Denver

Its always fun to go to the same city twice in seven days. While the flight to Denver is not short, its nice for a change of scenery.

Whats even better is going to the same restaurant twice & ordering a different item. At the recommendation of two Colorado-loving friends, Illegal Pete's (IP) made the cut for lunch. Totally non-chainy & local, it was a great choice for downtown Denver. Located on 16th street, IP plays great music, sells groovy t-shirts, and makes a nice taco plate. The cheese dip is a winner as well. And how can you not like a place that serves New Belgium products on tap.

The second recommendation is Vesta Dipping Grill. Kind of a funny name, but you get to choose your entree & mix & match sauces. I had the grilled venison, ginger ale mushrooms, and fries. Very delicious, but I really didn't care for the three accompanying sauces. The menu has a wide variety of meats, but not a lot for the veggie eater. Nice wine list too.

My only complaint about both trips is the Denver airport: the distance to the rental car facilities, the trams between terminals, and the security line for frequent fliers. Very time consuming.

Interim: New Memphis Restaurant

I have recently spent two nights at the newly opened Interim in East Memphis; the previous space belonged to Wally Joe. The article from the Memphis Flyer can give more details about the ownership, kitchen staff, and other details. The burger was fantastic and could give other popular burgers in town a run for their money. My favorite dish was the mac & cheese for the following reasons: its baked in a little red Le Creuset dish, it contains bacon, and it is delicious. Other dishes that looked tasty were the white bean puree & crab cakes. The caesar salad was not very impressive considering the Wally Joe version had a baked quail egg with brioche. Yum.

Overall, I would recommend it for a nice neighborhood meal.

For those that have also visited Interim, please post your comments.