Denver Restaurant Week

We're in week 2 now of Denver Restaurant Week, when you can get a meal for two for $52.80 (or $26.40 per person) at tons of restaurants.

Three of us gorged ourselves at Firenze a Tavola at 44th and Tennyson (it's attached to Parisi. Just walk inside and head immediately downstairs.) None of us had ever been there before. It's a warm inviting place with staff that's really from Italy. We took advantage of the Denver Restaurant Week menu. For the first course we tried the spinach salad with mushroom, pear, pancetta and gorgonzola vinaigrette; the fried cheese (like a battered grilled cheese with marinara on the side); and the tomato soup (creamy, with basil and extra virgin olive oil). For the second course, we tried scallop and mushroom risotto and peas; braised short ribs with carrots, wine-soaked shallots and potato (didn't even need a knife); and spaghetti (imported, it was gone pretty quick). We went for tiramisu (served in a cup, with ladyfingers dipped in); bread pudding (rich with caramel and chocolate); and the truffle plate (holy decadent, with tiny chocolate squares that pack a punch and a coconutty, sugary ball in the middle). We ate so much, it kind of hurt.