BONEFISH GRILL
IN THE SWIM
Two-year-old establishment
is catching a crowd
By SHARON ALMIRALL
Photography KIMBERLY DAWN
As fishy as it may sound, a fairly
recent arrival in the Denver
area is causing the dining-out
crowd to fall for their fresh
fish menu with hook, line and sinker.
Seriously, for diners who are crazy
about fish, especially fresh fish, it’s a
treat to find a restaurant where all sorts
of fish are available on the menu —
fish
you might find at a seashore restaurant,
fish you’d catch on a fishing expedition
to the Great Lakes, fish you’d
enjoy while eating at a seaside diner
near a lovely body of water.
Just what are some of the fish waiting
to be consumed at the Bonefish
Grill located in Westminster near the
junction of Highway 36 and 104? (A
second location was expected to open
in mid-January in Littleton.) Atlantic
salmon and Atlantic swordfish evoke
the treasures of the sea. Mahi mahi and
ahi tuna speak of a more tropical clime.
South America comes to mind with the
Chilean sea bass on the menu. Rainbow
trout and walleye pike tell of American
and Canadian lakes and rivers.
Managing partner Ben Martinez
explains that the Bonefish has fresh fish
flown in every day from all over the
world: “Our business goes to Web sites
daily to check on catches. Our guys communicate
with boats every day. We go
for the best, and we have the courage to
stand behind our fish.”
A grouper, for example, is a finicky
fish, and December and January are not
the months to order it. “Weather cycles
affect these fish, and there are times
when it’s not good to buy them,”
Martinez says. He has attended training
programs to learn all about fish, and he
is proud of the way the Bonefish Grill
does its buying.
Actually, the fish that gives the restaurant
its name, Bonefish, is not edible. “It’s the ghost of the sea. Very elusive
and mainly caught for sport. That’s how
we got our logo, a bonefish skeleton,”
Martinez explains.
Though there’s no water in sight from
inside the restaurant, there is a metal
wall sculpture featuring palm trees and a
bridge, evoking memories of driving
across Florida from the mainland to an
island. Soft lighting adds to the mood of
being near the water.
As enticing as the seafood on the
menu is, some diners simply prefer a
pork chop or a chicken breast or perhaps a filet or sirloin steak. Those are available,
too, and from the oohs and ahs
emanating from diners, these offerings
made quite a hit.
Seafood entrees include pistachio
Parmesan-crusted rainbow trout, walleye
pike piccata, chicken portabello pasta
and diablo shrimp fettuccine.
The atmosphere at the Bonefish Grill is
polished yet casual, dressed up enough to
be a fine place to take a date or celebrate
an occasion. Long community tables located
in the bar area are spacious enough to
allow serving beverages and appetizers
while those with reservations wait to be
buzzed. Others may choose to order dinner
at the community table.
While some waited to be taken to their
dining tables, conversation flowed back
and forth between various parties. It clearly
was a friendly, festive atmosphere, and
the wait staff assured a welcoming, cheerful
place to enjoy the evening.
Friendly and helpful, the waiters wear
chef coats and a professional manner. Adding to the polished look at the restaurant
are white linen tablecloths. Martinez
calls the bar a “big city bar. It’s got a big
city feel, but it’s in the suburbs.”
Some diners ordered the crab cakes
for an appetizer at the recommendation
of the wait staff, and from all indications,
were grateful for the suggestion. While
the crab cakes had a definite spicy zing,
they provided a nice accompaniment to
the total dining experience.
Other starters, in addition to the crab
cakes, are bang bang shrimp, saucy
shrimp, mussels Josephine, Cajun chicken
egg roll, crispy calamari, ahi tuna sashimi,
bacon-wrapped sea scallops and coconutcrusted
shrimp. The server said that bang
bang shrimp is a favorite of the people
who frequent the Bonefish Grill.
Grilled fish entrees are served with a
fresh seasonal vegetable garnish and
choice of side item, as are the sautéed
entrees, with the exception of the pastas.
Grilled specialties are served with a
house or Caesar salad, fresh seasonable
vegetables and choice of side item. The
awesome side items, as the menu calls
them, are garlic mashed potatoes, potatoes
au gratin, angel hair pasta with
marinara sauce, island rice and steamed
vegetable medley.
Both the Caesar salad and house
salad were served in portions so ample
they could not be totally consumed. The
Bonefish house salad was a fresh mix of
crisp chopped greens, tomatoes,
Kalamata olives, hearts of palm and pine
nuts. It was tossed with citrus herb vinaigrette.
Danish blue cheese or imported
feta cheese could be added, as well.
If you’ve traveled to the Southeast in
search of the best key lime pie, you
know there are a variety of ways to
make this dessert hit all the taste buds at
once, sending your mouth on a voyage
of sweet and sour. The key lime pie at
the Bonefish Grill is no exception. With
a graham cracker and roasted pecan
crust, the key lime center is topped with
fresh whipped cream that will keep you
in Denver for some time to come.
Other desserts are a chocolate
macadamia nut brownie cake with
fresh whipped cream and a crème
brûlée that is topped with whipped
cream and berries.
The Bonefish offers an ample wine list
and martini menu to get your evening
off to a nice start. The wine list offers
wines that range from light and mild to
intense and full-bodied. There are
domestic wines as well as bottles from
Australia and Italy. The martini menu
uses tantalizing names to get your attention.
How about an Icicle Aphrodisiac, a
pomegranate martini, a chocolate martini
or a Georgia peach?
The Bonefish martini is made with
vodka, champagne, a splash of cranberry
juice and an orange slice. The chocolate
martini beckons with its vodka, Godiva
white and dark chocolate liqueurs and
chocolate sprinkle garnishes, but you
might settle on a chardonnay wine both
for a cocktail or with dinner. The menu
also offers a selection of beers, both
American premium and imported, as well
as a selection of nonalcoholic beverages.
Prices are casual, too, according to
Martinez, who says entrees range from
$10 to $26. Bonefish Grill may be named
for an elusive fish, but its treats of the
sea and lake are not to be missed.
BONEFISH GRILL
10438 Towncenter Drive
Westminster
(303) 423-3474
BONEFISH GRILL
8100 West Crestline Avenue
Unit 7
Littleton
(303) 948-3474
Scheduled to open in mid-January.
