Dan Da - Review - Aurora - Denver - The Infatuation

This Aurora restaurant is for those looking to expand their Vietnamese horizons beyond phở and bánh mì. The menu is loaded with comforting, flavor-packed family recipes from three sisters whose parents opened one of Denver’s first Vietnamese restaurants in the '80s. Inside, a wall-to-wall mural of a woman wearing a nón lá looks over tables digging into simmering clay pots filled with steamed cherrystone clams laced with chiles, garlic, and lemongrass sauce, and proteins like pork belly or catfish. On most tables you’ll see Dan Da’s most popular items: triple-tiered towers with grilled meats, seafood, and fried fare served with fresh herbs and veggies, rice noodles, and other fixings to wrap your own spring rolls. And don’t overlook the salads, which are tossed in an umami-rich dressing and topped with crunchy sesame seeds and crushed peanuts. - Patricia Kaowthumrong