We began the meal with coffee rubbed short ribs with a spicy-sweet glaze and coleslaw, and pulled pork buns with sweet bread.  The ribs were fall-off-the-bone tender and paired well with the sweet and spicy sauce, although the coleslaw was a runny mess of mayo, and inedible.  The pork was surprisingly well flavored and pulled together well with the soft bread.  The siracha baked beans with it were spicy and tasty.

I was curious to see what the house one tasted like since the menu failed to detail exactly what the house wine was. We ordered a glass and found it to be a cheap Chardonnay, quite acrid, and sent it back. I was disappointed overall in the beverage choices at this gastropub. It seems that there is less emphasis on the drinks themselves than the mere availability of drink.  A gastropub should pair food with spirits and it is usually suggested on the menu, if not by your waiter.

We did not have a dedicated waiter.  When we arrived, one lone girl was trying to wait both the bar area and the booths and tables, and it took her 10 minutes to take our order.  We sat in an awkward booth at the front, facing the front windows and waited patiently, feeling sorry for her trying to do this on her own.  When some additional staff finally arrived, we thought we’d be checked on more often, but that was not really the case.

For the main course, we chose the salmon fish and chips and chipotle fried chicken with cornbread waffles. The salmon was cooked perfectly and had a delicate crisp breading reminiscent of Japanese tempura. I rather enjoyed the salty vinegar reduction along with the batter; although it made it feel more like I was eating tempura salmon than fish and chips.  The fries were interesting as well. They were both salty and sweet and reminded me of kettle corn. The fried chipotle chicken was also quite delicious; perfectly crispy and just the right amount of heat from the chipotle sauce.  The small square waffles that came with it had a sidecar of pure maple syrup and big pats of sweet Irish butter. It was a hearty and satisfying meal.

We found the portions to be just the right size and priced very fairly. All in all, I enjoyed my visit to this pub.  I enjoyed the interesting flavors and texture combinations and the surprisingly inventive menu. While disappointed in the drinks, it is not the sole reason that I go to a gastropub, and indeed, the food made up for it.  I would recommend Rack and Rye for an interesting evening out in LoDo.