Note: Dio Mio is not currently open for dining room service, so make sure to check out their alternative options. They are offering curbside pickup and delivery, so their classics can still be enjoyed. They also have DIY meal kit options which are composed of all the ingredients that make their restaurant dishes come alive. The sous chef is also currently giving step-by-step tutorials about how to prepare their weekly changing DIY meal kits on their instagram, so use this time to refine your cooking stills at this master class.
This time is precarious for many restaurants, so it is important to remember that the hospitality industry of Denver is taking the necessary precautionary measures to maintain a high level of safety for their beloved customers. Their livelihood depends on the community members to continue to utilize their services, so although their creative specialties cannot be enjoyed in house they are still working to provide for the people of Denver.
The outer east edge of Larimer street hides what appears to be a quaint little restaurant. Dio Mio’s maroon wall strictly contrasts the murals that draw tourists to this side of town. However, the side of the restaurant showcases praying hands with a fork twisted around a heaping load of pasta between them. The garage door style window might have you thinking you can get your oil changed here, but the only oil Dio Mio has is the liquid gold that comes from olives. The dark exterior gets disrupted immediately with the shades of white that compose the kitchen and dining room. Descending from the ceiling are pieces of white paper that decorate the restaurant like clouds. Upon further glance, these innovative trifold pieces are actually re-used pasta containers. This abstract chandelier gives insight that this won’t be a conventional restaurant. Dio Mio doesn’t have an extravagant outdoor deck to post about online or a neon sign that blinds you when you go inside. Instead, they let the food speak for itself; even though the menu features only six entree dishes, each will have you talking about them for weeks to come.
The intimate restaurant is always bustling with people dining atop countertop tables. The minimalist decoration leads you right to the action—the food. After being named among the Top 25 Restaurants in Denver, there is a bit of expectation that goes into that credential. This restaurant doesn’t fare well for your wallet and requires more than a couple outfit changes in preparation of your arrival. However, restaurants featured on a list of that caliber have to be unique and offer a memorable experience. The anticipated experience may take a minute if you stand at the door, waiting for the hostess to find you a table in the already jammed restaurant. So, take a minute and look up. In bold red letters, the instructions are clear: “Seat yourself. Order at the Counter.” Order at the counter? No, you are not at Noodles and Co. Continue on, and you won’t regret it.
The simplistic menu is actually quite complex. While some are Italian classics, nuanced elements make a Dio Mio dish more than just another pasta night. All of their pasta dough is made in house by craftsmen that are crazy about carbs. Some of their dishes feature their classic dough that has the lovely yellow glow of egg yolks. The ingredients are not unexpected; instead, they prioritize local provisions to supply their dishes because the taste is fresher and the community is stronger. They even mill their own flour which shows their commitment to doing as much of the ground work as possible. All this action takes place on their long wooden counter, which acts directly as a cutting board.
In the minds of Chef Spencer White and Alex Figura, each pasta shape has a personality that requires its own unique dish to showcase all its beauty. While Dio Mio offers classic combinations that everyone knows, they continue to push the bounds of what contemporary pasta dishes can be.
For traditionalists, Italian dreams can be immediately satisfied by ordering either the chicken parmesan or the spaghetti with the optional (or as I would say, required) addition of meatballs. Chicken parmesan is not a dish for the faint of heart—it’s meant to be a big squeeze from grandma that radiates comfort. All those feelings are maintained and elevated with a dash of creativity from the minds of fine dining chefs. The chicken parmesan is as enormous as hoped for with the tender, yet crisp piece of chicken extending past the rim of the plate. The golden brown shell of bread crumbs is a nice contrast from the healthy dose of melted cheese bubbling on top. The composition is a true trifecta of mozzarella, provolone and parmesan. Most restaurants would stop there or add some extra tomato sauce, but Dio Mio has salami hidden underneath to add a fatty saltiness that you didn’t know you needed. They also include Thai chilis that gives an acidic twist to this typically dense dish. It is a unique, fermented addition that makes for a cross between kimchi from Asian cuisine and Italian pickling. The pasta cannot be outshadowed because it beautifully holds the taste of fresh-stewed tomatoes. Chicken parmesan is a dish that is traditionally made at home, but this dish cannot be replicated anywhere outside of the Dio Mio kitchen.
Similarly, a lasagna is nothing novel. The layers of ground beef, sauce and pre-shredded cheese sandwiched between delicate ribbons of pasta are a mother’s go-to. Since this combination wouldn’t survive in an up-and-coming food scene, Dio Mio presents a dish that might need a new name. Their take on lasagna utilizes beef brisket that has been shredded across each layer, making it impossible to lose track of the hearty, smoky flavor. Instead of the pale cheese top hiding what’s going on inside, sliced mushrooms combine with the creamy bechamel sauce to develop into a sophisticated mashup of beef stroganoff and lasagna. In order to keep the dish’s balance intact, there’s spring onions to accentuate the earthiness and garnishing of a salsa verde to add a refreshing kick to a heavy dish. It’s embellished with well-made ingredients but maintains the soul of a true lasagna.
Pesto is often associated with a vibrant, green color that represents the garden herbs that comprise the lively sauce. Dio Mio still gives the earthy flavor that pesto deserves but in an unconventional manner – walnut pesto. This sauce is a bit thicker than an oil-based pesto. The nuts give it body that almost emulates a light cream sauce. The roasted nuts in the sauce would make a vegan think they were eating buttered noodles.The squat spiral pasta locks the sauce into each little ripple, and a dash of crushed red pepper allows for flecks of color and spice. The sauce is also paired with two textural contrasts: sweet and salty crumbles of candied walnuts and chunks of pickled sunchokes. These pearly, white pieces have a more neutral and earthy flavor similar to other root vegetables like potatoes or parsnips. Instead of a squeeze of lemon, it is these sunchokes that allow for a hit of acid that replicates the zestiness of pesto. This isn’t the perfect picture of pesto that is often seen, but nevertheless, the full-bodied flavor is not one to miss.
While the pride and joy of this institution can be easily seen in their pasta, their fresh sourdough has been given the same dedicated attention. The bread hosts a robust flavor while the chewy, air-pocket filled interior is what defines a perfectly risen sourdough. The crunchy texture of the crust comes from the golden brown roast from the oven. This bread is also not served alone; this appetizer is coupled with two other Italian classics. The shaved prosciutto is thin enough to see through it, but it still has a cured and salty flavor even in its delicate state. Bread and ham is incomplete without cheese, which is why a heaping round of burrata is the ideal silky addition. Finished off with a drizzle of aged balsamic, it provides tangy and bittersweet notes to compliment the other ingredients.
A counter service probably never thought that it would get picked up to the big leagues, but it made it there because it wasn’t worried about the conventions of Italian cuisine. Dio Mio focuses on its craft, community and culture.They don’t need frills or even reservations to ensure the dining room stays lively. The chefs at Dio Mio use simple ingredients, classic techniques and an easygoing environment to make their restaurant inviting to all.
