By Deliah Singer, Special to The Denver Post
3.5 stars (out of 4)
Many people’s first introduction to Chinese food was Americanized plates of General Tso’s chicken dripping in gooey sauce and lo mein noodles so slick with oil and soy sauce that clumsy chopstick skills were no match. But we returned again and again because every meal was about more than just the delicious food — it was an exploration of a new culture (one that appealed even more once we finally mastered those two wooden sticks).
Christopher Lin’s experience was a bit different. Born to Taiwanese parents who owned an eatery in New Hampshire when he was a kid, Lin ate the traditional Chinese and Taiwanese foods of his family’s past. Q House, Lin’s first restaurant, is a reimagining of that history. The City Park restaurant, which opened in May, is both an ode to Lin’s ancestry and a modern, refined take that reflects the talent and perspective he’s developed since graduating from the Culinary Institute of America and cooking for bigwigs in New York City.
“A lot of the flavors at least start with a memory of something I ate growing up,” Lin said.
A bustling, urban eatery, Q House is a partnership between executive chef Lin, Jen Mattioni and Jon Pinto. It’s dimly lit and unembellished, perfectly suited to the gritty East Colfax corridor where the restaurant resides. Lin and his team’s skills come through in a variety of dishes that showcase the diversity of Chinese cuisine. Some are flavor punches of spice and garlic, while others are more nuanced. Yes, diners will find mentions of General Tso’s and spare ribs and wontons, but there’s so much more to Q House than those familiar names. It’s worth taking the time to explore it all, over many visits.
Vibe: With a nondescript exterior and minimalist interior, Q House jives with the worn-in appearance of the bars and restaurants along this strip of East Colfax Avenue. The dinner spot is almost always full, whether you visit on a Wednesday or a Friday evening, but the cacophony of conversation and plates being set down feels sociable rather than overwhelming. An open kitchen is the highlight: It’s fronted by six counter seats (a tight squeeze when everyone is trying to stuff puffy winter jackets onto hidden hooks) that provide a close-up view of a massive sizzling wok and Lin placing finishing touches as dishes head to the dining room. In warmer months, garage doors open onto a decent-size patio.
Hits: Q House is the sort of restaurant where you peer around at the dishes on nearby tables and think, “Do I have room for that?” In other words, you won’t be able to eat everything you want in one visit.
Like many Asian eateries, Q House’s plates are meant to be shared. The menu starts with appetizers and works its way down to entrée-size offerings, though diners can mix and match based on what sounds good; servers recommend choosing at least one option from each of the four sections. Of the smaller plates, the rich pork belly bun ($5), which comes one to an order, is a necessary meal-starter. Then, decide between chicken and shrimp wontons ($8) bathing in a luscious pool of chile oil and schmaltz and the Yunnan brisket salad ($12), a play on the Chinese affinity for braised meats. The salad’s foundation is cardboard-thin slivers of beef brisket (stewed in soy sauce, spices and aromatics), which are topped with a small mound of peppery watercress and sprinkles of fried garlic slivers. Hidden between the two are sweet Asian pears and sliced watermelon radishes.
From the veggie section, the Jenga-like tower of fried Chinese eggplant ($10) is battered in potato starch and rice flour for a lighter coating that allows the vegetable’s earthiness to come through. Or, opt for the stir-fried Brussels sprouts ($10) — sweet (courtesy of maple syrup), spicy (hello, chiles), and citrusy (thanks to lemongrass).
When it comes to larger plates, there’s no wrong order; simply follow your stomach’s direction. Salt and pepper head-on shrimp ($24) are an example of the complexity and care the kitchen puts into every dish. While simple in presentation — nearly a dozen crustaceans sit atop chip-like shrimp cakes — the shrimp are cleaned and trimmed before being battered in potato starch and rice flour and fried, making them easier to eat. The hot, crisp exterior gives way to the tender meat, including, yes, the head. Don’t shy away.
The fat and briny mussels in a classic Cantonese black bean sauce ($17) are good, but the accompanying crisp fries — served in a Chinese takeout counter — are the real star. Some may call the move cheesy, but it’s actually a response to Lin not wanting to pair every dish with a bowl of rice, a praise-worthy decision. (Tip: Save the Brussels sprouts sauce to swipe the fries through.)
Duck lo mein ($17) is elevated with substantial chunks of confit duck leg buried among slippery, but not oversauced, noodles; Napa cabbage and snow peas add crunch to the classic flavor combo. Braised pork rice ($9) is based on what Lin calls a typical Taiwanese comfort food: a container of white rice piled with braised pork and sautéed greens. At Q House, Lin deftly mixes the ingredients together — like parents often do for young kids — letting the braising jus soak into the pork belly- and mustard greens-dotted rice without becoming overly salty or too rich.
Full or not, order the coconut cheesecake ($9). The supersized triangle is more than enough for two and is a trifecta of sweetness: crumbly Oreo crust, a fluffy center that’s half cream cheese and half coconut cream, and a generous topping of chewy toasted coconut. The scoop of cloud-like, house-made whipped cream on the side pulls a sweet, nutty flavor from pandan extract. (Pandan is a tropical plant from Southeast Asia whose leaves are frequently used to flavor Asian desserts.)
Misses: There’s not much to fault Q House’s kitchen team on. Mostly, it’s a matter of taste. Three dishes — the Bang Bang chicken salad ($11), beef tongue and tripe ($12), and Chong Qing chicken ($25) — incorporate Sichuan peppers, a commonplace spice in Chinese cuisine that causes a tingling and numbing sensation on the lips and tongue. There’s some heat, yes, but it’s the mouth’s reaction that can be disconcerting, making sips of water feel like they’re running over, but not touching, one’s tongue. If you can stand the odd feeling, the rice flour-battered Chong Qing chicken is wonderfully juicy and crispy-skinned.
The one dish that should be reconsidered is the end-of-meal almond cardamom pudding ($9). The consistency was more custard than pudding, and though it contained a plethora of textures and ingredients — almond meringue squares, pomegranate seeds, Honeycrisp apples — they didn’t mesh together, resulting in a bland bowl that lacked the exciting tangle of flavors you expect after working your way through the rest of the menu.
Drinks: Rather than introducing Denverites to traditional Chinese alcohols, Q House skews its booze menu toward local palates with an array of beer, wine and cocktails.
Red, white, rosé and sparkling wines are available by the glass ($7 to $15) and are primarily of California or French origins. Four of the eight beers and ciders on offer ($5 to $9) are locally brewed, though there are two Japanese ales from Hitachino. The amber-hued red rice ale ($9) is a good introductory sipper with its strong fruity notes and a starchy aftertaste that can take some getting used to.
For the nine cocktails ($10 to $12), Mattioni and Pinto cleverly use Eastern ingredients to enliven, balance, or spice up recognizable blends. The margarita-esque Turmeric Cooler ($10) gets its color and hint of spice (which could be amped up) from turmeric-honey, while the Monkey Shoulder Scotch whisky in the Pear Sidecar ($12) is mellowed with pear and balanced by Thai chiles.
Service: The servers at Q House reflect their neighborhood: They’re congenial and low-key and lack any pretension. But don’t mistake that ease for lack of knowledge. The staff can answer even the most minor and technical questions about dishes, and diners would do well to follow their advice on current favorite eats and just how many dishes will leave them full but not stuffed.
Bottom Line: With Q House, Lin and his team accomplish something special by honoring Chinese cuisine and Lin’s ancestry while simultaneously modernizing the food in a way that reflects the chef’s talents and appeases contemporary American palates. Combined with the casual atmosphere and seamless service, Q House can certainly be considered among Denver’s best.
Price: Appetizers and vegetables ($5 to $13); Entrée-style dishes ($9 to $25); Desserts ($9); Cocktails ($10 to $12)
Fun Fact: Lin may have grown up in the restaurant world, but he’s created an impressive resumé all on his own, most notably working under Momofuku’s David Chang in New York City. He also spent a year as sous chef at Old Major in LoHi.
Restaurant Info
Q House
3421 E. Colfax Ave.
720-729-8887
Hours: 5 to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; 4 to 9 p.m., Sunday
Reservations: Accepted
Parking: Street parking
Star Rating Guide: Ratings range from zero to four stars. Zero is poor. One star, satisfactory. Two stars, good. Three stars, very good. Four stars, excellent.
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