Potager

1109 Odgen St., Denver, CO

8.3

map & more

Cuisine
American

303-832-5788

Official Website

By Chris Stang
January 26, 2012

Two things. First of all, it’s pronounced “puh ta zhay”, you hillbilly. Second, this place is in Denver, which is why you’ve never heard of it. It’s also a restaurant that we love a lot, and it deserves some attention.

Potager opened its doors in Denver in 1997, which is pretty much exactly the same as if they had opened right after the Titanic sank. The Mile High City didn’t have much of a restaurant scene until recently, and fifteen successful years as a neighbhorhood farm-to-table restaurant might as well be ninety. Especially when you realize that sourcing local ingredients didn’t become the hot sh*t thing to do until this side of the millenium. We weren’t even sure that cigarettes were bad for you back in the late nineties, let alone care where our lamb chop came from. But Potager has been committed to serving only the good stuff the whole time, and that’s a big part of what makes it an incredible restaurant. The menu changes completely every month, and despite the fact that I’ve probably never eaten the same thing twice, every meal I’ve had here has been almost perfect. The service is always on point, there’s an incredible back patio, and you can order half glasses of wine. How much have I had to drink, you ask? Some halves. Now help me find my bike.

You’ll understand then, why I find myself surprised when Denver friends tell me that they still haven’t made it to Potager. This place could open up in New York City and hold it’s own with some of the great farm-to-table restaurants in this town. Maybe it’s just been around so long that nobody writes about it anymore. Or maybe there just aren’t many good places to read about these kinds of things in Denver. Maybe there’s something to be said for that. Who wants to scout us out some office space?

Food Rundown:

Twice Baked Goat Cheese Souffle
Keep in mind with this Food Rundown that the menu changes drastically from month to month. But there is usually some sort of savory souffle featured, and it’s usually got some kind of delicious cheese in it. Safe to say what ever version is on your menu is gonna be awesome.

Jay Hill Farm Lettuces
One thing that’s also a sure bet is that there will be lots of greens on the Potager menu. A lettuce mix is typical, and you’ll see some fruit in there, some nuts, and other things that will make you happy. For instance, this month it’s dates, gorgonzola cheese, shaved red onion and an orange-walnut oil vinaigrette. Enough said.

Hazel Dell Mushroom Risotto
If you see a risotto, order it. It’s typically a portion that can be shared as a starter between two people. Or, it also could be one person’s entire meal, but we’re disgusting.

Thin Crust Pizza
Believe it or not, the pizzas at Potager are usually excelent. There’s always gonna be some kind of vegetable involved, but I usually don’t pull the trigger on a pizza here unless there’s some meat there too.

Honey, Coriander, Fennel and Ginger Glazed Quail
Yep, you’re gonna want that. They do a great, smoky little bird.

Triple M Bar Slow Roasted Lamb Shoulder Tortellini
Two things that are can’t miss orders: anything pork related, and the one pasta that’s usually on the menu. I’ve never had both in one dish, so I might have just booked a flight to hit this before the end of the month.

Dessert
I don’t care what it is, order it.