New Restaurant Addition To Cherry Creek Is All The Buzz

Photos courtesy of Kevin Austin

Hello my fellow foodies, and welcome back. The Cherry Creek neighborhood of Denver just got a new addition, and it is all the buzz. The Michelin Star acclaimed owners of Alma Fonda Fina have opened Alteño, an ode to someone very special to chef/owner Johnny Curiel. I always love to make a trip down to Cherry Creek, so I was so excited to go check out Alteño for myself.

Located in the Clayton Hotel Denver, Chef Johnny Curiel says that his restaurant Alteño (meaning highlander) is named after the “original highlander”, his chef and restaurateur father. He wants to honor him with dishes from the Jalisco, Mexico highlands region.  Sunday’s in Jalisco were spent around a firepit roasting meats, laughing, and making family memories. Chef Johnny wants to give you that experience at Alteño, with a true Campestre-style of cooking. Campestre meals start off with light bites, followed by hearth cooked proteins and finished off with stories, tequila, wine, and cocktails. The meals are intended to be enjoyed at a leisurely pace, appreciating each other’s company. Each dish is a memory of Chef Johnny’s time in Jalisco that he wants to share with people who come to dine here. I was ready to experience all that Alteño has to offer firsthand, so as usual, let’s eat!

My husband and I started our food journey with the Pan De Elote and the Stuffed Mushroom. The Pan De Elote is inspired by the cornfields stretching for miles in the Jaliscan Highlands and is a staple there. Chef Johnny serves his with Huitlacoche butter, Tillamook cheddar, and smoked honey. I honestly could have eaten four of these, they were so good. Sweet, buttery, and crispy on the ends, we were scooping the last bites out of the pan and dipping them in the delicious butter. I could write an entire story on just the cornbread, it was that good. A must have when you go to Alteño. The Stuffed mushroom was one of Chef Johnny’s fathers signature dishes at his restaurants and started his love of food early on. The play on the original stuffed mushroom is artistic, innovative, and camera worthy. He takes a portobello, tops it with a lump blue crab cake, and adds a Hoja Santa Remoulade. It is perfection on a plate. Another must order.

Our main courses consisted of a Costra De Ribeye (ribeye taco) made with homemade heirloom tortillas and queso Chihuahua, and per Chef Johnny’s recommendation, the Barbacoa Tatemada (Colorado Lamb Shank). Both were plated beautifully, and the Lamb Shank Barbacoa served with Guacachile and Escabeche was the showstopper for sure. The lamb fell off the bone to assemble into the homemade tortillas and topped with sauce that I swear came from heaven. Everything is meant to be shared at Alteño, that’s the way Chef Johnny grew up, and he happily passes on that culture to his patrons. The cocktails at Alteño are as inventive as the food, and there is a wall full of tequilas and mezcals to choose from. We had a White Negroni made with mezcal and tequila for his play on the original, and a Hibiscus Margarita that was out of this world.

Food and experiences passed on from generation to generation are so special. Alteño is a reminder to never forget where you came from and through his dishes, I know Chef Johnny Curiel can “taste the memories”. Every time I make my nanas chicken salad, or brownies, I am reminded of the many incredible times we spent together. Maybe a dish at Alteño will conjure up a wonderful memory for you or create new ones. Whatever the case, you simply must make a visit to Alteño, bring your friends and family, and make memories together. Until next time my fellow foodies, eat well, drink well and be well.