Oh Denver Restaurant Week, how do I love thee?  Let me count the ways.

On a scale of 1-10, how embarrassing is it that I originally learned that as a line from “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” instead of as a famous poem?  Actually, don’t answer that.  Anyways, guess what just ended ended a full week ago?  Denver Restaurant Week!  The week when Denver restaurants of all sizes, shapes and price ranges come together to present us Coloradoans with set multi-course menus for $30/person.  It’s the perfect opportunity to enjoy a meal at some of the pricier restaurants for a more affordable price and it brings great joy to my life.  It also brings great decision making anxiety to my life as I attempt to sift through the very long list of participating restaurants.  But after seeing “Crab Cake Taster” on the menu for the Oceanaire I was sold and after hearing “Salted Caramel Pretzel Sundae,” Joey was more than sold.

Let’s take a journey through the meal, shall we?

We started with bread… and this plate of chilled vegetables and olives?  Is this a thing?  We also started with a bottle of red wine, because why not?  Also, it was Wine Wednesday so we had to, right?

Next, we had a choice of appetizer.  As previously stated, I was in it for the crab cake taster so that’s obviously what I ordered.  Joey went with the clam chowder, which I tasted and thought was really good, but not nearly as good as my crabby cake.  It was baked instead of fried so it had this lovely soft creaminess.  I wouldn’t have minded eating 3 more 🙂

Then came entrees.  I ordered the paella.  It sounded good and I felt like it was a good compromise between meat and seafood, but it was just okay.  Joey’s steelhead on the other hand… AMAZING!  We made a deal to switch halfway through and I was more than okay with passing off the paella.

We also ordered these giant asparagus.  Seriously, they were freakishly huge.  Joey described them as “like eating a hot dog made of vegetable,” which is both hilarious and incredibly accurate.  Also, Joey decided to order some scalloped potatoes without consulting me — which is rude because all food related decisions should involve me — but then they were delicious and that shut me right up.

I was expecting to share dessert but we each got to order our own.  In other words, I had to be rolled out to the car afterwards.  Sadly, the sundae was rather boring, but my carrot cake was good.  It had a slight hint of orange to it that I couldn’t decide if I liked or didn’t, but it at least made it a little more unique.  Unless carrot cake always tastes orangey?  I’m obviously new to the world of carrot cake.

Overall, I liked the Oceanaire, but I didn’t love it.  I felt some of the dishes were just so-so (read: chowder, paella, sundae) and my inner food snob feels like a really standout restaurant doesn’t have anything so-so on the menu.  BUT the crab cake, salmon and carrot cake were so good that the meal still felt special and satisfying.

Up next, our night at Restaurant Kevin Taylor!

Do you have a restaurant week where you live?

Are you a seafood eater?

Are you a carrot cake lover or hater?  I feel there’s no in between there.