In his 1979 essay “Brigade de Cuisine,” John McPhee describes the five best meals he ever ate, while declining to name the restaurant, location or chef behind them.
The essay is a great tease; the descriptions of the food and the profile of the nameless chef leave a reader ravenous. Specifically, for an off-the-grid meal created not by some celebrity chef with a megawatt smile and team of energetic publicists but by a craftsman focused, instead, on cooking.
I imagine that part of McPhee’s purpose was to gloat, but part was to encourage his readers to travel the backroads and discover a similar restaurant for themselves, and to patronize it frequently.
If Denver has had such a restaurant over the past year, it has been Fuel Cafe, wedged into an industrial triangle formed by Interstates 25 and 70 and the South Platte River.
More cook’s studio than restaurant, more kitchen than dining room, Fuel Cafe — whether by design or circumstance — has maintained a relatively low profile. Even as its growing base of food-obsessed fans have whispered its name to one another, even as its name has bled steadily more heavily into the local media, Fuel has endured — or perhaps enjoyed — a year of relative obscurity.
But the word is now fully out: Fuel Cafe serves some of Denver’s most intelligent, creative food. And while my meals there might not rank in my top five of all time, every visit has been rewarding.
A caveat to this endorsement: It’s futile to recommend any specific dish at Fuel Cafe because whatever knocked me flat last week, or last month, or last winter, probably isn’t available anymore.
But you are warned. It says, right there on the menu: “Due to the season, weather or mood of the cooks, all menu items are subject to change.”
Of late, Fuel’s menu has been changing more like monthly than weekly or daily, but spontaneity still informs the roster. If the cherry tomatoes looked good this morning, you’ll see them aside your striped bass or flatiron steak. Otherwise, look for squash. Or greens. Or sweet potato. It depends.
The good news is there’s no reason to get married to a particular dish, because just about anything these folks cook—from lamb sirloin with chermoula to butterscotch pudding—is worth eating.
(Just about. Skip the soggy samosas if they’re on offer.)
You’ll never mistake garage-chic Fuel Cafe’s dining room for a white-tablecloth establishment. The room is noisy and bare bones, with a dozen or so tables plus a counter for stool-perching. The kitchen is sort of half-hidden. When it’s nice out, big garage doors open up into a half-done patio in the parking lot, a handful of tables under umbrellas.
At Fuel Cafe, you won’t be fawned over by a maitre d’, or even get unwavering attention from your server. In fact, your server may change once or twice during your meal. If it’s busy, the whole experience may feel Keystone Kops-ish.
But the relaxed (too-relaxed?) choreography upfront fits in with Fuel’s vibe. It could be better, but it works. And besides, you don’t come here for refined service or a high concept room. You come here to taste the fruits of the folks experimenting back there in the kitchen.
The lunch menu is more stable. Bacon, lettuce and fried green-tomato sandwiches on toast with a verdant herbed mayonnaise. Buffalo Reu- bens. Savory-sweet corn chowder.
But even midday menus are subject to change. That ravioli stuffed with butternut and kabocha squash, chorizo and manchego cheese?
While you hold your breath until it comes back, there’s always the soft gnocchi with mozzarella. Or the textbook-beautiful pan bagnat.
Or whatever’s on the menu.
Agree? Disagree? Hit denverpost.com /restaurants to share your thoughts.
Fuel Cafe
Contemporary. 3455 Ringsby Court, Denver, 303-296-4642, fuelcafedenver.com
*** (Great)
Atmosphere: Contemporary garage-chic. Noisy when crowded, cozy as the night wears on.
Service: Efficient, not indulgent.
Wine: Small, sharp wine list.
Plates: Lunch, $8-$12. Dinner, $14 and up.
Hours: Lunch Monday-Friday 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Dinner, Thursday- Saturday 5-9 p.m.
Details: Parking lot. Wheelchair accessible. Happy-hour specials Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Four visits.
Our star system: ****: Exceptional. ***: Great. : **Very Good. : *Good.
