Rioja; a Jennifer Jasinski’s concept

Chef Jennifer Jasinski is the Chef Owner of 3 great concepts in Denver: Rioja, Euclid Hall, and Café Vendome.  During the ICCA Culinary Immersion in Denver, we had the pleasure of a tasting at Rioja followed by an after-dinner treat at Euclid Hall.  Her concept Rioja is a Mediterranean inspired restaurant that draws on inspiration from local and seasonal products.  

We sat down at Rioja to talk with Chef Jasinski about her concepts and to have lunch.  The first course was a plated duet of fresh bacon, cardamom spiced Kurobuta pork belly, Madras curry scented garbanzo bean purée and mango salmon lomi lomi, Hawaiian salt cured Skuna Bay salmon, macadamia-ginger pesto, scallion, cucumber, mango coulis, basil pudding along with a marinated melon salad, Asian greens, cucumber, basil, chives, grilled balsamic marinated endive, and goat cheese crema.

For the second course we had a choice of a Virginia ham and watermelon sandwich on a house made biscuit, with grilled watermelon and a pickled watermelon rind slaw featuring cilantro, bacon aioli and corn dog battered okra.  Our other option was the grilled petite filet with fregola sarda salad with caramelized eggplant, celery, basil, parsley and served with a smoky orange sauce and olive-orange purée.  For the third option, a Spanish octopus farfalle, squid ink-piquillo pepper pasta, Basque chilies, piquillo peppers, crisp preserved lemons, gremolata caper chile emulsion.  The last option was the Artichoke Tortelloni that was goat cheese and artichoke mousse stuffed pasta in artichoke broth, truffle essence, queso de mano cheese, and chervil.

For dessert, Chef Jasinski's team prepared a white and black cheesecake which was a blackberry-filled, white chocolate cheesecake with toasted black sesame ice cream, blackberry coulis, sesame nougatine, and black sesame paint.  To top of our meal we headed to Euclid Hall for truffles and craft beers. Euclid Hall is housed in a historic building in Downtown Denver and the catchphrase here is "crafted; not cranked out".  Their focus is on an array of international pub fare that is of high quality and well crafted. (See the Euclid Hall Dine Around as well.)