This past spring, a new restaurant opened at 38th and Tennyson, in a mixed-use area, in the shadow of the last remaining building of what used to be Elitch Gardens way back when. Those of us who have been in Denver for decades think of the area as something very special, full of happy memories and part of town that was a real destination. The addition of glo Noodle House to the neighborhood continues that special feeling with a great backstory and delicious menu.
The story behind the name of glo Noodle House is so touching, you might lose perspective on what a great restaurant it is. So take in both! “Glo” is short for “Gloria,” the name of Chef/Owner Chris Teigland’s mom who was also a pastry chef. She encouraged him to spend time in the kitchen as a kid and to explore a variety of different cuisines. When Teigland expressed real interest in Asian cooking, his mom bought him a wok. Sadly, she passed away shortly after he had his first executive chef job. Naming the restaurant after his mother is Teigland’s way of honoring her and the culinary support and freedom she gave him.
Beyond the name, and meaning behind it, glo is a venture between Chris and his wife and co-owner, Ariana Teigland. They met while working in the Blackbelly kitchen in Boulder, then together in kitchens and restaurants in Colorado and Chicago, before opening this, their own restaurant. Chris heads the kitchen and Ariana leads the service staff and bar program.
The menu is pared down to essentials – items full of flavor and intention, done carefully and done right. The broth, for example, uses traditional methods that take at least 48 hours to make. Although noodle dishes are the big stars of the menu, there are also several small plates, perfect for sharing.
What can you expect at glo Noodle House?
In two words, something exceptional. Everything we had at a media preview was delicious but it wasn’t just because we were there for the restaurant to show us what its got. Diners came and went throughout the evening and it never stopped, over the course of a couple of hours. Carryout too as well as dine in. Had the evening of our visit been warmer, there surely would have been many lucky diners enjoying the twinkle-lit, secluded outdoor dining space. It’s surely going to be one of Denver’s prime patios.
Here’s what we had during our visit to glo Noodle House.
Our starter, Himachi, was one of those things where you didn’t know how flavorful something so delicate could be. The flavor was refined, enlivened, and exciting.
We were told people don’t order the Bok Choy ($12) so much. BIG mistake! They are probably anticipating a plate of wilted, hard-to-eat leafiness lacking in complexity. What diners get instead in glo Noodle House’s version is this loveliness below, with different textures of greens, some nutty crunch, and the big surprise of pickled apricots. This is the big MUST ORDER in our book.
Fans of sesame or orange chicken will naturally be drawn to the Chicken Karaage ($10). They’ll find it to be beyond the ordinary, with great crunch, tenderness inside, and more complex flavors thanks to the chili glaze made in-house.
Noodles are in the name of the restaurant so we were expecting great things for the ramen bowls we tried. And we got it! Bacon-centric person that I am, I ordered the Miso Bacon Ramen ($16) with pork broth, confit bacon, onsen egg (a slow-cooking method), narutomaki (the pink and white swirled fish cake), green onion, sprouts, black garlic oil, and crispy shallots. It was delicious and smoky although not overly so. It seemed to go on and on and on, nearly bottomless. Finally, I called it a night and took the rest home. It was great the next day.
My husband toyed between the other options of Ramen like the Deathwish ($18) (amped up with a chili-pork broth and chili flakes), the Shrimp & Pork Tantanmen ($19) with chili paste, sesame soy milk, ground pork, and shrimp. Or the Prime Rib Shoyu ($18) with seared meat and marinated mushrooms. He settled on the Lemon Chicken Shio ($16) though, in chicken broth with crispy lemon glazed chicken, onsen egg, bean sprouts, green onion, chili jam and crispy shallot. He, too, had to take some to-go, so full of noodles was his bowl.
There’s a concise cocktail menu that hits on every cocktail fan’s favorites, from vodka, to gin, to bourbon, to tequila. We had the Fireworks ($12) with tequila, yuzu kosho, serrano, and fresh citrus. It tasted fresh but had the heat we were after without it overwhelming any of our food. We also had the Seven Samurai ($13) with bourbon, dolin rouge, passionfruit, green peppercorn, and egg white. It was pretty as a picture and tasty too.
Before talking about the end of the meal, a few words about the restrooms. Yes, the restrooms. They’re extremely clever and spacious, adding some entertainment to doing what needs to be done. You’ll see.
The dessert menu consists of three options – Passionfruit Sorbet with Marcona almond ($6) which we didn’t order; Green Tea Yuzu Cake ($9) with green tea sponge, yuzu mascarpone cream, which was delicious; and the Lemongrass Panna Cotta ($9), a cool and creamy delight of a thing with raspberry coulis and basil. It was divine and the perfect way to round out the tinge of heat still left on our tongues from the entire meal. It was as if to say, “…and now, we’ll call it a night.”
glo Noodle House is located at 4450 West 38th Avenue, Suite 130. Visit their website, here.
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