Chef Dana Rodriguez’s Carne is unsurprisingly centered around meat. Celebrating its first year in operation with a whole lot of acclaim for its steaks, the RiNo chophouse has never been anything short of on the nose with its name. And yet, one year in, the additions to Carne’s summer menu put on display a range of nuance and cohesion that deserves more attention.
READ: Dig In at Carne – Chef Dana Rodriguez’s Groovy Global Steakhouse
One step into the high-ceilinged space on Larimer – the curved faces of its tables and chairs, a neon-lit record table suspended halfway up a wall and a retro typeface adorning the menu – and the 70’s are in full bloom. Designed with intent in a way that feels transportive, the food is too, albeit not towards an era.
Instead, the menu is immersive in the intersection between Chef Dana’s long and storied career across so much of Denver’s expansive restaurant scene and her Mexican roots. It’s a juncture that finds harmony in dishes that take a traditional steakhouse cut and add an extensive array of Mexican, Central American and South American influence. Reaching from the Argentinian Bife de Chorizo – a dry-rubbed tri-tip with romesco – and the Brazilian Picahna – a perfect Medium Rare dressed with sweet, spicy and herbaceous chimichurri – to the Peruvian Pollo Asado – an adobo roasted half bird served with a creamy Huancaina – and the succulent Can Can Pork done al pastor style, Carne’s carne is a reflection of Chef Dana Rodriguez. Sprinklings of Japanese influence also dot the menu. Miso, Wagyu, Ube and Yuzu further expand the geographic depth of the restaurant while simultaneously celebrating the role that Japanese cuisine continues to play in so much of South America’s food scene.
For the already storied chef that also owns and operates Super Mega Bien and Work & Class along with her partnership in Larimer Square standard-bearer, Rioja and a Culinary Director role with Casa Bonita, Carne presents Rodriguez with a different kind of opportunity. The RiNo steakhouse is her space to fully explore the elevated reaches of her vision without too many scattered opinions from anyone but her team and the guests.
Through the course of Carne’s first year in operation, the results have spoken for themselves. And just in case that isn’t enough, a lot of folks a talking about the steakhouse. But Carne is more than just a piece of meat. Changes and new additions to the menu for Summertime are overflowing with bright flavors and lighter bites that expand the restaurant’s vision and shine an even brighter light on the intersectionality at the heart of Carne’s identity.
But first, drinks. Laloca beams with refreshing balance, tight roping that delicate equilibrium between spicy habanero and sour citrus, while the Raspberry Inferno celebrates a cross section between fruity sweetness shaken into a more bitter note. On the glass list, the Albariño’s acidic salinity coalesces with so much of the summer menu while simultaneously cutting through the fattiness of its proteins. On the other end of the spectrum, the refreshing Chilled Barbera dares to act as a counterweight to the lighter starters, bringing earthy yet subtle sweetness that then pairs perfectly with any of the heartier offerings further down the list.
On the lighter side, creamy Burrata served with chilled heirloom tomatoes and an avocado mousse speaks to the warm weather direction that defines so much of the new menu. The Beef Tiradito – chilled, melty tartare balanced with the additions of jalapeno aioli and avocado sauce – is served with house made tostada. But the showstopper belongs to Octopussy. Its name riffed from the disco-era Bond flick, grilled, smoky achiote octopus is served over a creamy cannellini puree and a salty olive tapenade.
“My granddaughter used to always ask me for octopus tacos,” began Chef Dana Rodriguez as she pulled up a chair next to our table. “Now all she asks for is to go get a manicure,” she laughed, diving into how she would quickly slice and sauté tentacles and wrap them in a warm tortilla. “This dish is a nod to those times.” It would be hard to blame anyone – let alone a grandchild – for craving Dana Rodriguez’s expert preparation on octopus. Texturally tender with perfect char on the outside, the Carne iteration of the nostalgia is the perfect encapsulation of bold summertime flavors in confluence with a menu so firmly rooted in Dana’s experiences both personally and professionally.
Much of the protein focus is also in service of the summer weather without losing Carne’s grip on definitive cultural intersections. The Miso Salmon is drizzled with black sesame oil and served with a crisp, refreshing cucumber salad, while the locally sourced Roasted Striped Bass blooms with a citrus-thyme mojo. Latin America, Denver and Japan are all represented. The fish, vegetables and desserts are shown equal love by a kitchen known for its steaks.
Regarding dessert, the Ube Yuzu Crème Brûlée dares to improve a beloved classic. It’s less sugary sweet than the original and shouldn’t be missed.
Carne is located at 2602 Larimer St., Denver. Its hours are Tuesday – Thursday 5 p.m. to close and Friday – Saturday 4 p.m. to close
All photography by Lucy Beaugard