This Spanish bar opened about seven years ago in the LoDo area.  It has a warm, dark atmosphere, with candle-lit tables and high backed booths.  The bar and chairs are rich, dark wood and the place really reminds you of Spain; a whole wall is lit with candles and lush curtains break up the long wall of booths.

I love the happy hour here, because it includes authentic Latin drinks and delicious tapas.  Drinks include everything from mojitos to house-made sangria and Spanish wines.  We started with caiparinhas, the Brazilian mojito, made with light-colored Cachaca, which is Brazilian cane brandy, sugar and plenty of lime juice.  First round of plates: a curry chicken salad and Spanish wings from the happy hour menu.

This first round was so palate-pleasing that we decided the plates needed to just keep coming after that.  Upon ordering a round of good Spanish red wine and tinto de verano (this is the only bar I’ve seen in Denver which serves this: red wine with Fanta, very popular in Spain), we proceeded to go tapas crazy.  Other dishes we tried:

Tortilla a la Española – Carefully layered of potato and egg omelet that comes out looking rather like a dainty piece of cake.  Very plainly yummy.

Queso de Cabra con Miel – Super soft and creamy goat cheese is rolled in breadcrumbs and fried and drizzled with spicy clover honey.  So rich and flavorful!

Alcachofas a la Plancha – One of my favorite dishes, these pan-fried artichoke hearts are a real treat.  They are coated in olive oil and lemon aioli and have way more flavor than you’d ever expect from veggies.

Patatas Bravas – We ended up ordering three of these – one for each person!  Nothing is better than little spiced potato pieces…except when it comes with three amazing sauces, including gorgonola, sweet red pepper and creamy aioli.  These potatoes are such a delightful snack.

Filete con Cabrales – A beef tenderloin filet served extra rare and drizzled with blue cheese and red wine sauce.  It’s just as good as it sounds and the portion was surprisingly generous.  Melt in your mouth beef!

For dessert, we tried the Chocolavá – a “warm chocolate cake with a rich ganache center, served on an orange crème anglaise”.  The cake was heavenly; very rich and chocolatey and complimented perfectly by the light citrus crème.  Just the right amount of rich sugary dessert for sharing.

The 9th Door can get a bit expensive, so it’s definitely a treat for a more special evening.  However, they have a terrific happy hour, as I mentioned, and the service and food are spectacular.  Definitely worth the money and an inventive way to share food with those you care about.  The 9th Door is a rare experience and one of Denver’s hidden gems!