Sometimes, not often, a restaurant loiters in a persistent haze of underachievement for years before blossoming into a real player. So goes the story of the Village Cork, a relatively obscure wine-and- cheese oasis for Platt Park neighborhoodies that upped their game several months ago with the hire of chef Samir Mohammad.
The result? This unassuming corner bistro now serves one of our city’s most satisfying suppers.
That supper may change by the week, or by the day, depending on what’s inspiring to Mohammad and what looks good at the market — this Taos-reared chef is committed to seasonal ingredients. But on recent visits to this charmingly low-lit restaurant, it’s included some or all of the following:
Flavorful and ungreasy duck prosciutto, cured in-house and resplendent with the unmistakable flavor of duck, not the cloying flavor (and texture) of fat.
A moist and satisfying roasted half-chicken, crispy-skinned and supple-fleshed and Mediterranean in all the right ways, the plate happily studded with olives.
A carefully cooked and masterfully seasoned plate of lamb chops, with just enough char to complement the rich but not overpowering sweetness of the lamb.
A soft, tangy plate of house- made ricotta, at once creamy and sharp and aromatic in that just-this-side-of-sour way that makes ricotta the most addictive of cheeses.
A quartet of braised baby artichokes, best consumed at the end rather than the top of the meal to allow the savory field-flavors of artichoke to linger on your tongue and dance with the last dribbles of wine in your glass.
Missteps on the tiny chalkboard menu are few. The most perplexing is the lobster polenta fries, which were, to my palate, flavorless, textureless and over-glopped with a jarring and bizarre balsamicy glaze. (Other diners disagreed with me here; I can imagine the kitchen moves many plates of these.) Also perplexing, the warmed slice of brie sprinkled with walnuts and accompanied by sliced Granny Smiths (but then, I’m from the school that says brie belongs at room temperature).
The wine list is substantial, but small enough to get your brain around, with dozens available by the glass, some at fairly reasonable prices. I would like to see the managers throw us a couple of good $5 glasses, but the pours are generous, and the maintenance of the wine list is vigorous, so this is just a quibble. (One excellent bonus, if you’re free on Tuesday or Wednesday: Selected bottles of wine are 25 percent off.)
Service at the Village Cork is always friendly and gracious, if not always lightning-fast. But, with a room as charming as this one (rustic wood tables, mismatched plates, a broad welcoming bar and a few cozy nooks for wine-induced canoodling around the perimeter) and hospitality this warm, speed matters less.
Depending on which night of the week you visit, you’ll encounter klatsches of tottering ladies comparing notes on married life, small groups of wine-snobs working their way through the list, corpulent bar-fly regulars who’ve long-since stopped reminding the staff of their standing order, couples leaning in over shared plates of antipasti hoping their hands graze as they both go in for a slice of prosciutto.
The Village Cork scores as many points for its vibe and attitude as for its food. It has long been a lovely meeting point for South Denver neighbors and visitors to drink; now it is an equally lovely place to sup.
Got thoughts on the Village Cork? Visit denverpost.com/restaurants
Village Cork
Rustic. 1300 S. Pearl St, Denver 303-282-8399, villagecork.com
*** (Great)
Atmosphere: Rustic, unassuming corner restaurant with a friendly and homey vibe.
Service: Always amiable, often (not always) swift. Warm and welcoming.
Wine: Sharply edited wine list with dozens by the glass.
Plates: Very small menu, changes frequently, most under $20.
Hours: Monday-Thursday, 4 p.m.-10:30 p.m.; Friday, 4 p.m.-midnight; Saturday, 5 p.m.-midnight. Closed Sunday.
Details: Street parking. Wheelchair accessible. No reservations needed. Come alone, and sit at the bar.
Four visits.
Our star system: ****: Exceptional. ***: Great. **: Very Good. *: Good.
