The Best Bites We Had Last Month

The middle of summer may not be soup season for some, but science has proven what many people, particularly in Asian countries, have long known: Eating and drinking hot foods when it's hot outside actually triggers a cooling effect in your body. So, soup's on! Especially if it's the bún bò Huế at O Lien Kitchen, which was located inside the Viet Hoa supermarket before moving to 781 South Federal Boulevard late last year.

While it has standards like pho and rice and noodle bowls, O Lien is also dishing up some less common Vietnamese fare, including bánh khoái, a Hue-stye fried crepe made of rice flour that has a yellow hue from turmeric. It comes stuffed with pork, shrimp, egg, bean sprouts and veggies, and is an ideal starter before the main event: a large, piping hot bowl of bún bò Huế. The dark broth is deeply flavored with notes of lemongrass, the noodles bouncy and the beef rib a hearty pick.
Denver is a town with plenty of tacos, but two new options on the scene were standouts in July. After working under Elise Wiggins at Panzano and then her own venture, Cattivella, followed by a stint as the executive chef at Shanahan's Steakhouse, chef Zuri Resendiz struck out on his own to launch Luchador as a food truck.

On August 13, he'll debut the brick-and-mortar edition of his concept, which highlights his take on the cuisine of central and southern Mexico. One fast favorite from the opening menu is the pulpo al pastor taco. The tender, chile-rubbed octopus is a treat paired with avocado purée and pineapple habanero salsa.
Xiquita, the much-anticipated Mexican restaurant from the team behind Lucina, debuted in Uptown at the end of July, and yes, the hype is real. Masa takes center stage, and diners at the bar have a view of the tortilla-making process. There's a lot to explore on the menu, but if you go for just one thing, order the taco de pato. "It's an evolution of Lucina's pato con mole," says co-owner Erasmo Casiano, and it's a damn delicious evolution. The warm tortilla nixta is topped with housemade mole and a pile of shredded and fried duck. Pickled red onion, fresh lime and dots of sweet potato cream add a bright pop to this decadent take on a taco.
Two and a half years after its debut in RiNo, the Greenwich revamped its menu in July with a new focus on Italian fare from chef Luke Miller, who took the reins in the kitchen after original executive chef Justin Freeman left to pursue opening his own restaurant via the Monarch pop-up series. The naturally fermented pizzas are still stellar; the veggie-forward options such as marinated zucchini and salt-roasted beets are summer standouts; and the one splurge diners shouldn't skip is the beef carpaccio. The visually stunning and equally tasty plate includes thinly sliced wagyu beef sourced from owner Delores Tronco's cousin's farm in Edwards, topped with sunchoke chips, black garlic aioli and sunflower sprouts.
Over at the Bindery in LoHi, it's always a treat to see what seasonal creations chef/owner Linda Hampsten Fox has concocted from her arsenal of global influences. But on a recent visit, I was excited to find an old favorite had returned. Rabbit is one of Hampsten Fox's favorite ingredients, and the smoked rabbit pecan pie first appeared on the menu in the spring of 2018.

More than four years later, it's still a hit. The flaky pie crust, the subtly smoky, rich rabbit, the bite of sharp cheddar and the unexpected but totally perfect addition of mustard gelato combine for a memorable dish.
While high-end meals are a treat, I made several visits to some of the city's remaining old-school diners in July. If it's been a while since you did the same, go try my current favorite diner meal: the classic gyro melt at Pete's Kitchen on East Colfax. (Fun fact: That place serves around 5,400 eggs every week, although none in this dish.)