New: Hideaway Steakhouse

If you think Westminster is an odd location for a steak house, you’ve just hit on the inspiration behind the two-week-old Hideaway Steakhouse. You see, while the Denver ’burb is home to reliable spots such as Yak and Yeti and the Jewel of India, there’s little in the way of high-end eats. So when the old Gussie’s location on West 112th Avenue came available, Steve and Terrie Woodward, along with chef Christopher Cina, saw a chance to build a restaurant that filled the void. And it’s filling more than a niche: When I visited last Monday, I nabbed one of the last parking spots in the huge lot.

The Woodwards have put time and money into the space, making it feel as high-gloss as an Elway’s or Shanahan’s. And the menu—fit with all the traditional steak house offerings—has bold, new-American leanings. Take the lobster tacos (on the appetizer menu), which arrive with a Southwestern spin of charred tomatoes, tomatillo purée, and ancho-lime crema. Don’t skip the spicy tangle of red chile threads that come on top.

Prices are what you’d expect from a steak house (the all-natural Angus steaks run $22 to $40), but the sides and starters are reasonable. There’s also a long list of specialties, from a $13 chuck burger with house-made bacon and spicy pickled onions to a $26 dish of pan-seared diver scallops with Kobe beef short rib hash and foie gras butter.

While it’s unlikely a downtowner will drive to Westminster for a steak, I think Cina (who long ago cooked at the acclaimed Fourth Story) might be on to something. And it certainly is nice to see him back on the local dining scene.

2345 W. 112th Ave., Westminster, 303-404-9939