This post was originally published on February 9, 2015.
My father arrived in town on Saturday and I wanted to bring him to a delicious restaurant that served oysters. My roommates boyfriend knew of quite the fix– Euclid Hall in Larimer Square. Euclid Hall is in an old building that was built in 1883 and still evokes the charm of the olden days. Light fixtures that seemed to have existed since the day of Edison, industrial pipes running across the ceiling, wooden beams that are no longer architected– all of these things that are now roughly bygone come together with a modern touch. Apparently the building that now houses Euclid Hall has been home to over 5 different establishments, including Soapy Smith’s Double Eagle Bar. Soapy Smith was a notorious con artist in the late 1800s and had a large hand in Denver’s organized crime ring. The Mile-High City was where Soapy Smith became known as a “bad man” and the location of Euclid Hall holds a lot of history because Soapy Smith actually participated in a standoff right out front of where the restaurant is now currently operating.
In conjunction with an interesting history, I was quite pleased with Euclid Hall’s ambiance and menu items, along with their Bloody Mary. Euclid Hall adds a modern twist to classic pub favorites, while creating a wide-ranging flavor palette. We started off with a dozen oysters and a beef short rib kielbasa; both were exceptional. For my main dish, I had the pork belly ramen, which was also delicious! The pork belly was unlike most pork belly I have gotten at other restaurants; it was a nice big hunk of meat that was complemented nicely by the other ingredients in the dish.
I would absolutely recommend Euclid Hall to anyone, whether you are coming in for drinks, an appetizer, or a full meal! Their Bloody Mary was the perfect touch of cool to unbelievably warm February day in Denver. Here is my review of Euclid Hall’s Bloody Mary.
AT A GLANCE 19/20
When Euclid Hall’s Bloody Mary arrived at our table, I was quite impressed by the modernity of the cocktail. It was served elegantly in terms of color and look of the Bloody Mary as a whole. The Bloody Mary was a perfect red color and you could tell spices were abundant throughout the drink. The appearance was very clean and I could not wait to take a sip. The quantity of ingredients in the garnish was the only downfall, but the appearance of the garnish was so on point that I cannot render more than one lost point for the abundance of ingredients! The salt and pepper on the rim also added to a great first impression. Euclid Hall gets an A for the “At a Glance” category with its modern look!
GARNISH 16/20
The garnish consisted of 3 olives (2 black and 1 green), along with a lime slice. The olives were large and tasty (plus I love olives!!) and presented in an attractive manner. Although it was not the most creative garnish, the olives were well-chosen and sufficed my hunger while waiting for our appetizer.
SPICE 19/20
Euclid Hall’s Bloody Mary could be rendered complex in terms of spices. When the drink was delivered, I could see the spices in the drink (pepper and celery seed– yum!–among others). The cocktail tasted lovely when sipping it; the flavors ranged from a sweet-spicy flavor during actual sips, while leading to a spicy aftertaste. It had a tangy touch to it. You could clearly taste the pepper throughout the cocktail.
TEXTURE & ACIDITY 20/20
The texture of Euclid Hall’s Bloody Mary was perfect. I did not get heartburn and the acidity levels were very low! The spices were distributed nicely throughout the drink and the cooling of the ice made this Bloody Mary the ideal fix for a hot day.
UNIQUENESS 16/20
This Bloody Mary was creative in the way that it evoked a modern look and flavor within a classic cocktail. The spices used generated a complex flavor, unlike any other Bloody Mary I have ever had. The sweet taste while sipping the drink then the spicy aftertaste brought together an interconnected web of deep flavors. Although the garnish was not the most abundant nor creative, it was executed in terms of taste and appearance, while exhibiting a very modern character. I believe, in a way, that the modernity of the Bloody Mary mirrors the modernity and class of Euclid Hall as a whole, while the old-fashionedness of a Bloody Mary cocktail, in general, mirrors that of old-fashionedness of the building that houses Euclid Hall.
FINAL SCORE 90/100
Check out Euclid Hall here. Euclid Hall is located in Larimer Square at:
1317 14th St., Denver, CO, 80202