Manzo Lobster and Oyster Bar
Cooler autumn days are here & that calls for Manzo Lobster and Oyster Bar - nothing will satisfy your taste buds like their new menu items and nothing can warm you up better than one of their mussel or lobster hot pots. Ross and I had a wonderful dinner here over the weekend.
Manzo Lobster and Oyster Bar
Manzo Lobster and Oyster Bar bar area
We arrived at Manzo Lobster and Oyster Bar and were seated in the main dining room. The restaurant has restructured and has a new menu rolling out in 2 weeks that will feature small plates while keeping the crowd favorites - mussel pots, lobster pots & lobster rolls. They’re also introducing the option to purchase mussel kits to make at home which is perfect for the colder seasons. Rich Manzo - the restaurant owner - led us through our meal along with sommelier Christian. Both Rich & Christian were fabulous and we could feel their passion about the new menu as well as the sourcing the best seafood & ingredients to build it out. Manzo has their seafood brought in daily and that freshness was evident in everything we had for dinner.
Christian started me off with a Cremant d'Alsace Rosé (an 100% Pinot Noir).
Cremant d'Alsace Rosé
This sparkling wine had a lovely pink color that was accompanied by a ripe berry aroma & elegant mouthfeel. The rosé was versatile and high quality making it food friendly for pairing. The Cremant d'Alsace Rosé was paired with Kumamoto oysters & deviled eggs.
The Oysters on the Half Shell were Kumamoto's served with mignonette.
Kumamoto Oyster
This is one of the best oysters I’ve had in the Denver area. The Kumamoto oyster was small with a deep, bowl like shell. The oyster itself was sweet with a light melon flavor that was complimented by the piquant mignonette sauce.
The D’ville Eggs were made with smoked salmon & sturgeon roe.
D’ville Eggs
The sturgeon roe had a clean salty pop and burst of nutty flavor that went well with the creamy filling of the deviled egg.
Christian brought out a Specialty Cocktail next - Le Jardin. Le Jardin was made with gin, chartreuse, Thai basil & cilantro shrub.
Le Jardin
Le Jardin really blew both Ross & I away; it was an amazingly smooth gin cocktail. It was made with golden beets from the restaurant’s garden that had been boiled down. The golden beets lent a sweet and earthy flavor that played nicely with the herbals of the chartreuse and basil.
The Tuna Poke was made with cucumber, jalapeño, white soy, rice wine vinegar, olive oil, sea salt, black sesame.
Tuna Poke
Overall the tuna poke had great acidity and was bright in taste - the marinated tuna was so freaking fresh and the long trimmings of the cucumber & jalapeño made for good snap. We loved the presentation of the tuna poke in the glass cup rimmed with black sesame.
The Coconut Curry Mussel Pot was made with mussels, coconut milk, Thai curry paste, garlic & lime.
Coconut Curry Mussel Pot
The mussels were cooked in a spicy and aromatic coconut curry broth that had an awesome warm kick to it. The mussels took on the flavor of the broth leaving them with a mouthwatering Thai coconut taste. The spicy broth made for great dipping for the sweet, toasted sourdough bread. The Coconut Curry Mussel Pot is a must order when dining at Manzo Lobster and Oyster Bar.
We were able to try the Ocean Trout and Kanpachi from the new small plates menu. The Tasmanian Ocean Trout was served atop Palisade peaches. The thinly sliced Asian Kanpachi, amberjack sashimi was glazed with Meyer lemon and served atop pear slices.
Tasmanian Ocean Trout
Asian Kanpachi
Both of these small plates were a delicious reminder of how fresh the fish served at Manzo Lobster and Oyster Bar is. The Tasmanian Ocean Trout melted in our mouths and struck the perfect balance between mild and sweet. The sweetness ante of the trout was brought home by the beautiful slices of Palisade peaches. The Asian Kanpachi had the cleanest of ocean flavors with a smooth texture that complimented the subtle crunch of the pear.
For Large Plates we had the Cioppino. The Cioppino is made with a 1/2 Lobster, clams, mussels, shrimp and tomato-saffron broth.
Cioppino
Lord have mercy. This hearty stew was brimming with fresh seafood and robust flavor. The 1/2 bright red lobster (claw and all) rose dramatically from the tantalizing, steaming bowl.
The lobster was succulent and infused with rich tomato-saffron broth. All the shellfish really brought out the savory umami flavors in the broth. 10/10
What a meal. Huge thanks to Rich Manzo, Christian & the whole Manzo team for hosting us!
Check it out babes & let them know that denv.her. sent you! xx
Manzo Lobster and Oyster Bar
Service options: Dine-in · Takeout · Delivery
Address: 500 E 19th Ave, Denver, CO 80203
Menu: manzolobsterbar.com
Phone: (720) 502-7178
Reservations: opentable.com