Cafe Society: Week in review

It's not hush-hush that the (almost) iconic Cherry Creek Egg Shell is relocating from its current digs at 300 Josephine Street to the former Mel's Bar and Grill space at 235 Fillmore Street on Wednesday, December 23, giving us all an excuse for eggs and mimosas before the ho ho ho of Christmas chaos.

Also on the move is Micah Watkins, the former executive chef of Black Pearl, whose last day in that kitchen was Sunday, December 6. No word yet on what Micah's doing next, but his title has been taken by Sarah Horton, the current sous chef at Duo, who will take over the kitchen at Black Pearl later this month.

In another major move, Maura Schuster, who used to sling drinks at LoHi SteakBar and Caldonia's, is now the bartender at Ernie's Bar & Pizza, which is where Nancy Levine caught up with Schuster for this week's Behind the Bar interview.

Meanwhile, the owners of Red Trolley, the Highland ice cream parlor/hot doggery/java joint and breakfast stop that Jason Sheehan reviewed this week, responded favorably to Sheehan's criticisms in verses of their own, and even if owner Patrick Shaw isn't too convinced about the need for a "poverty dog," he admits that the mustard sucks.

And while Max Mackissock, the executive chef of Squeaky Bean, refrains from mentioning anything about hot dogs or condiments in his Chef and Tell interview, he doesn't shy away from criticizing -- and taking to task -- shit-talking Denver chefs.

There probably wasn't the case at the Denver Department of Excise and License, which just approved the liquor license for the Tavern Congress Park, a 100-seat watering hole and grubbery that'll open soon in the former Neighborhood Flix at the Lowenstein.

Finally, we couldn't be more stoked for Sheehan, whose Cooking Dirty made Time magazine's list of the top ten non-fiction books of 2009. How's that for an awesome early Christmas present?