When Dana Rodriguez invited Governor Jared Polis to the opening of her new restaurant, she mentioned he replied with a textual content that learn, “Loca, now I do know why they name you ‘Loca.’ You don’t have sufficient of Casa Bonita that you just need to open one other restaurant?”
Rodriguez, the culinary director of the well-known Casa Bonita, is opening Carne, a steakhouse at 2601 Larimer St. in Denver’s River North Artwork District on July 3. Final week, she wore her chef Loca nickname with beaming pleasure throughout a preview of the restaurant as she walked round hand-in-hand along with her new beau and enterprise accomplice, Scott Shoemaker, who oversaw the renovations at Casa Bonita and helped her design the modern, Nineteen Seventies-style steakhouse.
Carne was impressed by her culinary travels and experiences in kitchens specializing in cuisines from all over the world during the last 20 years. Friends can make a journey to France with duck confit or make a cease in Italy with veal osso bucco. The eclectic menu boasts Argentinian steak, Mexican ribs with a charcoal rub, Brazillia picanha steak and Colorado lamb.
“This is without doubt one of the solely steakhouses in RiNo, not to mention women-owned, so I wished it to be enjoyable, not like a standard, stuffy setting,” Rodriguez mentioned. “You may come right here after work in a t-shirt and shorts, and get a full meal beneath $200.”
The opening comes simply two months after Rodriguez closed Cantina Loca, her first solo challenge, as a result of low site visitors. “The stress to maintain up a restaurant is so much, however you additionally have to be sensible sufficient to make the choice when you already know it’s not sustainable,” she mentioned. She’s additionally not part of Doña Loca, the mezcal model she co-founded in 2021 and which was featured at Cantina Loca. Rodriguez defined that she didn’t have sufficient time to journey for the tastings and wished to concentrate on her different eating places, Work & Class and Tremendous Mega Bien.
The multi-James Beard-nominated chef didn’t let the closure carry her down, although. “They put you down, however you’re not useless,” she mentioned. “You may have alternatives to return again, do new issues and hold offering to your workers.”
That’s why she says that when she noticed an empty nook area simply down the block from Work & Class the place Il Posto beforehand operated for 17 years, “I knew all the pieces was purported to occur for a motive.”
Carne’s menu is playful with a piece for “The Normies,” which features a conventional 6-oz. filet ($33) or 10-oz. New York strip ($45). Then there’s “The Ballers,” for these searching for a $50 sirloin wagyu or $175 tomahawk steak. Sides, just like the creamy au Gratin inexperienced chili cheese potatoes or an entire head of spicy roasted cauliflower, all value $11.
And the cocktail program, created by Run For The Roses founder Steve Waters, performs with traditional libations from areas all over the world, like a Peruvian pisco bitter, or a twist on a French sidecar. There’s additionally a tableside martini cart for an entire desk to take pleasure in shaken gin or vodka to order, and a wall of wines that company are inspired to peruse for his or her collection of the evening.
“There are plenty of locations closing and opening, and I wished to offer one thing that’s straightforward and reasonably priced sufficient for company to return right here three or 4 instances every week,” Rodriguez mentioned. “You don’t need to order the tomahawk, you possibly can’t get the rooster someday and the ribs the subsequent, but it surely’s flavorful sufficient that you just hold coming again for extra.”
The decor resembles an upscale model of Eric Foreman’s basement in “That 70’s Present” with old-school albums, TVs, beaded curtains, murals and funky inexperienced and orange tones all through.
The 60-seat steakhouse is open for completely happy hour and dinner on Wednesday and Thursday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. and till 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. They usually’re serving brunch on Sunday mornings. There’s additionally an upstairs loft with a separate bar and small bites menu for late-night choices, plus a 55-seat patio with a cellular grill and hearth lounge.
Rodriguez was capable of carry a few of her servers, managers and hosts from Cantina Loca after the closure, a key issue for why she wished to open a brand new spot.
“I need to create a tradition and deal with my workers like household,” she mentioned. “I’ve one lady who’s been getting up at 5 a.m. and making the tortillas for Work & Class for the final 11 years, who caught by me throughout COVID. I need to go away a legacy and alter the hospitality business for the higher. Even when it’s just a bit bit, that’s my purpose. That’s why I hold creating stuff like this.”
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