Uptown Sampler

This was the perfect way to visit and experience Denver’s Uptown on the Hill! For 3+ hours on on Tuesday, September 16^th, we were able to stroll the tree-​lined sidewalks and taste the yumminess of over 20 restaurants in the area as part of this annual event.
I was certainly glad we showed up hungry as there was something delicious to taste at restaurant after restaurant. For $ 25/​each, we got our money’s worth. And special shout-​out to my four favorites stops on the tour: Gumbo’s, Margs Uptown, The Denver Bicycle Café and Waffle Brothers. Each went out of their way to bring something special to this event! Can’t wait ’til next September to go again to this annual event.

What a deal! If you can recruit 4 friends to go with you, tickets are only $ 15. They even have a free shuttle bus that will take you up and down 17^th Street so you can hit as many of the 30 spots in 3 hours as possible. It’s a fun way to experience all of the awesome businesses in Uptown.
Definitely show up hungry; there is way too much food! Everything from sushi to Steuben’s food truck to restaurants that aren’t even open yet (we got a sneak peek of Waffle Brothers-​yum!). Most restaurants had a good flow and you didn’t have to wait too long for their samples. Unless you waited for dessert until the end of the night at d Bar, but their sweets are worth the wait!
While Restaurant Row is the standout, other local businesses opened up their doors for free shoulder massages, Bumble and Bumble samples, sales, and more in art galleries, hair salons, dance halls, and even tattoo parlors.
This annual event happens every September. I can’t wait to go back!

I was extremely disappointed in the Uptown Sampler this year. The majority of the restaurants had very limited variety of food compared to previous years, with Las Margaritas and Hamburger Mary’s being the exception. I think this event is dying. One of the restaurants that opt’d out this year on 17^th told me the previous years have been a complete waste with no real return on business. As a 7 year resident of the area, it’s sad to see an event with such potential suck so bad. :(
We did have a fun time. It pretty much turned into a bar crawl! The new Dessert bar on 17^th looked really nice. They are supposed to be getting the liquor license soon, so it could potentially be a cool little Sunday brunch place.

Uptown features a plethora of intriguing and much talked about restaurants that for some reason or another, I never make it to. Which is why I was thrilled to take part in the 21^st annual Uptown Sampler. Overall, the event was well executed. Unlike the Feast on the Fax, lines in each of the restaurants were minimal and many places offered quality samples — which resulted in me being uncomfortably full at the end of the evening. Here are my findings:
Jonsey’s EatBar — Yum and double yum! Talk about putting your best foot forward. My first stop left a great impression by offering some of their best appetizers from their menu. Mac & cheese, truffle fries, shredded lamb sliders and thin crust pizza. I’m not talking little dinky Dixie cup sized samples either — they had some full portions out — self serve. I was tempted to part it here and load up on sliders all night, but alas, other options were waiting.
Uptown Square — You know that big, new apartment complex? Me neither. Anyways, the apartment complex got the tenant businesses to contribute to a little mixer in the Uptown courtyard patio. Wine samples from Above the Rim, iced coffee from Fluid, cheese samples from… Safeway? According to the hostess, an employee from the complex, the cheese and crackers came from Safeway. Huh? What happened to Chedd’s Gormet Grilled Cheese? I feel shafted!
Steuben’s — Steuben’s was nice enough to reserve the entire take out section of the restaurant for Uptown Sampler. Yep. All 150 square feet. Cramped space aside, the food was good, despite their wartime-​like rationing of portions. The gazpacho had a beautiful southern spiciness to it, while their deviled eggs were simply classic.
Tavern Uptown — I drive by this place everyday… I had no idea that they have such a huge patio. It was gi-​normous. Their food was comforting — though I’m hazy on the details. There was a calzone-​like thing with Italian sausage and a Philly cheesesteak. I decline to state an opinion on the cheesesteak b/​c some Philadelphian will undoubtedly berate me with comments on how I don’t know anything about a Philly cheesesteak b/​c I am from California (I liked it!). The calzone thingy was primo — sausage gives everything a boost.
Hamburger Mary’s — Once again, I had no idea they had such a nice big patio. These places need signs that say «Hey, we’ve got a big-​ass patio here!» Bravo to HM for not being cheap on the samples. Three different types of gutbusting sliders available at a self-​serve bar. Knowing that I no longer have the powerful stomach I once took for granted when I was 18, I opted to try just one item, the bleu cheese bacon burger. Kudos on thick (but not nasty) tomato slices. Good burgers — wish they didn’t possess so many calories.
Avenue Grill — We were greeted by a somewhat snooty staff that gave us an eyeballing that said, «God! What a bunch of freeloaders.» I couldn’t eat their food it sucked. Their New England clam chowder tasted like Rocky Mountain oyster chowder. The other food only left an impression of butt. I won’t be coming back to this place.
Tastes Wine Bar — A complete 180 from the last experience. The staff was kind, charming and helpful. The atmosphere was relaxing and comfortable. This is the kind of place that I would like to hang out at — sporting a colorful room with whimsical art mounted all over the walls. The food was okay — nothing head spinning. A creative African peanut soup, an interesting chunky chili, a sweet crêpe with chocolate, olive tapenade brushetta, and a wonderfully refreshing pineapple meatball w/​curry sauce. With such a great atmosphere, we decided to chill for a bit and sample all of the beers on tap — all were great. I will come back to this place after work to have a drink and snack.
Las Margaritas — Winner of the 2008 Least Appetizing Buffet Line! I couldn’t bring bring myself to try the mystery food that awaited underneath 2 inches of melted cheese. I did try their corn cakes and chips & salsa. Those were okay.
Pasquinis — I am not a huge fan of doughy pizza. Pasquinis makes doughy pizza. I am not a fan of ice cold pizza. Pizza, when left to sit outside in the cold, gets cold. I took two bites. It tasted like pizza and I was losing steam fast.
Strings — Worst in show. They had two items: cream of broccoli soup and an ity bitty bite of something they claimed was a curried pickled scallop. Their host seemed a little hurt that I did not want to try their soup. Hey, I had a full belly and I was expecting something a little more exciting than a cream of broccoli soup. The scallop was lame — I was sure if I was eating a scallop or a booger rolled onto a toothpick. If you don’t want make any effort, don’t participate.
D Bar Desserts — They just got their liquor license and decided to celebrate by giving out wine samples to accompany their bomblicious chocolately dessert cup.