Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson - RIP
“Each man’s death diminishes me,
For I am involved in mankind.
Therefore, send not to know
For whom the bell tolls,
It tolls for thee.”
John Donne
Click for sound
June 24, 2009
Best Spaghetti Dinner Value In Denver: Tuesday Night Spaghetti Dinner at Lechuga’s Italian Restaurant & Lounge
Lechuga’s Italian Restaurant & Lounge
3609 Tejon St
Denver, CO 80238
(303) 455-1502
This place is not for the faint-hearted. First and foremost, Lechuga’s aien’t no HOITY-TOITY joint. Especially not the lounge area, where there is definately a serious bar scene. If you can handle that, read on…
Lechuga’s Italian Restaurant & Lounge (formerly Carbone’s Pizza - Est. 1961) owns a considerable chunk of *Denver’s Little Italy’s history. The restaurant is in an area that used to be Denver’s Little Italy. The area was Denver’s Little Italy up to the 80s. (Numbers of Italian-Americans were moving out by this time and many Spanish speaking folks were settling into the [**Highland] district.)
Known for it’s thin-crust, square pizza, spaghetti and canolis, Denver-style, Carbone’s was one of the neighborhood anchors for the Italian-Americans of North Denver. The current owners wisely kept Carbone’s menu and recipes alive over the years. Now the restaurant is a multi-ethnic anchor for: Hispanics, Italians, Anglos, Greys etc…etc…etc…My understanding is that the current owners represent two ethnicities.
The restaurant has two dining areas. The main dining room, on the north side of the resturant, is where families and non-bar-type-folks dine. It is starkly lit and somewhat basic - fine for family dining. Then there’s the Lounge, which is dimly lit and frilled, with: neon, celebrity photos, wrought iron latice, sports memorabilia and TVs. There are booths and tables at the (sunken) bar level. Up a half-level, there is a-kind-of-stadium-seating area with three arched booths (WHERE YOU WANT TO SIT) on one wall, and tables around the perimeter overlooking the bar area - with it’s dance floor, the smallish L-shaped bar, and the Pièce de résistance: a photo-collage of King Frank above the bar - watching over the place like a crucifix behind the alter in a church (see photo below.)
On the menu
Dinner Entrees:
Dinner Spaghetti, includes salad with choice of dressing, garlic bread, one sausage and one meatball ($6.25.)
Old Fashioned Thick Noodles are available, add $1.25.
Manicotti, includes salad and garlic bread ($6.25.)
Ravioli, includes dinner salad and garlic bread ($6.25.)
Lasagna, includes dinner salad and garlic bread $6.25.)
Original, Thick, Square Pizza, One Size Only:
Cheese Pizza…$9.95
Additional toppings…$1.00 ea
Additional half-toppings…$.50 ea
Specialty Pizzas…$13.95 to $16.95
Canolis, Denver Style…$1.45 to $5.25
Also
***Buckets Of Pasta (Take out only)
6 Servings…$15.95
3 Servings…$14.95
***Served with salad, choice of dressing and garlic bread
Old Fashioned Thick Noodles
6 servings…add $3.50
3 servings…add $2.50
More
Sandwiches Salads, Soups, Sides, Beverages, Take Outs, and Pizza Dough / Pasta Sauce to go…
BEST SPAGHETTI DINNER VALUE IN DENVER: Lechuga’s Tuesday Night Spaghetti Dinner,
includes [a]old-school pasta w/Marinara sauce, garlic bread (2 pieces,) salad, and choice of meatball or sausage - WHAM BAM…$3.99.
Old Fashioned Thick Noodles are available…add $1.25
. Tuesdays - 5pm to 9pm
. Dine In Only
Have a glass of Lechuga’s House wine with dinner…$2.75 ($2.00 during Happy Hour.)
After dinner, head south on Tejon, a half-dozen or so blocks until you dead end at a three story milk can. That’s Little Man Ice Cream. Little Man Ice Cream is a brilliantly housed Ice Cream Shop. The perfectly scaled building is built to look like an old-fashioned milk can.
See a photo and read about Little Man Ice Cream on our blog post #96
[a]Lechuga’s Spaghetti is real, old-school. You’ll recognize the flavor if you “go back” to the 50s & 60s, especially in Denver. The spaghetti noodles (thin and thick) are always cooked “right,” just-a-bit al dente. The Marinara sauce is robust, and the meatballs / sausage are bona fide, authentic. My only complaint is the complaint one can raise in most restaurants, the pasta is never sufficiently drained before plating.
This is a camera photo of Lechuga’s bar, shot from the “stadium-seating” area. That “shrine” behind the bar is a photo collage of King Frank.
OGs mostly occupy the stools on the south (left in the photo) side of the bar.
*In the beginning, the Italian immigrants lived in tent shanty’s along the banks of the Plate river, in the so called “bottoms.” When these new Americans began to prosper and stake their “American Dream” claims, they moved on up to the **Highland District of Northwest Denver. **The Highland District is bounded roughly by Zuni Street on the East, West 38th Avenue on the North, Federal Boulevard on the West and West 32nd Avenue on the South. This was the nucleus of Denver’s Little Italy. Technically Lechuga’s is a few blocks beyond these parameters.
Sources:
Thomas J. Noel - DenverGov.org
Denver.com
Read a bunch of reviews on Lechuga’s at Yelp.com
Visit the main pages of the LasVegasBuffetClub
c.2009-LasVegasBuffetClub. All rights reserved.
June 19, 2009
Third time is the charm “Scarlett and her Seductive Ladies of Magic.”
Photo credit Sarah Gerke/LA Times
This is a reprint of (The LA Times) The Movable Buffet’s Richard Abowitz quoting the Review Journal’s Mike Whetherford. Huh!
From The Movable Buffet:
‘Princess’ gives up being regal to seduce
“Most people know the family-entertainment concept in Vegas failed long before I moved here a decade ago. Those who do not know that learn quickly. I don’t know how I missed the news release on this one. But I did. So, I will just quote Mike Weatherford’s column today:”
“The single-named Scarlett does an about-face from a family-friendly afternoon act to a 10 p.m. show with topless dancers at the Riviera starting July 1. She trades her ‘Princess of Magic’ handle for the new billing of ‘Scarlett and her Seductive Ladies of Magic.’”
June 12, 2009
Hired Hands for working ranch: Male p———s in Nevada
The Shady Lady Ranch is looking for a few “good men” to work as male p———s in it’s brothel, half-way between Goldfield, Nevada and Beatty, Nevada. Located on Highway 95, 31 miles North of Beatty, Nevada (around 150 miles north of Las Vegas,) the Shady Lady Ranch is trying to enact their own stimulis package to bring in sorely needed revenue..The male p———s will be in service for the “Janes” (female customers) who patronize the ranch.
Former “Hollywood Madam” Heidi Fleiss was attempting to open “Heidi’s Stud Farm” near Pahrump, Nevada when that plan was waylayed by Fleiss’ arrest on Felony drug charges earlier this year. Shady Lady becomes the latest torch-bearer, turning-the-screw one more revolution toward the reality of hiring males to work in brothels.
From the LA Times’ Movable Buffet: “Also, Shady Lady is offering the Las Vegas Sun price quotes: “The minimum would be two hours, probably at a cost of $500, she said. Three hours would cost $700 and four hours, $1,000. An overnight stay would be $2,000.” This is interesting because traditional brothel p——–s in Nye Country are all independent contractors who set their own rates that are only required to exceed a house minimum.”
Nevada brothels are feeling the effects of the economy along with Las Vegas and the rest of the country. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Like the current $25 all-day buffet deal at the Excalibur Hotel, gas rebates and hotel room deals in Las Vegas, this might be a quick-fix or a boner of an idea. Time will tell.
Although illegal in the metro areas of Las Vegas and Reno, p———n is legal in several Nevada counties, including Nye County where the Shady Lady Ranch is located.
Richard Abowitz from the Movable Buffet writes: “This particular brothel sits more than 100 miles north of Las Vegas. But if the Shady Lady gets the law changed for Nye County, that would apply to the brothels that sit closer to Vegas just over the Clark County line.”
[Certain words have necessarily been omited because of Googles Advertising policies]
June 5, 2009
And Yet Another Full Moon: *FULL STRAWBERRY MOON - June 7, 2009
The Full Strawberry Moon will be 100% full on June 7, 2009 at 11:12 A.M., Las Vegas time.
BACK EAST
“Historically the Native Americans who lived in the area that is now the northern and eastern United States kept track of the seasons by giving distinctive names to the recurring full Moons. Each full Moon name was applied to the entire month in which it occurred. These names, and some variations, were used by the Algonquin tribes from New England to Lake Superior” read more from The Old Farmer’s Almanac…
*FULL STRAWBERRY MOON “The Algonquin tribes knew this Moon as a time to gather ripening strawberries. It is also known as the Rose Moon and the Hot Moon.”
OUT WEST
“American Indians gave names to each of the full moons to keep track of the passing year. The names are associated with the entire month until the next full moon occurs. Since a lunar month averages 29 days, the dates of the moons change from year to year. Here are titles most closely associated with calendar months” read more…
(From the) Zuni Tribe of Southwest, New Mexico: The name of June’s Full Moon: “ik’ohbu yachunne” or “turning moon.”
Good Karma on South Broadway
Click to enlarge
Karma
22 South Broadway
Denver, CO 80209
ph: 303-871-0167
alt: 303-871-0338
There is a restaurant one-half block south of North Broadway in Denver, Colorado that gives good Karma. Karma is an Asian Fusion restaurant, at 22 South Broadway, in that ‘tween area (the line of demarcation between North and South Broadway - give or take a block or two) that is enjoying a proliferation of restaurants and bars: Beatrice & Woodsley, Blue Ice, Deluxe, Go Fish, Hi-Dive, Hornet, Irish Rover, Karma, Mona’s, Spicy Basil and Three Kings (also: Barry’s, Famous Pizza, Swift Steak House) …These are just the restaurants on Broadway. This area is smok’n hot.
This post is about good Karma - Karma the restaurant. Entering Karma is like walking into a dream. The dining room is tastefully, dark. High, dark, wood paneling on the walls, behind tables, creates depth. A hostess-station/take-out counter/alter commands attention with an orange, acrylic, lit-from-within, sculpture of a large head (with large earrings,) seemingly watching over the room. A ruby-red, crystal chandelier hangs, mystically, above. Other brass-toned Asian art, a full size Buddha and other artifacts adorn the restaurant.
The menu is a fusion of primarily: Korean, Thai, Vietnamese and Chinese cuisines. As one ponders the sizable menu and “takes in” the dream-state decor, a metal cup containing ice-water is brought to the table.
On our first visit, we ordered: Green Curry
“Historically known as the Queen of all curries. Spicy green curry, sweet basil, eggplants, green beans, bell peppers, zuchinni, broccoli, bamboo shoots simmered in coconut milk.” $9.00
and Coconut Shrimp (6)……………………..6.95
The curry was served in a hot-pot, and it was two-ways, hot-hot. The curry flavor was not overpowering, as curry sometimes is. There was a background taste of mint in the dish, which consisted of a thick broth/soup with the previously mentioned veggies. I ordered the Green Curry with Tofu.
The Coconut Shrimp was served with a mint flavored (ginger?) dipping sauce. Next time I would request that the shrimp were a bit less “done.” They were just this side of being burnt. Then again, maybe they were perfect. The crispyness added another dimension of flavor.
On the menu: Asian Tappas (2.95-8.95,) Salads (7.95- 10.95,) Soups (1.50-9.95,) Karma Specials (10.95-14.95,) Karma Wok (Dinner 8.50-9.25,) Karma Wok (Lunch 6.50-7.00,) Noodles and Rice (7.95 10.95,) Karma Pho (7.95-9.95,) Karma Thai Curries (Lunch 6.50-Dinner 8.95,) Desserts and Beverages, including Beer, Wine, Sake, and a limited selection of hard liquor.
The appropriate, background music was puncuated with drums, cymbals and bells.
Peruse Karma’s complete menu on Karma’s Official Website
Visit the main pages of the LasVegasBuffetClub
C.2009-LasVegasBuffetClub
June 1, 2009
Spotlight on: Brewery Bar 3 and Pasta Jay’s in Lone Tree, Colorado.
There is a reason for listing these two restaurants together: they are next-door neighbors in Lone Tree, Colorado. In a peripheral area of the Park Meadows Mall there are a whole bunch of restaurants, The Brewery Bar lll and Pasta Jay’s are two of them. Two good ones…
The Brewery Bar
9228 S. Park Meadows Dr.
Lone Tree, CO 80124
303-708-9333
The Brewery Bar’s 3rd incarnation has been at this location for over 5 years?. For a suburban, mall-grounds location, the Brewery Bar lll’s interior is warm and inviting. From the dark woods to the strands of Christmas-style lights, and everything in between, this is a comfortable environment. It is a restaurant, one can spend hours in - especially at Happy Hour.
Appetizers (Chips & Salsa to Mexican Pizza,) Entrees (Fajitas, Flautas, Chicken Brest tenders, Mexican Hamburgers amd more,) Combination Platters (”All COMBINATiON PLATTERS INCLUDE LETTUCE, CHEESE
AND YOuR CHOICE OF OUR FAMOUS PORK GREEN CHILI, HOT OR MILD, VERDE HOT OR MILD
RED OR HALF & HALF,”) Chile Rellenos, Smothered Burritos, Chimichangas, Tacos, Tostadas, Enchiladas, Tamales, and more are available. Visit The Brewery Bar’s website for menus.
Daily Specials include: Margarita Monday - $1 margaritas with purchase of combo (limit 1)
Three Tacos on Tuesday - Three tacos with house margarita or domestic beer just $6.95
Mini Wednesday - 9 mini chili rellenos, cup of BBIII chili, and 14 oz beer - just $6.95
Tiny Thursday - Quesadilla Special with cheese, fresh peppers and chicken, plus a “tiny” 24 oz domestic draft - just $6.95
Fajita Friday - Get any regular priced fajita entree and recieve a free sopapilla! (dine in only) [Information/prices from June 1, 2009]
There is a full lively bar with (many) TVs and all the right Tequilas.
Happy Hour: Monday - Friday 3 - 6 p.m. $2 well drinks, house wine and all domestic beer, $3.50 margaritas. Half price appetizers. Free chips and salsa served.
Access the Brewery Bar’s Official Website for more locations, menus and photos.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Pasta Jays
9226 Park Meadows Dr
Lone Tree, CO 80124
303.799.1800
California/Modern with Tuscan accents is how this restaurant, with roots stretching back to San Clemente, California’s, Sunny’s Pizza, evolves. (Pasta Jay’s owner/proprietor learned the trade at his uncle’s restaurant, Sonny’s Pizza.) Pasta Jay’s in Bolder, Colorado was the first (of three locations.)
This bright, airy space (in an off-shoot area of The Park Meadows Mall) offers indoor, outdoor and indoor/ourdoor seating. The last being indoor tables fronting large open windows (weather permitting.)
Pasta Jay’s is a modern/traditional Italian-style restaurant serving classic Italian entrees (7.99 - 15.99,) as well as California-style, (very) thin-crust, designer pizza (sm. med. & large - 10.99 - 16.99,) salads (from dinner salad (3.00) to Antipasto Salad, serves 2-3 (11.99,) Minestrone Soup (3.99,) sandwiches (7.99 - 9.99,) *nightly specials, lunches and more.
For example: *Monday - World famous Monday Night Spaghetti Night 6.99
spaghetti with meat sauce or marinara, with salad 8.99.)
*Sunday - Plati’s Steak Bracciole (a classic Sunday Italian dish) 14.99
ribeye steak stuffed with fresh garlic, sweet basil, imported romano cheese and portabello mushroom, seared in olive oil, simmered in marinara sauce, and served over a bed of linguine.
Also from the menu: Veal & Eggplant Milanese 15.50
chicken breast or veal, lightly breaded, and slices of eggplant baked with mushrooms and roasted peppers in a fresh tomato and sweet basil wine sauce, served with a side of pasta
Pizza from the menu:
Giacamo
chicken, sun-dried tomatoes and gorgonzola cheese
small 12.99
medium 14.99
large 16.99
Pasta Jay’s has a full bar; visit the website for Happy Hour information.
Visit Pasta Jay’s website for menus, other locations and more
C.2009-LasVegasBuffetClub.Com----------Powered by WordPress