Hip/casual Gelman's serves smiles for lunch

John Lehndorff, Rocky Mountain News

Published August 4, 2006 at midnight

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Almost all of us have a Holy Grail food we yearn for but seldom find. That's because so many of us didn't grow up here. My summer craving is for fried clams.

For New Englanders, eating those fresh crispy critters swathed in thick tartar (pronounced tahd-uh) sauce is a sacred rite. Ideally, the clams are hot from the oil and tucked in a griddled hot-dog roll, and said meal is gobbled while barefoot in the sand.

(This dish has nothing to do with those horrible fried rubber bands sold everywhere as "clam strips.")

While the environment may not fit the bill, Gelman's Gourmet Market and Bistro dishes truly righteous fried clams ($10). The kitchen shells belly-on clams, robes them in cornmeal and fries them just long enough to brown up a perfectly crunchy brown coating.

This is as close to the real thing as you'll get here. They're worth it despite the fact that each order consists of about 10 clams along with tartar sauce. You have to think of it in terms of sushi, cost-wise.

The clams came complete with the proper accent because the restaurant was opened six months ago by the Massachusetts-born Gelman family. They've been warmly welcomed to north Denver's Sunnyside neighborhood.

While there's a front counter, there really is no "market." The sunny modern space adorned with colorful artwork features eye-catching handcrafted tables, soft banquettes, a cozy bar area, a couch-comfy waiting area and a shaded patio.

Before I discovered the clams, the first thing that caught my eye at Gelman's was the glass case full of desserts. We're not talking about fancy-schmancy pastry-chef creations with squiggled sauces. Think supermoist, two-layer lemon blueberry cake covered with fresh lemon butter cream and heartwarming carrot cake-lets with cream cheese frosting. Consider butter-infused poundcake and huge jelly-filled muffins with peanut butter frosting.

Did I mention killer pecan pie bars, Cheerios treats with M&M's, oatmeal raisin cookies and quintessential fudgy brownies?

The house bakers know their stuff when it comes to home-style American desserts.

I came back for dinner as soon as I saw the fried clams. As it turns out, Gelman's nighttime menu can't decide whether it wants to be hip bistro or casual American sandwich spot.

We started with a big portion of chicken satay ($8) with zippy peanut dipping sauce and jalapeño-enhanced cucumber salad. The unpretentious bruschetta ($6) was a single, large rustic toast slice covered in thin, oven-roasted eggplant slices that was a little hard to eat.

More satisfying was the apple and roasted beet salad ($9) with field greens in a lovely balsamic vinaigrette, glazed pecans and two large wedges of brie.

On a return visit, I liked the fresh spinach quesadilla ($7) but was unmoved by the noncrisp, thin-crust pizza ($7.50), even with the decent basil, tomato, marinara and mozzarella topping.

Our favorite main dish was a perfectly grilled hanger steak ($18) full of beefy flavor accompanied by a dark mushroom sauce. We enjoyed the huge mound of skin-on mashers and the glazed carrots.

The fried chicken ($16) was a disappointment. It wasn't fried long enough for the dark meat to become tender and the skin to crisp. The ginger-jalapeño marinade was off-putting, not inspired.

The thick white fillet in the fish and chips ($13) suffered a similar fate. Underfrying meant the middle was chewy, not flaky.

We loved the perfectly charred pork kebabs ($17) with red onion and pepper. However, the expansive mass of vermilion couscous underneath, while a nice counterpoint to the jalapeño-mango salsa, was totally bland.

Several sides (all $4) are available, including spot-on, garlic-powered sauteed spinach.

As a comfy, neighborhood watering hole, Gelman's also gets an "A" for being family-friendly. Kids under 11 choose from among selections ($4 each) like a fluffernutter, a ham and cheese sandwich, pasta and meatball, great baked mac-n-cheese and cheese and fruit.

Ah, the fluffernutter! The staple lunch item of my youth is simply white bread spread with creamy peanut butter and marshmallow creme. When I stopped by one afternoon with my son, I got one as dessert so we could share his first fluffernutter moment. After only one bite, his face was consumed by a smile.

In fact, all our lunch experiences at Gelman's have been smile-inducing. On a recent visit, we happily slurped a creamy curry carrot soup ($3 cup; $5 bowl) and munched a good (and good-size) Caesar salad ($8).

The chicken Waldorf sandwich ($8) on yeasty rustic bread was a delight. It consisted of finely chopped white meat thoroughly blended with mayo, not the au courant chunky-style, plus cranberries and pecans. We liked the field greens topped by a classy touch: half a garlic-dressed, oven-roasted Roma tomato.

The famous asparagus chicken sandwich ($9.50) is worth a visit by itself. The kitchen piles ciabatta with smoky bacon, a lightly breaded chicken-breast cutlet and fresh asparagus spears. The key ingredient is warm, thick cream sauce that marries everything into bliss.

Also worth sampling is Gelman's expertly grilled burger ($11) and the well-thought-out tuna melt ($8) on marble rye with great pommes frites.

Overall, we commend the servers, who are friendly, know the menu and pay attention to the details. They even know how to make real iced coffee from dark-roasted beans. However, the teamwork with the kitchen needs work.

Here's some unsolicited advice offered because I really like the place: The kitchen needs to concentrate on its strengths: approachable American regional fare. Don't offer anything you can't deliver properly in the midst of a dinner rush. Drop "bistro" and "gourmet" from the name. The eatery is neither. Just call it Gelman's. That says it all.

Gelman's Gourmet Market and Bistro

• Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 8 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday; 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday

• How much: $3-$9.50 lunch; $3-$11 starters; $13-$21 entrees

• How loud: Moderate

• Reservations: For six or more

• Information: www.gelmansmarket.com

John Lehndorff is the dining critic; lehndorffj@rockymountainnews.com or 303-892-5103

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