The Buzz On The Plimoth, A Neighborhood Gem

It has been a while now since The Plimoth opened in the neighborhood just north of City Park. At this cool little 40-seater, which gets its name from the historic spelling for Plymouth, Massachusetts, chef Peter Ryan, a former executive chef/instructor at Cook Street School of Culinary Arts and Plymouth native, is bringing classical European food to an area that could certainly use some fine dining. But does this "neighborhood eatery," as it calls itself, really fit in? Find out with the early word on The Plimoth.

The Questionable Vegetable News: The restaurant makes a wonderful, romantic addition to City Park North, an area that has never been a food mecca, writes Bill Porter of the Denver Post. He gave the restaurant a three-star review, finding most dishes to be winners, however he was less than impressed with a delicata squash, cranberry beans, broccolini, and oyster mushrooms vegetarian dish: "The flavor and look of the dish were dull, and the overall effect was a collective shrug." [DP]

The Positive News: The Plimoth could become a landmark restaurant, says Westword food critic Gretchen Kurtz, who was immediately reminded of Paris cafes after squeezing into the cozy eatery. Although initially skeptical of the neighborhood restaurant self-stylization, she admits, "Plimoth is the neighborhood spot it set out to be—even if the neighborhoods it's drawing from are far-flung." [Westword]

The Plimoth Rocks News: People have definitely been buzzing about The Plimoth. The restaurant was named as one of Denver's hottest new restaurants in a list by Cafe Society. [Cafe Society]

The Menu News: Chef Ryan was interviewed by Zagat, and revealed some of his ideas behind the restaurant and the menu. Writer Ruth Tobias was impressed with the ever-changing selection of food: "[the menu is] deeply rooted in an appreciation of the same seasonal cycles that dictated the tables of our forebears: think champagne-glazed carrots with walnuts and herb salad, braised beef shank in root-vegetable-and-bacon ragout, spiced-apple clafoutis in a cherry-beer reduction." [Zagat]

The 5280 News: Chef Ryan made a wise decision to stick to a smaller menu, choosing to focus on the details rather than trying to deliver a sprawling selection of items, says 5280 Magazine. There were some drawbacks though, as critic Stacey Brugeman was somewhat disappointed with the knowledge of the staff and noted that the transitioning North City Park neighborhood makes the restaurant into a less-than-ideal destination for those visiting Denver. [5280]

The One Reservation News: With nearly all four or five-star ratings, the crew at Plimoth seems to be getting the nod from Yelpers. However, one reviewer, who handed out the lone one-star rating, was upset with an unexpected change in his reservations: "Made reservations a week in advance. They called the day of to change our time to later." [Yelp]

The Food Oasis News: Food blogger Bronwyn Borne refers to Plimoth as an "oasis" in a desert-like off-the-beaten-path spot. "The neighborhood is gentrifying, but the restaurant is a bit of a pioneer, sitting next door to an abandoned building with broken windows." [Colorado Wine and Food]

— By Robert Stein

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