Beginning his career at Rattlesnake in 1995, Chef Frank quickly began his ascent to the top with (opening in 2001). He now stands at the head of an empire of 11 unique restaurants in the Mile High City. Concepts consists of some of my favorite restaurants, including Marco and Russell’s Smoke House. The most striking trait of restaurants, in the humble opinion of this is their commitment to basics. Each outpost of this empire has a very unique and specific concept that they fervently stick to. There is no better representation of this than Bones, the outpost. Located at 7th Ave and Grant St, Bones is true to its name. While still creative and refined, Bones avoids all pretense and distraction. With a simple dining room and a small menu, this restaurant focuses only on serving delicious food, stripping the dining experience down to just the Bones.
Simple dining room
Located on the corner of an old, quaint two-story building, Bones struck my eye as soon as I drove up. A bright orange door and warm lights glinting out the window called warmly to me as I searched for street parking. I found a spot after a quick search and proceeded towards dinner. Walking through the signature orange doors, I found a small, warm, and simple dining room. A small open kitchen was surrounded by a counter where patrons could sit and eat while watching the action. The rest of the room was filled with small, simply set wooden tables. After being greeted warmly,y I was led to a table to join my party.
Not long after being seated, we were visited by a waitress with a smile that could have knocked me flat on my back. Menus were provided, and drinks were offered. Glancing at a menu of simple Asian comfort food, I decided to go for a beer. Trumer, a California pilsner with slight but not overpowering hops, has always been one of my favorite go-to beers and was perfect for this occasion.
cA highly trending food item, particularly in Denver, Brussels sprouts are often served dressed as sweet and salty. This was no exception, but with a delightful twist. A sour note derived from a type of vinegar was a new and beautiful addition to something familiar. Octopus followed the Brussels sprouts. Tender as octopus goes and boldly served as full tentacles, the octopus was accompanied by what the menu described as “sun-choke textures”. A dichotomous combination of crispy sun-choke chips and sun-choke puree, the “textures” were a playful and earthy addition to the seafood.
Good measure
With the foreplay coming to an end, we moved to the main show. Having decided to share entrees, we ordered two bowls of noodle soup with an order of pork belly steam buns for good measure. The buns were exquisite, everything you want from a steam bun. Chewy yet immediately forgiving, the buns themselves gave the slightest resistance as we bit into them before dissolving, sweet and yeasty. Filled with a flavorful and savory slow-cooked pork belly, they were topped with sweet and wonderfully thick sauce. As for the bowls, the first bowl was udon and braised pork shoulder. The bowl was enormous, filled with a rich, sweet plum-soy broth. Thick chewy udon noodles swam alongside large chunks of pork.
The broth was slightly thick and brown, its richness drastically exemplified by a single floating poached egg. Like all good things, this soup needed a yin to its yang, supplied by an ample amount of raw scallions, finishing the dish with a sharp bite. The second bowl was easily the favorite piece of the evening. Sweet lobster meat in a lobster miso broth was fortified by beurre blanc. This bowl was a quick and easy reminder of one of life’s sinful pleasures, lobster bisque. The beurre blanc and lobster broth combined to replicate the sensation of bisque exquisitely. The addition of lobster meat and edamame added a solid factor that always seems just out of reach when indulging in lobster bisque. With fresh scallions again adding a bite, this dish was new and exciting while still being familiar and comforting.
Bonanno delivers another home run with Bones. Warm and comfortable, this restaurant smoothly delivers exciting plays on the familiar. From the moment you enter its orange door, you are immediately aware that you have found a new favorite eatery. Its friendly service, simple atmospher,e and excitingly familiar food create the perfect draw for snowy days, both real and proverbial.
