For those that don’t know, or choose not to keep up with food awards, this past week Chicago hosted the James Beard Foundation Awards, to honor the top chefs in America. And for those who consider themselves foodies, these are a big deal to them as well… and while I will never call myself a foodie, because it would be an insult to all people who actually review food for a living, I can take a mean pic of my food before I indulge.

There are many places on the front range that are quality restaurants, all worthy of having their food captured via my phone… but what Chef Alex and his team have done at his restaurants in Denver are leaps and bounds above. Alex is the head chef at Fruition, his restaurant in the Cap Hill area, which has been atop the Denver Restaurant field for the last 10ish years.. And his newer brainchild, the one who earned him the coveted and ever-elusive JBFA, Mercantile, which resides in the renovated Union Station downtown and is around two years old.

Let me tell you what, I’ve eaten Mercantile a handful of times, both for lunch and dinner… and that place FUCKS. It is dynamite cuisine, from the fresh ingredients he pairs together (most of which he pulls from his farm outside of Denver) to his artisanal cheeses you can order with charcuterie or on your way out the door, from the wide array of seasonal plates for dinner, to what I consider the best sandwich in Denver (The Italian on Baguette). To quote Ferris Bueller: “It’s so choice. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up”.

So this week’s Stoned Appetit is a tip of the cap and a thank you to Chef Alex Seidel, for letting us enjoy your genius at work… Go get a reservation now and taste his award-winning work, because it soon will be a tougher table to snag.

Cheers to Chef Alex and the Mercantile Family!