VEGAN RESTAURANT, DENVER
Denver Restaurant Week! March 3- March 12, 2023; $25 per guest - Pick One Starter, Pick One Entree, & Get Dirty Banana Balls for Dessert! *Drink specials are priced additionally.
*D.R.W. offered as dine-in service only; no dish substitutions
~ a 3.85% KAP fee will be added to all non-retail checks ~
✣ Can be prepared relatively gluten-free (may share fryers).
D.R.W. Drink specials $10 each
◊ LESS SWEET - MORE SWEET ◊◊◊
WHISKEY PUNCHED ◊◊◊
apple-infused whiskey, pineapple, orange, lemon, and cranberry juices with grenadine; rocks
G.T.T. ◊◊
gin, tonic, earl gray tea, lemon juice, orange bitters; rocks
D.R.W. Starters Pick One:
POTATO & PLANTAIN MOFONGO ✣
fried n’ smooshed plantain and potato patty, served over a tomato- rum sauce
CAULIFLOWER WINGERS ✣
house-battered florets, served with celery, trini hot sauce, and island ranch sauce; w/ choice of one* winger sauce:
– hot & sweet tamarind
– pineapple-soy-scotch bonnet
– mango-scotch bonnet
*1 each additional sauce
D.R.W. Entrees Pick One:
CASSAREEP RICE BOWL
crispy tofu with onions, pineapple, sweet red peppers, and fresh tomato all tossed in tangy cassareep sauce; served over coconut-rice with pickled onions, steamed broccoli, and fresh herbs
BOWL-O-LO MEIN
plump noodles in a tangy sesame-soy sauce with tofu, shredded cabbage, red pepper, broccoli, carrot, and fresh herbs
COCONUT CURRY ✣
house-made curried-chickpeas with {jackfruit or tofu} and potatoes, topped with pickled onions and fresh herbs; served over coconut- rice, with a side of cornbread
Drinks
◊ less sweet – more sweet ◊◊◊◊
PINA COLADA ◊◊◊◊
14
coconut liqueur, dark rum, white rum, pineapple juice, cream of coconut, fresh pineapple; blended
RHUM PUNCH ◊◊◊◊
11
rum, coconut liqueur, lime, mango syrup, hibiscus syrup, orange and pineapple juice; rocks
DIRTY BANANA ◊◊◊◊
14
spiced rum, coffee liqueur, vanilla, pealed banana, oat milk, chocolate; blended
WEEKLY BARKEEPER'S SPECIAL
11
take an adventure in trying what we’ve been playing with for our upcoming menus; could be up/rocks/blended
LADY BIRD ◊◊◊
12
vodka, damiana, mango, lime, thai basil, sparkling wine; up
DEVIL'S CLAW ◊◊
13
rye whiskey, cream of coconut, chinese five-spice, lemon, thai basil, angostura bitters; crushed rocks
DEWSKITCH ◊◊
12
rum, passion fruit, jalapeño, cream of coconut, lime; crushed rocks
INSUFFERABLE BASTARD ◊◊
12
bourbon, london dry gin, lime juice, ginger ale, angostura bitters; rocks
MIGHTY MIGHTY SPARROW ◊◊
11
bourbon, lemon, guava, creole bitters; up
UNDER & OVER ◊◊
12
tequila, cream of coconut, hibiscus, pineapple, lime, tiki bitters; up with a chili-salt rim
MONTH OF SUNDAYS ◊
15
mezcal, chareau aloe liqueur, passion fruit, jalapeño, curacao, lime; up
THE STALLION ◊
13
gin, passion fruit, jalapeño,
lemon, campari, orange bitters; up
Proofless Fizzies & SODAS
{add a well shot for 4}
◊ less sweet – more sweet ◊◊◊
GUAVA FIZZY ◊◊◊
7
guava syrup, lime, club soda (n/a)
HIBISCUS PUNCH FIZZY ◊◊◊
7
hibiscus syrup, coconut syrup, lime, club soda (n/a)
TROPICAL FIZZY ◊◊◊
7
passionfruit, jalapeno, pineapple, lime, club soda (n/a)
PEAR DRAX ◊◊◊
5
sparkling pear and soda over crushed rocks (n/a)
MAUBY FIZZY ◊◊◊
5
mauby bark fizzy over crushed rocks (flavor’s a cross between root beer and anise) (n/a)
CREAM SODA ◊◊◊
5
cream soda over crushed rocks (n/a)
WHITE WINE
9
domestic house wine
PINK WINE
9
domestic house wine
RED WINE
9
domestic house wine
BUBBLY WHITE WINE
9
domestic bubbly house wine
RATIO DOMESTICA -DRAFT-
6.5
american standard ale from colorado
ODELL SIPPIN' PRETTY -DRAFT-
7
fruited sour ale from colorado
CEREBRAL RARE TRAIT -DRAFT-
8
india pale ale from colorado
STEM CIDERS -DRAFT-
7.5
“off dry” cider from colorado
ODELL SIPPIN' PRETTY -DRAFT-
7
fruited sour ale from colorado
MODELO -bottle-
6
mexican pilsner-style beer from… mexico
MONTUCKY -can-
6
american “cold snacks’ lager from montana
RED STRIPE - bottle-
5.5
pale lager from jamaica
Starts
~ a 3.85% KAP fee will be added to all non-retail checks ~
✣ Can be prepared relatively gluten-free (may share fryers).
BIG-AS-YER-HEAD SALAD ✣
11.5
chopped romaine lettuce with mango, carrot, and pickled onions; tossed with island ranch sauce, lime, fresh herbs, and crispy onions {add tofu; +2}
JERKED EDAMAME ✣
11.5
pan-tossed beans-in-pods with a couple grilled sweet peppers, roasted onions, jerk seasoning, and lime
POTATO & PLANTAIN MOFONGO ✣
11
fried n’ smooshed plantain and potato patty, served over a tomato- rum sauce
CHIPS & FRIENDS ✣
9.5
fried plantain and tortilla chips, served with house-made avocado-cucumber dip and pineapple salsa
CURRIED WAFFLE FRIES ✣
13.5
crispy waffle fries with house-made curry, pickled onions, tamarind sauce, and fresh herbs
CAULIFLOWER WINGERS ✣
13.5
house-battered florets, served with celery, trini hot sauce, and island ranch sauce; w/ choice of one* winger sauce:
– hot & sweet tamarind
– pineapple-soy-scotch bonnet
– mango-scotch bonnet
*1 each additional sauce
Plates & Bowls
~ a 3.85% KAP fee will be added to all non-retail checks ~
✣ Can be prepared relatively gluten-free (may share fryers).
BOWL-O-LO MEIN
16
plump noodles in a tangy sesame-soy sauce with tofu, shredded cabbage, red pepper, broccoli, carrot, and fresh herbs
QUESADILLA
16
grilled flour tortilla folded with tofu, black- eyed peas n’ rice, and topped with green cabbage, tomatoes, pickled onions, spicy mayo, and fresh herbs; served with avocado dip
BUSS UP SHUT ✣
16
roasted butternut squash with house-made curried-chickpeas, potatoes, fresh tomato, and roasted green beans, served over coconut-rice; topped with pickled onions, fresh herbs, and a side of busted roti
CASSAREEP RICE BOWL
16
crispy tofu with onions, pineapple, sweet red peppers, and fresh tomato all tossed in tangy cassareep sauce; served over coconut-rice with pickled onions, steamed broccoli, and fresh herbs
COCONUT CURRY ✣
16
house-made curried-chickpeas with {jackfruit or tofu} and potatoes, topped with pickled onions and fresh herbs; served over coconut- rice, with a side of cornbread
BOWL-O-LO MEIN
14.5
plump noodles in a tangy sesame-soy sauce with tofu, shredded cabbage, red pepper, broccoli, carrot, and fresh herbs
Sandwiches
{served with a side of plantain & corn chips with pineapple salsa -or- black-eyed peas n’rice}
~ a 3.85% KAP fee will be added to all non-retail checks ~
✣ Can be prepared relatively gluten-free (may share fryers).
BAKE & CHANA
14.5
a stuffed fry-bread sandwich with curried chickpeas, green-herb seasoning, tomatoes, papaya slaw, and trini hot sauce
SEITAN CUBANO
15.5
mojo jackfruit, seitan-ham, green cabbage, tomato, pickled onions and cucumbers, with mustard and mayo, on grilled bread
BOWL-O-LO MEIN
14.5
plump noodles in a tangy sesame-soy sauce with tofu, shredded cabbage, red pepper, broccoli, carrot, and fresh herbs
Sides
{one for 5.5 -or- three for 15}
~ a 3.85% KAP fee will be added to all non-retail checks ~
✣ Can be prepared relatively gluten-free (may share fryers).
SWEET PLANTAINS ✣
5.5
deep-fried yellow plantains
CORNBREAD
5.5
baked with sweet peppers and baking spices
COCONUT BREAD
5.5
coconut milk bread, baked with golden raisins and toasted coconut
FRESH PINEAPPLE ✣
5.5
sliced and spiced
BAKES & ISLAND RANCH
5.5
chopped fry-bread with… island ranch sauce
PAPAYA SLAW ✣
5.5
fresh papaya and pineapple with pickled red and green cabbage
PEAS N' RICE ✣
5.5
coconut-rice with black-eyed peas
CRISPY WAFFLE FRIES ✣
5.5
lightly spiced potato fries that look like mini-waffles! served with your choice of island ranch or ketchup
PAPAYA SLAW ✣
5.5
fresh papaya and pineapple with pickled red and green cabbage
COVID-19 Concerns:
Thank you for your patience and understanding these past many months as we’ve carefully considered how to best provide our creativity and service to our neighborhood. As we reopen (in very limited terms) and slowly emerge from the pandemic, we’re committed to doing absolutely everything we possibly can to ensure the health and sanitation of our guests, staff, purveyors, and surrounding community.
We are closely monitoring the official guidance provided by both the CDC, WHO, and Denver Public Health as we cautiously reopen our beautiful little restaurant. We are vigilant in ensuring all of our staff have been fully briefed (and are constantly updated) on the ongoing situation and sanitary practices. In fact, we’re a 5-star Certified Restaurant, just for added enforcement.
As always, we continue to take great pride in maintaining the highest standards of cleanliness and hygiene across our restaurant at all times. Because, in simple terms, we created a restaurant dedicated to making all creatures happy and healthy. While there are many other wonderful reasons to visit with us, this basic edifice of health and happiness will always be our primary goal; public contagions be damned.
One other tidbit we’d like to share: while we hope that the virus is eliminated in short order, we know that certain realities may hamper these efforts. As such, we have committed to being flexible with our staffing, scheduling, and general operations. Appreciative of being a weird but beloved restaurant in CapHill, we subscribe to the notion that “slow and steady wins the race”. So, while we may occasionally choose to quickly limit our offerings, hours, or service from time to time, we ask that you forgive us these trespasses –knowing that our goal is to protect you and ourselves, so we can all have a chance to hug each other in the long-term. After all, the whole point is to get to the other side of this finish line, happy and healthy. 😉
KAP Fee Information
KAP Fee FAQ
KAP Fee Information
In an effort to close the pay gap between Kitchen and Service staffs, without inflating menu prices, a KAP Fee (Kitchen Appreciation Program) will be added to each non-retail check. This fee helps fairly price our menus while continuing to provide the option to offer gratuity to the service staff.
- All KAP Fee proceeds are distributed to our Kitchen Staff staff.
- While this fee is helpful to the overall wellbeing of the restaurant’s staff, it is completely optional and we’ll graciously remove it upon request.
KAP Fee FAQ
KAP Mission: The Kitchen Appreciation Program’s aim is to provide a healthy and equitable restaurant culture that :
~ Attracts better talent and fosters longer-term relationships —both of which allows further investment into education, advancement, and creativity
~ Directly rewards our Kitchen Staff for their valuable contribution to the success of the restaurant
~ Allows for more equitable compensation without inflating menu prices
~ Further instills every staff person’s relationship with quality, consistency, and timing efforts as they relate to staff and guest expectations
~ Improves upon our overall culture of cooperation and mutual respect of our entire staff and our guests
We have been diligent in requesting input from our staff, patrons, and colleagues to inform this decision and feel confident that a KAP Fee is a mutually fair solution given the current realities of the restaurant industry. Below are some of the most common questions regarding this program:
Why don’t we pay our Kitchen Staff staff a fair living wage?
We absolutely do. This KAP fee is not in lieu of the restaurant’s competitive above-market wage, it’s in addition to it. With the 3.5% fee, every cook and dishwasher is guaranteed an incremental bonus based on the success of the restaurant.
Why should guests subsidize your labor costs?
The reality is restaurant guests have always paid for labor. Sales of food and beverage are the restaurant’s only source of revenue and as such, these must cover ALL costs of operating the restaurant. And, just like food, beverage, and supplies, every cost (including labor) is getting more and more expensive. Our remedy currently is both in creating new thoughtful menu items to help offset costs of goods –but also new approaches in assisting labor expenses (such as KAP Fees). By doing this we can continue to offer items we all love —at a fair price without sacrificing anyone’s quality of living.
Why not “roll” your costs into menu pricing instead of adding this fee?
While we explored doing just this, it creates further disparity between Service Staff and Kitchen Staff –and here’s why: As tips are traditionally factored from food and beverage totals, providing separation of this fee presents guests both clarity and un-inflated menu pricing. Conversely, “rolling” this fee into menu pricing would not just unnecessary benefit our servers tips but potentially add unnecessary expense to our guests.
What about an option to leave a tip for Kitchen Staff staff?
Unfortunately (believe it or not), it’s not a legal option. According to the Department of Labor and the IRS, Cooks and Dishwashers are not “traditionally tipped employees”, and so legally, they are not allowed to share tips without the restaurant changing its entire labor structure, and thus increasing menu prices by at least 15%. Currently that’s not reasonable to the majority of our guests, and could create even larger gaps or disinsenitives between the Service Staff’s and Kitchen Staff’s potential earnings.
This seems ridiculous the way these laws are set up!
We agree 100%. Fortunately, our aim is to present our passions in a great environment while by not taking advantage of anyone, guests or staff alike. We hope to encourage you to learn more about these issues as everyone’s cost of living continues to rise. In the meantime, please keep voting and writing compelling letters to our representatives.
Please let us know if there are any other questions; happy to discuss this or anything restaurant related anytime! Thanks for your support!