Washington Park Grill

Washington Park Grille

1096 S. Gaylord St.

Denver, CO 80209

303-777-0707

http://washparkgrille.com/

It is Restaurant Week in Denver. It is a slow time for them, so they have created a week where they offer multi-course meals for a fixed price. Some places create special dishes for the event, while others offer a combination of items off their regular menu. Washington Park offers items off their menu.

Washington Park Grill describes itself as an "Italian Restraint with a Twist". When I look at the menu, I see many items with Italian influences, but there are some items where that influence is not obvious.

The first courses that we tried were Baked Brie, Spinach, and Artichoke Dip and BLT Slider. The baked Brie is a creamy mixer of cheese, and veg tables; it has a savory earthy mixture. (It is one of their signature snacks.) However, the BLT slider was more enjoyable; it was made with pork belly meat (not cured like bacon would be), tomato, lettuce, and a plum ginger sauce. The sauce added a bright spicy flavor to the sandwich. I would love 3 of them for a nice lunch.

The second course was a pork chop (we both chose the same item) with a Peach Chutney, smoked Gouda potatoes, and carrots and beans. The vegtables were tender and flavorful. The potatoes were a little heavy (I like my mash potatoes light. I think it would have been nice if they were shaped into patties and lightly browned.)

The pork chops with the peach chutney was very tasty. The chops in themselves were nice, but the chutney added a very complex sweet/sour/spicy flavor to them. I can not remember eating a chutney before; I was aware of the relishes , who have their origins in India, but I am more aware of the mid-west US canning concoctions that are used to pickle excess fruit and vegetables and in the end add a little flavor to some bland cooking. The peach chutney here added a wonderful spicy/sweet flavor of the pork chops.

The final course was a a shared Raspberry Creme Brulee. it was a wonderful combination of sweet smooth custard with sour raspberry puree, and caramelized sugar crust. It was a nice finish to a very good meal.

When Tang Met Laika

Laika was a little dog the Soviets sent into space in Sputnik 2 November 1957; she was the first living thing in space from Earth. Tang was the American orange flavored powder that Astronauts drank in space.

The play follows the development of American-Soviet (Russian) relationships through their cooperation in space. It follows three people: Patrick, the first American Astronaut to visit Mir, Elena, a Cosmonaut on Mir, and Samantha, Patrick's wife. Patrick and Elena relationship grows from this, which also destroys Patrick's and Samantha's marriage.

Patrick is on the Space Station as nears completion, and the Columbia disintegration happened, which strands him on the Station. As a result his marriage to Samantha comes to an end and his relationship with Elena develops. Samantha is not able to understand what draws Patrick to space flight as well as Elena.

The play also examines the relationship of the two counties during this time. Two of the characters of the play are Young Communist (retired) and Young Capitalist (retired). They are trying to live with each other in a retirement community. They find that they do not like each other very much, but they need each other; one would be nothing without the other there.

This play is very different for last weeks Eventide. The progress of the story is not as important as the issues that are being examined. The relationship of the two countries, and the meaning of space exploration are more important than what the characters are doing.

The actors are good. Several of them had to play multiple characters, and did so well.

Eventide

Eventide is a continuation of Plainsong, a play the DCTC presented a few years ago. Both plays are adaptions of the stories of Kent Haruf about Holt County on the Great Plains of Colorado.

The play is composed of the three stories. The first being the continuation of the story of the McPheron brothers, Harold and Raymond. They are bachelor ranchers, who take in Victoria, a young unwed mother. Victoria has grown up and is off to college with her young daughter. However, Harold is killed in a ranching accident leaving Raymond alone. Victoria comes back from college to help out, but she has grown while away at school; she has met a young man, Del, who proves himself in Raymond eyes. Raymond insist that she return to school with her young man.

Out of this Raymond starts to date for the first time in his life. After a false start, friends help him meet Rose Tyler, a social worker, and their relationship starts to bloom.

A second story is of DJ and Walter Kephart. DJ is 11 year old boy, whose only living family is his grandfather. The grandfather's only real pleasure anymore is his monthly night out at the local tavern, when his monthly check arrives. After a particularly bad incident at the tavern, DJ meets up with Raymond, who hires him to help on the ranch on the weekends.

The last story is of the Wallace family. The parents, Luther and Betty Jean, are mental challenged, and they are very depended on their social worker, Rose. They love their children, but are unable to protect them when Betty Jean's uncle moves into their home and physically abuses them. They lose their children to a foster home.

These are people I know. I grew up in a similar town in Montana. Their values are basic American values. Raymond accepted Del, because he was willing to try to help, while totally forgiving his inexperience. Also Walter insists that DJ understand that he needs to earn any money Raymond gives him.

The acting was very even, and well done. Phillips Pleasant and Mike Hartman as the McPheron Brothers were particularly outstanding. They both had a wonderful sparkle in their eyes.

Over all the play is a wonderful bittersweet look at life on the American Great Plains. The outcome to the situations are not always satisfactory, in fact they are not always finished. It was a good experience.