I have an odd relationship with the restaurant scene around the University of Denver. A while back (a long while), I attended DU and, in fact, that’s where In Good Taste Denver got its start, in the school newspaper. The whole purpose of the column was to get students, most of whom were from out of state and country, to get AWAY from their tiny radius of restaurants right by the school. Nothing against those restaurants, but there was a whole city to explore, and this Denver native wanted to help others do that. Still, a neighborhood joint near a college is a great thing, where you can walk in anytime, see lots of faces you recognize, get some cold beers, and good grub. Spanky’s Roadhouse was, and is, that place.
College Hangout: Getting Back to Spanky’s Roadhouse
I hadn’t been back to Spanky’s in years. It had gotten a little raggedy with all that wear and tear but I’d heard there’d been a revamp that was definitely worth checking out. I was hoping it hadn’t lost its college-town feel but that it had spiffed up a bit. Sure enough, it had a warm, retro-chic feeling with a great, spacious patio worthy of being considered one of the best in Denver.
I was with a group that dove in, trying a bunch of different thing, starting with Brussels Sprouts ($9.45), Fried Pickles ($7.95), and Amazeballs ($11.25) from the Snacks & Appetizers menu. The Brussels were nicely singed, slightly Asian-inspired with goat cheese crumbles. Fried Pickles, in general, aren’t my thing – I like the cold crisps of them which gets undone when they are breaded and fried. But the rest of the gang loved them, especially when dipped in chipotle ranch dressing. The Amazeballs, a signature item, lived up to their name – breaded mac n’cheese with applewood bacon and a jalapeno queso to perch upon. I could have made a meal of them! I can imagine they are hugely popular as hangover food.
A moment about the wings at Spanky’s Roadhouse
I’m a freak for chicken wings so I was anxious to get down to their big selection. You can choose six for $6.95 or 12 for $12.95, boneless or traditional and then a choice of 11(!) sauces, described in heat levels as “Smilin’,” “Teasin’,” “Cryin’,” and “Screamin’.” My absolute favorite came from the Smilin’ category but don’t hold that against it, fellow heat-lovers. The Asian Spiced Dry Rub had delicious, complex, exotic flavor and, bonus, we didn’t have sauce all over our face and hands (good date food!). Buffalo Hot was great, exactly what you’d expect it to be. And Peach Habanero, the hottest of those we tried, was messy/sticky/sweet/hot – all of it. They did require a bunch of napkins and a brief hosing down afterword, but it was worth it to dig into them. Those dry rub ones though – damn!
We could have easily stopped there but we were onto the entree section of the menu. Since this is mostly a burger joint, you can build your own or go with something from their Signature Burgers or Roadhouse Classics side of the menu. Choose your foundation of Colorado hormone-free beef, an Impossible Veggie Burger, all-natural grilled chicken breast or a Buffalo burger. ranging from $9.45-$13.45.
Signature Burger options include The Jam with bacon onion apple jam, applewood bacon, brie and arugula and the PB&J with peanut butter and cherry pie filling. I’m just not ready to try it yet but I hear it’s great. Their Roadhouse Classics include the Southwest served open-face smothered in pork green chili with melted cheese and a fried egg. Or the Black and Blue with blackened seasoning, bleu cheese crumbles and A1 Steak Sauce.
Because I couldn’t resist the name, I ordered Darla Got Spanked ($11.45) because, well, spanked. The burger is two 1/4 lb. beef patties, 3 slices of American cheese, Spanky’s special sauce, red onion, fried pickle chips and shredded lettuce on a brioche bun. It was all that a messy, ginormous burger should be. Just look at it.
Spanky’s Roadhouse isn’t just burgers and shakes (more on them below). There are some elevated options like the Two Crispy Fish Tacos we had ($12.95) with lightly breaded cod, chipotle lime aioli, cabbage, a mango salsa and radish, the latter two of which made all the difference. There’s also a Paleo Bowl ($14.95) with blackened chicken, zucchini linguini, tomatoes, roasted bell peppers, sauteed onions, cilantro, water chestnuts, brussels sprouts and coconut citrus broth. Or Short Rib Enchiladas with pepper jack cheese, jalapeno-white cheddar cream sauce, honey-chipotle molasses and crispy brussels sprouts for $15.95.
Happy Hour, which runs daily from 3-6pm, is a great time to try a bunch of stuff, and not just appetizer things. Get 6 wings for $5.99, Amazeballs for $6.99, a 1/4 lb burger for $4.99, Fish Tacos for $7.99 and Chili Cheese Fries for $5.99. It’s all a good deal.
We need to return for weekend brunch. I have GOT to try the Tennessee Hot Chicken Benedict (Buttermilk biscuits, Tennessee hot chicken with soft poached eggs, hollandaise and hashbrowns) for $11.95. Oh man! Or the Green Eggs & Ham with pesto, spinach, asiago, avocado, scrambled eggs plus fire braised ham and hashbrowns for $11.95. The bottomless mimosa bar at brunch gives you six different juice flavors to play around with.
Shaking things up at Spanky’s
There’s booze too, available anytime from beer, well, wine, and cocktails. And there’s shakes, which aren’t a drink, technically. Their signature ones include Chocolate Chip Cookie, Honey Nut Cheerios or Cinnamon Toast Crunch, each $4.95. Or you can build-your-own with a vanilla base and a bunch of add ins, including sauces, peaches, and orange sorbet starting at $3.75. What will you mix in?
So, Spanky’s Roadhouse still endures as a college hangout, but it’s also for the rest of us too, and I don’t just mean alums like me. Although, Spanky’s and Jerusalem, their neighbor, are institutions that make the DU area, wait for it… In Good Taste, Denver!
Get more information on their really thorough website (we appreciate that, Spanky’s!).
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