Table Talk for February 19

Event: Denver Restaurant Week Feb. 23–29
Saturday, February 23, kicks off Denver Restaurant Week and your chance to try new spots or to revisit old favorites—for a steal. During the week, each of the 170-plus participating restaurants serves a multicourse meal for $52.80 for two people (or $26.40 for one). That’s a dealio price for dinner at spots such as Brook’s Steak House, Solera, Table 6, Il Posto, Barolo Grill, or Restaurant Kevin Taylor. Check out the full list of restaurants—and their prix fixe menus—online. Bonus: Some eateries, like Alto downtown, are offering four courses instead of three, plus complimentary amuse bouche and a surprise boxed confection to go. www.denverrestaurantweek.com

Neighborhood Eats: Locanda del Borgo
Dinner at Locanda del Borgo, an Italian trattoria that opened last fall in Hilltop, is well suited to gathering with friends. The handsome space, once home to Hillcrest Grill, is sleek, cozy, and punctuated with a bustling open kitchen. Chef-owner Giancarlo Macchiarella (formerly with Farfalla in Aspen and Tavolaccio in Edwards) offers a large menu that can be tackled several ways. Stop in for a glass of wine and an appetizer (try the stromboli-like rolled pizza dough stuffed with arugula and mozzarella), or reserve a table and eat your way through several courses. While we found the seafood risotto a bit too al dente and the gnocchi overly starchy, we adored the fritto misto appetizer (lightly fried calamari, scallops, shrimp, artichokes, and zucchini) and the rustic, garlicky cioppino. 5575 E. Third Ave., 303-388-0282, www.locanda-del-borgo.com

Morning Bites: Whole Foods’ Breakfast Pizza
Wandering by Whole Foods‘ pizza bar early Saturday morning, we discovered the ovens were already fired up and crisping crusts—on breakfast pizzas. We promptly ordered a slice and were rewarded with a savory combo of scrambled eggs, cheese, oven-roasted tomatoes, and mushrooms assembled atop doughy crust. It’s the perfect dish for clearing night-after cobwebs.
—Amanda M. Faison