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When I dined at Somethin’ Else (1313 E. Sixth Ave.) last week, something just didn’t seem right. The atmosphere was warm and the service was seamless but the food was merely good, not magnificent as it has been in the past. Dishes such as the albóndigas (Spanish meatballs) and sea scallops felt a little tired, like the passion had been sucked right out of them. Even chef-owner Sean Kelly‘s signature crispy baby artichokes (which he’s been serving since Aubergine Cafe) were less than perfect—drenched in so much aïoli that the nutty ‘chokes all but disappeared.
And so, when I learned yesterday that Somethin’ Else is closing, it all made sense. The passion is gone. “It’s time for me to step aside,” says Kelly. “I’ve been doing restaurants for 30 years—I’ll be 45 on my next birthday and I need a break. It takes too much to do it right, but I’ve had a good run and I’m proud of it.” For now he plans on spending much-needed time with his wife and 8-year-old twins. (There’s no official end date yet, but diners should expect it sooner rather than later.)
The closure has been in the works for a while. Kelly says he’s been talking to Mizuna veterans Alex Seidel and Paul Attardi about taking over the space for months. “These are two good guys. Paul worked for me nearly the whole time at Aubergine and Alex worked with Frank Bonanno, so it’s all in the family.” Their restaurant (which will likely opening mid December) will be called Fruition. “One door closes and another opens,” says Kelly. “These guys will do great and it’ll still be good for Denver.”
This marks the fourth big change to Sixth Avenue’s restaurant scene in recent months. First: Emma’s Restaurant closed (and L’Asie Fusion Bistro will soon open), Lime XS appeared in the old Los Troncos spot, and Mel and Janie Master of Mel’s Restaurant & Bar are taking over the Piscos spot with Montecito.
