The Hudson Valley Foie Gras portion atop this steak was part of what makes Elway’s memorable. As one member of our party said, “It was a sinfully, inappropriate, huge piece of foie gras that was utterly delicious.” Note that the camera phone photo does NOT do it justice.
It’s billed as Elway’s Colorado Steakhouse, Cocktails and Comebacks. In Denver’s upscale Cherry Creek neighborhood (alongside Nordstrom’s, Macy’s, Sak’s, and—for the foodie—Whole Foods Market), Elway’s is an unobtrusive find for great flavors and distinctive dining.
In fact, we walked away calling it memorable.
First, there was the quirkiness of the occasional menu item. A “Smash Burger”? It’s one of the Elway Classics that has to be checked out. Brussels Sprout Hash? Since we’ve seen brussels sprouts popping up everywhere on the menu, we had to try it.
Surprisingly, no potatoes in this hash, just nicely rendered bacon. As Tim, our server said, “If you like brussels sprouts at all, you’ll love this.”
And, for dessert, the Classic Ding Dong? Really? Yep, it’s devil’s food cake with sweet vanilla cream, all covered in dark chocolate ganache and served complete with foil, in case you need that school lunch box reminder.
The restaurant is white linen and low lights, although the bar on the opposite side features a plasma TV and live guitar music. And, when you ask the chef what’s great about the restaurant, the immediate answer goes to the food: it’s the steaks, which are all USDA Prime.
“I’ve tasted a lot of meat,” said Executive Chef Tyler Wiard. “from Black Angus, to Limousin, to Holstein, and Holstein wins every time. 80 percent of all Prime meat in this country is Holstein.”
Theirs has what Wiard calls, “spiderweb marbling—it’s just phenomenal.” Ask any server—as we did Tim—and you get a similar answer. It’s about the steaks. They are Prime, wet aged, and hand-cut.
So, we sampled the 8 oz. sirloin, an unusual size with good flavor. We sampled the filet, and bought some of the seasoning rub to take home—it was that good. You get your choice of toppings with your steak, ranging from the $3 Black Pepper-Horseradish Aioli all the way to the $15 Foie Gras. We also sampled the Short Rib “off the bone,” which was delicious and, at $20, an affordable way to enjoy Elway’s.
We also tried the Lobster Bisque, with real chunks of lobster, the Roasted Corn & Chicken Chowder—which was more chicken than corn—and the Iceberg Wedge Salad, which came with a steak knife and plenty of flavor.
The restaurant is owned by former Bronco’s quarterback John Elway and business partner Tim Schmidt. Don’t expect to see much football memorabilia, or Elway—although he is known to frequent the restaurant as a diner. There is a second location in the Ritz Carlton in downtown Denver which carries the license for the name and menu, but is independently operated.
If you have the budget, this restaurant is recommended for its variety and bursts of unexpectedness.
Ideal, in fact, for a “comeback.”
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