Sweet little shop @ 2304 Pine Street in Boulder:
STUDIOCOMO is collaborating with leading rug designer, Nicole Linton of
รจ bella, to create an amazing showroom experience where both designers and clients can
see how locally-designed rugs, throws and pillows blend seamlessly with the modern furniture and lighting of exclusive European brands such as B&B Italia, Bocci, Cassina, De La Espada, Fontana Arte, Foscarini, Poliform and Tom Dixon.
We made the cover? Holy....Although there is not a mention of the client or the design team it is still absolutely awesome to see Lon and the restaurant being welcomed to Denver. StudioLEMONADE looks forward to Denver becoming the best Foodie Town in the country and congratulations all those who worked endless hours making it real. Also way to go Denver. What a great place to eat, entertain and live.
It was big news when New York chef Lon Symensma announced he was leaving the Big Apple to open his first signature restaurant in Denver. And yet, some foodies remained hesitant—concerned that Symensma was coming to town to educate local diners on the finer points of Southeast Asian cuisine. Truth is, Denver diners do not appreciate being told what to eat. But then ChoLon opened, and misgivings fell by the wayside. Within the beautiful, modern space there’s nary a New York attitude. Instead, there’s a generosity and accessibility that extends from the service to the menu. When trying a new dish—take the kaya toast with coconut jam and soft egg that’s wildly popular in Southeast Asia—there’s an immediate connection and a sense of fluency. Likewise with the soup dumplings: Even if you’ve never had them before, after one bite you immediately understand this is comfort food. This is, in fact, our favorite way to experience ChoLon—through the small bites menu (available from 11 a.m.), which will delight, surprise, and satisfy you with each dish.
Where To Sit: At the chef’s counter for a birds-eye view into the kitchen.
What To Order: Kaya toast with coconut jam and soft egg, soup dumplings, green papaya salad with tamarind sorbet, stir-fried Brussels sprouts with ground pork and mint. 1555 Blake St., Suite 101, 303-353-5223, cholon.com
BY:
Great article in the Denver Post:
Restaurant bars aren't always a fun place to hang out.
The bar is usually a cramped purgatory for unlucky latecomers and the unwashed masses who forgot to make a reservation. There's nowhere to sit, people are constantly jockeying for position, and everyone is hungry, waiting for the golden moment when their name gets called or their glowing beeper-thing starts vibrating and shrieking.
It is not relaxing, to say the least.
The bar at ChoLon(1555 Blake St.), however, is a rare treat. Sedate and spacious, it's a hangout in its own right.
The space issue is what helps make the bar — more of a lounge, really — such a pleasure. Instead of packing the waiting hordes into a corner and serving alcohol as an antipsychotic, the Asian bistro's bar is practically its own entity.
It's separated from the dining area by a wide entry hall and set a couple steps below the main level. A large, L-shaped banquette sits to one side, with windows on Blake Street as the backdrop. Little square stools are scattered about and small logs serve as tables.
The decor is sparse. Two large photos of humble, workaday Asian scenes adorn one wall. Small plants sprout in the corners, modest statues perch here and there. It's all very feng shui.
Booze-wise, ChoLon doesn't disappoint. Unless you like cheap domestic beer. Many of the bottled beers are Asian — Tsingtao, Saigon — and the tap list is extremely short. There are two choices, to be exact: On a recent visit, Oskar Blues' Mama's Little Yella Pils and Odell Isolation Ale were on draft at $6 a pop.
The cocktail list is tempting, too. Try the "Zen Master" and blend in with the scenery. Served in a stout, martini-like glass, the Zen Master is a potent blend of Hendricks gin, sake, mint and cucumber. It's very refreshing, but don't push the Master too far, or you'll suffer the consequences.
Of course, the list of appetizers and small plates call out to hungry stomachs. All of them sound good, but give the curried duck egg rolls a try — they come with a scrumptious cilantro yogurt sauce for dipping. The soup dumplings are also a good choice, especially on cold nights. They're filled with French onion soup and gruyere cheese, and the texture is exquisite.
Here's the thing that makes the ChoLon bar go from pleasant to delightful: Remember the little stools by the banquettes? The stools' cushions flip over to create small tables. When you order food, or more friends join the party, you can simply grab an empty stool, flip over the cushion, and there's plenty of room for plates and drinks. Genius.
Yes, it's a small convenience, but it's the little things that count. In the sometimes-hectic environs of a restaurant bar, a genuinely nice touch goes a long way. And ChoLon has a lot of nice touches.
Develop a restaurant bar bowling lounge concept
Victorian NY Warehouse
create an aged, warm, refined, refurbished elegant (in sections) environment.
grand hotel / lodge - lobby / hall that's been remodeled 3 or more times over the years with layers of each decade exposed.
Build a simple, sustainable and comfortable lunch and dinner restaurant with various seating arrangements in a unique atmosphere.
Provide a PLACE
The EU... The Ace Hotel in Portland... The idea here is to create an aged, warm, refined, refurbished elegant (in sections) environment.
grand hotel / lodge - lobby / hall that's been remodeled 3 or more times over the years with layers of each decade exposed.
Create a concept that will instill a sense of community and connectivity. This one has to be in…Vaudeville Bowling... Furnishings in Bohemian Style Decorating
Developer pins hopes on SoBo bowling, diner
Published: October 28, 2010
Restaurant developer Robert Thompson hopes to strike it big with his latest concept the Punch Bowl bowling alley and diner in Denvers Baker neighborhood.
Thompson recently signed a 25-year lease for the 23,700-square-foot former Big Lots store at South Broadway and West First Avenue, which he plans to convert to Punch Bowl.
The restaurateur expects to start construction on the new dining spot in early 2011, and open it next August. He plans to employ 70 people there.
If Punch Bowl takes off in Denver, Thompson wants to expand it to other parts of the country.
This is a national concept, said Thompson, president and CEO of Denver-based Seasoned Development LLC. If it does well here, it could go national.
Thompson said it will cost about $2.5 million to convert the former discount store to an eight-lane bowling alley and diner with lounge and bar. Thompson is raising capital, all equity, through an investor syndicate consisting of high-net-worth individuals and others.
Miles Cortez III of Aventine Capital Partners LLC, a real estate advisory firm with offices in Denver and Dallas, is advising Thompson on the projects capital structure and development. Cortez recently spent 18 months as in-house adviser to Aventine client Apartment Investment and Management Co. (NYSE: AIV) of Denver, one of the countrys largest owners of apartment properties.
This is a proven concept thats been developed successfully around the country, Cortez said. Denver is a great market for this concept, and the Baker district location is perfect.
Thompsons only operating Denver property is the Argyll GastroPub in the Cherry Creek North neighborhood. The restaurateur previously developed and owned metro-area restaurants such as Brasserie Rouge and B-52 Billiards, and Atomic Cowboy.
Punch Bowls design style will be updated Bohemian meets 1960s mid-century modern, with an eclectic decor featuring rich colors, according to Thompson. He designed the property, along with architect Shane Mettler of Legacy Partners CDS Inc. and StudioLEMONADE, to attract a family crowd from the neighborhood early in the day and the hyper hip set after 9 p.m., he said.
Thompson wants Punch Bowl to be open 24 hours, but getting a liquor license may hinge on having shorter operating hours, he said. If the property stays open all day, he plans to call the diner Baker24; if not, hell come up with a different name.
If Punch Bowl ends up with shorter hours, theyll likely be 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. for the diner, and 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. for the bowling alley.
The diner menu will feature items made from fresh, seasonal ingredients, Thompson said.
Planned breakfast items, priced at about $8 to $15, will include egg dishes such as a lobster-and-Swiss-cheese omelette; flapjacks; and banana bread French toast. Lunch and dinner offerings, costing $5 to $19, will include sandwiches, salads and soups as well as entrees such as Colorado buffalo meatloaf and chicken-fried steak.
Thompson thinks the popularity of bowling will help propel his new venture. More than 70 million people a year go bowling in this country, according to the U.S. Bowling Congress membership group of Arlington, Texas.
Punch Bowls bowling alley will cater to recreational bowlers, not serious league competitors. Prices for bowling havent been set yet.
Well be somewhere between Monaco Lanes and Lucky Strike not as expensive as Lucky Strike, but more expensive than Monaco Lanes, Thompson said.
Article is by American City Business Journals Inc.
The ChoLon Bistro Restaurant is finally ready to open their front door for business on October 5th. Taking less than nine months from idea to completion, this has been one of the best design projects with which I have been involved. Working with the Owner, Chef, Contractors, AOR, Lighting, Kitchen Equipment, Furniture, City of Denver, and many others has been great. Now the test will be ChoLon's reception by Denver and the design community.
