A bucket of fun at Oceanaire Friday

The Denver Post has a story today about how to have a clambake in your back yard. Even easier: head to Oceanaire, in downtown's back yard at 1400 Arapahoe Street, on Friday, August 14, when the restaurant will host "A Taste of Nantucket -- in a Bucket!"

The traditional New England lobster and clambake starts with an Oceanaire Caesar salad and New England clam chowder (not so traditional, since clambakes are usually held on the beach, but delicious nonetheless), and then you get a bucket filled with shrimp, lobster, clams and mussels, on top of red potato and corn. A glass of wine or beer are included in the $65 per person price.

Oceanaire, which opened two years ago, hit choppy seas earlier this summer when its parent company filed for chapter 11, but on a recent evening in the wonderfully clubby bar, we found smooth sailing in both food and service. (Although the bacon steaks were MIA, the side of fried green beans make a great appetizer.)

To reserve your bucket for Friday's clambake, call 303-991-2277.