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Pirates & Pigs Ears

March 12, 2014

Pirates & Pigs Ears

My husband, Ryan, and I use our monthly symphony concert tickets as an excuse to have a date night in downtown Denver. While we like to think of ourselves as adventurous, we definitely have our go-to spots for food and drink in LoDo.

This past Saturday, before The Pirates of Penzance at the Colorado Symphony, we made the decision to try a new restaurant, but ended up at one of our usual haunts anyway, Euclid Hall. We enjoy sitting at the bar upstairs and chatting up the bartenders about the restaurant’s unique menu.

Since we’d abandoned our decision to find a new restaurant, we decided to pick something adventurous from Euclid’s menu. This is how we ended up consuming a spicy plate of pigs ears prior to The Pirates of Penzance.  First, we ordered the pickle sampler, a tapas style appetizer that is heaven in a bowl for pickle lovers like us.

Next up we had the Pad Thai Pigs Ears, cut into strips and served in a tamarind chili sauce with scallions, peanuts and scrambled eggs with a sprinkling of sprouts, mint, and cilantro on top. As dog owners, it hadn’t occurred to us that humans can eat pigs ears too.

These little piggy morsels were spicy, and the flavor was good, especially when a bite was paired with the greens. The texture is crunchy, but also chewy, and while we nearly finished the plate, I don’t think it’s a dish I need to order again. I can now brag that I ate them, but I’m not a diehard fan.

We followed that up by the Poutine of the Day which was a seafood stew served over fries and it was delicious, as are all the poutines at Euclid. A bonus at this restaurant is that many of their entrees are available in half portions, making it great for those who want to try multiple items.

After our exploratory foodie experience, we walked the few short blocks to the Denver Performing Arts Center for Pirates of the Penzance at the Boettcher Concert Hall. Part of the Pops Concert Series, this show featured The New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players all the way from New York.

The show was an absolute delight; a combination of symphony, ballet, and live theater. I had never witnessed this style of show before and the fun evening brought howls of laughter from the crowd.

Heidi Kerr-Schlaefer is a freelance writer and the founder of HeidiTown.com, a blog about Colorado festivals and travel. She is a longtime supporter of the Colorado Symphony.