content=There is no reason a vegetarian can't find a good meal in Denver. Even an unusually good one. Because if there is one thing Denver-make that Colorado-understands, it's healthy living.
In addition to a chef's daily special at dinner, Caribbean jerk tofu, Thai peanut stir-fry, tempeh scaloppini, blackened tofu and seitan Parmesan await at WaterCourse Foods (206 E. 13th Ave.) And for those who still haven't tired of portobellos, the portobello dusted with polenta, served with a chipotle aioli and served with sides of carrots, rice, beans and avocado, is a treat.
A salad bar is a salad bar is a salad bar, unless you have more than 40 ingredients to choose from, and 20 salad dressings-including mint-lime lemongrass, mandarin-sesame ginger and lemon-basil vinaigrette. That's what they have at Fourleaf Chopped Salad (6840 S. Dallas Way, Greenwood Village). Feel free to go around the indecisive diner.
Run by Hare Krishnas, noted for their high-quality vegetarian foods, Govinda's Buffet (1400 Cherry St.) prepares eat-in or take-out meals that might feature foods from eggplant parmesan and quiche to tofu fillets with tartar sauce and vegetables au gratin. Tuesdays and Thursdays are vegan days.
Noodles and Co. (Multiple locations), the locally owned chain, which features organic foods, doesn't restrict itself to an all-vegetarian menu. However, there are many great options, and several dishes can be made vegan by eliminating cheese and cream.
Housed in a refurbished Victorian, Kate's on 35th (3435 Albion St.) is worth the visit. You feel as though you're visiting in someone's home, which it is. Although chicken, meat and fish are part of the restaurant's offerings, there is always something vegetarian, and special, on the menu to keep the gang together. Reservations are required at least a day in advance.
Mercury Cafe (2199 California St.) is a curious place, somehow perfect for that what-the-heck Western spirit. How else can you understand a restaurant that boasts being 90 percent organic, has grilled tempeh with black bean sauce on the same menu with grilled shish kebobs of lamb, beef or chicken? And how can you not smile at such offerings as the "Pagan Vegan" plate or the "Fidel Burrito"? And where else in Denver can you dine, go swing dancing, tango, attend theater, poetry and an open mic night (Wednesday for magicians and musicians), sip miso and munch breaded deep-fried tofu with grilled mushrooms and vegetables?
The Sunflower (1701 Pearl St., Boulder) offers a finer setting than most vegetarian-friendly places in the region, as well as a finer level of entrees and appetizers. The downtown restaurant, bright with sunlight and floral paintings, does have plenty of seafood and meat dishes on its organic menu, but it draws a crowd for thought-out items like "Seitan and Mushroom Pomodoro" and the "Tofu Nori Roll." It's open for lunch and dinner.