Stephen Cummings

Pasquini's Uptown has become Serioz.

​Late last year,Tony Pasquini was making changes to his 25-year-old chain of pizzerias, building out a Cherry Creek address, which opened in late January, and getting ready to ink a deal for a new spot on East Colfax. At the same time, he was quietly buying back his franchises, bringing all restaurants still bearing the Pasquini's name under his control.

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​ The so-called "Local Foods, Local Jobs Act," a bill sponsored by state senator Gail Schwartz that would allow small growers and producers to sell their goods directly to consumers, has passed the full Colorado Senate. It now heads to the House, which recently passed a similar bill, sponsored by embattled lawmaker Laura Bradford, that seeks to do the same for home bakers.

keep reading to watch a video of Pat Frazier, a farmer from Hotchkiss, talking about how the Local Foods, Local Jobs Act -- officially known as Senate Bill 1248 -- would benefit her.

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Mark Manger

Don't refer to it as "Pinche"...at least not in this city.

​The words Pinche Tacos may be lettered across the food truck that Kevin Morrison revved up almost two years ago, but the irreverent name didn't fly when he wanted to put a food cart on the 16th Street Mall. Or when he wanted to open a restaurant whose working name was Pinche Taqueria.

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Lori Midson

​If Jean-Philippe Failyau, the owner of the original Park Burger in Platt Park, passes inspections tomorrow, his packed-to-the-rafters burger joint will reopen on Sunday with dozens of additional seats, new burgers, a free-standing bar and, God willing, waits that don't stretch to an hour.

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​Gary Lee Bomar inked a deal on a dilapidated property at 176 South Broadway last year, intending to build a bar and restaurant that would serve up smoked meats and cheeses and also feature an expansive patio, which would frequently feature live music.

Before the hammers started swinging, though, his plans for Gary Lee's Motor Club & Grub hit a speedbump: The West Wash Park Neighborhood Association fought his liquor license. But Bomar didn't give up, and after making a few concessions -- scaling back the size of the patio and ditching his idea of installing an outdoor smoker, for instance -- he managed to secure that liquor license and move forward.

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Kate Lacroix

​We've seen a number of the area's most successful food trucks cement permanent locations over the last year or so, inking deals on restaurant spaces that allow them to expand their mobile brands into fuller service (and often alcohol-supplemented) ventures. The latest to do so is Comida, a big, pink Boulder-based Mack owned by restaurant veteran Rayme Rossello.

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The 2012 members of FIVE: Hosea Rosenberg, Jonathan Greschler, Jessica Scott, Samir Mohammad, Tyler Wiard, James Lee and Jenna Johansen.

​If you've been wondering how Leigh Sullivan, the ex-wife of Troy Guard, who owns TAG and TAG|RAW BAR, is doing since the couple split last year, the answer is "better than ever."

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​Get a first look at the renovated Club 404 Saturday night, when the Denver Cruisers hold their "I (Heart) Cruisers" event at the venerable watering hole at 404 Broadway -- which will now be known as the Denver Wheel Club 404.

Like the space, the name has a history. "The Denver Wheel Club harks back to the 1890s, when there were more velocipeds [bicycles] in Denver than people," explains Cruiser Brad Evans, who's been working on the club's resurrection under Craig and Andrew Caldwell. "We are bringing that history forward, and have named the bar after its ancestral brethren."

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Lori Midson

​"Every season the bar gets higher, every season it means more to be the one on top -- do you have what it takes to be the next TOP CHEF?" So begins the wording on the Bravo website, taunting cookers from around the country to audition for the tenth season of Top Chef, which, if you believe the rumors, will take place in Seattle. But Denver is one of several major metropolitan cities that can get you there...if you show up to the casting call at Linger on Wednesday, February 22, between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. "Bravo was looking for a big, visually impressive space to hold casting calls, and obviously, Linger is perfect," says Aubrey Cornelius, who does PR for the restaurant.

Colorado has already produced one Top Chef victor: Former Jax-Boulder exec chef Hosea Rosenberg took the prize on season five. Kelly Liken, whose eponymous restaurant resides in Vail, nearly made it all the way on season seven, and Melissa Harrison, who was once a sous chef at Boulder's Centro Latin Kitchen and Refreshment Palace, also appeared on Season Five with Rosenberg.

Cornelius insists that Justin Cucci, the executive chef of Linger (and Root Down) isn't auditioning for a cheftestant spot, but it got us thinking about whose knives we'd most like to see fly in the face of Tom Colicchio. Herewith our top picks:

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​The space at 1434 Blake Street has gone through many incarnations since its days as CitySpirit. But its latest transformation could be its most interesting yet: It's now a Ukrainian restaurant, Kraine Station.

"This came about from the inspiration of my mother," explains Papi Sorrelis. "I've been looking for an opportunity to showcase my heritage. There aren't Ukrainian restaurants in Denver." So when Jimmy Calanni, owner of The Blake - a sports bar that was the most recent occupant of 1434 Blake - was looking for something new to pump life into the place, Sorrelis jumped at the chance "to take it and run with it and give it a new face."

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