Classy Cucina Colore – Denver, CO

I went to Ikea and tried the Swedish meatballs today. By “tried”, I mean I ate them all. 15 meatballs. In one sitting. But that’s totally okay because I’m always working out and weight is just a number. And I plan to keep telling myself that lie. Indefinitely.

If I’m looking for confirmation that I still look fine, Denver is the worst place to look. Home of the original REI, Denver’s mountain men aren’t exactly the sedentary type. The REI itself is 3-floor train station filled to the gills to outfit the demands of those who hike, bike and boulder. Plus the ski and snowboard gear cover almost an entire floor.

Any city that skis this much needs to load up on carbs. And what better place to carb-load than at the classy, unpretentious Cucina Colore? Carbs are never this good at home, and thanks to the refreshing garlic marinara, you can even pretend the fantastic Fusili Arrabbiata is healthy. The menu makes it sound like a typical spicy sauce, but a fistful of jalapeno and a heaping spoonful of chili flakes make for a dish that bites you back and keeps you warm no matter how cold the slopes get.

The fusili is fantastic, but the Pastaless Lasagna is pure genius. The idea of lasagna without the pasta is as wild as a Denver boy down a double black diamond, and this steep, flavorful concoction of breaded eggplant for pasta) interspersed with smoky mozzarella and masterful marinara will get you a rush as steep as that slope.

The good news is, the weather in Denver makes it easy to hide the fat from my food frolics. It’s so cold that ungloved hands are a scandal, and there’s no way anyone will notice the snugness of your parka. There’s nothing like skiing in Denver, but don’t forget to feed yourself too. Denver has carved more turns in my memory than I’ve ever carved in its slopes, so it’s with a lot of sadness and a tinge of regret that I bid this city goodbye. Byebye Denver, hope to ski you again soon.