I want to like Central Bistro but I just cannot rave bout it. The staff were great and the service was good but the place is almost too noisy to enjoy a table conversation with friends. The food was also underwhelming...pricy for small portions and few vegetarian options. In addition, when we inquired about removing the meat from one of the offerings (flatbread) we were told this was not an option. Oh and don't bother with the desserts...the smoked chocolate pot a creme was absolutely one of the most disgusting dishes I have ever eaten...sort of a fudgey mess flavoured with Liquid Smoke. Gross.
Review Source:I have been to Central Bistro a few times now and each time I go I think about how much I like it as a neighborhood restaurant and how I wish it was in my neighborhood.
(Side note: Hey Central Bistro, if you're thinking of relocating Park Hill is pretty nice and doesn't have a lot of restaurant competition. Just sayin'.)
I've been here with big groups and just with Sir Nicholas for a lovely date night. I've sat at the bar, in the back, and even on the patio overlooking downtown Denver. Our service has always been exceptional, the food has always been good, but without a doubt my favorite part of coming to Central is the cocktails. They have seasonal specialties and long standing favorites. I've never had a bad drink there. The bartenders, or at the very least the person making the cocktail menu, really knows what's up when it comes to mixing flavors and making a damn good drink. I've had bourbon, gin, and even wine based drinks. I've loved them all. In fact, it's often the place I think of going when I'm in the Highlands and am in need of dinner or drinks.
Also, if they are selling ribs or corn on the menu you'd be a fool to not order them.
Just sayin'.
I've been here several times for dinner and for drinks/appetizers. I love the HOT sign, I think it gives the place a cool background to talk about. And the view, well, it's fantastic. It makes me so happy to be a Denver citizen!
Appetizers have always been good, very traditional starters, sometimes with a bit of a twist, but always done really well. Crab Mac and cheese is amazing goodness.
Entrees have been well portioned and well executed. Most recent entree was the Halibut, and it was golden seared on the outside, and moist and tender on the inside.
Desserts are simple and fantastic. Sorbets made in house, with real ingredients, and recently on the menu was the S'more. Oh, it was divine.
Drinks range from simple glass of wine (love the Hitching Post) and some cool new mixes, but my fave is the Manhatten, on the rock(s). One giant ice cube, and some seriously perfect whiskey.
Service - 5 stars. Shout out to Lenny who is always on top of things and makes you feel well taken care of. The entire team works together, and I've never been left needing or wanting anything during the entire meal.
I've seen lots of parties and events there and I know they do whiskey events too, but I haven't been in for one yet.
We went to Central for two reasons: we could not get reservations at two of our usual hang outs, and a close friend said it was really good.
If by really good, you mean overpriced, noisy, slow, and greasy, then you're set. Give it 5 stars.
To be fair, we did go on a Saturday night during a bronco game, so we'll cut them some slack on the slow part. However, it's a Saturday night during a Bronco game and your establishment is in the Highlands, you should be ready for it.
Noisy: Egads, you can't have any kind of conversation in this place. Especially if you are seated near the kitchen as we were. Maybe if you were outside you could talk, which we couldn't be due to rain. I-25 road noise would be a blessing compared to the echos in this place.
Overpriced/Greasy: Ok, this is not the most expensive place out there, but for the quality of food it is severely overpriced. The small plates are pretty small, however, not as small as the waiter made them out to be. This was irritating because since we were hungry, I took his word for it and chose form the entree menu instead of getting two small plates. When I saw the size of the plate that another person in our group got, it would have defininitely sufficed for me, yet I was stuck with what I ordered, which was the burger. Most of the stuff on the menu is pork, so if you have a pork allergy like I do, you have very few options. The burger was cooked ok, but was very greasy, and I requested cheddar cheese instead of blue but I still ended up with blue, which I don't like. It took so long to get the food and I was starving, so I ate it anyway. I had the bacon on the side, but it was overcooked to almost a char, and my boyfriend was unimpressed (I fed it to him). The fries were very slimy and some were super crisped from either too long in the frier or too hot, either way, inedible. My BF got the tri tip, again based on what the waiter recommended, and it was TERRIBLE. Davies Chuck Wagon Diner makes a better steak for $5! When the BF didn't eat his steak, I knew something was up, so  I tried it and it was hard as shoe leather, even though it was medium rare. The black beans (which I am normally a fan of) were so steeped in cumin that they were inedible. The salad was nice, but there wasn't enough of it to make up for the lack of other items on the plate. The BF also ordered a corn dish on the side, which never came out, but we weren't charged either. The other people in our party seemed to like the food they got, however it was all pork so I couldn't taste it to tell you if it was any good. The ribs looked dry to me as our guest ate them, but I can't say for sure. The small plate salmon another guest of ours got looked good, but I didn't get a taste of that either.
Dessert took a ridiculous amount of time, and the portions yet again were pathetic for the price. The BF and I dine out regularly, and we are ok with small portions that may be "pricey" (All hail the mighty OTOTO!!) if they are WORTH THE PRICE. I would definitely say not worth it at Central.
Overall, the atmosphere was trendy and trying too hard, just because you are in the Highlands doesn't mean you are the quality of Z Cuisine (who is AMAZING). We wanted to go there (Z Cuisine), and SHOULD have, but instead ended up with mediocre food, ambiance, and service at Central.
Avoid the HYPE!!!!!! SKIP CENTRAL!!
Overall, we had a very nice time for dinner at Central Bistro & Bar last night. Â I was there with a friend celebrating her birthday.
We ordered two appetizers, two main dishes, one alcoholic beverage, and one "mocktail." Â The total price for this was around $100 for two with tip. Â In my estimation, a little on the high side, but I think I can justify this given the service and food.
First off, the service, from my perspective, was JUST RIGHT! Â Our server was Molly and she was there exactly when we wanted her to be but not bugging us too much. Â Very intuitive service with a strong knowledge of all the ingredients and preparations. Â The restaurant is a bit of a "foodie" place and we had a fair number of questions. Â We also sat out on the patio and really enjoyed the atmosphere of being able to see a bit of the downtown skyline and see the foot traffic, but it didn't seem overwhelming.
Our food was generally quite good. Â We tried their roasted squash appetizer and octopus terrine - both off of the special menu. Â We both liked the squash and I liked the octopus, but my friend wasn't a big fan.
My and I also shared two entrees -- the Box Car Burger and the Wild Alaskan Halibut. Â Both were really well prepared and the flavors were very balanced and complex.
Really liked the place and would go back. Â Didn't give it five stars only based on value for dollar spent.
Incredible brunch. I had the house cured bacon eggs benedict and they're the best I've had...better than Snooze's chilaquiles benedict.  Hashbrowns were fantastic, likely house-shredded, very thin and crispy. Coffee was great. Other guests in my party throughly enjoyed their meals as well  (chilaquiles and ham hock hash).
Review Source:Had a very good anniversary dinner here the other night. We decided to try multiple "small plates" instead of main dishes. We started off with drinks, i had the Tejon which was very good, pretty much a complex margarita. My wife had the Gamechanger which she felt was very potent and compared to the Tejon, wasn't much volume.
For small plates we started with house chips and onion dip which was pretty good. Next we had the one of the daily dishes, stuffed squash and heirloom tomatoes. This was one of our faves, the squash was friggen' good. It was a small portion, and splitting it made it even smaller. Next we had Crab Mac 'n Cheese. The Mac N Cheese was a pretty hearty portion for a small plate and it was as expected, very good. The side salad it came with was also very good. Next we went with the pork cheeks. This was a pretty small dish but the cheeks were tasty, the cornbread was fine. the dijon mustard was intense and we pretty much avoided it. the bitter cherries were a nice compliment.
After all this, plus the complimentary bread, we decided to split the Box Car burger. Â We ordered it well done and it came with no pink, which is how we like our burgers. We got it with white cheddar as opposed to blue cheese, but there still seemed to be a strong blue cheese flavor. Â This was a large portion, especially with the generous helping of fries. The burger was very good, the bun was excellent and the bacon was thick and tasty.
The service was very good, we were there at 7p and the dining room was almost empty (thursday night). Our water was always filled and our food came out 1-2 plates at a time so we weren't overwhelmed despite ordering multiple plates. Parked along the street (2-hour parking).
I enjoyed brunch here today. Â The service and food were delicious. Â The highlights included the chicken and waffles, along with the steak omelet. Â I substituted the gravy for the Hollandaise, and it was a winner. Â The Green Envy drink, made with Cap Rock gin, was superb. Â Molly was an excellent server, leaving us alone and being there when we needed her. Â She made great recommendations and accommodated requests. Â Cannot wait to return!
Review Source:Absolutely delicious cold cream of fennel soup! Loved the beet salad as well - generous chunks of aged cheese in particular. My friend had the crab mac and cheese which she enjoyed thoroughly. This hidden gem is sparsely visited during lunch hours, but shouldn't be overlooked. Down the street from Masterpiece Deli and such, it's a healthy and delicious alternative. I am sure it's more crowded for dinner, but I can't wait to go back and try more of the menu. Truly delicious food - love the decor/atmosphere - two thumbs up in my book!
Review Source:I really want to like this place. The location is nearly irresistible, so I've been three times. Each time the service has just been bad. Â Seems like they have more than enough staff, but no one seems to be paying attention beyond their section or primary job. Â It's taken 20 minutes or more to get water or to have a simple dessert order delivered. Â if anyone is missing from the table, they're out of luck. Even after asking, good thing we like sharing.
I suggest visiting the place at off peak times. Clearly, they can't handle busy-ness. Â From now on, I'll walk on by (or just enjoy the view from the sidewalk).
I'm actually hovering between 2 and 3 stars on this one, but just the fact that I *want* to like it bumps it up a little.
It seems like for every pro there was a con at this place. The location is awesome, but parking sucks. Not the restaurant's fault, so moving on...
The food is good, but the service is spotty. Our waiter took better care of one end of our table than the other, but we had a large group and overall they were pretty accommodating. The food that was good was really good and the food that wasn't very good was, well, just not good.
It's a whisky bar, so that's awesome. Lots of varieties - you can get a really great Manhattan and Sazerac. The bartender made them well and quickly. Truly, it was great to watch. But the same bartender, after asking me twice if that was a lemon or a lime twist in my drink, still managed to give me the wrong one (it was a lime.)
Food was mostly good - I'd highly recommend the Confit Chicken Wing and Pork Cheeks. They also had a veggie/cheese tart that night that was really, really tasty. For an entree I got two small plates - the beet salad and crab mac 'n cheese. I so wanted to be, but I wasn't blown away by either. The salad was more greens than beets and underdressed. Almost a little bitter. The crab mac n' cheese wasn't as cheesy as I'd hoped and there was strong lemon-ish taste to it. It was sharp. Not smooth and melty like I wanted. A few people at the table had the ribs and RAVED about them. Another had the pork special and was really happy as well. There are good dishes to be found.
For dessert everyone ordered a little something to share. I stuck with the Nutella waffle. My hopes were dashed when I realized there wasn't much Nutella and the center of the waffle was a little undercooked and doughy.
Stellar Irish coffee here though. And while others may find it annoying and distracting, I liked the HOT sign :)
I'll go back.
I was teetering between 3 and 4 stars but the food is really delicioius, so I will keep it at 4.
First of all, we sat at the beautiful bar which opens up to Central Street for the tail end of happy hour. We each ordered 2 delicious drinks (see pictures!) and they were well-crafted and a steal at $5 on hh. I had the HAPPY GILMORE and THE TEJON. Both were fabulous! My husband had an OLD FASHIONED and a MOSCOW MULE. He said the Old Fashioned was the best he'd ever had.
For starters, I had the PORK CHEEKS. Yum! I'd definitely order this again. It all worked really well together. Hubs had the CRAB MAC & CHEESE and really liked it too. He said the cheese was a little globby, but otherwise yummerly.
We also had the soup of the day which was a SUNCHOKE VICHYSIOSSE. omg. This might have been my favorite thing of the night! It was amazing. I've read various reviews about their soup offerings and they are always a hit. It must be something they do well so take my advice and just get the soup when you're there! No matter what.
For our entrees, I had the HALIBUT which had a perfect crispy texture and the bacon viniagrette dressed greens and mushrooms on the side were to die for! It was my favorite part of the dish. Hubs had the PORK DUO which was also very good. It had pork tenderloin and jagerwurst that were cooked very well and had great flavor.
So where are my hang ups? The service was not great. Absent at times and not very knowledgable. I have to go gluten free and when asking about my options, I was misled a couple times and I had them double check with the kitchen. AND it was my birthday and there were no gluten free desserts except ice cream. So that was pretty disappointing. Ah well. I went home and had chocolate.
Would I return? Maybe. But I think I would call ahead and quiz them about my gluten free options...I'd definitely go for hh and get some of those delicious cocktails again!
This place is such a gem. I'm so glad that we decided to come here for dinner. I liked the decor, it was very trendy but low key. We had reservations but decided to sit at the bar so we could watch the basketball game. (Bad choice, my team lost). The hostess and manager were both very nice and accommodating. We were served by the bartender who was great. I'm very indecisive so he suggested his favorites and explained why he liked them, which was extremely helpful. I really appreciate it when servers have good recs. Quick summary of the food in case you don't want to read the detailed description: The food was cooked to absolute perfection. All the dishes, except for the salmon, were DELICIOUS. Yes, caps was necessary. I'm in love with this place.
For apps, we ordered the Crab mac and cheese and the pork cheek. For dinner, we ordered the pan seared salmon and roasted Berkshire pork loin. And for dessert, we ordered the creme brulee and devil's food cake.
Crab mac and Cheese: I could live off the crab mac and cheese. It was very creamy and buttery and you could really taste the crab. The crunchy bread crumb top made it even better. I was pleasantly surprised by the large and plentiful chunks of crab. Usually in dishes like this, people skimp out on the crab, but not here. The dish also came with a side of arugula salad with a tangy vinaigrette and pickled garnish. The tangy, peppery salad offered a nice contrast to the creamy mac and cheese.
Pork Cheek: The pork cheek was tender, falling apart with the touch of a fork. The dish had an asian feel to it. The pork reminded me of the Filipino dish, pork adobo. It had an acidic flavor most likely from vinegar. Â The sauces it came with were a spicy mustard and some sort of cherry sauce with whole cherries. The spicy mustard was very similar to the hot mustard you get at Chinese restaurants. The cherry sauce was a little tart for me, but mixed with thee mustard, it was really good. The dish also came with corn bread which was moist, but had a crunchy crust. I couldn't stop eating it.
Pan Seared Salmon: This is the only reason I didn't give them 5 stars. The salmon wasn't anything special. The sauces were a little bland and didn't add much to the salmon. However, it was cooked to absolute perfection. I didn't try too much of it because my boyfriend ordered it and I wasn't very interested in trying more than a few bites.
Pork Loin: The pork loin was amazing. It was ridiculously juicy and tender. This would definitely be my recommendation for an entree. The grits were cheesy and reminded me of eating mac and cheese. The ham and pea ragu was okay... I'm not the biggest fan of peas so that's probably why I wasn't too excited about it.
Creme Brulee: Holy deliciousness. This is how you do creme brulee. I consider myself a creme brulee snob and I couldn't find one thing to complain about this one. Nice, hard crust on the top and once you break through... HEAVEN. Vanilla creme brulees have to be my favorite, especially when you can see the vanilla beans so you know they used the good stuff. I'd come back just for this.
Devil's Food Cake: I'm not a huge chocolate cake fan but this cake may have converted me. The cake was moist and not too sweet. They use dark chocolate which is a definite plus for me. I didn't eat too much of it because I was absolutely obsessed with the creme brulee. But I was blown away by chocolate mouse that came with it. My boyfriend devoured the whole thing and said he loved it.
Great spot for drinks or some nibbles before going out on the town! I recently visited my cousins in Denver, and I really liked this place. Great rustic yet modern space, with a lovely view of the city!
We sampled a few of the small plates: pork cheek, grilled octopus, and the crab mac & cheese. My favorite was the octopus. I loved the mix of chewy octopus, flavorful chorizo, and buttery white beans. So good! If you're eating, they'll give you a few pieces of bread (which is really nice if you're sampling a few different wines as we were). Solid wine list too.
Also, our server, Tony, was an absolute gem. Awesome guy, plus he recommended some fabulous wine choices.
{ overall : 4.5 stars }
{ space : 5 starts }
simple, modern, clean lines. warm colors
{ staff: 4.5 stars }
hostess : 5 stars, very friendly
bartender : 5 stars, friendly, helpful, patient, just the right amount of attentiveness
chef : 4 stars, could've been a little more accommodating for special requests - isn't the customer always right? and don't give me the "this is not burger king" response!
{ food : 4.5 stars }
GRILLED BAVETTE STEAK : was perfectly cooked with for rare +, usually restaurants overcook steaks which i hate!
POTATO AU GRATIN : cut in extremely thin slices, using a meat slicer. Â one layer piled on the other (and i think thin layers of mushroom in between?) Â top layers were perfectly crunchy
MUSHROOMS TWO WAYS : i believe both ways used hen of the woods mushrooms. first way was cooked in the melted leek demi, a little bland for my taste. second way was vinegar-ed in something, not sure what, but it was soooo yummy. Â wished there was more of that!
MELTED LEEKS DEMI : again a little bland for my taste
CRUNCHY GOODNESS : not sure what it was, looked like fried scallions on top of the potato au gratin/mushroom tower. Â this was very good as well
** if everything had a pinch more salt, i would've given it 5 stars **
yes, the food rating/description above is all for ONE dish!
{ Â bottom line, i'd recommend this place and would definitely come back! Â }
This place is still bomb. Â Not that I went here before it wasn't bomb. Â In fact, this was my first visit there, but I had a tad bit of trepidation knowing the head chef that built up the restaurant's reputation wasn't there any longer. Â
So, we had a large gathering for Lady Claudia's birthday dinner and started off sharing deep fried cheese curds, (duh, it's ME!) crab mac and cheese, (hello, it's ME!) and pork belly. (yup, still me) Â The cheese curds were very good - not my favs in town, but they easily grabbed second place. Â If I had any complaints it was that they were a tiny bit too salty for my discerning cheese curd palate. Â I grew up on these damn fried things, but these were hellagood. Â Crab mac and cheese was a conflicting dish for me because um...just had mac and cheese at Highland Tap which was awesome. Â Central's mac and cheese is awesomer. Â I might even go so far as saying it's awesomest. Â The crab was so damn fresh, the cheese had just the right tang and the bechemal was not too soupy. Â Pork belly is typically one of my favorites, but I wasn't a huge fan of this app. Â The sauce added very little from a flavor perspective, although it did add a little moisture. Â Overall I'd skip this dish in the future. (but I'll probably give it one more try) Â The salads that accompanied the apps was incredible. Â These cats know how to make vinaigrettes with just the right amount of acidity and flavor to dress up the greens and veggies. Â I could have just eaten the salads, they were that good.
I had the Pork Loin for an entree which also was delicious, like crazy delicious. Â It was cooked to perfection as was the seasoning, and the grits were some of the best I've had. Â The sauce was delicious, comprised of ham and peas. Â This is just a well thought out entree that was executed dare I say perfectly.
For dessert, I chose the Apple Crumble primarily because I wanted the lemon ice cream. Â It was merely decent, although the ice cream was great. Â Others at the table had the Nutella Waffle and raved about it while still others had the Mud Pie and raved even longer and harder about it.
Service was great - really freakin good, especially considering we had a monster table and I just don't get people bitching about the "HOT" sign above the kitchen. Â I was facing it and rarely noticed it unless I directly looked at it. Â You know how you spend the entire evening at dinner looking at the stuff above the kitchen at the restaurant you go to? (Exactly...)
First and foremost, you must try their cream of asparagus soup! On a particularly lovely 5280 Week evening, I dined with some wonderful company only to be matched with wonderful service and food. We were seated at one of their high tables by the bar and perfect access to bar and view of the restaurant. If you are a martini sipper, I highly suggest! They strong but controlled and served in not-so-typical martini glass.
The first positive sign was how packed the adorable, Highlands restaurant was. Despite the busy night, the service was still attentive and polite. Of the 5280 options, I went with the cream of asparagus soup, the paperdelle, and the apple crumble. It was one delicious dish after another. The mouth-watering cream of asparagus set the perfect for the meal. I only wish the portion was larger.
Next up, the paperdelle was rich, savory, and just the right amount of food. At first glance, the dish seemed small, but the pasta strips fill your stomach fast. This dish is dense and oh so buttery. I couldn't imagine a better dish to follow than the apple crumble. Flaky, candied granola crisps adorning some baked apples: insanely good and also not big enough for my ravenous appetite. I will be back to satisfy my caveman hunger soon.
Easter brunch was an excellent way to sample Central offerings.
The staff offered so many interesting and fresh choices from fruits, prime rib cuts, and made to order omlettes.
There were so many sides, desserts, and breakfast items to choose from all nicely presented and tempting.
The whole family enjoyed the experience completely and had a wonderful view of downtown. The patio would even have been a great option on this beautiful day.
Who knew a huge bright red sign in your face wasn't fun? I have been into Central Bistro three times now, for brunch and dinner. Three is my minimum for deciding to never return. I like to think that is generous. Â
First, that HOT sign is not cool. I don't care what the story is, it looks like a diner sign in what is clearly priced as fine dining. Â I remember the first time I saw it and looking over at my friends with a "what the hell is that?" look on my face. Â Then periodically through that unmemorable meal, seeing it in the corner of my eye and again wondering who thought that was a good idea. All I remember about that meal was the sign, the fact that I left still hungry and less $30 for brunch. I should have known there was a reason we were seated immediately in LoHi during weekend brunch.
The 2nd meal was dinner and a bit more memorable because I thought that sign was crazy in the daylight. Whoa, I'm pretty sure it can be seen from Coors Field at night. After they couldn't find our reservation we were seated in a nearly empty dining room. We ordered the evening charcuterie appetizer of fioe gras. There were 4 of us and I laughed when what was brought to the table was a single half-dollar sized puck and a couple of toast points for $25. Hardly a snack for 2 and I think our server should have advised us better on that. I also was not a fan of the sweet drizzle on that plate.
This was about the time that my friend had to send his cocktail back due to poor execution of the classic beverage. Then the fun started at the table next to us who were facing the HOT sign and discussing how annoying it was. I was amused and kept one ear on that conversation but sadly, it didn't last long. The patrons first switched sides of the table so it wasn't in the ladies faces but then the men got aggravated with the bright red sign and asked to be moved across the room. I chucked a little.
I did not get the bread lady situation. They have a lady walking the room with fresh breads/rolls and you have to flag her down and shame yourself by asking for the carbs to be deposited on your plate (no thank you). Seriously, I'm at a table with 2 men. If you leave bread on it, there is a zero percent chance of it not being eaten. So then I ordered the steak, The Dr. chose a pork chop at the server's suggestion. Neither were cooked to their fullest potential or how we ordered them. We skipped dessert and went to Prost.
My last visit was again for brunch. Maybe I'm crazy but brunch is breakfast/lunch right? Meaning, you slept in and haven't had breakfast yet (the most important meal of the day!). Oddly enough, my friend ordered what I had on my prior visit and the portion was even smaller. I tried the chicken and waffles this time. The portion seems ok but the dish lacked the depth of flavors I was expecting. So even after having eaten it, I felt hungry since the food was so flavorless. I'm weird that way.
Currently 0 for 3
I've been seeing friends check in here for some time now, and was fortunate to be treated to a meal here during restaurant week.
The space is very modern. Our table by the bar was a tad uncomfortable, but I was just happy to be there during restaurant week and with good company. Despite that, it was easy to converse and even though it was busy, we were able to talk easily. I liked the highlighted bottles of spirits around the top of the bar area - very cool and artistic touch to showcase their adult beverages.
Service was very warm and attentive, and did a great job dealing with my indecisiveness on pretty much everything that night.
The food was all excellent. I started with olive oil toasted ciabatta with house goat cheese, spring onion, and pickled pepper relish. The goat cheese was strong and delicious, while the pepper relish added some very deeply flavored spice - both paired excellent together. That said, I wish I had the asparagus soup - it looked so creamy delicious.
For the main dish I had roasted berkshire pork loin with herbed grits, ham & pea ragu, and mustard jus. I couldn't get enough of all those additions. The grits were perfectly, well, gritty with the perfect herb combo. The pork was cooked to a perfect barely noticeable pink and very flavorful, with the fat along the edges like caramelized sugar candy.
And lastly for dessert, the chocolate pot de creme was certainly tasty, with the crunchy hazelnut tuille being the highlight, but I wish I had the apple crumble - that looked like something my mom would have made.
Overall a great experience that will have me back if I have the chance. I really need to come back and try the duck and/or scallops sometime. A good place to treat someone or go on a date.
For one of my birthday dinners out a friend of mine gave me a night of surprises, surprise drink location and then a surprise dinner location. Â I was pleasantly surprised when I found that the dinner location was Central Bistro & Bar.
Central is definitely upscale and very modern. Crisp white furniture, and big neon letters over the kitchen spelling "HOT". Â Ask them the story of how that came to be and I think you'll crack a smile.
First and foremost I want to mention Lennie, our wonderful server. Â Such a wonderful personality that shines through with every conversation or comment. Â Found it amazing that we were both from the same area of PA, go figure, now that's a small world. Â She was a highlight of the evening.
Enjoying some great conversation created a long evening since it took us a sold 30-45 minutes to decide on our items from the menu. Â We decided on a great bottle of red wine for the evening that was strong in body and taste. Â Our appetizer choices were the Goat Cheese and Kale Dumplings and the Seared Scallops with ham hock. Â The appetizers were by far the best dishes of the evening. Â The Goat Cheese and Kale Dumplings were little purses that exploded with bursts of flavor. Â Anything with Goat Cheese is a favorite of mine, I'm willing to admit it. Â The Scallops may have been the best seared scallops I've ever had. Â Two hard seared Scallops with the perfect doneness on the inside, not an easy thing to do. Â And who thought ham hock would go with Scallops, I never thought I'd say this but they compliment each other so well. Â Talk about creative genius. Â
Time for the entrees and we picked the Duck and the Bass. Â I enjoyed the Duck a bit more than my companion. Â Well cooked, medium rare as duck should be with Confit Duck thigh, and a root Vegetable Hash. Â A solid dish but not as exceptional as the appetizers. Â The Striped Bass was served with a herb pesto, and a bacon and leek ragu. Â The tarragon in the herb pesto was a bit aggressive for both or tastes, good, but tarragon is not one of those herbs that you need to be aggressive with, I would have enjoyed the dish better with a bit less tarragon.
Dessert was a heavenly way to end the evening with the Chocolate PB Bar. Â Devil's Food Cake with a Peanut butter mousse and marshmallow fluff. Â Every bite was decadent, moist, and filled with peanut butter goodness. Â I never want to be without the classic combination of peanut butter and chocolate, life would never be the same. Â
Closing restaurants is becoming a trend for me and this was no exception. Â We never felt rushed by anyone and we were allowed to leisurely enjoy the evening. Â Lennie even packaged the bottle for me to take home since I enjoyed the picture and the quote on the bottle.
My review is based on happy hour and drinks only and will revisit after trying their food. The place is nicely set up with separate dinning and bar areas and the staff is friendly although pretty new to the bar. For happy hour that is a $1 off wines and $3 deal on drafts with Titan, Avery, and Prost available
They have a nice selection of cocktails at $8 a piece but I stuck with beer.
It is not too crowded as people are still becoming aware of its existance although it opened 6 months ago, so currently a good place for a relaxed drink.
a very good friends parents were in town visiting, and I thought this to be the perfect opportunity to try this place, booked a reservation for 4 on a Friday evening at <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.opentable.com&s=398d735bf96cffe64a6a11b3d7f0c486215cac974c6f01ddf01041ea38c97fa1" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.opentable.com</a>
I loved the sign outside, super inviting and the interior is just as delightful, the staff provides impeccable service, and THE FOOD, oh what a pure and decadent treat it is to dine here!
I immediately wanted to try everything, our wonderful server(Kathryn?) advised us of the "special" of the night, a nice little appetizer of a large crustini topped with artichoke hearts, a delicious tapenade, and a good drizzle of top notch oil-these were great, and at only 3 bucks a pop we ordered 2 which fed our party of 4 just right.
now onto the menu ordering, this is what our table had:
House Bacon & Squash Risotto-best risotto i have ever had, uber creamy and comforting
Goat Cheese Dumplings-oh these little gems burst with flavor, a must try for chevre lovers
Cream of Parsnip Soup-this was artwork, before and after it hit my mouth
Duck Breast-so nice and tender, and the squash puree complimented it very well
Flatiron Steak-perfectly cooked, great sauce, nice brussels and fingerling potatoes
Baby Greens & Tender Herb Salad-a nice clean salad with a delicious dressing
Vegetarian Entree-Awesome ravioli filled with walnuts, ricotta?, and some savory wonder
I highly recommend visiting this place, the view was wonderful and will never be obstructed due to the location. they have a coat check option, wonderful cocktails and wine, and just a 5 star experience all around.
*i have a strange phobia of dropping those really large wine glasses, so when i asked for a straw from our server she brought back 3 different sizes and did not judge one bit!
i know i convey this a bit too much when reviewing places in this area, but this place makes me REALLY regret moving out of this neighborhood! oh, but i shall return-soon!
I finally tried Central Bistro and Bar last night. Â It was insanely, miserably loud when I got there, and I'm no old fuddy-duddy or hard of hearing. Â I was at that point thinking I'd never go back, but as soon as the food started coming, I didn't care how loud it was. Â The bread service was exceptional, the crab mac 'n cheese was amazing, we all loved our entrees, and the birthday girl swooned over her dessert waffle with Nutella, butterscotch sauce, sauteed bananas and pretzel ice cream. Â Service was perfect (thanks Katherine).
I've already made a reservation to go back!
Central is dishing up some very exciting, locally sourced American cuisine, with thoughtful and intelligent service, all in a sleek and sexy modern space at the edge of thriving LoHi. I already want to return to sample more of the food at this stylish, urbane, and exciting restaurant.
All meals must be accompanied by great conversation and good wine, thus as we absentmindedly scanned the dinner menu, we were far more into discussing the vicissitudes of dating and relationships as well as being fully engrossed in a robust red, Four Vines "Monarchy" ($69), a blend of Petit Verdot, Malbec and Tempranillo. This wine has balls - it is full bodied and assertive at first, and then as it opens up, it becomes smooth and elegant with just the right amount of tickle on the palate. Tremendous! We also loved the label, an etched Moliere with the following quote "I prefer an interesting vice to an annoying virtue." Â You got that right.
What were also spot-on were the goat cheese dumplings ($12). Â Four dumplings are stuffed with kale and goat cheese and are drizzled with just the right amount of the classic combination of sage and brown butter, and then topped with crushed walnuts and even more goat cheese. What makes this dish thrilling and unique is the vivid lemon flavor which acts as the perfect foil to this rich starter. Wonderful.
Next up, sea scallops ($13). These two, big, fat, juicy beauties arrived PERFCTLY cooked with plenty of that wonderful char on the outside and were not at all overdone. Â The scallops were served atop a 'hash' of cauliflower, ham hock, and celery root with an interesting and not too sweet cranberry puree to the side. Â Each bite had distinct textures and flavors which I wanted to savor, yet this combination was so mind-blowing that I shoveled instead. These may have been the best scallops I have ever had. I'm not sharing next time.
This meal was already noteworthy and was on track to becoming one of the best dining experiences that I've had in a while. Â And then the entrees arrived. We selected the Striped Bass ($24) and the Duck Breast ($23).
The fresh Colorado Bass was flawlessly cooked with perfectly crispy skin and moist flesh. It was served atop a ragout of cannellini beans, leeks, bacon, and a bright herbed pistou. This classic Provençal combination has been reinvented here by using tarragon instead of basil.  You either love or hate that herb, and I'm definitely a hater.  This should be mentioned on the menu because it definitely distracted me from fully appreciating this entrée.  The showering of olive oil atop the fish, which ended up pooling atop the ragout, detracted rather than enhanced; a more judicious approach to finishing the dish is warranted in my opinion.
Sadly, the biggest miss however of the evening was the Indiana duck. A confit of thigh meat was served along with a very generous portion of duck breast. Â The duck was prepared rare, but the skin was not seared long enough which left the fatty layer underdone. Â The meat was paired with a puree of butternut squash and a fall hash. Â The puree was glue-y and the hash uninspired. Â The whole was rather lackluster and a muddled mess considering the genius of our starters. Dissapointing.
Of course we had to have dessert, since there was celebrating, so we chose the Peanut Butter Chocolate Bar ($8). Â Alongside the bar was served a superb salted toffee ice cream and a homemade marshmallow fluff. The bar was layered like a torte and covered with chocolate; it was sufficiently chocolaty and the peanut butter flavor was subtle. Â A nice way to finish.
I would be remiss if I did not mention the service, which was the best I've experienced in a long time. Â Lennie is incredible. Â She paced our meal perfectly, which allowed us to enjoy our conversation, was gracious and not at all stuffy; I felt as if I was a guest in her own home. She has set a new standard. Thank you!
I don't care how sexy the setting is or accommodating the service is, what matters most to me in a restaurant is the ability of the chefs to deliver; and they mostly do at Central. Â The kitchen is headed up by Lance Barto and I look forward to sampling more of his creative food. Â All the oomph and exuberance is already present and with a little more focus this may just become my new favorite. Â Bravo!
*******Note*******
I found out on 1/3/2013 that Chef Barto is no longer associated with Central. Â Since he was the opening chef it would be a disservice if I did not edit this review to reflect that information.
The story can be found here: <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.westword.com%2Fcafesociety%2F2013%2F01%2Fexecutive_chef_lance_barto_central_bistro_bar_fired.php&s=2369e06d1da7d4d5150e4c8b12cdaf194b0d6a167c1eae7c3937685d95dd45a8" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://blogs.westword.co…</a>
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*****End Note*****
I read about the development of this place quite a while ago. I was very excited to check it out..glad I finally got a chance to!
Central is definitely a bit upscale.. you've been warned. Aside from the price point everything else is phenomenal. They used quite a bit of reclaimed wood for their tables and other furniture. I love this..it gives just a warm and cozy feel where typically restaurants of this style feel a bit too stuffy. The lit up HOT letters above the open kitchen in the back of the dining room is a great touch. There is also a small bar area on the other side of the entrance with a few TVs. They looked to have a pretty good happy hour too so I may have to come back sometime to check that out.
The food is flat out fantastic. Even the rolls they start you off with. I ordered the duck with ravioli. Anytime I can get duck on a menu I usually order it since I LOVE duck. This has to be the best Ive ever had. The sauce with the ravioli went perfectly with the duck. Another great thing about their food is it all comes from small farms..most of them local. The menu says the name of the farm/location for the items too..very nice.
As expected the service was great too.. it was a slow sunday (only a few other groups) but we were not over-bothered. Drink refills when needed, enough time to decide on food, and the food came out in a timely manner. I will definitely come back. but because of the price it will probably be only for special occasions (unless someone else picks up the tab haha).
After a rousing search of Yelp for a new dinner place, I found Central Bistro had been lightly, but extravagantly reviewed. I'm a sucker for untrampled places. I'm afraid that this place might be overrun with excited customers here pretty soon.
It was time for a new place in the Highlands after places like Lola and Linger are becoming a little too trendy and a little too well known. Central is an excellent, and in some ways better, alternative. The dining room and bar are small, but upscale with a mountain lodge kind of feel. So, if you are reading this now, make reservations before you are unable to get in here for two months.
The food was EXCELLENT! Probably the best I've had in Denver in the last two years. Duck breast for me, cooked perfectly and paired well with winter veggies and mash. For my beautiful date, the roasted chicken with cooked, whole egg. A nice little combo of before and after. I swear it was the best piece of chicken I've ever tasted. The wine was a bottle of reisling from the Yakima Valley, Washington. I hate snooty food pairings with wine, but this grouping seemed to put a big ol' smile on my face.
I am so happy to have found this place. Now I'm just sad that my, and other, reviews will make this secret not so secret for very long.
Open only a few months, the Central Bistro and Bar is HOT. How do I know that? Because they've got a HUGE sign in their open-kitchen dining area that says, in bright red neon letters: "HOT." (Without the period:). Turns out the owner got the sign from the top of the Regency HOTel on I-25 and 38th, when they converted the building into dorm rooms for Metro State.
This place is about to take off, so get yourself over there and sample some of its pre-fame deliciousness before the crowds hit it up bigtime.
Had brunch there for the first time this last Sunday, and it was wonderful out on their deck overlooking the Denver skyline. That was especially true since the steak and carmelized onion/cheese omelette with hollandaise contained one of the best, most tender pieces of flank steak that I can ever remember having. Â So we decided to bring friends back over for dinner. And glad we did. The service, both times, was excellent, and everything we had was fantastic. I particularly liked the duck charcuterie special and their duck breast entree for dinner. (Yes, I was in a particularly ducky mood last night).
Finished off with their deconstructed apple pie served with pie crust ice cream (yes, you read that right), and lime sorbet. Seriously gastrolicious.
All this yum-osity was not cheap, and dinner with a $51 bottle of 2010 Margerum M5 (a Cote du Rhony-like blend from the Santa Barbera area), ran a little over $200, not including tip, for the 4 of us. But overall, the prices were very fair and the food, ambience and service incredibly 4-to-almost-5-star good.
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