Ale House at Amato's

The Ale House has intrigued me for a while, knowing that they have a great view of the Denver skyline and that they have 40+ beers on tap. After driving by it for almost two years (after dinners elsewhere in the Highlands), we finally made it inside. We took a table in the bar and perused through the beer selection, selected an appetizer (seared tuna), and put in an order for two burgers. 


I ordered the beer-b-que burger, which is served with an oatmeal stout and honey beer-b-que sauce, caramelized onions and applewood smoked bacon. It was a delicious burger. The only problem I had, was that the bun got soggy fairly quickly from the sauce. The bun may have just been smashed a little, its liquid-absorbing powers greatly diminished. Nevertheless, I polished the burger off. There wasn't anything exceptional about the fries because as I sit here and write this I can't remember one bad or great thing about them. 


The seared tuna appetizer was a bit of a gamble. That is, why order it at a brewery? But, I think it paid off. The tuna was fine and very rare, but I was most impressed with the tortilla chips. That probably sounds very lame, but it's true. They had a nice coating of oil and salt and they were served warm with some pico de gallo. 


The Ale House is in the family of Breckenridge Brewery brewpubs. We found this brewpub to be better than the one in Breckenridge, where we dined in August of last year and the food was a bit of a letdown. The views of the Denver skyline across Central St and I-25 are great. There is currently some roadwork near the restaurant and some major construction downtown that hurts the view some, but for the most part, you couldn't find a better location for a brewpub. With the views, the bold collection of beers on tap, and the location in the Highlands, the Ale House will probably be around for a while. 


Dined February 14, 2012.


Written by B.

The Bull and Bush

Glendale, Colorado has one great restaurant, The Bull and Bush. Founded in 1971, the restaurant sits across from the Cherry Creek trail near the intersection of Cherry Creek S Dr and Cherry St. The exterior is made of white stucco and wood beams intentionally bringing to mind a stand alone English pub that one might see in any countryside town in the UK. Actually, according to the restaurant’s website, the pub is designed after a pub in Hampstead Heath, a north London park and suburb. The interior feels reasonably British too, with a few American flourishes like a ton of TVs and a small display of merchandise from t-shirts to shot glasses. It's dark inside with comfy chairs and live music on Sundays.

Despite its fame, the place still feels local. I go to the Bull and Bush for its beer (brewed on site), the food (amazing burgers and a great brunch), and the atmosphere (good service and from my experience, nice customers). It also doesn't hurt that I'm within walking distance either, but if I lived across town it would still be one of my favorite stops. I tend to get the Queen Mother burger and the Allgood Ale for starters, but they have great nachos and brunch specials. Actually, they have specials everyday. Like on Wednesdays, a burger order gets you a free pint. On Sundays you can get a double bloody mary for $4.50.   

This won’t be the only time I blog about the Bull and Bush. I am bound to go several times this year, so I’ll stop now. But this food lover highly recommends the place. It’s good and unapologetically greasy food and a great atmosphere. You’ll love it.

Dined January 24, 2012.

B.