eat! drink! shop!: Denver's Capitol Hill neighborhood
By Doug Wagner, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published August 31, 2008 at 3 p.m.
Photo by Marie Griffin, Rocky Mountain News
A sculpted face peers out from the "Horror" shelf at Capitol Hill Books.
Photo by Marie Griffin, Rocky Mountain News
Shopping for music, DJ Quote of Denver holds up some of his own at Independent Records. Like the name suggests, the store also carries vinyl.
Photo by Marie Griffin, Rocky Mountain News
Mussels Mariniere, fries and Golden Carolus golden ale are a meal made in heaven - and available on Colfax Avenue, of all places. At the Cheeky Monk Belgian Beer Cafe, to be specific.
Photo by Marie Griffin, Rocky Mountain News
A beaded purse at Japonica Avenue
Oh, the things that go on in the shadow of the Capitol.
OK, we won't go into that here. Suffice it to say that if it's part of life, it's part of life on Capitol Hill.
On the sunny side of the street, there are plenty of healthy ways to expose your brain to dopamine-inducing novelty and otherwise while away a day, an evening or both. Ever visit a gallery where all the art is made of recycled stuff? Or taste your way through a menu of strictly Belgian-style beers? Better get on it.
Or if you just want to see what kind of gentry are gentrifying the neighborhood, you can get a pretty good idea at the Red Room, the Irish Snug or Kinga's Lounge.
And you'd do well to be prepared for surprises. Whatever you're looking for, chances are you'll also get a good dose of something entirely different.
Individualism alive and well on East Colfax
It's only fitting that a one-of-a-kind street like Colfax Avenue would have its share of one-of-a-kind shops. And on the stretch of Colfax that runs through Capitol Hill, there's a happy convergence of them.
Take Jerry's Record Exchange, a used- record store that doesn't sell via Web site. In a market that's down to just a handful of shops in the metro area, this is the only one that's standing its ground so firmly that, except for the CDs, you'd think it was still 1981, the year the 33-year-old business moved to its location at 312 E. Colfax Ave.
Actually, owner John Loquidis says it's not by design - he's been meaning to get around to that whole 21st-century thing. But despite any procrastination that might be happening there, Jerry's is all over the Internet. Google it and you get more than 2,000 links. It's known around the world as a temple worth visiting, and thanks to some major loophole in the laws of technology, that actually translates to a steady flow of walk-in customers from around the world. Apparently, it's like any other business: If your product's good enough, people will find you, even if they have to fly from Japan.
Two blocks east, the Cheeky Monk is likewise doing its own thing. Imagine a pipeline that funnels a good many of Belgium's best beers to a single address (in this case 534 E. Colfax) and you'll have a good idea of the unique experience that awaits you at this "Belgian beer cafe."
There are about 15 brews on tap and as many by the bottle, and if you still have any doubts about whether this Monk has his finger on the pulse of Belgian brewing, ask about the "beers of the moment" listed on the menu. We did, and our curiosity was rewarded with a goblet of Golden Carolus golden ale.
Good lord, was it good.
When we asked who was responsible for bringing such ambrosia to the world, our waitress told us it's from Het Anker, in a town called Mechelen, and is a seasonal beer fashioned after the label's Easter beer. It was clear we were in good hands.
The Mussels Mariniere and fries that followed were further proof, and the simple, classy, dark-wood and brick setting proved perfect for contemplating our good fortune with minimal distraction. Yes, within these hallowed walls lies the true meaning of serious drinking.
In yet another display of the individualist spirit, Bixa has set up shop at 2028 E. Colfax. Everything here is recycled or sustainable and otherwise of-the-moment. The gourmet foods are organic, and the art is constructed of things like drill-press shavings, telephone wire and plastic wrap. Maybe most eye-catching are the computer art clocks by Boulder artist Carol A. Baum. The faces are CD or hard-drive platters, and they run on technology borrowed from surplus or old computers.
Only on Colfax.
Capitol Hill Books
We love a used-book store with great signage. Places like this one, where, if you're looking for books about books (because you're just that type), you don't need to ask for directions. You'll also find gay-pride and linguistics sections and medical books listed by malady. And then there's the "Wierd, Ecclectic, Bizzarre" table, which lacks a much-needed dictionary but does offer The Art of Lap Dancing. Not sure why that one's not in the art section . . .
* Don't miss: the collection of copies signed by the likes of Jane Smiley, Sara Paretsky and Terry Brooks.
* 300 E. Colfax Ave.; 303-837-0700, capitolhillbooks.com
Hollywood Posters
In the Internet-shopping era, it's always impressive when a shop for collectors gives you a good reason to leave the house, and this one's crammed with them. The original movie posters are the main attraction, and most are priced in the $20-to-$30 range. And no shipping fee. If you can afford to splurge, Dark Knight posters featuring Heath Ledger's distinctly death-mask-like visage are going for $75. There are also music posters and, well, pretty much any other kind of poster you can think of.
* Don't miss: movie-poster framing for $110.
* 326 E. Colfax Ave.; 303-839-1984
Purple Haze
Yes, folks, the sign says "pipes" and "detox gifts." There you have it. Now off to your NA meeting with you, and don't forget your hookah. Speaking of which, the hookahs here are true works of art. If you've never dabbled in the counterculture, these just might have you reconsidering your conservative streak. And the pipe selection could push you right off that fence. The exhaustive array looks like a candy counter, and you know how kids behave in a candy shop.
* Don't miss: the art on the wall, things like 3-D fish and a painting of human noses with sections of canvas cut away to reveal circuit boards beneath. These probably look even better after - oh never mind.
* 2017 E. Colfax Ave.; 303-329-0055
The Red Room
Please stifle your embarrassing urge to say it - over and over - the same way the kid in The Shining said "red rum." Just sit yourself down and be hip. You're passing an evening among the beautiful people of Capitol Hill, and all that's required of you is to order something that isn't Bud and admire them. The action plays out against a mostly red backdrop that isn't nearly as hard on the eyes as it sounds, and the soundtrack is of the classic-rock variety. Quaff, look and listen.
* Don't miss: Tony's "No Bologna" Ham sandwich ($14.95) - a literal pound of flesh.
* 320 E. Colfax Ave.; 720-524-7237
Jerry's Record Exchange,
312 E. Colfax Ave.; 303-830-2336
See story 9
Independent Records
Not many places on Capitol Hill have this kind of floor space, and it's a good thing this one does. Otherwise, once you've found whatever you could possibly want in the realm of current CDs and DVDs, you might have to go elsewhere to pick up a studded leather bracelet or a deck of cards bearing AC/DC's likenesses. But luckily for you, it's all here. And though we all know record stores don't sell records anymore - surprise - this one does. Used and new. Among the latter, you'll find Bob Dylan's The Times They Are a-Changin' for $18.99 and a limited-edition pressing of The Beatles' Let It Be Naked for $54.99.
* Don't miss: used DVDs for $4.98 and under.
* 937 E. Colfax Ave., 303-863-8668, beindependent.com
Japonica Avenue
No matter what you're wearing, you're bound to feel underdressed in a stylistic sort of way when you walk through the doors of this boutique. Amid the riot of colors and patterns and the sparkling surfaces of rhinestone belts and beaded bags, even your most impeccable designer ensemble might wither in the face of such vitality. Note to the sensible-wardrobe set: You won't find anything sensible here except the prices.
* Don't miss: the silver necklaces with chunks of jade for pendants ($78)
* 2019 E. Colfax Ave.; 720-941-4243
La Abeja Panaderia & Pasteleria
There's a Mexican restaurant in half this space, but we spoiled our appetites by making a beeline for the bakery in the other half. You can get all the subtly sweet cookies and pastries that are standard fare at Mexican bakeries, but go for the bread pudding. Weighing in at nearly three-quarters of a pound (for 60 cents!), these slabs of goodness are an amalgam of so many flavors that you'll be torn between gorging and slowing down to figure out just what it is you're eating. Solution: Buy two and save one for the next day, when they're better anyway.
* Don't miss: the textbook-perfect flan.
* 512 E. Colfax Ave.; 303-832-1911
Herbs & Arts
You know the type - crystals, fairy statues, stones - but this is also a spice shop, with a wall full of jars stuffed with herbs and spices. If there's an herb you can't find, it ain't legal, buddy. You'll also find jewelry, books and clothes, all with an exotic flair.
* Don't miss: the life-size skull candles for honoring ancestors and "personal cleansing and protection" ($33.95)
* 2015 E. Colfax Ave.; 303-388-2544, www.herbsandarts.net
The City Grille
This is a grille, all right, with steak burgers, buffalo burgers, elk burgers, turkey burgers, grilled ham and cheese, and steak burritos and sandwiches. And while those burgers are highly decorated, with "best in town" awards from the Rocky, the Post, Westword and even USA Today, it's the smooth, smoky tones of the green chili that light our fire. If there's a better version in the Mile High, we'd really appreciate a heads-up ASAP.
* Don't miss: Burger Madness on Monday nights (burger, fries and 12-ounce domestic draft for $6.95) and Big City Burritos smothered in green chili on Friday nights ($7.95).
* 321 E. Colfax Ave.; 303-861-0726, citygrille.com
Bixa, 2028 E. Colfax Ave.; 303-333-1943
The Cheeky Monk,
534 E. Colfax Ave.; 303-861- 0347, thecheekymonk.com
Parking
Metered street parking is plentiful on Colfax, and there are free two-hour spots on the side streets.
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lilymatha writes:
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