If Beatrice & Woodsley were a Toronto restaurant it would call West Queen West’s Art and Design district home and regularly brag about its lengthy line ups and whimsical, hipster, fairytale interior. The B & W team take top prize for jaw dropping restaurant decor in Denver. By now I’ve had the pleasure of visiting thousands of restaurants around the world and B & W’s magical motifs now sit up on my top shelf.
Between the wilderness of the forest and solitude of the city, Beatrice & Woodsley brings the Colorado wilderness into Denver’s heart to celebrate the history of restaurants as a place for restoration, replenishment and relaxation. Nestled amidst an urban aspen grove, B & W offers social dining with a seasonally influenced Rustic-American menu. The cuisine here is a homage to America’s melting-pot of recipes and methods which playfully combines today’s palettes with the traditions and flavours of the old world.
So the story goes… “A room that mirrors the story of two lovebirds: Beatrice, the life-loving daughter of a French winemaking family who relocated to California in the 1800’s to create a small vineyard. And Woodsley, the handsome and crafty son of Lumberjacks-turned-Coopers who provided barrels for the fledging wine producers. Upon first sight Beatrice & Woodsley fell in love and quickly married. Stirred by his new bride, Woodsley built a remote cabin amid the woods of the Colorado Rockies.” Paying homage to this romantic tale the interior of the restaurant features white linens which hang as breezy partitions throughout a dining room spotted with aspen trunks. A mosaic of kerosene lanterns dangle from the ceiling offering a web of rustic chandelier. Wine bottles are stored under the sprawling bar top while chainsaws offer support to the the liquor bottles sitting on top each shelf.
Highlights from my final feast in Denver at B & W include: a stellar cocktail duo, crispy crawfish beignets, playful “Spaghetti and Wheatballs” and “Duck Duck Wild Rice” featuring smoked breast with cauliflower, pickled dates, pistachio and piccalinli vinaigrette.
The Feast:
Violet Beauregard
muddled blueberries, sobieski vodka, simple, st germain
Impearment
hangar one spiced pear vodka, old overholt rye, lemon and apple juice, ginger beer float
Crawfish Beignets
crawfish and fresh corn batter filled with spicy red pepper aioli
Savory Apple Tart
charred lemon, thyme, arugula, english cheddar
Spaghetti and Wheatballs
salad of celeriac, parsnip and parsley with steel-cut oat, feta, and lemon croquettes, tomato-almond gazpacho
Duck, Duck, Wild Rice
smoked duck breast with cauliflower, pickled dates, pistachio, piccalilli vinaigrette
