Rebel Restaurant Lives Up to Its Name; Blue Island Is a Great Catch

RiNo's Rebel Restaurant got a rave review from Westword this week. First-time-restaurateurs-duo Dan Lasiy and Bo Porytko impressed critic Gretchen Kurtz with their creativity and originality. While some items challenge the squeamish — think pig's head and the whole octopus — Kurtz dubbed them as delicious nonetheless. The offerings delivered when it came to shock value and taste, with one major point of contention: the lack of vegetables. All in all, Rebel is definitely a place return to.

Hooked on Blue Island Oyster Bar is how restaurant critic Bill Porter felt when penning his review of the Cherry Creek restaurant. Boasting fresh seafood that rivals any available on the coasts, Blue Island offers dishes like the deviled salmon "perfect chunky consistency," as well as the yellowfin ahi poke, studded with cucumbers and crisp snap peas. The winning dish for the Denver Post critic was the knuckle sandwich - a lobster slider on a brioche roll, sweet and crisp, a "slider for all seasons."  The restaurant was awarded three stars out of four.