Denver reminds me of the Tehran of my youth. I like the West End and enjoy being close to mountains. They inspire us of the higher ideals in life, and perhaps even of higher beings. After all, the colorful Greek gods of mythology lived up in the mountains, unlike the intolerant Semitic allahs.
My first trip to Denver was the most memorable, as we experienced spring, summer and winter, all in the same week. I was taught that; “If you don’t like the Denver weather, wait for 5 hours”! Monday was a temperate day in April – Tuesday evening we had 5 cm of snow – by Friday it was warm and sunny.
Our gracious hosts took us to a very unique restaurant at the foot hills of Table Mountain. Not sure if there is an actual “table” at the top of that mountain, but someone has scribbled a huge “M” on it.
Briarwood Inn is a unique dining experience. You almost step back 50 years in time … when jackets and ties were omnipresent, chairs and tables were real oak, leather seats were softer than a mother’s kiss, and silver cutlery was actually made of silver!
Without any question or inquiry, we were presented with a sumptuous Lazy-Susan full of a dozen appetizers, from foie gras to rocky mountain oysters. Well, it wasn’t my first exposure to oysters, but I was a bit surprised to have Donbalan in the USA heartland.
It was a bit overcooked, but still deliciously prepared. Donbalan is such a soft and delicate organ, which really doesn’t need much cooking at all. It can almost be devoured raw … at least that’s how some of my lady friends used to prefer it!
