with the City of Aurora to make the vision a reality. Aurora also recognized the need for a gathering place in the neighborhood, and made the group aware of the building, which had previously been vacant for several years. The marketplace will represent the first stage of redevelopment activity along Westerly Creek, part of Aurora’s long-term plan for urban revitalization.

Information about additional restaurant tenants and programming will continue to be released in the coming weeks.

“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Sazza,”said Shaker. “The restaurant truly embodies the Stanley mission to embrace sustainability, creativity and community.”

For more information, visit www.stanleymarketplace.com.

I’ll be there, will you?

The Seventh Annual Cherry Creek North Food & Wine event, with samples from more than 20 of the district’s fine dining establishments and wines from William Hill Estate, Columbia Winery and LaMarca, are featured during the sip and snack event from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday at Fillmore Street between First and Second avenues

Be among the first to taste the food from four new Cherry Creek North restaurants: Departure Restaurant + Lounge, Blue Island Oyster Bar, Del Frisco’s Grille and Osaka Ramen.

Menu items include Blue Island oysters, Del Frisco’s Grille ahi tacos, Second Home gnocchi and bison ragu, Kobe An Japanese sushi and much more.

Awards will be given to three restaurants in the following categories: Best of Show – Food, Best of Show – Dessert and Best Table Presentation.

General admission tickets are $60, and VIP early-entry tickets are $80. Indulge in all you can eat tastes and bottomless drinks as you enjoy a live band in Cherry Creek North. To purchase tickets, go to www.imbibe-events.com/event/7th-annual-cherry-creek-north-food-and-wine/.

The annual end of Summer Wine Walk from the American Wine Society of Denver, featuring a tour through Larimer Square,  one of Denver’ most renowned culinary districts, starts at 6 p.m. Aug. 19 at Milk and Honey, 1414 Larimer St.

The event consists of three venues offering samplings of their most appealing wine and appetizer pairings as the party progresses down the square for a sociable and fun-filled summer evening.

Start out by meeting at Milk and Honey Restaurant (what a great spot!) on the patio while enjoying the menu honoring simple flavors built from Chef Michael Schiell’s selection of unique ingredients.

Stop two will be the Dorchester Social Eatery, a modern speakeasy located several doors over at 1448 Market St. where participants will see the unique English Regency interior design, complete with rooftop cabanas capturing the stunning city views while enjoying specially selected wine and bites.

The final stop takes participants to Tom’s Urban, a creation of Tom Ryan (of Smashburger fame) who has been recognized by Gourmet Magazine as one of the “Top 25 Food Entrepreneurs of the Last Quarter Century”.

Tickets are $55 for AWS members; $65 for non-members and guests. Registration is online only via BlackTie at www.blacktie-colorado.com/rsvp/rsvp.cfm?eventcode=%26%3E%2B%26L10WR.

Eavesdropping: “I went into a Whole Foods and got to hear a woman arguing with a guy at the meat counter because she wanted grass-fed organic chicken, and he was desperately trying to explain to her that chicken don’t eat grass.”

Tickets for the 2015-16 Denver Center for the Performing Arts Broadway series, Cabaret and Off-Center shows go on sale to the public at 10 a.m. Aug. 14.  This includes the national tour launch of “If/Then” starring Idina Menzel of “Frozen” fame. Buy and print tickets online at www.denvercenter.org.

Here’s the lineup:
* “Matilda The Musical”, The Buell, Sept. 9-20
* “Lookingglass Alice”, Stage, Sept. 11-Oct. 11.
* “Shakespeare’s As You Like It”, Space, Sept. 25-Nov. 1
* “Tribes”, Ricketson, Oct. 9-Nov. 15
* “If/Then”, Buell, Oct. 13-25
* “Cult Following”, Jones, Oct. 21 and 23
* “Murder For Two”, Garner Galleria, Oct. 27-Feb. 21
* “Disney’s The Lion King”, Buell, Nov. 4-29
* “A Christmas Carol”, Stage, Nov. 27-Dec 27
* “The Santaland Diaries”, Jones, Nov. 27-Dec. 27
* “Mannheim Steamroller Christmas by Chip Davis”, Buell, Dec. 12-13
* “A Christmas Story, The Musical”, Buell, Dec. 16-27
* “Shaping Sound”, The Ellie, Jan. 19
* “The Nest Space”, Jan. 22-Feb 21
* “Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story On Stage”, Buell, Jan. 26-31
* “All The Way”, Stage, Jan. 29-Feb 28
* “FADE”, Ricketson, Feb. 5-March 13
* “The Wizard of Oz”, Buell, Feb. 7-13
* “Cult Following”, Jones, Feb. 12-13
* “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder”, Buell, Feb. 16-28
* “Riverdance – The 20th Anniversary World Tour”, Buell, March 8-13
* “Disney’sNewsies”, Buell, March 23-April 9
* “Sweeney Todd”, Stage, April 8-May 15
* “ONCE”, The Ellie, May 24-29
* “NETworks Presents Disney’s Beauty and the Beast”, Buell, June 7-12
* “The Sound of Music”, Buell, June 21-26
* “Beautiful –The Carole King Musical”, Buell, July 19-31

To charge by phone, call Denver Center Ticketing Services at 303-893-4100. Groups of 10 or more: 303-446-4829. Purchase in person at The Denver Center Ticket Office, located at the Helen Bonfils Theatre Complex lobby.

Please be advised that The Denver Center for the Performing Arts – www.denvercenter.org – is the only authorized online seller of tickets for the Broadway touring productions and the resident Theatre Company productions. Currently there are secondary ticket vendors selling tickets online at a rate more than double the standard price – and up. Tickets bought through these vendors may not be valid. You could not only be refused admission, but also lose your entire investment.

Today is International Beer Day (who knew?). In celebration, new Denver-based Liquor Limo (www.liquorlimo.com) is automatically entering anyone who places an order for beer (or wine or spirits) of more than $50 this week into a drawing for a $100 credit (so they can continue the celebration even when the day has passed).

Liquor Limo is the a new app for wine, liquor and beer delivery. It’s the only such app based in Colorado, with free liquor delivery across Colorado. The free app is available for download on iOS and Android.

Liquor Limo partners with local liquor stores in each market in which it is present to provide inventory and delivery services to customers. Liquor Limo also offers consumers access to the proprietary lab-based Replica Recommendation Engine to compare thousands of wines, beers and spirits, in order to discover similar tasting beverages, often at a fraction of the price.

Cheers!

Solera chef/owner Goose Sorensen and five of his closest chef “buddies” will come together at Solera Restaurant, 5410 Colfax Ave., from 6 to 10 p.m. Aug. 13 for an event to support Project Healing Waters and provide much needed rehabilitation for disabled veterans.

“Combining the two things I love most – cooking and fly fishing to help our wounded warriors is something a little surreal for me, and sharing this with my chef family will be unforgettable.” Sorensen said. “Being able to give the gift of a few restorative days on the water is both awesome and humbling.” In addition to the participation of some of Denver’s best chefs, the entire staff of Solera Restaurant will also donate their time that evening.

Chef Sorensen will be joined by:

• Chef Jamey Fader – Lola: Mexican Fish House and Jax Fish House
• Chef Alex Seidel – Fruition and Mercantile Dining and Provisions
• Chef Andrea Frizzi – Il Posto
• Chef Matt Selby – Central Bistro and Bar
• Chef Paul C. Reilly – Beast and Bottle

Together they will create amazing appetizers and tempting tapas. Guests will have the opportunity to meet some of these wounded veterans and thank them in person. They will also mix and mingle 
with the chefs, while enjoying award-winning wines and great raffle prizes. One-hundred-percent of the proceeds will go to support
Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing, dedicated to the physical and emotional rehabilitation of disabled active military service personnel and disabled veterans.

Tickets are $100 per person. For reservations, call 303-388-8429.