The kitchen at Zengo is run by a Mexican-born chef and owner but this Little Raven Street eatery serves up Asian infused foods ranging from Kobe beef stone cooked tableside to sushi rolls made with tequila smoked salmon. This Japanese restaurant perfectly weaves Peruvian-inspired fare with standard Japanese cuisine. Zengo is a popular eatery for locals and tourists alike. The interior of Chef Richard Sandoval’s restaurant is modern with Asian accents, making it a fun yet chic eatery. The restaurant features an open kitchen and seats approximately 200 diners. The drink menu features top quality sake along with hip cocktails like the fresh fruit puree martinis and mint, cucumber and rum mojitos.

Finding upscale and elegant Asian fare can sometimes be a challenge but Denver’s ChoLon Modern Asian Bistro has achieved just this in spades. Former New York City chef and restaurateur, Lon Symensma, runs this Blake Street restaurant. The dishes are influenced with both Chinese and Southeast Asian touches mixed with classic French techniques. The interior is designed with an environmentally friendly hand through the reuse of furnishing. This, mixed with an open kitchen and large open windows overlooking downtown, provides ChoLon with a contemporary vibe. The standout dishes include the seared scallops with a lobster sauce and king oyster mushrooms and the glazed lamb shank, which is served over spiced peanuts with Asian pears. The drink menu is extensive and includes sake, perfectly mixed cocktails, craft beers and a wide selection of Asian teas.

Bones, situated on Grant Street at the intersection of Seventh Avenue, is one of Gayot.com’s Hot 10 Restaurants in Denver. This Capitol Hill Restaurant is owned and operated by the ingenious Frank Bonanno. Bones is quaint; it only seats a few dozen diners at a time. The counter is tight, forcing diners to eat shoulder-to-shoulder but isn’t that the idea of a noodle bar? All throughout the restaurant, diners are huddled over bowls of noodles ranging from ramen to soba or udon. Diners rave about the lobster ramen bowl featuring edamame in a velvety smooth miso broth. To make any noodle bowl at Bones nearly heaven-like, top it off with a perfectly poached egg. Other items that have diners returning again and again include the suckling pig buns or the steamed pork belly—both are visions of culinary perfection. Hit up Bones on Mondays for a date night when it serves up a roasted Peking duck for two.