MICAH - Red Jack's Saloon ( and Stagecoach Grill)

Red Jack's has (apparently) gone through a bit of a reinvention (in both look and staff) since the last time I was in there. What was once a seedy bar with not much to offer is now a fun and clean little hideaway in the heart of Olde Town Arvada.

We went in for dinner the other night for two reasons: 1) Neither of us felt like cooking; and 2) I've been dying to review the place! Walking in, there's not much to write home about. One bartender who told us we could seat ourselves, which we did, and a single cook in the back. The bartender promptly came over to ask if we'd be ordering dinner or just drinks for the evening and was pretty quick about bringing our drinks to us.

Red Jack's menu is pretty big considering it's just a bar in Olde Town. They have several specialty burgers along with some super delicious appetizers (you can see the full menu on their website) including chicken wings with six different sauces! Places this size usually only offer two: buffalo and BBQ. I'm looking forward to trying some of them! For dinner, I got the Red Jack's Signature Cream Cheese & Jalapeno Stuffed burger. Honestly? Probably one of the best burgers I've ever had...thick and juicy and perfectly cooked (I like my burgers medium rare). Todd got the Chili Cheese burger which is basically served open-faced on a giant hamburger bun. He loved it because it was loaded with raw onions and shredded cheese, just the way he likes his chili! The great thing about Red Jack's burger selection is that of the eight different burgers, only one of them is the same as The Archive Room (the mushroom and swiss burger). It's nice that they're not in competition with each other and that I can get pretty much any burger I could possible want from at least one place in the neighborhood.

All the burgers come with a choice of sides (things like fries, coleslaw, baked beans, among others) but none of them cost extra which was a pleasant surprise. I'm kind of tired of being up-charged for silly things like sweet potato fries, but I digress. Fries were unexpected steak fries which aren't my favorite, but these were cooked well so I ate them all. In fact, I wolfed down the entire meal which I should NOT have done given the burger itself was a whopping half-pound! Yep...it was that good.

On top of all that, the service was pretty fantastic. The bartender took our order and brought it back very quickly and DID NOT forget the mayo and ranch dressing we ordered on the side. Why is this always so hard to remember? I mean, every time we order those two things, the server actually writes them down and still they are forgotten. So that was a nice change to the usual.

Red Jack's hosts a poker game every Tuesday night so some patrons came in to play while we were chatting after dinner. They also have a DJ that plays nightly, but we left before we had a chance to hear him play.

Happy hour is pretty awesome...Sunday-Thursday 3p-7p and 10p-2a. Friday 3p-7p. They offer 25cent wings during happy hour so we'll be making our way over for that some night.

I really enjoyed this joint and fully intend to go back. If you're looking for some easy (and cheap) and you love good burgers and dive bars, this is the place for you! Also, it's family-friendly until 9p when you have to be 21 to enter.

Red Jack's Saloon
5707 Olde Wadsworth Blvd, Arvada, CO 80002
(303) 593-1661

MICAH: The Archive Room (take 2)

Several weeks ago, I posted a review of one of the newest restaurants in the Arvada area (and a favorite of mine and Todd's), The Archive Room. Great restaurant, great atmosphere, great beer selection, but the menu was lacking just a little bit.

Mere days after I posted the original review, the menu changed...oh, for joy! They added brand new burger selections including many of the burgers I was hoping for (bacon-guacamole, mushroom-swiss, BBQ, etc.) which was so nice to see! They now offer all their burgers with a vegetarian patty or chicken breast at no extra charge. I can't think of many other restaurants that offer that option unless it's for a fee.

They mixed up some of the sandwiches and entrees as well. The ones that I've tried has been fantastic (shrimp po' boy and meatball hero) and the ones I haven't yet eaten sound amazing too (especially the three-cheese baked mac).

The only thing that changed that was a bummer: they no longer offer the chips and dip platter. It was salsa, guac, and queso, all of which were amazing. Now it's just chips and salsa for $4 and you can add a side of guac for another $1. Still delicious, but I miss the platter option (it was my dinner more times than I should admit).

Also a huge bummer: no more late night happy hour. No big deal to me since I'm not typically a night owl anymore, but it was nice to have somewhere chill and, well, clean to go if I wanted a beer at 10pm. I can still go there, it's just not as cheap. But hey...they still have regular happy hour from 4p to 7p Monday through Friday, and that's also a hard happy hour to beat!

Archive is still one of our favorite restaurants, despite the minimal "bummer" changes...make a date to get there if you haven't already!

MICAH: Udi's Cafe & Bar - Arvada

This is another new gem in the heart of Olde Town Arvada. Being an Arvada native, it's nice to see this part of town turning around and watch new shops and restaurants take up residence near where I live. I'm a huge fan walking places as often as possible and Udi's is a place I make my way quite often!

Many of you might know Udi's as a bakery specializing in gluten-free goodies. This location is no exception. Walking in the front door, you are greeted with an array of breads, muffins, rolls, and other baked goods. The front of the store is a take-away sandwich and coffee shop, but what I'll be talking about here is the actual sit-down restaurant portion of the location.

The decor of the restaurant is quirky and eclectic, but also very inviting. A giant dining room with booths, tables, and large group seating is accented with a lovely (and quite large) patio which is wonderful in the summertime. Some nights, there will be a guitarist playing the patio which is a nice complement to the easy street traffic which can be heard, but isn't overbearing. Beware, however, the occasional freight train which can be painfully loud, but fortunately doesn't last more than a minute most times.

The dinner menu is rather extensive, including appetizers, salads, sandwiches, and the reason to visit this location, specialty pizzas! I love pizza and can be pretty choosy about how I like it made...Udi's does not disappoint! Their staff is very knowledgeable about the pizza selections, making it a little easier to choose. The menus boasts several selections with both white and red sauces and while each pizza (12" rounds, 6 slices each) could comfortably feed two people, I recommend getting one of each sauce and taking home some leftovers...it really is that good! So far, my favorites are Ham & Cheese (white) and Toscana (red).

Make sure to order an appetizer before pizza though...they are appropriately sized and can be shared between two people. The sweet potato fries are easily the best I've ever had, but that's probably because of the chipotle aioli dipping sauce...so tasty! Such a different flavor and saves my husband the trouble of having to make his own "fry sauce." Additionally, the Caprese Starter and Hummus Plate are perfectly portioned and quite tasty. Definitely don't forego the appetizers for dinner!

Brunch at Udi's is an entirely different experience, but equally as wonderful. The menu is substantially smaller, but each item is worth trying at least once. Not to mention the bottomless Bellinis and mimosas...no brunch is complete without those! Udi's changes the brunch menu from time to time so if you check out the online menu, don't get your heart too set on any one thing. It may or may not be on the menu the day you actually eat there. It doesn't change that often, but go with an open mind. I had a bit of a strange brunch when I went...French onion soup and the fruit platter. I've been craving French onion soup for weeks so I opted for that instead of one of the omelets or benedicts. Others in my party had more traditional offerings and not a single person was disappointed. I tried a bit of one of the benedicts and will definitely be ordering a full one for myself next time I'm there.

Udi's Arvada most definitely gets a "Friday" from me...perfect date-night locale as well as a fun place to just stop in for one of many specialty drinks to sip on the patio!


Monday 11am - 3pm
Tuesday to Friday 11am - 9pm or later
Saturday 10am - 10pm or later
Sunday 10am - 3pm

MICAH: The Archive Room

The Archive Room
Olde Town Arvada, CO
This is another newish place in the 'hood that we frequent. Some time ago, it picked up where The Arvada Grille left off and frankly, it's doing a much better job at handling the prime corner it landed on.

Todd and I have eaten just about everything on the menu. I usually opt for the chips & dip platter which comes with homemade queso, guacamole, salsa, and endless tortilla chips. They recently changed the salsa recipe to be more of a salsa verde and since the salsa is the base for the guac, that changed as well. Let me tell you, it's better than ever! I can't get enough of that guac! I wonder if they'd let me just get three dishes of guac instead of the queso and salsa? Might be worth asking about...

I'm also in love with the baked brie. It's a hard item to screw up, to be honest, but Archive does a better job than most. The appetizer comes out in two baked "bricks" drizzled in a raspberry compote. I fell in love the first time I ate it.

For main courses, I really love the wraps and the build-your-own burgers. I do wish that they offered more toppings (cough cough, the guac). Right now, they offer several types of cheese, sauteed onions or mushrooms, bacon, that sort of thing. I would like to see them offer guacamole, jalapenos, maybe green chilis, barbeque sauce, and other such toppings. But until then, I'm pretty happy with the burgers I get there. Also, the sweet potato fries (which can be added to any entree for an extra $1.00) are the best I've ever tasted. Nice and crispy...ranch or honey mustard makes a good dipping sauce. Or do what Todd does and make your own fry sauce (mayo, ketchup, and a dab of mustard).

The best thing about Archive, however, is the happy hour...definitely the best one I've seen in a long time! Not only does it happen during normal hours (4p -7p and again from 10p - close Monday through Friday), it's one of the most cost-effective places to have some great beers! All house wine, well drinks, and draft beers are BOGO. Todd and I can usually get out of the for about $10. So if you go there for happy hour, try to get Megan in the bar and tip well! She's worth it! Management switches out the tap beers from time to time which is a nice way to mix it up. I've tried every white wine offering they have and haven't been impressed with any of them, but the beer selections and full bar make up for that.

The ambiance of the restaurant is also super fantastic! The walls are covered with vintage TIME Magazine covers; even the menus have vintage ads strewn about. The front of the restaurant boasts a sitting area with big wingback chairs, a leather sofa, fireplace, and one of about a dozen fla-screen TVs. Archive Room is a great spot to grab lunch and some beers while watching the game (Todd and I spent many an afternoon there during the World Cup).

All in all, with some wanted additions to the menu, Archive Room is a place we're happy to be "regulars!"

MICAH: Scrumptious Ice Cream & Candy Shop

Scrumptious Ice Cream & Candy Shop
Olde Town Arvada, CO

This is my new favorite local hang out. Since the store opened early-summer 2010, it's been packed to the gills nearly every night! Scrumptious is run by two young guys who grew up in Arvada and spent time querying the local Olde Town shops trying to figure out what was missing from the area. A vintage ice cream shop was just the answer!

The store boasts no less than 12 different flavors each day, with new flavors rolling out every couple of days. Every flavor has been amazing, but my personal favorites are:
Elvis (banana ice cream with peanut butter and honey swirled through...just like the King's fave sandwich)
Whiskey Vanilla (how can you go wrong with Jameson and ice cream?)
Cotton Candy (nice and light)
Chocolate Birthday Cake (including sprinkles, as every good cake would)
Blueberry Cheesecake (the first flavor I ever tried)
and my absolute favorite, Cinnamon Cookie Dough (real cinnamon, not that fake cinnamon bear crap)

What I love about the ice cream is that it's as 100% natural as you could ask for. I hate banana flavor, but the banana ice cream is actually pureed bananas so the flavor is real, normal, and edible. The guys are constantly on the look-out for new, delicious flavors (I hear they have a Pumpkin Cheesecake coming up) so the menu changes rapidly. That's probably why Todd and I have been in there about four times a week since they opened.

And while the ice cream is the best thing you'll ever taste, the attitude and atmosphere inside the shop is what really draws me in. It's a family-run business, so wives and mothers are often serving ice cream or running the register. The "ice cream guys" are some of the friendliest you'll ever meet...and are huge CU Buffalos fans, to boot! They even have a giant faux buffalo head on the wall that they recently motorized (hilarity ensues whenever a kid sees it for the first time).

On top of that, Scrumptious is a real live candy land...more than half the store is filled with just about any kind of candy you can possibly imagine, from Bubble Tape and Big League Chew to Jelly Belly's and individually wrapped circus peanuts to my favorite part of the store (aside from the ice cream), a wall of vintage safe deposit boxes filled with candy bars! Oh, and don't forget to check out the soda cabinet...made with real sugar, these sodas are not to be missed!

Olde Town has been my haunt my entire life and for too long, it was the part of Arvada that everyone avoided. Run down, shabby, generally in a state of disrepair. But thanks to the "ice cream guys", Scrumptious, and several other well-run restaurants and stores in the area, Olde Town is a place I love to go and can't wait to get back to!

Scrumptious is perfect anytime, any day. We've been there on Tuesday and on Friday...it never disappoints!

Hours:
Tuesday - Saturday 11am - 9pm-ish
Sunday Noon - 6pm-ish
Closed Mondays (give the guys a break...they work hard!)

MICAH: Mama Sannino's

Mama Sannino’s

Arvada, CO

Todd is going camping this weekend so we moved date night to last night, Tuesday. Not knowing what to do or where to go, I found myself on denver.citysearch.com and happened upon a little place called Mama Sannino’s. It was allegedly located in this crappy strip mall by our house, but I’ve never seen it. It got great reviews so it was worth a shot.

We walked in and the place was pretty full…probably six other groups dining. It’s a small restaurant so six was nice, but not overflowing. We were immediately greeted by a young lady that we later overheard had just turned 16 the previous week. She was nice.

A woman whom I believed to be THE Mama came to take our drink order…for such a small place, they had a nice wine selection (I didn’t check out the beer options, but Todd got a Peroni) and they carry my ultimate fave wine, Chateau St. Michele Riesling…mmmm!

The menu was pretty decent sized too, again, for the size of the place. I wound up getting a half order of pasta and marinara with sausage (incl. bread and salad). Todd got the fettuccini alfredo (incl. soup and bread). We both pretty much devoured our dinners…they were everything I expected and more! Yum! We sat around for a l-o-n-g time just enjoying dinner and then, since it was date night, we split a cannoli…holy mackerel was it good! I think it might have been better than then one(s) we had in Boston!

All in all, quite the pleasant surprise…we’ll be going back, but next time, on bikes (since it’s so close).

This place gets a FRIDAY from me.

One other fun thing to note: the bathrooms had all kinds of fun art in them. It was pretty awesome!

TODD: Pete's Greek Cafe

The fact that a restaurant is "on Colfax" should not disqualify it from the relative pantheon of Denver eateries that you must try.

They have non-Greek food, too, for you losers who order a cheeseburger at Mexican places, but their house cuisine is "where it's at."

As Micah already described our dishes, I'll save myself the trouble except to say that the food was fantastic. My salad was drenched in dressing, however, and at one point I do recall making the "bitter beer face" over a mouthful of vinegary deliciousness. The pita bread with the appetizer was warm and solid and fantastic. My "lasagna" was a little bland in the past area (of which there was much because it was stacked about 4" tall) but the mixture of the flavors with the nutmeg-meat and sauce offset it beautifully.

Yes, the baklava was the absolute best. It was warm, which doubled the effect, and I did accuse Micah of wanting to lick the place (though, secretly, I would have made her fight me for it).

Definitely recommended for every night of the week, especially FRIDAY.