“This isn’t Bar Chelou,” asserts chef Douglas Rankin, who moved to Denver last August after shuttering his two-year-old, award-winning Pasadena bistro following the fires that devastated nearby areas. Now, he’s introduced what he calls Bar Chelou’s “grown-up little brother,” Petit Chelou, a six-seat, six-course chef’s counter tasting-menu housed inside Hop Alley, at 3500 Larimer Street. “Chelou” is French slang for “weird” or “odd,” hinting at the unconventional style Rankin prefers.
The basics: The price is $125 per person, with some optional supplements, a la carte wine, cocktails and N/A drink options, and an $88 wine pairing that you should definitely opt for.
Rankin has been cooking in the space since October, when he launched a residency there, but this marks his first step toward opening a Denver brick-and-mortar.
Who is Douglas Rankin?
Before striking out on his own, the chef worked under big names such as José Andrés and Ludo Lefebvre, including a stint at Lefebvre’s tasting-menu spot, Trois Mec. “That was one of the best restaurants I’ve ever worked in. This is really kind of a return to that, but my way,” Rankin says…