DenvHer CO
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During our stay at The Elizabeth, we dined at their restaurant - The Emporium: An American Brasserie - twice (once for dinner & once for brunch). We were very impressed with the food quality and level of service on both visits. It was so nice to be able to stay onsite at the hotel, relax, unwind and have creative dishes & stellar hospitality at our fingertips when it came to dining.
For dinner at The Emporium, we were seated in the main dining room. The aesthetic of the restaurant was cozy (yet elevated) & inviting with wood tones & warm, ambient lighting. Our server, Emily, had stellar recommendations and ensured we had everything we needed while we dined.
We started off our meal with cocktails. Ross had the Mr. Vida made with del maguey Vida mezcal, amaro nardini, mr. black coffee liqueur, fee brothers aztec bitters, regans' orange bitters. This cocktail was very coffee forward with a nice nose of citrus.
I had the Harvest Moon made with epsolón blanco tequila, solerno blood orange liqueur, orange, lime, agave, & a black salt rim.
For Small Plates we had the Bison Tartare, Moules Mariniere, & the Brussels Sprouts - all of these small plates were fabulous, and we'd order each one again. It was a strong start to the meal.
The Bison Tartare was made with smoked red pepper coulis, roasted garlic aioli, shoestring shallot, shaved egg yolk, cilantro, sea salt & vinegar potato chips. The tartare was beautiful and gamey; the roasted garlic aioli gave great zing to the meat.
The Moules Mariniere were made with pei mussels, chablis, sweet cream butter, shallot & garlic, herbs, & served with toast points. The mussels came in a lovely, savory broth - they had a soft texture which went well on the crisp buttered toast.
The Brussels Sprouts were made with orange jalapeno infused honey, toasted pistachio, & sea salt. The hot honey was mouthwatering & made the brussels sprouts sticky & spicy.
For Large Plates we had the Salmon En Croute and the Scallops Noir.
The Salmon En Croute was made with verlasso salmon, gremolata, puff pastry, shaved fennel & citrus salad. We loved the unique presentation of the salmon; the buttery puff pastry enveloped the mild fish and really upgraded its flavor profile.
The Scallops Noir were made with pan seared sea scallops, squid ink bucatini, cauliflower puree, & charred broccolini. The scallops were bouncy in texture and delicate in flavor.
For dessert we had Baileys Cheesecake which was a special for the weekend.
We headed back to The Emporium for brunch the next morning and we were seated at the bar. Mixologist Rolland took exceptional care of us - his wit & humor made our dining experience & he took charge creating off menu cocktails that were amazing. Manager Will also checked in & ensured our brunch went off without a hitch.
Rolland called my first cocktail The Barbie. The Barbie was made with raspberry, mint, limeade, elderberry liquor, & sparkling grapefruit. This cocktail was effervescent with sweet, juicy raspberries rushing onto the palate; a refreshing way to say hello to spring.
My second cocktail was made with cantaloupe, lime juice, warm spices, mint, & Tito's. The combo of sweet melon and mint were delicious.
For food, we started off sweet with Beignets & a Pancake. The beignets were hot, doughy pillows coated generously in powdered sugar. They had a thin, crisp, golden exterior that gave way to chewy, sweet dough. Dipping these bad boys in the chocolate sauce made for sinfully delicious bites.
The Pancake was large and decorated in chocolate chips & blueberries. The chocolate chips dominated each bite in their thick, melty-ness while the citrus of the blueberries, and fluffy pancake, cut through the chocolate nicely.
For savory brunch dishes, we had the Hatch Green Chili Breakfast Burrito and the Biscuits & Gravy. The Burrito was made with chorizo, pepper trio, onion, potato, jack cheese, green chili, & cotija.
The biscuits had a blanket of savory gravy & eggs-over-easy atop.
