Fall into the Happy Hole in Downtown DenverHOTEL MONACO AND RISTORANTE PANZANOby Martha Hollis
We worked through the daily downtown humdrum during rush hour traffic and pulled up at a lovely old building with a small sign, Hotel Monaco. Three men in black—suits or sweaters, sunglasses, and hats surrounded the car and one said, “Are you checking in?” With the utmost cynicism we replied “to WHAT?” Certainly these cool men in black would not be with the hotel. One graciously smiled and said “The Hotel Monaco.” We nodded trying to regain a modicum of our own cool as he said, “shall I take everything?” And he did…the car, the bags and most importantly, our skepticism.
"What is his name?" I asked the bellhop. "You have to name him yourself. This is your pet for the night. We want you to feel at home." And no we did not feel at home. This was a happier alternative away from home with the bright, colorful, whimsical decorations and a PC printer, copier and fax in the room along with two phone lines and data port—that made me feel at home. I was already seduced and pampered by this eclectic, daring, exotic place to escape. With a longer visit we would have treadmilled, biked, climbed in the on-site fitness center then collapsed into a world of pampering with a total body elixir treatment at the Renaissance Aveda Spa & Salon. “Did you see the concierge?” whispered my companion. “They have a genuine Clef d’oro concierge. Those are rare in the United States.” A few minutes later from the room I called concierge Cliff requesting a remedy for ears failing to pop in this mile-high city. We tried the hot cloth under the unpadded ear, and later a steaming linen cloth heated with water from the coffee maker, but abandoned the process for wine-hour in the cheerful lobby. About 20 other guests appeared to sip the Monaco house wines (Roundhill) and make merry. Their badges of business variously scattered about with reckless abandon, but ignored and unused. This place put the happy back in happy hour. Road warriors shedding the days dust were uplifted by the colorful auras of the Monaco. Concierge Cliff chatted with us by the fireplace. The plugged ear man had taken to chocolate chip cookie therapy from a freshly baked platter placed near the check-in counter, for his unpopped ear (you know, eat the cookie and if success is not immediate have another cookie) supplemented with a glass of Merlot. The men in black worked the room with wine while spreading good humor and insight into this incredibly decorated room by Cheryl Crowley of Beverly Hills, California. Guests started talking and visiting with each other. The room began to buzz with sounds of cheery life. Gradually groups drifted through the lobby door to Panzano, the adjacent restaurant. Those with good sniffers had been enjoying whiffs of freshly baking breads from Pastry Chef, Karen Becker's open bakery drifting into the lobby. Lucky patrons in the know purchased to-go loaves of the incredible breads before even being seated—the honey whole wheat and walnut and the house fav, pugliese, a white sourdough Italian loaf and other specialty breads moved fast. Of course a bountiful selection comes with the dinner with a snappy tapanade of sundried tomato, capers and olives but one must always think of tomorrow. And with the robust flavors and tempters, all made in house, do not fill up on these breads. We certainly understood the naming of this restaurant after the Italian word for bread.
If you are feeling overwhelmed, share the contori and order the sautéed spinach with pancetta and roasted garlic cream, oh heaven! Possibly you will not have room for garlic mashed potatoes or the creamy polenta.
As the Port, Grappa and dessert wine cart swings by, remember your Hotel Monaco room guarded by your named goldfish is only steps away. Enjoy life’s finest.Contacts: Hotel Monaco Denver, 1717 Champa Street, Denver, Colorado, 1-800-397-5380, http://monaco-denver.com Panzano, 909 17th Street, 303 296-3525, http://monaco-denver.com Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group, has Monaco Hotels to escape from the humdrum in San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago and Seattle, 1-888-KIMPTON, http://www.kimptongroup.com IMAGES copyright 1999 SEARCHWRITE |
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Denver’s central business district, like that of many large cities, is a whirling center of important people doing important things—women tastefully attired but based with clunky white walking shoes and uniformed tie-conservative suited men lugging their technology badges of computers, cell phones, and pagers. It is the same daily grinds, not especially joyous.
Another man in black opened the door to a very colorful cheerful place, the ultimate antithesis to the city's drabness. Bright colors, like an Alice in Wonderland set done in Art Deco Venetian palace style brought smiles to our faces. I wandered over to the front desk, whimsically done as a knock-off Louis Vutton steamer trunk, to be cheerfully greeted and given room keys by Christian Onassis, or so the card claimed. We had already requested that a pet goldfish be placed in our room.
Do not even think of skipping the Antipasti (put that bread down). The huge, dry packed scallops brushed with olive oil, then grilled are a jewel. Or try a rustic pairing of prosciutto with pears on Savoy cabbage with fresh Parmesan Reggiano. Pacing is important. You will not want to skip the salsiccia pizze, with housemade fennel sausage, goat cheese, olives, arugula and tomato to leave room for the baby spinach salad with ricotta, spiced walnuts, red onion in a lemon-honey vinaigrette. Choices have to be made as the homemade pasta lineup includes eggplant/potato gnocchi or risotto with crab, teardrop tomatoes, herbs, red chilies and Spumante, or fettuccine with Maine lobster and more choices.
Secondi course standout featuring local Colorado lamb is the chop in a goat cheeses crust with oven roasted vegetables. We had to try the Burrida, a Genovese fish stew brimming with mussels, calamari, prawns with points of Becker’s grilled country bread.
Continue the dinner pacing by scanning the open kitchen and the mahogany, high ceiling dining space with rustic wooden chairs and its country northern Italian ambiance. Sipping your chosen wine also helps the pace. While there are a large collection of wines by the glass, including the celebratory Brut Tattinger, and Fattoria di Petroio Chianti Classico, the bottle selection is world representative with a fortunate Italian favoritism. They have the Italian Zamo-Zamo Pinot Grigio, a crisp white, along with a number of Pinot Gris and Blancs from Oregon and Napa. The wine list’s depth is in Italian red varietals: Chianti Classicos, Barbera, Barolo, Dolcetto D’Alba, Cabernet Sauvignon, Amarone and Merlots. There is a wine for every taste and every pocketbook and Tina Overbay, bar manager and that evening’s floor manager, is particularly well-versed in suggesting suitable matches.
If you have successfully only nibbled the breads, the desserts will be the reward. For a light finisher order grapefruit and cassis granita with rum soaked oranges and berries. The tiramisu made with espresso soaked champagne biscuits appears light (plan to visit the hotel’s fitness center), but the true finisher is the glorious chocolate mousse cake wrapped in a gloriously wide ribbon of chocolate topped with fresh raspberries.