Getting to Know Acova Restaurant

I’d heard of Acova restaurant in the Highlands neighborhood of Denver, but had never been. You know, one of those places you think “I’ve got to remember to go there” and then you forget. Fortunately, a friend invited me to lunch there, where I got to try out their new menu. I left happy to have made its acquaintance – finally.

Acova is owned by a wife and husband team, Betsy and Sean Workman. Their sibling restaurant is the popular The Hornet on South Broadway. With a focus on healthy and gluten-free foods (don’t be thrown if you aren’t GF, you’ll never know the difference), Acova’s seasonally-changing menu hits on international flavors, including, not surprisingly Italian, as inspired by the restaurant’s name (Cova, in Italian means nest). But it’s also a gastropub that has a top notch bar program. Labels aside, it’s just good food. Take a look at some of the items we tried off of the new menu.

APPETIZERS:
Diablo Eggs (left) give some heat to the picnic classic with house hot sauce, a sprinkling of fresh herbs and crumbles of prosciutto ($7).

Potato + Cheese Pierogis (right) are addictive with a meaty texture, bacon, onion, mushrooms, and red bell pepper with a simple but addictive sour cream and herb butter sauce ($9). They’re even good leftover, straight out of the fridge (standing up, forking them out of the box at 2am – don’t ask).

Other items from the apps menu include PEI Mussels with chorizo, roasted wings, and Cauliflower Fritto.

Note, get $3 off appetizers during happy hour, 3-6pm and 9-kitchen close, daily.

Oh, and do you see that cocktail between the plates, above? That’s the Espresso-Lico ($11) cocktail, with Frangelico, Kalua, Family Jones Vodka, espresso and a nutmeg garnish. Relax and get pumped up simultaneously. It’s delish! Don’t miss Acova’s cocktail menu – it’s quite inventive.

SALADS:
So this is what grilled romaine is supposed to taste like! Never again will I endure a yellowed frond of lettuce that other places call grilled. Acova’s Grilled Romaine Caesar, served with a chipotle caesar dressing, crostinis, grilled lemon (use it) and a perfect, sunny side up egg ($13) was delicious. Yes, challenging to eat, what with the egg and toast and lettuce to slice but so worth it. That lightly charred flavor and still-firm lettuce was great!

Other Salad options include a Cobb, a Brussels Sprout & Kale Salad and an Asian Noodle Salad.

ENTREES:
Reluctantly, we strolled past the BURGERS section of the menu (there are three good choices including a veggie one), in favor of the Entrees and Sandwiches.

My friend said we really needed to order the Honey Stung Fried Chicken ($19) because, despite it being dredged in a gluten-free flour, it was still very satisfying and crispy. No one has to force me into any kind of fried chicken experience so I was perfectly happy to give the dish a try. No, it didn’t have the multiple layers and folds of an extra-crispy piece out of a certain restaurant’s bucket but the finely-coated, buttermilk-battered, pounded chicken breast was juicy, flavorful and satisfying, especially with honey cayenne drizzle, mashed potatoes with sausage gravy and broccolini. It was a well-balanced, hearty plateful.

SANDWICHES:
I really couldn’t decide which sandwich to try. They all sounded really tempting, form the Prime Rib with poblano peppers and cremini mushrooms to the Turkey Brie Panini with bacon and shaved apple, I was a bit flummoxed – such a good problem to have. At the suggestion of my server, I went for the Grilled Pork Torta ($13). The menu listed “pickled red onions, tomato, griddled cotija cheese, jalapeno crema and pineapple.” I wasn’t so sure about that pineapple alongside tomato. She assured me it was a surprising winner. It was! The flavors all worked perfectly together. Mostly savory with a hint of sweet and texture from the pineapple, it was mighty tasty. I loved the grilled cotija cheese – as much as I love it when some cheese overflows my grilled cheese sandwiches and becomes a “crisp” in the skillet – mmmmm. You can see it in the photo above, under the red onion, slightly browned. So good.

DESSERTS:
I’d seen a scrumptious picture of the Berry Cobbler ($8) on Acova’s website and really hoped it had made the cut to stay on the newest menu. It had! Using seasonal fruit, a streussel topping like Grandma used to make, vanilla ice cream and a caramel drizzle, it was delicious and perfect for sharing right out of its small, cast iron skillet.

Next time, I’m going for the Bread Pudding. Or the Affogato, or Apple Donuts. No, definitely the Flourless Chocolate Torte. Damn! Decisions, decisions.

Take my advice and take a couple of people with you to Acova and order several things to share, like my friend and I did. That way, you don’t have to narrow down your choices so much and risk missing something really, really good.

Acova is located at 3651 Navajo Street, in Denver.

What else is In Good Taste? Find out what’s new and old at Woodie Fisher in downtown Denver and what one of the state’s newest food halls is all about, Tributary.

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