The Inglenook

Every little Inglenook and Cranny

Finally!  We picked a restaurant that was not in downtown Denver!  Not only were we able to branch out and travel north of Denver to beautiful Loveland, Colorado but we were also able to share the experience with a group of Maniacs who live in Northern Colorado.  Thank you Carolynn, Karen, Rhawnie, Kerry, Heather, Jennifer, and Kim for joining us at The Inglenook.  You guys are awesome!

The Inglenook is located on Cleveland Avenue in downtown Loveland.  It can be easily spotted by a pair of adorable awnings that cover the outdoor patio proudly displaying the word "bistro".  It is locally owned which is something we love to hear, and we had the privilege of speaking to the owner of the restaurant, Rod .  He described the food as made from scratch, new American cuisine.

We asked Rod how he came up with the name Inglenook.  He explained to us that when it came time to name the restaurant, he gathered his family together and told them they could pick the name only if they followed a few rules.  Those rules were the following:  it could not be a proper name,  it could not be a word ending in the letter "S", and it could not named after a type of food.  This way, he could change the cuisine and menu whenever he wanted without restriction.  That makes perfect sense to us.

The restaurant is a smaller, intimate space with low lighting and beautiful, relaxing colors on the walls.  Upbeat, international type music plays in the background at a reasonable level allowing patrons to hold a conversation without yelling at each other.

In true MenuManiacs style, our party quickly grew from 6 to 9 unexpectedly causing the staff to move us around to a larger table by the bar.  We were not upset by this.  Cosmopolitans, shots of whiskey, and several glasses of Malbec made their way to our table to get the dinner started.  In addition to being the owner, Rod seems to do double duty as the bartender and we have to admit, the man makes a mean Cosmo!  Good job, buddy.

Appetizers were ordered with wild abandon.  Crab Cakes, Artichoke Dip, Shrimp and Mushrooms.  Undoubtedly the favorite pre-meal warm up was the olive tapenade and nita crisps.  Several people at the table were decidedly non olive but even they had to admit it was delicious.  A lovely blend of salty olives and a slight dash of citrus.  Fantastic!

Thai Spinach Salad

Several salads were ordered as well.  The Iceberg Wedge, The Thai Spinach, and House Salads were all wonderful; however, the most interesting and flavorful portion of the salad course was the Orange Jalapeno Salad Dressing which was very unexpected but delightful.

Seafood Newburg

The Inglenook has a nicevaried menu as far as main courses go.  Lobster Ravioli, Bistro Steak, Roasted Duck, Seafood Newburg, Pecan Encrusted Salmon, Beef Short Ribs and Inglenook Crispy Baked Chicken were all brought to the table to be fought over like it was a cabbage patch doll in the eighties.  (Look it up if you don't know what that means.  I'll wait.)...................OK.  We liked the Seafood Newburg the best because it had a beautiful, rich, creamy sauce that was out of this world.

Roasted Duck

Pecan Encrusted Salmon

Bistro Steak

Lemon Sorbet

Dessert consisted of Chocolate Caramel Cake, Lemon Sorbet, Bread Pudding, and Crème Brulee which wasn't on the menu but was a special of the night.  Those of you who have been reading our blog religiously know just how much we love, love, love crème Brulee.  After saying that, the favorite dessert for the night was their lemon sorbet.  Light and refreshing after a large meal.

Our server, Rachel was wonderful and handled all of us with grace and professionalism.  She didn't skip a beat when our group had to parade in a single line all the way through the restaurant to our larger table.  It says a lot when somebody can handle those spur of the moment changes without losing their cool.  Rachel, you were wonderful.  Thank you so much for a beautiful evening.

We closed the place down, people.  We really enjoyed the evening and are happy to say that there really are excellent restaurants that exist outside the Denver area.  The Inglenook is definitely worth a drive to Loveland to spend an evening exploring what this adorable Colorado restaurant has to offer.

To all our Maniacs that came out to share this experience with us, Rod, Rachel, and staff of The Inglenook, we thank you for a fantastic meal and exceptional evening.  You are all perfection.  We proudly give the Inglenook a fork.

The Officially Unofficial Voting Legend
Take it with a grain of salt, we're not professionals.
	Awesome place, we’ll shovel more food in our face!
	It was okay. Not our favorite, but we’ll take another stab at it.
	Didn’t make the cut.

Tocabe - Greenwood Village

Tocabe 2

One Year Later....

Like the song says, "Five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes
How do you measure, measure a year?"  Well, in our world, the answer is always, LET'S GO EAT!

Hey guys, we did it.  Today's restaurant was a celebration of MenuManiac's one year anniversary.  A year really does fly by when you are doing something you love.  In fact, the year went by so fast that admittedly we almost forgot about the anniversary!  However, when it came time to choose the restaurant for our celebration, we didn't even have to think about it.  We would go back to the restaurant that started it all, Tocabe, An American Indian Eatery. 

Although this is technically a repeat for us, it was like a brand new experience.  During the last year, Tocabe has opened a second location in Greenwood Village and we couldn't be happier for them.

The new restaurant is just as wonderful as the original location.  In many ways it is identical; however, there are enough differences between the two to make this visit just as new and exciting as our original trip was a year ago. 

Tocabe 2 carried over many of the decorative touches from the original restaurant.  For example, the textured wallpaper that represents the prairie grass covering the lands inhabited by the Osage tribe, the same colors decorate the walls, and the food line and great service is all the same.  They still offer bison ribs, fried bread tacos, and medicine wheel nachos, all with your choice of ground beef, chicken, ground bison with sage, or shredded buffalo.  All the wonderful salsa's are there including our favorite hominy and cranberry salsa. You must try the hominy salsa, it sounds weird but it is awesome! 

The biggest difference is the absence of the stuffed frybread taco and the addition of the grilled bannock taco.  Bannock is a type of grilled bread and is served on the side instead of beneath the taco ingredients itself.  They also have a bad hunter salad which includes Arcadia salad mix and up to five choices of seasonal toppings including nuts, grains, beans, vegetables, and house made dressings - our favorite being the maple vinaigrette.  The maple syrup used in this salad dressing comes from a Native tribe in Minnesota.  But never fear, the stuffed frybread taco is still available at Tocabe's original location.

On this visit, the side served with the bison ribs was squash and potatoes which were sprinkled with brown sugar.  This was incredible.  Simple yet flavorful, like most of our favorite things.

For dessert, we ordered frybread sprinkled with cinnamon and powdered sugar as well as an order of frybread nuggets dusted with powdered sugar.  Both were fresh out of the oven and just phenomenal.  We recommend ordering a side of Wojapi sauce to dip the frybread in.  It is a mixture of fresh blueberries and strawberries. 

John, one of the owners, came by our table.  He spent a lot of time with us explaining the philosophy of the restaurant and letting us know of upcoming projects and ideas they have regarding Tocabe.  As you may remember from our first blog entry a year ago, Tocabe was brought to our attention after watching Diners, Drive In's, and Dives.  During our first visit to the original location on West 44th in Denver, we were impressed by the way they use local ingredients and how they strive to keep the culture and Native influence alive through their food and restaurants.  In true Tocabe style, John impressed us even further by informing us that they have been working in conjunction with the USDA to create DVD's demonstrating how to make meals from the ingredients found in the commodity packages for people living on reservations.  He also informed us that the motto regarding their restaurant's procurement of ingredients is, "Native first and local second."  We absolutely love and respect this idea.  He also reiterated the fact that all items on the menu, with the exception of the chipotle sauce, is made fresh in house and is preservative free.  In addition, he informed us about their future plans.  Tocabe is looking to expand and open more locations (Northern Colorado, John.  Northern Colorado!).  They have intentions to work with Fiddler's Green to help promote both the concerts and their food by coming up with a way to cater to the crowd as they are on their way to the venue.

Tocabe is still the most unique restaurant we have visited since starting this blog.  It continues to surprise and delight us with both wonderful food and wonderful service to their community, heritage, and culture.

Of course we awarded Tocabe, John, and the entire staff of Tocabe the coveted Golden Spoon.

Please review our original blog entry from a year ago as well.  We want to thank all our Maniacs for their continued support.  We look forward to year two and hope to have many group events and outings for many years to come!

The Officially Unofficial Voting Legend
Take it with a grain of salt, we're not professionals.
	Awesome place, we’ll shovel more food in our face!
	It was okay. Not our favorite, but we’ll take another stab at it.
	Didn’t make the cut.

Beatrice and Woodsley

Eating Outside...Indoors

This restaurant's theme is based on the love story of Beatrice & Woodsley. 

According to their website, the story goes...

"A room that mirrors the story of two lovebirds: Beatrice, the life-loving daughter of a French wine making family who relocated to California in the 1800’s to create a small vineyard. And Woodsley, the handsome and crafty son of Lumberjacks-turned-Coopers who provided barrels for the fledging wine producers. Upon first sight Beatrice & Woodsley fell in love and quickly married.
Stirred by his new bride, Woodsley built a remote cabin amid the woods of the Colorado Mountains. Built with skilled and loving hands, Woodsley constructed a strong abode complete with the day’s amenities and a large wine cellar between the roots of the aspens… Life was lived with appreciation amongst the forest birdsong, and the snow-capped peaks… happily ever after."

Beatrice and Woodsley is located at 38 South Broadway in the Washington Park area.  There is no parking lot; however, there is free street parking if you can find it, metered parking, and after a certain time, you can park for free in a credit union parking lot across the street from the restaurant.  There is no large sign outside the establishment so it is a good idea to utilize GPS when visiting for the first time.

The atmosphere of Beatrice and Woodsley is magnificent.  It is built around an urban aspen grove and has large lounging booths with flowing fabric separating each seating area.  The woodland theme and low lighting is calming and relaxing.  Below the main level is a dining area for large parties.  The room is covered with live moss and is part of their extensive wine cellar.  Bathrooms are kept behind hidden doors and the sinks are more art pieces than vanities.  The tables are large slabs of reclaimed wood and the bar is made out of the mantles of fireplaces and metal.  It is industrial yet woodsy and is absolutely beautiful.  Reservations are suggested; however, counter seating is available without reservations.

As always, we started
our meal with drinks that were


suggested by our server.  One of us, recovering from a cold, ordered hot tea which was served in a French Press.  Beatrice and Woodsley serves Tea Trulia, a fine purveyor of herbal teas.  Our server also suggested a nice red wine which was excellent.

Appetizers included the Daily Restorative - a creamy and delicious Potato Leak Soup with Cauliflower, Sea Salt, and Asparagus;  Crawfish Beingnets which were crispy, spicy, and flavorful.


We also ordered the Cheese Plate which was a combination of both cow and sheep cheese.

The most adventurous dish of the night was the Rabbit Ravioli.  The pasta itself was cooked well, browned in butter with orange, rosemary, and fennel.  The rabbit was braised as well as the vegetables and arugula.  The rabbit meat had an unusual texture which we were not expecting but overall this was a tasty dish.


For dinner we started off with the Duck, Duck, Jus.  Served with spatzle, sprouts, and carrots.  The spatzle was what really stood out having a wonderful texture and flavor.  Beatrice and Woodsley also has an extensive vegetarian menu so in addition to the duck and some great braised short ribs, we also picked a cauliflower, barley risotto.  Barley doesn't cook the same as arborio rice, but they somehow managed to create a delicious, creamy, and silky dish.

We were celebrating a birthday so when it came to dessert, we just had to order some of everything. The most captivating item on the menu had be the Sweet Pea Crème Brûlée. We know, we know.  Peas and crème brûlée... how is that possible?  Served deconstructed with candied lemon zest and crisp sugar wedges, the crème was sweet and creamy just as a good brûlée should be but it also had a subtle taste of sweet peas and somehow it just worked!  We also ordered their rich and dark chocolate cake, the beautifully sweet raspberry tart severed with ice cream.  The desserts were all so wonderful but we kept coming back to the crème brûlée.  It was so unique and delicious.  Hats off to B&W for an outstanding and unexpected dessert.

Summing Up

Our wonderful server, Aaron was excellent.  He offered suggestions and steered us away from options he thought we would not enjoy.  He asked if any of us had any food allergies which was a really nice touch and didn't give us any attitude about sharing food or asking for small plates.  So, so many small plates.  Beatrice & Woodsley is a gem!  Not just beautiful visually but absolutely delicious, offering an amazingly well executed menu.  We happily presented Beatrice & Woodsley with the coveted Golden Spoon.





Always happening:
"Beatrice's Scrumptiliitious Brunch" Service: 10am until 2pm, Saturday & Sunday
"Coffee Tea & Woodsley" -Tea Service: By special reservation only.
"Nosh & 'Tails": 5pm until 6:30pm, Monday through Friday; featuring weekly changing tasty bites, $6 specialty cocktails, $7 select pet wines and select $4 draft specials.
Dinner Service: Nightly, 5pm until the crowd thins...

The Officially Unofficial Voting Legend
Take it with a grain of salt, we're not professionals.
	Awesome place, we’ll shovel more food in our face!
	It was okay. Not our favorite, but we’ll take another stab at it.
	Didn’t make the cut.

White Fence Farm

And on this farm they had some chicken...

To be honest, we have been waiting for this restaurant to be picked for a while.  Surrounded by a white picket fence and located smack dab in the middle of Lakewood, locals have loved this place for decades and out of town visitors are always amazed by the atmosphere and attractions that it has to offer.  Our June excursion was like traveling back in time.  We left with our bellies full and our souls happy from spending time at a restaurant that celebrates a time when people were kinder, where things didn't move at such a fast place, and where families spent quality time together without staring at a phone or computer screen.  We are of course referring to the wonderful and always entertaining White Fence Farm.

Our youngest diner, Diana
enjoying a delicious meal

One of the maniacs (or followers of our blog as we affectionately call them) came all the way from California with her kids to visit and go with us on our blog outing.  It was a great way to experience White Fence Farm from several different people's perspective. 

We got there early with the hopes of beating the crowd, and we did a pretty good job with only a twenty minute wait for eight people.  As we were eating, it occurred to us that it wouldn't have been a bad thing to wait longer as they have lots to do to occupy your time. 

Horse- drawn carriage
rides of the property

One of the things we liked best about The White Fence Farm is that it's more than just a restaurant. Yes, the food was tasty and the dining service excellent, but after the delicious dinner there were play and discovery spaces for everyone.  In addition to the restaurant, they have a petting zoo, aviary, and a duck and koi pond. 
Children and adults alike can feed goats, sheep, pigs, fish, ducks, and chickens for twenty five cents a pop.  They have several items for sale throughout the complex including jellies and jams, clothing, decorations, soaps, and lotions.  Out front they have a large tree house and playground for the kids and right next to it is a large gazebo where parents can sit in the shade and watch their children play while enjoying a calming water fountain.  There is also an old fashioned candy store offering homemade fudge and candy.  They have a carriage house museum and The Americana Barn houses a full bar and the pig shoot slide that is opened the first 15 minutes of every hour for the kids. Upstairs there is a small arcade and play room for the kids.  After a while, we split into different groups and we went inside to

enjoy the old-time country music of a live local band and some well deserved libations.  White Fence Farm offers horse drawn carriage rides for a minimal extra charge that will take you in a circle around the grounds and the kiddos absolutely love to pet the horse.

Award winning fried chicken

The restaurant itself is decorated like an old farmhouse.  The wait staff wears stockings and old fashioned aprons to add to the atmosphere.  For larger groups of fifteen or more, they have a separate room in the library that can be reserved for parties, family reunions, or graduations.  They also offer the Fireside Room which is a seating area for adults only - no children allowed.  This is a nice touch for those people who want a quiet meal with good conversation. 

All you can eat sides!
You must try the corn fritters

We ordered fried shrimp, pork chops and fried cod.  All were tasty and all our plates were left empty.  However, one does not go to The White Fence Farm without ordering their classic fried chicken.  It is moist and delicious with a succulent light and crispy breading.  Aside from the main course and side of potato which are ordered on an individual basis, all sides are served family style and unlimited refills are offered.  Sides include beets, cottage cheese, bean salad, and their mythical corn fritters.  They are all wonderful and we had several servings of each.  For dessert we tried the peach cobbler, key lime pie, and lemon meringue pie.  They offer seasonal pies and desserts and all are excellent!

Duck and koi pond

White Fence Farm is all about family.  In fact, children are encouraged to bring their report cards with them.  If they have all "A's" they are given a free dinner and dessert.  For "A's" and "B's" they score a free dessert.  That was just one of the many little touches that make White Fence Farm so special.

Also, we heard rumors that they will be opening a storefront at The Pepsi Center and they will be expanding into catering in the near future.

All in all we spent four and a half hours at The White Fence Farm with not one child uttering, "I want to go home." or "I'm bored."  The adults in the group left relaxed, full, and toting some rather large bags of candy and homemade fudge.  It was an extremely wonderful day with wonderful people.  We are definitely going to make a return trip to the Farm and will bring another large group with us.  Maybe a winter excursion so we can partake in the hay rides that are offered during the holiday season.

For an excellent day, meal, and courteous staff.  We award The White Fence Farm a fork.  Be sure to like our facebook page for more picks and upcoming events.

The Officially Unofficial Voting Legend
Take it with a grain of salt, we're not professionals.
	Awesome place, we’ll shovel more food in our face!
	It was okay. Not our favorite, but we’ll take another stab at it.
	Didn’t make the cut.

Forest Room 5

Forest The Love of Pete!!!

Getting There

Forest Room 5 is in located the very popular Highlands area of Denver.  They do not have their own parking lot; however, the street parking is free so no need to worry about those pesky parking meters.  Finding the place is very straightforward and although they don’t have a huge sign out front, it is hard to miss the trees and the forest setting in the middle of the sleek and trendy bars, restaurants, and boutiques of the area.

The Atmosphere

Forest Room 5 is above all else, a bar.  It is best summed up as an “industrial cabin” and looks as though David Bowie had a baby with Paul Bunyon.  The booths are tree trunks with padded seats and wooden benches with backrests made of padded flannel.  The tables are made of massive slabs of wood and add to the eclectic, rustic feel.  There is a small eating area in the main room by the elaborate bar.  Behind the bar is a large movie screen that shows beautiful scenic views, colorful sunsets, and at one point a front row seat showing two Grizzly bears getting cozy, if you know what I mean.  The bartender’s dogs wandered in and out of the bar and patio area casually greeting each visitor as they walked in.  This may be off putting to some; however, it seemed to add to the atmosphere of the bar.  We felt like we were at a watering hole up in the Colorado Rockies.

The centerpiece of Forest Room 5 is the patio area.  They have managed to bring the mountains to the city.  There is a stream running through the patio, fire pits, tables, and beautiful lighting when it gets dark.  An interesting and beautiful setting to meet a group of friends for drinks and good conversation.

The Eats

Because it is a bar, we decided to get a couple of the specialty drinks listed on the menu.  First we ordered The Grizzly.  This is made with cazadores blanco, apricot and cayenne simple, and grapefruit spritzer. 

We also tried their Bear Heaven which is a mix of whipper snapper Oregon whisky, St. Germain, lemon juice, fresh thyme, and bitters on the rocks. One thing we can say about Forest Room, they don't skimp on the drinks.  They were...pungent.


We started with the Smoky Mac and Cheese.  Cheesy and filling this was tasty beginning to our evening.  It was made with roasted mushrooms, gouda, and bacon.  The bacon mixed well with the smoky, creamy gouda and instead of the typical elbow macaroni, this was a cavatappi pasta (corkscrew shape).  The sundried tomatoes added s sweet, chewy texture and rounded the dish out nicely.

We also tried the Green Garlic Soup made with achiote creama, fresh garlic, and fire popped heirloom corn.  This was creamy and had an intense garlic flavor that paired well with the sweetness of the corn.

The Smoked Bison Tacos were tasty and straightforward consisting of shredded bison seasoned perfectly with corn salsa and red onions all tucked away in soft flour tortillas.

Herbed Truffled French fries are all the rage right now and that is why we ordered them at Forest Room 5.  These were served with shaved parmesan cheese and  truffle aioli.  The fries were very fresh, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.  The aioli was not our favorite but was adequate for a truffle sauce found in a bar setting.

Our most unique find was without a doubt, the Grilled Watermelon Salad.  Slices of Watermelon were grilled briefly to form an almost carmelized coating on the outside while preserving the chilled, juicy melon on the inside.  It was served with both honeydew and cantaloupe melon balls, feta cheese, pistachios, and fresh arugula.  It was then drizzled with a fresh arugula sauce.  We would never have thought to mix melon with arugula but the flavors meshed perfectly and made for a light, whimsical salad.

We decided to try the fried chicken off the large plate portion of the menu.  The chicken had a very good coating, crunchy and crispy without drying out the chicken itself.  The meat was juicy and flavorful.  It was served with a light summer slaw, puffed wheat, and fresh honeycomb.

The flat iron steak was served with grilled baby vegetables, farro ( a type of grain), roasted carrots, and mushrooms.  This was simply prepared with no fancy sauces or glazes.  As with many items at Forest Room, this had a distinct smoky flavor to it.

Duck Confit is a favorite with us at MenuManiacs and we were a little surprised to find this on the menu in this type of setting so we just had to give it a try.  We were surprised at how good it was.  It was fall off the bone tender, served with an arugula, feta and goat cheese, pistacio, and strawberry salad.

The last item we tried was the bison short ribs.  These were served with fry bread, baked new potatoes, and wild asparagus.  This was served with an unctuous sauce that was basically the drippings from the meat.  This was another table favorite.  The meat had the texture of a pot roast and was very succulent.

On to desserts.  First, the dark chocolate brownie served with spruce tip and smoked peanuts.  This was an extremely rich and extremely dark chocolate brownie that had the texture of a flourless dessert.  So much so that we were unable to finish it. 

We also tried the S'mores.  Smoked marshmallows, graham cracker crumble, and dark chocolate.  This was a tasty dessert as a whole; however, the graham cracker crumble was the star of the dish.  It was more like a cookie than a graham cracker and was delicious when dipped into the chocolate.

The People 

As we stated, Forest Room 5 is a bar.  That being said, when you visit them don't expect stellar service.  The employees are basically bartenders and really cannot be compared to the wait staff at fine dining establishments.  Our server Roxy was helpful and kept our food coming and our drinks full.

Summing Up

Forest Room 5 gets its name from the 5 large rooms you can reserve for larger parties.  They are set up for live entertainment and dining service.  Call if you have interest in booking these for a get together or office party.

They have options for vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free items on their menu.  They have a nice, varied menu and offer something for everybody. 

Forest Room 5 is a nice little bar with a unique setting in a very popular part of the city.  A good place for friends to get together after work for a drink.  Because of this, we award Forest Room 5 a fork.

Thank you for a truly unique dining experience.

The Officially Unofficial Voting Legend
Take it with a grain of salt, we're not professionals.
	Awesome place, we’ll shovel more food in our face!
	It was okay. Not our favorite, but we’ll take another stab at it.
	Didn’t make the cut.