This weekend, we went to an exceptional dinner in Denver. Linger (in Lohi) is definitely one of the most talked about restaurants and happy hours in D-town and it certainly lives up to the hype!
This old mortuary turned Eatuary 😉 makes some of the best Asian and Middle Eastern-inspired comfort food in town!
We were lucky to get reservations for this prix fixe menu on Saturday.
When we arrived, the restaurant was bustling and we were escorted upstairs to the bar which was completely dark except for the bar top, which was lit by hundreds of Lite Brites! I was too enamored by it (and my company!) that I forgot to snap a photo, so here is one I took from Google!
After ordering a drink, we were brought back down to our table and presented with our 4 course menu. Tyty decided to go a more seafood inspired route (mussels and lobster) and I opted for the turf selections (pork and short rib)… but I’ll get to the foodie glory in a minute!
Each course was presented with a wine to compliment your dish. First off we were offered the amuse bouche: a single red beet ravioli with sweet red bean and pistachios and the most fantastic rosé I’ve ever had! 
Almost immediately, our plates were whisked away and swapped with our first course. For me: Moroccan roasted butternut squash, feta, and a mint pesto.
For Tyty: Sweet and sour wonton soup that was apparently a little too much broth.
Second course more than made up for any points first course missed! My plate was quite simply, heaven on Earth. Like OH MY GOD: Foie Gras Tochon Bao Bun with honey, marmalade and house mustard. I don’t think I’ve ever eaten anything so delicious in my life. The union of my two favorite things (foie gras and a bao bun) are pure foodie bliss for me.
Tyty’s plate was also a thing of beauty: Valencia Paella (saffron) Arancini, over duck sausage and mussels cooked in an amazing smoked tomato sauce. Exquisite is all I can say about it. I need to recreate it!
By now, I admit I was already really full (2 courses + an hors d’ouvre and 3 glasses of vino and a complimentary spicy cucumber shot!), but our 3rd and main course was on it’s way!
For me: Braised Short Rib Bibimbab (A Korean dish similar to ramen, but without the noodles or the broth). The short rib was cooked perfectly with a fried egg, truffles, and a fried sushi rice cake, along side a series of pickled veggies and kimchi. It was so fantastic I insisted on eating the entire thing despite how full I was.
Tyty’s was an amazing Indian inspired lobster tail, served with a coconut marsala, creme fraiche, and a lobster samosa. So decadent and delicious I (almost!) wished I had ordered it.
While we washed everything down with our 4th glass of wine (mine was a great red that I wish I remembered the name of!) our dessert wines and dish arrived!
We were presented with a giant plate of sweets and treats to share including: coconut macaroon with passionfruit dipping sauce, rose and violet cotton candy, sesame salted caramel sticks, and chocolate and matcha truffles topped with passionfruit boba.
My favorite was definitely the cotton candy (I would have loved to try a champagne flavored cotton candy!) because it was perfectly light and sweet.
The entire meal was paced perfectly and every single thing we ate was delicious. I was so full afterwards though, I thought I would roll all the way home. I (obviously) didn’t want to leave anything on my plate, but I wish they would have served slightly smaller portions of everything 😉
Linger is the perfect mix of unique flavors and combinations of your favorite ethnic foods. I would HIGHLY recommend a visit for dinner or happy hour next time you’re in Denver. I’ll definitely be visiting for brunch in a few weeks!
A fantastic meal for a fantastic Valentine’s Day! xo
Red Wine and Lipstick 