Good Things Come in Small Packages: To the Wind Bistro

To the Wind Bistro [Photo: Yelp]

If you haven't heard of To the Wind Bistro, it opened quietly in March despite having Royce Oliveira—formerly of Mizuna, Axios and Village Cork—at the helm as chef-owner. The nondescript, cozy location on East Colfax harbors a restaurant that's only open for dinner five nights a week and has a constantly evolving menu. Though the spot may have gone unnoticed at first, are the winds changing? Here's the early word on To the Wind Bistro.

The Bang for Your Buck News: 5280 Magazine's food editor, Amanda Faison, praised more than the price of one dish on the ever-changing menu. "If it's available, order the slow-roasted salmon with shaved fennel, citrus, and cured salmon. The entrée rings in at $18 but I would pay more for the expertly cooked fish and bright, thoughtful details that elevate it into something special." [5280]

The Beer Over Wine News: In an interview with Cafe Society at the time the restaurant opened, chef-owner Royce Oliveira revealed his preference for beer. "'I love beer, much more so than wine,' admits Oliveira, 'so I wanted to open a restaurant that not only had great things to eat, but also lots and lots of great beers.'" [Cafe Society]

The Winner, Winner Chicken Dinner News: A Facebook user gushed about the dish she ordered, proclaiming, "The Buttermilk Chicken is one of the best chicken dishes I've ever had. And thanks to my server for suggesting the Wyoming Whiskey bourbon - it was delicious. This place is a fantastic addition to the neighborhood." [Facebook]

The 'You Remind Me of Someone' News: In a report for Life on Capitol Hill, writer J.L. Schultheis Price commented on the space and made a comparison to another eatery in town. "There's seating for 18 in the space to the west that adjoins the open kitchen and eat bar area. It reminds me a bit of Fruition on 6th with a tad more elbowroom. Just charming." [Life on Capitol Hill]

The Not a Lot of Negatives News: Over on Yelp, one reviewer couldn't find fault in much. "The entree list is limited. That'd be my only negative comment....I could imagine stopping in one night and not finding something that jumps out at me." [Yelp]

The Off-the-Wall News: Another Yelp user went home with more than a full stomach. "We were admiring the art all night. We decided to come home with a painting from the restaurant and the staff went above and beyond to package it up, and contact the local artist to alert her of the sale and get us her card." [Yelp]

The Triple Trips News: To the Wind has made a repeat customer out of one Urbanspoon user. "We have been to To The Wind Bistro three times now -- once with family, once with a friend from Philly, and once by ourselves. Each time we have walked away completely satisfied with the food, the service and the ambience. Our only regret is that, as we're moving to a different area of Denver, TTWB won't be around the corner from us anymore. But we definitely will be back." [Urbanspoon]

The Short and Sweet News: Accompanied by a photo of a strawberry-rhubarb tart, Zagat summed things up nicely on Twitter. "To the Wind Bistro, a Denver restaurant worth talking about." [Twitter]

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