Red Room... Curiously Casual, but Not

Last night we went to the Red Room -- Restaurant and Bar, an institution near the Capitol Building that has a great reputation for good food and an interesting atmosphere. From the outside, the place looks a bit sketchy, as if it was one of the many scary dives along Colfax, such as the infamous "Squire" where they have lunch specials... but don't serve food. Walking into the Red Room, it turns out to be a boisterous bar with a loft seating people upstairs that looks a bit cuter than the main dining area next to the bar downstairs. The downstairs was more than a bit noisy, but the upstairs was occupied by a poker tournament. The red film on the windows certainly gives the place a red cast. The tables are a bit worn and the back booth where we were seated is cozy, but faces an ugly brown wall with waist-high chair scuffs. Couple all of that with the fact that the bar TV's clearly face the dining area and I'd have to say "so-so" on the ambiance.

The menu is more interesting than the decor. They clearly have some imagination when it comes to food. The poblano and pork loin soup-of-the-day sounded very interesting, but I was intent on trying the rib-eye and we had already ordered the crab cakes to start. Jeanette decided to try an old standard, the fish and chips. Also on the menu were fish tacos, a couple of different chicken dishes that looked good, including one that involved mozzarella. Mmm. The prices for most appetizers and entrees hovered between $8 and $18. They also featured a decent drink menu with a variety of beers on tap and some interesting martini's.

The crab cakes were good. They were a touch overdone, but came with a mango 'chutney' and a spicy remoulade that made up for any failing in the cakes. The appetizer is an order of two cakes.

My ribeye was decent. I'd say that their $23 rib-eye is probably what I would consider a $17 dollar steak. It was tasty, but just steak. The A-1 butter was really nothing special. The horseradish mashed potatoes were yummy as were the mixed sauteed veggies that came next to the steak.

Jeanette's fish and chips were great. She got three large pieces of battered whitefish on top of a large pile of tasty fries. Perhaps some of the tastier fries we've had in Denver. I can't explain what makes a good french fry... maybe it's the grease, maybe it's the way the potatoes are cut or whatever freezer bag they come out of, but these were tasty.

We didn't have room for dessert, but I'd like to try their hot-fudge brownie item some time.

Except for the hostess, the rest of the staff was pleasant and reasonably attentive. The dress atmosphere is interesting. The place almost feels like it could be formal, but is not . Most of the patrons were in t-shirt and jeans with a few couples like ourselves a bit more dressed up. We will almost certainly be back. The menu held enough intriguing items to make me curious to try some more of their cooking. They could stand a bit of updating... and I'm betting that before last weekend, the place was mighty smoky. That, fortunately, is not a problem in Denver anymore.