Mile High Dining went to the newest social block in Denver, McGregor Square to try Carmine’s and Tom’s Watch Bar. It’s very busy even when the Rockies baseball team was not playing a home game. First we had a light meal at Carmine’s then a couple of beers and a snack at Tom’s.
To enter Carmine’s, although the restaurant opens onto the Square, you have to walk the maze around to Wazee Street. The old Carmine’s still operate in Capitol Hill. This outpost has been open for only several months. We each had a glass of Italian wine, pear salad, and ravioli.
The red Italian wines featured almost all had a Cabernet grape rather than traditional Italian grapes producing a Barolo, Barbesco, or a Brunello. Sadly it’s done to reduce the education required to explain a wine. Everyone knows what a “Cab” is.
The menu is a simple sheet of paper listing the dishes by name only without any ingredients. The ravioli is served family style then plated at the table. The sauce with vodka was very good but the ravioli was lost with only a mild flavor. The pear salad had only several micro-small slices of pears mixed into the lettuce and cheese. We enjoyed the salad but it could use lots more pears.
The dining room itself seemed to be under construction as the walls were mainly empty. Lastly, you pay by scanning a QR code on the check and enter your credit card by yourself. That’s where technology is heading.
Tom’s Watch Bar was our next stop. It was extra crowded inside at Tom’s as the Olympics and a Rockies baseball game were on the tvs, so we sat on the outside patio. We enjoyed the spinach artichoke dip with chips and two beers. It was a great place to watch sports as they have over 100 TVs. Sitting outside you also get to watch the many people walking by.
My ratings are: It’s OK, Good, Very Good, and Excellent.
The verdict ⚖️ for Carmine’s on MacGregor Square is It’s OK.
The verdict ⚖️ for Tom’s Watch Bar is Very Good as a sports bar with good food.
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