Gozo, a contemporary Italian restaurant that sits on the first block of South Broadway, has generated a fair amount of buzz since in opened in the spring.
And after my first meal there, I could see why.
For starters, it’s a lovely room in the former Deluxe and Juanita’s spaces. Wood floors, whitewashed walls — including the south one, a large expanse of old brick. Big windows front Broadway, letting the light pour in and affording fine views of the Goodwill store across the street, already smartly decorated for Halloween.
Staffers are friendly and knowledgeable, and customers step up to the chef’s line to shake hands with the cooks. Co-owner Frank Jolley, who came here from the Napa Valley, worked the room on a recent night.
Oh, and there’s the food. Rooted in Italy, from sun-kissed Sicily to the northern reaches of Tuscany, it is at once hearty and delicate, showing real imagination.
Two visits revealed a place that should be on the must-visit list of Mile High diners.
Much of the menu goodness comes courtesy of a wood-fired oven whose flames are visible from the restaurant floor. Handsomely fronted with white tile, it is fueled with a mix of oak and hickory.
The pizza handlers bring some art to their craft. They toss the dough, building its elasticity before loading the pie and running it into the oven on a long wooden paddle. On one evening I was there, the pizza maker twirled his paddle with a flourish that would make a Crimson Tide majorette proud.
She would be happy with the pie, too, with its thin crust charred in spots, and the toppings finished with a drizzle of olive oil. I had the smoked gouda pizza, the sweet nuggets of cheese melted into golden puddles. At $14, it made me pine for home delivery.
A farro salad, made with the nourishing regional grain of Italy, had a toothsome texture and an appealing nuttiness. Mixed with minced carrots, celery and parsley, then zapped with vinegar, it was topped with four fat sprigs of asparagus that had received a quick roasting in the wood oven. It was the best $8 I had spent in a while.
From the overhead speakers, Sting begged Roxanne not to turn on the red light. How that turned out, we may never know.
What did turn out — beautifully — was the plate of spaghetti with shredded rabbit bound with a tomato ragu.
I’m a fan of rabbit, though I know some folks look askance at bunny eaters. But Gozo’s rabbit pasta might change their minds enough that even Thumper would be looking over his shoulder. The rabbit is tossed in a bright, savory tomato sauce over al dente spaghetti. It was a fine autumn dish, paired beautifully with a glass of La Mozza Perazzi wine.
A housemade buratta, sweet and creamy and bursting with dairy freshness, was paired with roasted artichoke, a departure from the cheese-tomato marriage you usually see. It worked. Our tomato jones was satisfied with a trio of goat-cheese crostini piled with split cherry heirloom tomatoes that was a nice blend of tartness and creaminess.
Pork meatballs were course-ground and sat atop a soft polenta that was napped with tomato ragu. My only caveat was that they could have used more salt. As served, they were a bit underseasoned.
The kitchen knows its way around a pig. I also enjoyed the porchetta, pork loin rolled with herbs and pistachios, run into the wood oven, and then paired with polenta and balsamic-sauced black figs.
Gozo is one of the better additions to the Denver dining scene in 2014. Given the embarrassment of riches we’ve seen in this year of grand openings, that’s saying something.
William Porter: 303-954-1877, wporter@ denverpost.com or twitter.com/williamporterdp
GOZO
Contemporary Italian
30 S. Broadway 720-638-1462 gozodenver.com
*** Great
Atmosphere: Pleasant, not too loud.
Service: Engaged and engaging
Beverages: Beer, wine, cocktails
Plates: Small plates, $8-$14; entrees, $12-$18; pizzas, $10-$14
Hours: Tuesday-Thursday, 4 p.m.-midnight; Friday-Saturday, 11:30 a.m.-midnight; Sunday, 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m.
Details: Street parking
Two visits
Our star system:
****: Exceptional
***: Great
**: Very Good
*: Good
Stars reflect the dining reviewer’s overall reaction to the restaurant’s food, service and atmosphere.
