"Last July, Central Bistro & Bar changed over to Candela Latin Kitchen from Central’s Isiah Salazar and Jesse Vega. On July 29, the restaurant in LoHi opted to close abruptly, and Eater Denver tipster reports. The restaurant’s website states: “Thank you to all our neighbors and customers for this past year of service. It has been a great honor to celebrate Latin food and culture with you all.” Candela served Puerto Rican, Peruvian, Mexican, and Cuban cuisines, although the owners were careful not to call the eatery a Mexican restaurant, despite an assortment of taco varieties available. Vega grew up in a Puerto Rican household in New York. Highlights of the menu included a shrimp ceviche with coconut milk, leche de tigre marinade, and a noticeable kick of habanero. Pastelon layered strips of sweet plantain with mozzarella and beef piccadilly, and diners could order a dozen oysters for $20, empanadas combinations, or a yucca fries." - Susan Stapleton
