Restaurant Review - Bones Restaurant

On a cool over-cast afternoon, there are few things I love more than snuggling up under a blanket, sipping tea and watching movies in my pajamas.  That was until I visited Bones Restaurant in the Governor's Park neighborhood just south of the city. 

I have wanted to try Bones since they opened in late 2009 when word spread like wild fire about there delicious noodle bowls, mouth-watering steamed buns and the notorious poached lobster ramen.  So on my cloudy afternoon, I decided to take all the amazing advice I had read online and heard from friends and try all that makes Bones a stand-out noodle joint in Denver.

The steamed pork buns started off the meal and they can be ordered with either suckling pig or belly.  After asking our waitress I found out the suckling is a roasted pulled pork that has a rich deep flavor and the belly is pork belly that is slowly braised with a crispy sear on the outside of the protein.  I ordered both and found the suckling pig to win in a side-by-side comparison.  The combination of the doughy steamed bun along with the moist rich pork, pickled veggies and fresh cilantro came together best.

Next up on the menu was of course, the poached lobster ramen.  Note to all readers, this is no Top-Ramen that you buy for $.50, boil some water, throw in a pot and flavor with a packet of seasoning.  This ramen is fragrant, savory and full of unbelievable enticing ingredients.  The noodle bowl is delivered to your table with huge chucks of poached lobster mixed with thin ramen noodles and shelled edamame.  The waitstaff then pours the broth table side into the big bowl which was a very nice touch.  My first spoonful was purely the broth and my mouth was taken over by deep lobster and miso flavors.  An unbelievable balance was achieved once I paired the broth with the buttery lobster and slightly-sweet and bright edamame.  I quickly started to remember all of the great things I had heard about this dish and not one of the rumors were off because this dish alone will draw me back to Bones time and time again.

Typically noodle joints are not glamorized, fashionable or large in size.  After visiting at least a handful of traditional noodle bowl restaurants in town, Bones meets most of these descriptors on the head.  The major difference is the sleek and modern design elements that Bones has been able to incorporate into their design which gives it a more stylized atmosphere.  This should not be a surprise to me as this is one of Frank Bonanno's restaurants who is a major restaurateur in Denver, as I mentioned here.

Bones definitely warmed me up and helped to make a new tradition for cool cloudy days.  If I close my eyes right now I can almost taste the lobster broth and the smell the fragrant scents of that amazing ramen.  Delicious!