Eating Leadoff

Baseball season is upon us, and pending the inevitable August-September collapse, there’s no better place to enhance a Colorado Rockies game-day experience than from a rooftop at—or across the street from—Coors Field. While other LoDo sports-viewing spots have come and gone, the comfortable Tavern Downtown has stood the test of time.

The Tavern Hospitality Group (THG) currently operates nine neighborhood Taverns (including the beverages-only Tavern Ballpark inside Coors Field and Tavern Mile High at Sports Authority Field at Mile High), plus Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, Chopper’s Sports Grill, Cowboy Lounge, the Soiled Dove Underground and the new Otra Vez, but the mini-empire of establishments isn’t a chain—no two spaces are exactly alike. The Tavern Downtown provides a destination for sports enthusiasts, with a yuge patio and eight-foot projection screens catering to fans convening from all over the country. And while it’s one of Denver’s most acclaimed sports bars—numerous HD TVs and friendly service—it places equal focus on serving quality food.

“People may stop in to a Tavern just for drinks, but we get them to stay by offering great menu options,” says Frank Schultz, the colorful owner of THG. “With new bars and restaurants opening daily in Denver, you really have to step it up and evolve with the times.”

When he was a novice restaurateur, Schultz’s fortunes turned for the better when he hired folks like Bill Schallmoser (formerly of the Denver ChopHouse) and Tim Hudon (a Culinary Institute of America grad) to oversee his menus. By placing importance on purchasing fresh high-quality ingredients, incorporating local products whenever possible and preparing most everything from scratch, they elevated basic bar food to upscale American-style cuisine.

THG has an entire culinary team that oversees the menus, tasting, point of sale, buying, etc., for all of the properties—and the Tavern Downtown benefits from their ideas and research. So while there’s a focus on the wings-burgers-and-fries classics, there’s nothing boring about items like the Asian Lettuce Wrap, Grilled Fish Tacos and a variety of Italian Pies (“fancy flatbreads”).

The Tavern Downtown does earn the ultimate compliment for a sports bar—they do a great burger. All variations are made from local beef; the favorite is the Volcano Burger—pepper jack cheese, honey peppered bacon, chipotle BBQ sauce and aioli with crispy, spicy fried jalapeño coins, served on a brioche bun. Other popular sandwiches include the Ham & Cheese Pretzel (grilled ham and Swiss with thyme butter, served with beer mustard on a pretzel roll), the Avocado Chicken (a seared thigh—power to the dark meat!) and the Tavern Croissant Club.

The “Let’s Call These Entrees” section of the menu features the Ultimate Mac, macaroni and cheese done as well as anywhere—shell pasta, grilled chicken and bacon, tomatoes and green onions for color and crunch, in a sharp, rich cheddar cheese sauce.

Finger foods (classified as “Friends of Beer” on the menu) are de rigueur sports party supplies—you know, to leave one arm free to hold a drink or shake a hand or fist bump—and the preparation of the Tavern Nachos is engaging in that each individual chip is topped with an amount of all ingredients (refried beans, pepper jack cheese, green onions and jalapeños and a choice of grilled chicken, shaved beef or vegetarian, served with sour cream and salsa).

And there’s recourse for those who prefer to pair a healthier choice with their beer(s). The Buffalo Cauliflower—lightly breaded and roasted, tossed in buffalo sauce and served with ranch dressing—revamps the “tastes good, good for you” model. Gluten-free menu items abound, while soups and salads go under the tongue-in-cheek heading “Obligatory Healthy Stuff.”

“That kind of trendiness seems to be a goal for a lot of places,” Schultz says with a shrug. “By definition, trendiness eventually goes out of style. We’re here to stick around.”

1949 Market St. tavernhg.com; 303-299-0100

A New Mexican

Schultz describes Otra Vez, the Tavern Hospitality Group’s new bar/restaurant between California and Welton on the 16th St. Mall, as a “twisted Mexican concept.” Pouring 200 tequilas, Otra Vez dishes up the inspired creations of chef Dasha Perez-Haney, whose take on Mexican fare comes with a South American influence. Previously THG’s executive chef at Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, she recently competed in an episode of Food Network’s “Chopped.”

WTF?

The other Tavern property that’s great for hanging out before, during or after Rockies games? Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, just down the street from Coors Field at 20th and Chestnut. A rooftop patio offers a view of the ballpark, and the “home-style with a twist” cuisine is imaginative—try the signature Foxtrot Fried Chicken with a Honey Sriracha Drizzle.

Rockie Road

Schultz’s assessment of the  Rockies’ chances for the 2017 season? “Expect the worst and hope for the best!” he says with a laugh. “They still draw. It’s when people leave the game—they don’t want a drink when the team loses.” Speak for yourself!

Read more of Contributor Gary James’ Fareways columns:

Carving a Niche: The Best in Denver Steakhouses
South of the Border on South Broadway
Mountain Gumbo: The Lost Cajun

Colorado AvidGolfer is the state’s leading resource for golf and the lifestyle that surrounds it, publishing eight issues annually and proudly delivering daily content via coloradoavidgolfer.com. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.