D and I spent the weekend in Denver with my sister, her husband, and their sweet dog Bella – it was a short trip, but we packed in a lot of fun and definitely some great eating!
On Saturday, my sister and I started the day on the patio at Aviano Coffee, where I had an excellent espresso and a canelé and we people-watched for a while.
Then it was off to Beast & Bottle for brunch. I love their menu – there are lots of savory options with protein, which strikes me as a more prudent choice before heading off for a busy day. (Of course, there’s an oatmeal buttermilk waffle or deep fried brioche French toast if you prefer something sweet in the morning!)
I was quite tempted by the wild nettle frittata and the pork shoulder tostada with charred tomatillos, but settled on the lemon ricotta tart with a sunny-side up egg and a tangle of pea shoots and fresh herbs, plus a green salad on the side. It was pretty as a picture, and tasted as good as it looked.
My sister had the chicken-cherry sausage, and we shared some toast and homemade blood orange marmalade. I definitely recommend the agua fresca, which that day was a blend of citrus – slightly sweet but also really refreshing, and perfect for a day that hit 80 degrees.
In the afternoon we visited the Botanic Garden and saw this spectacular Chihuly installation before I got too hot and we had to retreat indoors for some ice cream… Stay tuned!
Rokuyosha coffee, Kyoto
Loot, Zihuatanejo
Chatei Hatou coffee, Tokyo
El Bulli cocktails, Party at the Aviary