Matshuhisa Shines; Steuben’s Arvada is a Winner

Scott Mowbray of 5280 Magazine was so impressed with Matshuhisa that he awarded the Cherry Creek restaurant 3.5 stars in this month's review. During his tenure, which started in August 2015, Mowbray reserved the 3.5 rating for exactly three restaurants: Mercantile Dining & Provision, Bar Dough, and Hop Alley, all three are among the first six of the 25 Best Restaurants that the same magazine put together. Mowbray enjoyed what he calls "the best fish in the city" on multiple occasions omakase-style but also a la carte. The highlights of his meals included the abalone, the mackerel, the shiitake mushroom salad, and the spicy tuna. The critic acknowledges the high ticket price of a dinner here but also points out that a bento lunch for two can be $45.

Arvada's hot spot Steuben's, a second iteration of the popular Uptown original, got a very positive review from Westword this week. Restaurant critic Gretchen Kurtz high fived owner Josh Wolkon for not falling for the trends - opening a taco shop or pursuing hot areas like Tennyson Street and RiNo- and also for not dumbing down the "regional comfort food" that Steuben's became known for. Among the writer's most memorable bites and dishes: The fried chicken, the milkshake, and the fried Brussels sprouts.