Denver’s Restaurant Week, hosted by 5280 Magazine, is not only a great opportunity for restaurants around the city to promote their food to a variety of patrons, but also a great way for us poor college students to score some great food at reasonable prices.
The event ran from Feb. 20 to March 1 this year, offering customers the chance to score great deals on food throughout the city.
This year, Panzano’s Restaurant Week menu was a four-course meal for $30, featuring many of its signature dishes as options. Panzano is an upscale Italian restaurant attached to the Hotel Monaco in downtown Denver. It’s surrounded by the high-rises and bustle of a big city, contributing to the elegant and classy feel of the restaurant.
Panzano has the dim lighting and dark rich color scheme of many fancy restaurants. The unique theme, patterns and feel of the Hotel Monaco are also evident, though, creating an elegantand subdued, yet fun vibe in the restaurant.
For an appetizer, I had the fried calamari with chili aioli. It was absolutely delicious, with a unique crunchy texture and flavor that went perfectly with the spicy sauce. The presentation was pristine, and, although the serving size wasn’t very large, it was surprisingly filling. The selection for the first course varied immensely, including sauteed brussels sprouts and a dish of a savory mushroom-filled crêpe.
For the next course, I ordered the Caesar Griglia, which was a grilled romaine heart covered in a light caesar sauce with parmesan cheese. A much more sophisticated take on the traditional caesar salad, this dish was spectacular. Other dishes on the menu included tomatoes and mozzarella covered in basil oil and mixed greens with pomegranate seeds.
The main course had many different options, from lamb ragu and pasta to scallops over greens and cauliflower purée. I settled on the Pastiche after much debate, a dish consisting of veal meatballs and cheese-filled tortellini. The dish came well-presented in a tiny pot, looking somewhat like a very elegant pot pie. It was savory, the meatballs were very tender and the entire dish was fabulous.
Dessert was probably the most difficult choice, as créme brûlée, torta all’olio and tiramisu were all on the menu. In the end, I decided on tiramisu—a personal favorite of mine. The small treat was light, sweet, soft and thoroughly enjoyable.
For those of age, Panzano also has a wide selection of wine, beer and spirits available to guests. There are even some non-alcoholic treats on the menu for those who want to sip from a fancy glass but aren’t yet 21.
Overall, my experience at Panzano was spectacular. And, while the entire meal was $30 (plus tip), it normally would have been far more expensive to dine at such a fine establishment (entrees at Panzano are normally $20 to $30 alone), so keep that in mind if you decide to go. This is the magic of Denver Restaurant Week—the ability for poor foodies to indulge in fine and elegant food, if only for a week.
While Restaurant Week ended March 1, have no fear, as the event is annual. Make sure to take advantage of the amazing deals and restaurants we have in Denver next year if you didn’t get a chance.
