Caminito Tango now serving Argentinean cuisine, with a grand opening party June 4

Caminito Tango brings Argentinean cuisine to Highland.

Caminito, a small street in the La Boca neighborhood of Buenos Aires, is lined with bright, colorful houses and buildings that are often filled with tango dancers. That's the vibe that Tirso Abarca is trying to bring to northwest Denver with his new restaurant, Caminito Tango. That, and excellent Argentinean food.

Caminito opened its doors last Saturday and will hold a grand opening party this Saturday.

Inside Caminito Tango.

"I wanted to bring something different to the neighborhood," says Abarca. "We have good empanadas, meat cuts, wine and live music from Argentina on the weekends."

Abarca owns the building at 3555 West 38th Avenue that had previously housed Viejo Domingo, so when that restaurant closed in March he decide to open his own spot. Abarca, who is from Mexico City, has hired two Argentinean chefs, and they're working off a menu that includes empanadas, tapas, pasta, desserts and such traditional Argentinean meat dishes as parillada Argentina, a mix of beef ribs, chicken, Argentinean sausage, blood sausage, tripe, sweetbreads and red peppers.

Caminito has a small bar in the back of the bright green dining room, where Abarca is pouring Argentinean and Chilean wines (and only Argentinean and Chilean wines). The restaurant will have valet parking, and he says he's working with a neighboring car wash so that diners can have their cars washed while they eat. He also plans to offer tango presentations, cater private parties and offer delivery.

Saturday's grand opening festivities will begin at noon and Abarca will be holding drawings all day, giving away empanadas and glasses and bottles of wine. There will also be a wine tasting from 4 to 7 p.m.

Above, all, Abarca says, he wants his restaurant to be a destination, just like its namesake. "Caminito used to be a place where immigrants from Europe would stay," he explains. "If you go visit Buenos Aires, you visit Caminito."

For more information call 303-455-5333.