Cucina Colore

Cucina Colore Restaurant Review:

After a day of strolling the shops at Cherry Creek North, not-so-desperate housewives and young professionals find this hip and modern dining room and bar the perfect place to stop. Contemporary Italian cuisine and fresh, seasonal ingredients take center stage; the best way to start the experience is with a glass --- or three --- of house-made white sangría, filled with infused slices of fresh, tropical fruit and finished with sparkling wine. Next, order a glass of vino from the well-selected and -priced list. Something white and crisp is a fine accompaniment to our favorite lighter lunch, pollo e orzo salad: slices of roasted chicken, crumbly ricotta salata, red onion and orzo resting on a bed of fresh field greens and topped with a sun-dried tomato vinaigrette. For something more savory, try the wood-fired pizza with fig jam, mozzarella, goat cheese, pears, arugula and streaks of truffle oil. For dinner, start with the pan-seared mussels, but before deciding on an entrée, wait to hear the daily specials. If there's a negative, it's with the service, which can be abrupt and inexperienced.