Go Now: Latigo

In my mind, there are few meals more satisfying than the combination of chips, salsa, a few tacos, and maybe a marg—preferably consumed on a patio. And while Denver has no shortage of spots to scratch that itch, Latigo has become my new Ballpark go-to.

Latigo is the latest from chef Ignacio Leon, one of the three brothers behind the celebrated Los Carboncitos taquerias, and, until just a couple weeks ago, Paxia. Paxia shuttered shortly after Latigo opened its doors in late June.

As at Paxia, the menu offers a nice mix of well-trodden favorites (chile rellenos, carne asada, enchiladas) as well as regional Mexican dishes like pescado a la Veracruzana (white fish with green olives, capers, and tomato) and tlayudas (a pizza-esque Oaxacan dish). Meals at Latigo start with chips and a quartet of (excellent) salsas: taqueria-style guacamole, tomatillo green, a mild puréed tomato number, and a fiery, chile-packed red. And while it’s tempting to make a meal out of those alone, don’t. You’ll want to save room for the shrimp ceviche.

In this appetizer, chopped, marinated crustaceans are molded into a square with onions, tomatoes, serrano chiles, and chunks of avocado and crowned with crisp tortilla strips. The ceviche rests atop a thin, forest green sauce—actually a juice of spinach, cilantro, serrano, and orange—that lends pleasant astringency. Pair that with an order of the simple-yet-marvelous tacos al pastor—five dollars for two—and you’ve got dinner.

2229 Blake St., 303-537-7682

—Photo by Rachel Adams