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reviewed on: May 8, 2009
Unlike major cities in the east, Denver doesn’t have many large ethnic concentrations. As a result, we don’t have restaurants that represent those groups. To my knowledge, at present, we only have three restaurants in town that offer Cuban food. Which is too bad, as the food of Cuba is not only great tasting, but distinctively representative of the Caribbean itself.
Mojitos Cuban Bistro on East 6th Ave. follows on the heels of Mel Master’s Montecito at the corner of 6th and Downing, and joins a string of really great restaurants spread along the stretch of 6th from Lincoln to University. Much of what was inherited from previous operators remains, including the delightful covered patio that faces onto the street, and the cozy bar that’s become a gathering place for locals. The dining room itself is simple and relaxing, and thankfully devoid of the sort of stuff that often junks up an ethnic restaurant.
When you visit a restaurant called Mojitos, where the signature drink is that classic Cuban libation, there’s no way you can not try one—a frosty mix of mint, rum, lime and soda that, while refreshing, demands restraint. We limit ourselves to one. Appetizers range from crisp plantain chips with a black bean dip to Cuban black-bean soup, empanadillas—small, meat filled turnovers, and our selection, the Croquetas de Jamon—tasty ham-filled pastries served with a squeeze of lime. Incidentally, virtually everything at Mojitos comes with a lime wedge. Also about this time, our server returned with two small loaves of freshly baked chewy Cuban bread that could easily have served as the rest of our meal.
If you’re looking for a steak dinner, you’re not going to find it here. I suspect that , except for the occasional luxury of a cigar, most of the population of that island doesn’t count a filet mignon as part of their diet. When beef and pork appear on this menu, they’re the less expensive cuts like flank steak and pork shoulder, marinated, shredded, ground, and slow cooked, magically transforming them into complex delights that beat a steak any day as far as I’m concerned. Lechon Asado is a slow-cooked pork shoulder topped in a mojo sauce of garlic and citrus juices that simply melts in your mouth. Picadillo is a ground beef dish prepared with a sofrito sauce of onions and garlic along with olives, and is excellent. Black beans and/or rice, in one form or another, accompany every dish.
Prices are extremely reasonable, topping out at $18 for shrimp in a Creole sauce, and otherwise spread across the teens.
Mojitos Cuban Bistro
1120 E. 6th Ave. at Downing
303-777-8222
http://www.mojitosdenver.com/
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