After all our travel in August, we are trying to settle back in at home and "get ready" for our baby boy who is slated to arrive sometime around Halloween. There's painting to do, a few furniture pieces to buy, and lots of other misc tasks we "need" to get done. Also high on the priority list is squeezing in a few nights out. Last weekend, we headed to Union Station to check it out. If you live in Denver, you know exactly what I'm talking about, but for those of you from elsewhere: the historic downtown railway station re-opened in July 2014 after many years of redevelopment. The "new" station is a hub for bus, train, and light rail lines, but also includes several restaurants, bars, and retail establishments. There's a great article on the project here.
We didn't have a reservation anywhere for dinner, but of course wanted to first give Stoic & Genuine a try. It's opening earlier this summer was arguably one of the "most anticipated" in Denver in a while, and seeing what "the best" fresh seafood in a land locked state tastes like seemed like something we needed to do (although, given my pregnant state, it wasn't exactly the best time to go to a seafood place, but oh well).
We lucked out and right away got two seats at the bar, which gave us a chance to taste the food and check out the scene, although perhaps not the same experience in terms of service. The drinks and food were indeed impressive, but our service was a bit lacking. The bartender helping us seemed a bit aloof and when we asked a few questions about the menu the answers we received were short and perhaps a tad condescending. But nevermind that tiny complaint. The food was stellar! To start, I had the grilled sardine with lemon pureé, fennel, and pinenuts. It was quite a generous amount of fish for $6, and the grill and seasoning was perfect. I also had one of their specials: a dungeness crab and mango salad which was phenomenal. It was pricier ($17) but totally worth it. Dan tried some west coast oysters which didn't disappoint (we love you Puget Sound) and a tuna crudo.
The seafood was indeed quite fresh. (Although we did take a few seconds to acknowledge the environmentally unconscious nature of our eating choices that night.) The preparation was impeccable. The menu was a bit difficult to take in: they had three different pieces of paper for us to read, which seemed a bit excessive. There were also "sauces" listed on the menu without prices nor guidance on how to apply them to the dishes (this was one question our serve didn't/couldn't answer well). Also of note, the clientele seemed a notch fancier than what I typically see out and about at Denver's trendiest restaurants. Perhaps that's the Union Station vibe?
The station itself was definitely happenin'. In the main terminal is the Terminal Bar, which has seating inside, on a patio, and also offers drinks "to go" that you can then sip while sitting in the station's main lounge. The grand hall is outfitted with new, vintage-style furniture which I can only presume is on point for a certain chosen decade. There are lots of cozy sitting areas, and in the center there are two shufflepuck tables that apparently you can play for free. Fun!
Before we left, we hit up Milkbox Ice Creamery for some salted oreo (they serve Little Man) and enjoyed the outdoor fountains. It was a beautiful summer night.
I was so happy we finally had a chance go check out the scene down there (always a bit late to the party these days). In the station itself, you can easily see that the redevelopment project has resulted in a space that's trendy and new, while preserving the historic character of the building. As for actual transportation, I've read that the number of passengers coming and going on bus, light rail, and train are increasing every month. But still, being there on a Saturday night, I couldn't help but feel slightly odd as I saw people like me drinking martinis on wooden benches who had likely driven there and parked in a parking garage (like me also, although we found a street spot for cheaper!). The nature of cities and transit have unquestionably changed so much in the last fifty years, and although we're trying to bring it back, it often feels like an uphill battle. Sure, people will come for a drink and a great dinner, but will they stop to have a drink before they get on the bus or train hope? Will I? I hope so.