One of the very things that makes it special is also what is problematic for Red Square Euro Bistro. Tucked into the crook of the elbow of Writer Square, between Larimer Square and the 16th Street Mall, you wouldn’t know the restaurant is there unless you, well, knew it was there. Even people looking for it have trouble finding this little treasure because of its sheltered location. But find it, one must.
With one of the prettiest restaurant patios in Denver (especially when flower baskets are in bloom), Red Square Euro Bistro is the incarnation of the Little Russian Cafe which closed in 2003. Owner Steve Ryan and his staff then opened the Euro Cafe with a vibrant and red interior. Known for their house-made vodka infusions and the cocktails that can be made with them, the restaurant should also be known for their well-conceived menu, created by Brandon Becker, Executive Chef. Imagine this – because they print their own menus in-house, Chef can change the menu on a whim as fresh ingredients come in and inspiration strikes. That also means some of what we’ve written about here might not be there when you go but will be substituted by other wonderful things.
The restaurant is often pigeonholed as a Russian restaurant (the huge vodka selection supports that notion). And while there are still classic Russian dishes, there are many others that take it more into the European cuisine realm.
Also delicious, the Roasted Rack of Lamb, served with sun chokes, spring onion, swiss chard and confit fingerling potatoes for $32.
One of the biggest surprises was the Steak Tartare with black garlic aioli, asparagus, paper-thin radish, spring pickles and a quail egg, $12. The Tartare itself was so good – one bite just made us want another and another.
The other big surprise of the night was the Pan Seared Grouper. Chef Becker treated it right with a ring of Lobster dumplings, a lobster emulsion, beautiful romanesco broccoli and chervil.
Comments are closed.