Dining Around: Stella's Coffee, Li'l Nick's Pizza, Apres Dessert Bar

Last weekend I managed to visit three new places in one day. How is this possible, you ask? First my sister and I met up for a friend at Stella’s on Old South Pearl Street. Stella’s is a converted house, so it has lots of seating in the different rooms as well as a huge patio to get sun, or shade, as needed. The baristas were entertaining and I got to enjoy my mocha in a real mug. In the world of paper cups and cardboard sleeves, it was a treat. Only latte art in the foam would have made it complete (ironically, I met someone this week who trains on latte art, among other things, for a local breakfast restaurant).

We sat there talking so long that I had to order a blackberry Italian soda as well. Now, a good mocha or latte is hard to make at home unless you have a serious cappuccino machine or steamer – my experiment with my $4.99 goodwill cappuccino maker proves that. An Italian soda on the other hand could be easily made at home – you could probably make 15-20 for the cost of two at a coffee shop. Buy the flavored syrup at the grocery store or world market and then a two-liter of the store brand club soda and call it a day. You can be very classy for a low price.

For dinner we went to Li'l Nick’s Pizza in Wheat Ridge, courtesy of a Groupon that was getting ready to expire. Prior to my trip to New Mexico earlier this year, I don’t think I’d had garlic knots, and now when I see it on the menu, it’s almost a compulsion to order. The staff was friendly and the pizza was good, but Wheat Ridge isn’t close to home, so I don’t know when I’ll get up there again.

 For dessert we went to Apres Dessert Bar which is an arm of the Generous Servings coffee shop and cooking school in the Highlands neighborhood of Denver. I had won a $20 gift certificate as a part of the Visit Denver Restaurant Week photo contest on Facebook in the spring. The dessert bar only has a few tables and is open on weekends in the evenings. I had a rich Spanish coffee and then this beautiful flourless chocolate cake with Earl Grey ice cream and mint shortbread. I have to find a way to recreate the mint shortbread. It was practically life changing.

What a delicious day!