The lamb. The lamb was heaven on a plate. That's the only way to describe the lamb t-bone I ate at Solera in Denver (yes...you heard me...lamb T-bone). If you're in Denver...or near Denver...go there. TAKE SOMEONE YOU LOVE THERE! It IS heaven.
Solera Restaurant is an oasis on East Colfax in Denver, Co. Did you know East Colfax is the longest thoroughfare in America? Hidden between a large tree that could be a hundred years old and a Popeye's chicken on the east side of the road, it is a little earth colored venue, my cab driver easily missed because he was driving too fast. I think it might be the sign...it's a little deco for this venue.
Step inside, the genteel and grinning Phillip greets you in front of perfectly dim bar lighting highlighting a wall of premiere wines Solera is a Best of Denver Wine List winner in a plain wood rack that covers the entire wall behind him. Aaron, the US National Mixology champ behind the bar, has just returned from Helsinki where his Wango Mango Martini won him 3rd place in the Finlandia Vodka Contest. He is, of course, mixing drinks.
Chef/Owner Christian "Goose" Sorensen graciously hosted a private corporate dinner for 50 last week, an event that is largely my responsibility to plan. Not only did he not disappoint, but I'm pretty sure the entire evening is one our priviledged guests will be talking about for weeks.
During cocktails we were treated to Marco playing guitar on the patio, itself a lovely tree shaded mirage of a garden with a weathered verdigris fountain and dozens of odd ancestral remnants of Goose's family acreage in Wyoming. A 150 year old bed frame, parts of pot belly stoves, farm implements and statuary decorate this oasis. The dense and freely growing herbs and flowers in the garden make for an olfactory circus.
Goose is not in his element, he IS the element here. His sous chefs sat around with a few drinks shooting the sh*t with him and with our staff, being gracious, friendly and accomodating (i.e. still serving drinks) long after we should have left. More than one of them told me HE is the reason they love working there.
Big Up! to Shasta at Country Club Flowers in Denver. She did the most fantastic job. There wasn't a single person who didn't comment on how amazing the arrangements were. Talk about perfect.
As for our actual meal, I'll sum it up with a few comments from our guests:
"Did you have the..."
That tuna...the tuna appetizer?! That was excellent. Excellent."
"Definitely some of the best calamari I've ever had in my life"
"Superb"
"Oh my fish was perfect."
"That blue cheese it was divine...spectacular"
"The lamb, oh...heaven on a plate"
What an awesome night it was indeed. Thanks to all! Great food, great fun...an unforgettable event. Goose! Walt! I want to go mushroom hunting more than ever now!
