Bubu, Chef Troy Guard‘s new quick-casual concept featuring a healthy spin on build-your-own bowls, opens on July 17 in the old Tag Raw Bar space at 1423 Larimer St.
Pick your protein and enjoy a vast array of locally sourced ingredients or let our chef’s create the magic for you.
Much-lauded chef Troy Guard (TAG, TAG Raw Bar, TAG Burger Bar, Los Chingones, Sugarmill, Guard and Grace) is moving his TAG Raw Bar concept from Larimer Square to Lowry, according to a story in Westword.
In its stead, Guard plans to “re-concept” the TAG Raw Bar space on Larimer Square to a less expensive yet-to-be-named restaurant. (The rap I’ve heard against Guard’s Raw Bar is that while the food is delish, the tab is tall.)
Recognizing that diners are predominantly ordering less expensive menu items such as noodle bowls, rice bowls and salad bowls, and more often eschewing pricier items such as sushi, Guard aims to appeal to more frugal folks.
The old TAG Raw Bar will close on July 1 and reopen as its reinvented self on or around July 15. Lowry’s TAG Raw Bar is slated to open in September. Meanwhile, the prolific chef/restaurateur (emulating successful chef/restaurant owner Frank Bonanno?) is opening a second TAG Burger Bar in the former Subway Tavern space in the Sunnyside neighborhood in northwest Denver.
“I think a TAG Raw Bar will do really well in Lowry, especially since there’s nothing else like it in that neighborhood,” Guard told Westword.
Larimer Associates chief operating officer Joe Vostrejs agreed. “… that kind of concept just doesn’t exist out there, and I think it fits in really well with the collection of dining options that we have in Lowry, all of which are local concepts,” Vostrejs told Westword.
Read the rest of the story at: http://blogs.westword.com/cafesociety/2014/05/_tag_raw_bar_troy_guard_lowry.php.
Because of construction delays, Guard and Grace (1801 California), the much anticipated steakhouse from super chef Troy Guard (TAG, TAG Raw Bar, TAG Burger Bar, Los Chingones, Sugarmill) will not open on Feb. 13 as was the plan.
The restaurant’s opening has been pushed back to early March. Valentine’s Day diners who had reservations at Guard and Grace will be welcomed at TAG restaurant.
Los Chingones, 2461 Larimer St., the latest eatery from TAG founder Troy Guard (who’s on a new restaurant roll) is launching its new lunch menu this week, beginning at 11 a.m. Monday through Friday.
The $10 lunch special includes house-made chips and Rooster salsa, aqua fresco or iced tea of the day and choice of one of the following:
Additionally, diners can order an “off-menu” insider special called The Precious: A pork tamale stuffed inside a burrito that is then deep-fried and topped with green chile for $12. And you can wash it down with an “El Rey” — one of Los Chingones’ five 32-ounce cans of beer (Pacifico, Carta Blanca, Tecate, Mission Brewing or El Conquistador).
Sure chef Troy Guard just opened Los Chingones and Sugarmill, but that doesn’t mean he’s resting on his restaurant laurels.
Instead, he will open his largest concept yet in February. Guard & Grace (his daughter’s moniker) will be a 9,000-square-foot modern American steak house at 1801 California St.
The new space will offer private dining areas along with Denver’s largest patio with a fire pit, an expansive raw bar, wood burning oven and exhibition kitchen.
Meanwhile, Guard’s TAG Burger Bar at 1222 Madison St. is throwing its annual Taste of the NFL Fundraiser where a $25 donation to the Food Bank of the Rockies gets you beer, specialty cocktails and wings during the game on Sunday.
The January Burger of the Month at TAG Burger Bar is the New Year’s Resolution Burger: A veggie patty made from vegetable protein, edamame, quinoa and mushrooms on a whole wheat bun with a red beet gastrique, golden beet strings and brussel sprout leaves. Served with apple chips or French fries for $13.
Proceeds from this month’s burger go to Angel Eyes, an agency that provides free grief support services to anyone experiencing the sudden, unexpected loss of an infant or toddler.
The sales of the resolution burger, which will be featured this month at TAG Burger Bar, will help Angel Eyes, an organization that helps families dealing with the loss of a young child. (TAG Burger bar photo)
Coohills restaurant at 1400 Wewatta is hosting a Rock the Earth event from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Jan. 12, which will celebrate local food fanatics such as chef/co-owner Tom Coohill, former chef for The Grateful Dead Charlie Ayers, Root Down and Linger’s Daniel Asher, Bob Blair. chef/owner of Fuel Café, Justin Brunson of Old Major and Masterpiece Deli and Troy Guard, owner of an ever-growing restaurant empire including TAG.
This event will feature six courses of locally sourced cuisine, local brews courtesy of Great Divide Brewing Company, wines donated by Infinite Monkey Theorem and cocktails from Roundhouse Spirits.
In addition, there will be music by Denver’s own DJRusso and a silent auction of music memorabilia, art and donations from local businesses.
Tickets are $85 per person in advance; $125 at the door depending on availability. Go to http://www.rocktheearth.org/joomla/.
Don’t blame it on LeBron James, but the Denver Nuggets lost to him and his Miami Heat team on his birthday Monday.
Sugarmill, the new bakery owned by celebrated local chef Troy Guard, crafted a birthday cake for the Miami Heat superstar. It was a red velvet masterpiece, which apparently gave him and his team good luck, much to our chagrin. Oh well, we’ll be good sports and wish James a very belated happy 29th birthday!
The cake local bakery, Sugarmill, made for LeBron James’ 29th birthday on Monday. James and his Miami Heat teammates beat the Denver Nuggets Monday night at the Pepsi Center. (Sugarmill photo)
A handful of eateries and foodie retail spaces have opened recently. I told you earlier about Olive & Finch, the Mary Nguyen-owned space adjacent to her original restaurant Parallel 17 on 17th Avenue.
And right around the same time, Pikkas Peruvian Cuisine & Pisco Bar opened in the former Abrusci’s and Campo de Fiore space at 300 Fillmore St.
Pikkas, which officially opened on Dec. 2, held a press dinner this week featuring menu samples including baby octopus with haucatay sauce, ceviche clasico, pescado en salsa de cilantro, Portobello ravioli crema and alfajor with lucuma ice cream.
It’s a nice addition to the eclectic Cherry Creek North dining scene.
I’ve yet to try chef/restaurateur Troy Guard’s new ventures Los Chingones and Sugarmill at 2463 and 2461 Larimer St., but am planning a visit soon and will file a full report.
Guard, an established Denver chef with TAG, TAG Raw Bar and TAG Burger Bar joined forced with Noah French to bring us the new concepts.
Los Chingones is Guard’s take on Mexican food in the hot RiNo district serving familiar favorites like guacamole, ceviche and tacos with a TAG twist.
On the sweeter side, chef French whipped up Sugarmill, a bakery, lounge and dessert bar.
Opened earlier this week was Lower48, a contemporary American restaurant on the corner of 21st and Lawrence streets. The menu changes daily and is inspired by regional ingredients and culinary traditions. The menu features natural preserving techniques, artisan breads, heritage breeds, heirloom vegetables and house-made pastas.
Entering the food retail arena is Western Daughters Butcher Shoppe at 3326 Tejon St. in the trendy LoHi neighborhood.
The 720-square-foot butcher shop carries an array of boutique grocery items such as small-batch condiments, sauces, cheeses and marinades, as well as dry goods to accompany Western Daughters’ High Plains meat. Beef, pork and lamb in addition to seasonal game meats are available in a variety of cuts along with semi-prepared foods and items such as stock, marrow butter and deli meats.
Fiancée team Kate Kavanaugh and Josh Curtiss began the Colorado brand after training in New York under two seasoned butchers in conjunction with Fleisher’s Grass-fed and Organic Meats. The duo’s promise is that each animal, farm and community is treated ethically from ranch to table.
Every cut is antibiotic and hormone free and raised on open range. The entire animal is utilized for its various components. This is reflected in the butcher shop’s dozens of specialty cuts and products from animals raised for Western Daughters, and all sourced and harvested from within 250 miles of the shop.
“We see animals from the inside out, and it’s with that perspective that we’re able to verify the health of the animals and help support sustainable ranching and land management practices,” co-owner Kavanaugh said.
Curtiss added, “We’ve moved away from truly knowing where our food came from; we want to be a window from Denver into those ranches, from the life of the animal to the lives of those that raise the animals.”
Seasonal events, lectures, classes, farms visits, butcher demonstrations and community dinners will all be added to the Western Daughters agenda next year. The butcher shop also will be expanding their line of semi-prepared foods and sandwiches.
More information at www.westerndaughters.com.
It was a heck of a week last week with two amazing events that I was lucky enough to attend.
First up was the Moonbeam Harvest at Clayton Early Learning Center where some of Denver’s best chefs put on their culinary best to support a deserving charity. Big shout out goes to chef Troy Guard for organizing the tasty event.
They also had the environment in mind by using recyclable plastic cutlery, which was vegetable based and by having Green Up Denver providing bins throughout the event.
Worth noting was the insane line for Scott Parker‘s (no relation and not the former Colorado Avalanche player) “waffle eggplant with chive butter and sweet chili syrup.” Really? I mean with a flag sign that says “eggplant” I would normally ignore, but it was TDF (to die for).
Also on the fun meter…
The Carousel Ball to benefit The Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes on Saturday.
It was a “ball” to forgive the pun. Sherri Shepherd, who clearly doesn’t take herself too seriously, was asked, “How are you going to live without Barbara (Walters),” who, BTW is not going away any time soon from “The View,” Shepherd said, ” Oh my gosh, I don’t even want to think about it! ”
There’s a new ride in town
A new car service has arrived in Denver.
Lyft promises a friendly driver is just minutes away. All you have to do is download their app, tap a button and a car will on the way within minutes. Lyft launched in June 2012 and more than 1 one million rides have been shared across the country.
Lyft operates in 13 cities: San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, Phoenix, Chicago, St. Paul, Minn., Indianapolis, Atlanta, Charlotte, Boston, Denver, Washington, D.C. and San Diego.
Technically, Lyft is a free service. Drivers use their own car, with pink mustaches on their front grill, and riders give donations to drivers and Lyft takes a cut.
Lyft promises safety measures that go beyond what any taxi, limo or casual carpool has done before, including an extensive screening process, DMV and background checks and first-of-its-kind $1 million per occurrence excess liability insurance. Lyft’s Denver service started Friday.
Download the app at www.lyft.me.
Craft beer dinner
1515 Restaurant at 1515 Market St. is featuring a special dinner paired with craft beers beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
The menu for $45 per person includes:
A selection of exceptional beers brewed by the Goose Island Brewing Company of Chicago and Leffe and Hoegaarden from Belgium.
Amuse bouche: Steamed mussel, bacon lardon, crispy beer batter
First course: Stella popcorn beloute, pork belly, sour cream pillow, chives;
Second course: Hoegaarde n braised bison, sweet potato pudding, rainbow chard, grilled peach;
Dessert: Peach pie, Leffe Brown “liquid nitrogen” ice cream, caramel lavender foam.
For more information, email events@1515restaurant.com, call 303-571-0011 or visit www.1515restaurant.com.
Mary Nguyen’s new venture
The lovely and talented Mary Nguyen (above), who originally opened Parallel 17 at 1600 17th Ave. is concocting a new venture called Olive & Finch at 1552 E. 17th Ave. She also owns Street Kitchen Asian Bistro at the Villagio in Englewood.
The latest concept from chef/owner Nguyen is an eatery, which includes a bakery and market. Specialties include scratch-made pastries, artisan sandwiches and soups, salads, fresh pressed juices, and a coffee bar with monthly rotating beans, all with a focus on healthy options for those with allergies.
Nguyen’s pastry chef is Leslie Melland, graduate of the Culinary School at Le Cordon.
Olive & Finch also will have handcrafted items for the table (linens, dish ware), fine prepared foods for takeaway, and will be providing curbside delivery, catering, boxed breakfast and lunches in addition to holiday menu planning/preparation. The space is 1,500 square feet (55 seats), and was designed by Zar Designs, with interior design by Nguyen.
Eavesdropping on Sherri Shepherd at The Carousel Ball talking about her new co-host Jenny McCarthy: “She is fearless. She is great to work with, actually.”
Did you hear that I have a new column, “Mile High Life,” in Colorado Community Media’s 17 weekly newspapers circling Denver? Be sure to like my Facebook page! Also, here’s where you go to get my column emailed to you Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. My email: penny@blacktie-llc.com. Want to advertise your business here? Contact Trisha at trilind@hotmail.com.
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