He Said She Said

We’re married. We work together. We see each other all the time. So, what could we possibly talk about while out for dinner? In this case, food. And lots of it. Join us at Elway’s at Ritz-Carlton.

He: For me, Elway’s is a Denver icon. The first great steak I had in Colorado when I moved here 14 years ago was Elway’s. It was the bone-in ribeye and I’m getting that 22-ounce bad boy again tonight. It was that memorable.

She: Totally agree. And there is something about this particular location in the Ritz-Carlton downtown that feels particularly classic to me. A great spot to celebrate something, or nothing at all.

He: Right and in our case, that “nothing at all” is actually a big something. A night without our two boys!

She: Here here! Love them to pieces but as any parent can attest, sometimes, you just need a night out. And Elway’s will most certainly do.

He: I’ll tell you when I wasn’t celebrating. In 1982 at the Rose Bowl when Elway played with Stanford and beat UCLA 38-35 in a shootout. John was slingin’ that game. I expect this meal to make up for him making me cry as a 10-year-old Bruin fan.

She: Ha! What a memory! If our first course is any indication, he’s well on the road to redemption. A longtime favorite of mine, this charred red pepper soup is superb. It’s hardy, without being too rich or creamy and the basil crostini that comes with it is a little bite of heaven.

He: Starting out, I really like the crab cakes and I love this wedge salad. The crab cake has a miso beurre blanc sauce that is so much better than the traditional flavors you’d see accompany a crab cake. Really light and fresh.

She: For me, a steakhouse is a lot like Thanksgiving. It’s all about the sides. And the king of all sides is the mashed potato. Elway’s does the art form proud. The perfect texture, and just a little kick of something you can’t quite put your finger on but know you love.

He: This is easily the best mac n cheese I’ve had anywhere in years. A couple of cheeses coming together to create this yummy, creamy masterpiece. 

She: Let’s digress to the decor for a moment. I really love the interior design changes they’ve made. They kept it classic and didn’t diverge so much that it’s unfamiliar but rather, refreshed. Love the navy and bronze color palette – a fun homage to the home team. Anyhow…back to our regular culinary programming.

He: As predicted, this ribeye is insane. Elway’s doesn’t mess around with their steaks. The seasoning. The tenderness. Melts in your mouth. This is ridiculously delicious.

She: I can say the same for the filet. It’s cooked to perfection and that unmistakable flavor that is the iconic Elway’s steak rub. There’s nothing that compares for me.

He: It’s been a while since a menu has me considering so many options. We need to come back and make another dent because everything reads so well. The Thai Basil Brussels Sprouts with

Parmesan black truffle is next on my list.

She: Yes – those look fantastic! I have to say that my steak is perfect, but I love the accompaniments just as much. I ordered it Oscar Style with crab and hollandaise, and the Elway’s iteration is one of the best. It’s nicely chopped and combined with a medley of peppers. Truly genius. 

He: Moving on to dessert. I can see why the Ding Dong continues to be their signature. It’s even better than I remember. The two scoops of vanilla are clutch. Someone is going to have to carry me out of here.

She: LOVE the ding dong! The original was phenomenal, and this updated version may be even better. Decadent and rich, but with a fluffy interior that cuts the heaviness and is perfectly, well…perfect. The right way to end such a fanciful meal.

Kevin and Betsy Marr are “He” and ‘She.” They work and live in the Denver area, where they produce Cherry Creek Magazine and raise their four and six-year-old boys…all under one roof.