upscale Mexican or Southwestern in Denver

[david kaplan]

What are your favorites? I need to choose a spot for a leisurely dinner for four adults. Any recommendations for ingredient-driven, seasonally-inspired, or innovative regional Mexican or Southwestern in the Denver area, preferably closer to downtown? Thanks.

[QuaffStout]

Tarascos, on Federal a few blocks south of Alameda. Very creative, ingredient driven chef, highlights are goat soup and the mole de siete chiles.

[ClaireWalter]

Tatamagouche - Note the goat soup!

[e_bone]

Does it really need to be "upscale"? Seems to me really good mexican / colo-mex / new mex - mex or even Tex Mex food is rarely "ingredient driven" or white tablecloth.. but it is a unique cuisine hard to find outside this geography.

I'd tell 'em to dress down and go to La Fiesta...

http://lafiestadenver.com/

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La Fiesta Cafe
102 E Main St, Sidney, MT 59270

[Pastajohn]

FYI - La Fiesta is only open for dinner on Friday nights.

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La Fiesta Cafe
102 E Main St, Sidney, MT 59270

[Littleman]

Zengo is outstanding.

Zengo @ 1610 Little Raven Street, Denver, CO 720 - 904 - 0965.
http://www.richardsandoval.com/#inicio

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Zengo
1610 Little Raven, Denver, CO 80202

[david kaplan]

Zengo looks exactly like the kind of place I had in mind -- except that we are all coming from elsewhere including some New Yorkers and I see that there is a Zengo in New York. I was hoping for someplace different than what we could get at home. What's unique to Denver?

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Zengo
1610 Little Raven, Denver, CO 80202

New Yorker Restaurant
60 West Market Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84101

[ClaireWalter]

I actually like Tamayo at 14th and Larimer better than Zengo. It is also a Richard Sandoval restaurant, but at least there's not another one in NYC.

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Tamayo Restaurant
1400 Larimer Street, Denver, CO 80202

Zengo
1610 Little Raven, Denver, CO 80202

[tatamagouche]

If I'm not too late, El Diablo's new in the Baker District and quite good so far.

http://www.eldiablorestaurant.com/

http://www.denveater.com

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El Diablo
1429 S Higgins Ave, Missoula, MT 59801

[david kaplan]

Your suggestion was too late -- but I'm coming back to Denver shortly and will be sure to try El Diablo. Thanks!

I don't see any detailed reports on El Diablo, only one brief mention. Have you been? Favorite dishes there?

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El Diablo
1429 S Higgins Ave, Missoula, MT 59801

[tatamagouche]

Yep...really like the beef cheek enchiladas, the duck in mole negro, all the different beans, the tacos de barbacoa...chipotle salsa's very good...

Also, the cocktails are much better than I thought they'd be.

Can't post a link to an individual blog post but the address has changed.

http://www.ruthtobias.com/denveater

[david kaplan]

A real winner. Loved the mole negro and the poblano taco best of all.

[GroovinGourmet]

Checking out El Diablo reminded me of Mezcal out on E. Colfax. Still there?

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Mezcal
3230 E. Colfax, Denver, CO 80206

El Diablo
1429 S Higgins Ave, Missoula, MT 59801

[tatamagouche]

Yup...