TRAVEL BLOG THURSDAYS – DENVER
ISLAND HOPPING THROUGH THE MILE-HIGH CITY || DENVER || COLORADO || MARCH 2018
Two weeks ago, I went on a work trip (very important day job food scientist work, ha!) to Denver. We were doing consumer testing for some new product concepts. Most of my time in Denver was spent behind a two-way mirror listening to consumers talk. We were on the 30th floor of the building so we got a great view of the city from the windows. And, since I work for a food company, this trip was totally food-centric and food heavy i.e. we ate a TON!
I was traveling with my manager, several colleagues, a group of consultants, and the moderator, making for a total of 12-13 of us at any given time.
Quick tip: Traveling with a large group has its challenges but it is beneficial when you want to try a little bit of everything at a variety of restaurants. Everyone can order a different menu item and it can all be split among everybody.
Once we landed in Denver, we took the RTD rail from the airport to Union Station and then took the free street car to a block from our hotel.
Before heading to the hotel, we stopped at Zoe Ma Ma for some noodles and dim sum. It was one of the restaurants still open at the time of night we arrived at Union Station. We got a little bit of everything and it was super delicious, hitting the spot after a flight. The décor in the place was comfortable, specifically the couch style benches with comfy pillows everywhere.
The next morning, we began listening to consumers. For lunch we ordered in Trini Food from Bang Up to the Elephant! Bus Up Shut, Bake and Shark, Plantains, Roti, Curry, etc. The spice in all the food made me sing The Lord’s praise but it was a bit too much for most of my colleagues. I chop pepper since long, so the spice level was no issue for me. Flavors were on point as well!
After we listened to as much as we could stand for the day and debriefed about what trends we’d heard in the consumer comments, we went to dinner at Bar Dough. It is an Italian and pizza restaurant run by executive Chef Carrie Baird from Top Chef. They are famous for their Wood Oven Roasted Carrots but everything we got was yummy. And we got A LOT!
Once we stuffed our faces, we tried to get into William & Graham which is down the street from Bar Dough. It is a speak easy fronting as a book store. We couldn’t get in because our group was so large but since I was the last one to catch a Lyft of the group, I got to see a sneak peek of other smaller groups walking in.
The next day, it was back to consumer research. We had some Thai food for lunch but no plans for dinner together. That night I decided to venture out on my own. I googled Black-Owned restaurants in the area and came across A Taste of Haiti in the Five Points neighborhood, so I hopped in a Lyft and headed there to check it out. As soon as I walked in, comfort set in. There were two gentlemen discussing what seemed to be what happened earlier that day and there was a lady cooking in the back. I walked up to the counter and asked what he recommended and was told I can have whatever meat I wanted whichever way I liked. So, I decided to get the Poisson Enke (Fried Red Snapper) and Kabrit Nas Sos (Goat Stew). Both dishes came with plantains and rice & peas. The menu had plenty of options including both Haitian and Soul Food. I also got a Kola Champagne to wash it all down. The décor in the restaurant was reminiscent of a blend between the essentials of my grandmas’ (Nigerian and Black American) living rooms, an island auntie’s house, and a dancehall with Black Art, a fish tank, a large TV, a full bar, flags, a picture of Obama, and pictures of food. It was perfect! Outside of the restaurant, there was a mural of some jazz players which added to the aesthetic of the experience.
On Thursday morning, my colleagues and I decided to check out this brunch spot that most of the consumers in the groups were raving about. We walked to Snooze an A.M. Eatery and got breakfast before we had to be back behind the two-way mirrors later that morning. The restaurant was decorated like a 50s or 60s or 70s soda shop (not sure which one, *shrugs*, before my time). Since there were 5 of us at breakfast we decided to share two pancake flights in which we got to try 6 different pancakes, my favorite being the pineapple upside down pancake and the one with bacon, of course. We also each got either a sandwich or a set of Benedicts to try. There was a menu option allowing you to choose 2 different Benedicts per person. The ingredients were all locally sourced which made the breakfast awesome.
After all our food adventure time, we finished up our research and headed back to Seattle. I didn’t get much time to explore the nature in the area but I got to see a bit of the city while I was in Denver, since we walked so much. I did get to eat and see a bit of the street art as well. I’ll have to go back to finish my exploration. I was happy to make it back down to earth from the Mile-High city because, whole time, tell me why my nose was dry and burning, smh. They say that the dry air is just something that takes a while to get used to but the altitude made for beautiful scenery.
Quick Tip: Having a job that allows you to travel is always a bonus because you can make time to experience little things about the city you are in, once you’ve finished working, making the most of your travel time and making work travel fun! I make a point to do at least one thing signature to the city I am in for work on my own time, whether it be trying a local restaurant, checking out local art or farmers markets, exploring the nature around or the city scenery, or doing a touristy activity.
Denver was an unintentional island food adventure, which is ironic for it being a city in a land locked state. I ate Japanese, Thai, Trini, and Haitian foods; a low-key island hop flex!
Thanks for reading all these words!
Love ya!
Taste Tutor