Restaurant Review - Lou's Food Bar

Last night a couple friends, Ryan and I dined at the newest Frank Bonanno restaurant, Lou's Food Bar in lower-Highland.  It's concept is Bonanno's spin on a family-centered, french-inspired, neighborhood restaurant that is both approachable and refined. 

From the outside it looks like you are pulling up to a loudly-painted biker bar that forgot to take down their Christmas lights.  I will admit, it makes you slightly question if Bonanno is keeping the facade understated in a design attempt to trick your senses when you walk in.  You are greeted with a bustling low-lit dining room, full of amazing aromas, modern wine racks, simple fixtures and tables full of young hipsters and locals all dining on beautiful food, not a leather-clad burly man you might have thought 30 seconds prior.

This was not my first experience at Lou's; I had actually been twice for lunch and had a delicious heirloom tomato salad with house-made mozzarella in late summer and a blacken fish sandwich that packed both heat and a cool refreshing slaw under a locally-made baguette.  Regardless of both these delicious meals was the spotty service that took way too long to be considered lunch.  Yet, what set last night's dinner apart from my previous visits, was the outstanding service from the front of the house.  We were warmly greeted and then blown away at our server's in-depth knowledge of the menu.  He offered suggestions from each portion of the menu that rolled off his tongue like poetry, he was attentive but not in your face.

Tonight's winning dish went to the home-made meatloaf topped with a mushroom gravy accompanied by whipped potatoes and sauteed zucchini.  This dish was a huge portion of rich, homey flavors that warmed you up from the inside out.  I wish there was a bit more gravy and the zucchini did feel like a bit of an afterthought but it was one of the best meatloaves I have had in Denver.

I would suggest to anyone dining at Lou's to also save room for the house-made carrot cake.  There were beautiful layers upon layers of moist carrot cake and not-overly sweet cream cheese frosting.  To boo, candied carrot chips topped the cake that were heaven in my mouth.  Don't judge but I think I ate nearly all of them as everyone was talking!

Last night was such a fun night with friends.  I have leftovers to enjoy today and the memories to last me until my next visit to Lou's where I hope to make even more.