Populus Hotel Stellar Jay + Two Twelve Dinner
A Live Fire Hearth and High Country Culinary Collab
Story by Daniel Dunn, Photos by Lo Storer
“It was awesome!” A friend asked how my quick trip to Denver was. I had mentioned I was going downtown to check out a new hotel and have a swanky dinner. Working in an airy, chic restaurant in Breckenridge, being so close to Denver, I talk to a lot of people who go to the Front Range for music, games, cultural stuff, or to just get out of the mountains for a day, and they’re always looking for the newest, hippest spot with great food. Well, I found it.
With a primo location and architectural styling meant to resemble an aspen tree standing proudly with friends in the forest, the Populus Hotel Denver is a safe space, a warm classy boutique hotel, welcoming you with open arms. The entrance is simple, inviting you into the lobby, with a grand staircase instantly letting you know this place has some charm and works hard to win you over.
Sustainability is high on the list at the Populus. The hotel asserts a “carbon-positive” building. The building is 100% powered by renewable electricity, invests in reforestation, including the “One Night, One Tree” program which plants trees for every guest stay and has among other things, an on-site biodigester turning 100% of food waste into compost, for local farms. Food is sourced as locally as possible, from Colorado Elk to Denver and Boulder grown leafy greens.
Rooms are incredibly stylish and comfy. All have a window bench seat that greets you upon entrance (unique “lidded” windows reduce the buildings energy consumption by providing shade). The window design sets the tone for coziness of the room. You very quickly realize this place is not like every other hotel, the place has personality, and you’re beginning to love it. I visited many of the different rooms with the hotel GM and fell in love again and again with different room type stylings.
Food is outstanding, from a simple breakfast Farm Omelette with goat cheese and excellent drip coffee at Pasque on the main floor to a live fire cooked Colorado Elk at Stellar Jay with an insane 13th floor rooftop patio with views of the State Capitol building and beautiful Civic Center park. This is downtown Denver, but with a touch of breathing room.
I attended the first of many special dinners at the Populus Hotel’s Stellar Jay, run by Chef Blaise Colamarino. This was the Hearth and High Country collab with chef Anthony Nelson of Two Twelve, a sister restaurant in Crested Butte, CO.
A set menu, with matching Colorado wines from Buckel Wines of Gunnison. The big draw at both restaurants is the live fire kitchen, meaning they cook on a grill over a real, honest to goodness wood fire.
My dinner consisted of four courses, one being dessert. The Colorado Elk Rack, with a touch of smoke & char, topped with a foie huckleberry sauce, was sensational. The faint smoke in the air gave me the warm and fuzzies, like I was at the summer cabin, grilling over the campfire. Except I wasn’t cooking or cleaning.
The wine matched perfectly with all courses, with the star being the sparkling Rose, made from Syrah grapes. Honestly, this wine matches up favorably with anything you’ll find at outstanding restaurants anywhere in the country.
I give massive kudos to the hotel, both restaurants, and the special dinner. Chefs and their teams worked their tails off to produce a kick ass evening, with proceeds going to Mountain Roots Food Project, based in Gunnison. This organization works to get healthy, locally grown food into the hands of families that really need it. Kudos to them.
For those of us living in the mountains, sometimes we need a simple reason to get out of these beautiful places we live in, and escape to the “Big City”. I urge you to consider staying at the Populus for a night or two. You’re walking distance to the Denver Art and History museums, the Capitol building, the US Mint, Civic Center Park and the Convention Center. Denver Center for the Performing Arts and Boettcher Concert Hall are just a touch farther. This really is a wonderful place to get away and relax. Two thumbs up.
*Parking note*-The hotel does not own parking, but can do Valet. There is pay parking directly across the street, but make sure to pay day by day, on a rolling 24 hr basis, midnight to midnight. Make sure to pay for a day, whenever you leave, the morning you check out.
Featured Image Photo Credit: Yoshihiro Makino
For More Dining Suggestions – Read the Dine Local Guide
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