Not far from the Colorado Rockies baseball stadium in Denver is a restaurant called The Original.
When I walked in, I was surprised by the style of restaurant. It was an updated take on an old school diner. There were old nick-nacks everywhere. They had a malt-shop like bar that you could sit at. It was totally retro.
Their menu also fit that classic diner theme. I started off with a cup of Matzo Ball Soup. This chicken broth had caramelized onions and seasoning throughout. There was one giant matzo ball that was light and fluffy. The broth needed a little more salt because it was slightly bland. Once I added salt and pepper to my liking, the soup got better. I enjoyed the texture of the matzo ball as it soaked up the broth.
For my dinner I ordered a sandwich. This was no ordinary sandwich, this was The GOAT. It was a combination grilled cheese ad BLT (GCBLT). They used thick slices of Texas Toast to make the grilled cheese; then they loaded it up with crispy bacon, juicy slices of tomato, and crispy lettuce.
The sandwich was much bigger than I expected. The bread had a great crunch from the grill. The cheese was gooey and wrapped around the bacon. There was almost too much bread based on the other ingredients. There was a comforting feeling with eating this sandwich.
They also served a side of shoe-string French fries. They were crispy and tasted so good dipped in ketchup. Something so simple was so satisfying.
Sticking with the diner theme, for dessert I ordered a milkshake. But this was no ordinary milk shake. They offered several “adult’ milkshakes. I ordered the Knight Rider. This blended Kahlua, crème de cacao, chocolate ice cream, and Oreo cookie crumbs. Tis milkshake was delicious. It was easy to drink through a straw even with the cookie crumbles. The Kahlua was not overwhelming. The chocolate flavor shined through. It was the perfect ending to my dinner.
The Original was a fun find in Denver. Luckily when I visited the baseball team had an away game. If they were in town, I am sure it would have been difficult to get a table without a reservation.
Check out their menu at www.theogdenver.com
Enjoy!
T
