When planning our recent trip to Denver, one of the absolute musts on the list was revisiting WaterCourse, a vegetarian restaurant in Uptown.
We'd visited Watercourse one other time a couple of years ago when we were driving across country. Then WaterCourse had been a welcome respite from long days trapped in a small car.
At the height of summer, we enjoyed sitting on their outdoor patio as I noshed on their renowned Portobello reuben. Then we grabbed a salad, so that we could get back on the road, ensuring we'd have a quality dinner later that night.
This time around there was a pending blizzard. So we ventured inside instead.
With low lighting and lots of space between tables, WaterCourse is a good place to gather with friends or linger over drinks with a date.
(Update: When this post was written originally, WaterCourse was a vegetarian restaurant. However, now they are 100% vegan.)
I glanced over their menu and sided with the mesquite tofu.
It's served atop a sweet potato mash and creamed corn with shiitake mushrooms and steamed kale.
The velvety mash complemented the smokiness in the chunks of tofu. It balanced the line nicely between being filling and comforting, while not being overly heavy.
David couldn't resist going back for what he'd eaten on the patio years ago, sweet potato tacos with black beans. His plate arrived packed with three tacos filled with black beans, peppers, onions, and marinated sweet potatoes.
It was topped with a crunchy cilantro lime slaw and served with avocado and homemade salsa. Always a fan of the sweet potato and black bean combination, he finished it off in no time.
A friend who had joined us for dinner that evening ordered the Thai Peanut Stir-Fry.
The stir-fry can be ordered with tofu or tempeh, either fried or grilled. He opted for fried tempeh stir-fried with onions, cabbage, broccoli, and carrots in a creamy peanut sauce over brown rice. He said that the sauce itself was a particular highlight.
WaterCourse is a classy yet casual restaurant that seemed pretty popular for a Wednesday night. With pleasant service and a varied menu, it's worth visiting if you're in the area.
Barb@ThatWasVegan?
Ok, now you’re really making me hungry! I know I should be good and eat the salad I brought for lunch, but now I just want to go to Watercourse! 🙂
Cadry
Sorry to tempt you! 😉
luminousvegans
Hey! I totally went to that restaurant when I lived in Colorado. I only went there once and I can’t remember what I got! But I do remember liking it. The food looks great and I wished I had gone there more now.
Cadry
Luckily, I can tell from your blog that you have lots of terrific options in Atlanta as well!
Andrea
I think I’d have a really hard time deciding what to order, but would probably be swayed by the kale. If I ever find myself in Denver again, Watercourse sounds like the place I’d want to eat. I didn’t know you had a twin!
Cadry
Yes, I try to keep that information on the down low! 😉
Joey
I definitely think you made the right call on the mesquite tofu – it does look so appealing. Bonus points for kale in there!
And I love that you have a top five reubens list!
Cadry
Kale makes everything better, except for chocolate cake maybe. 🙂
That reminds me that I should update my reuben list. I’ve sampled some new ones between the time that I made my original and now.
Somer
Sounds like a lovely place! We’re getting more and more plant based friendly eats around here and it makes me really happy!
Cadry
That’s wonderful! As much as you and I both love to cook, it’s nice to have the option of hitting up a good restaurant sometimes!
Somer
Exactly! 🙂
Laloofah
Mmmm… anything with mushrooms and kale in it usually wins me over instantly, but I have to say – those tacos are really enticing! I’d have had a hard time choosing between them!
Denver is one of those “so near and yet so far” places for us, so we seldom find ourselves there. But I have gotten to eat at Watercourse twice. The first was several years ago when my friend Robyn and I drove down for the first Denver VegFest, and ate a wonderful dinner there with your twin sister Colleen 🙂 and a few other fellow vegans, and again in 2010 when BW and I drove down to catch a redeye flight to Maine and had dinner at Watercourse before heading to the airport. I can’t remember now what we ate there, just that it was very tasty! They always seem to be doing a booming business, which is nice to see!
Looking forward to hearing about your blizzard adventure! 🙂
Cadry
When I’m on vacation, I often feel greens-deprived, and so I gravitate towards kale on menus even more than usual. (Although, it wasn’t an issue on this particular vacation. There was kale galore on Denver-area menus!) If sweet potato tacos are on an option and David doesn’t order them, it’s a strange day indeed!
Since you’ve eaten at WaterCourse with Colleen, it’s almost like we’ve eaten there together! 😉
Yes, on the day of the blizzard we had big plans to drive to Boulder, go on a hike, and enjoy a sandwich at their Native Foods location. No such luck! But thankfully we found some things closer to “home!”
Laloofah
Since you’ve eaten at WaterCourse with Colleen, it’s almost like we’ve eaten there together!
Good point! Especially since her David was there too! (I’d forgotten you also both married men named David!)
I love Boulder, but haven’t been back since Native Foods opened there and can’t wait to go. Do you ever visit Fort Collins? If you haven’t yet, one of these days you must dine at Tasty Harmony! It’s one of our favorite restaurants. I’m glad you were able to enjoy yourself in spite of Mother Nature (or Old Man Winter) throwing a wrench into your plans!
Cadry
Yes, we both married David’s. It’s a good name!
It was going to be the fifth or sixth Native Foods location I’ve visited. So while I love their menu, at least I was missing out on something I’ve had before!
I’ve never been to Fort Collins. I just looked at the menu for Tasty Harmony, and I can see why it’s one of your favorites! It looks fantastic!
Ashlae | Oh, ladycakes
I love WaterCourse! I actually went there yesterday and devoured a big bowl of mashed potatoes (they’re the BEST) and a salad. The black bean tacos and Thai peanut stir fry are favorites of mine – and the veggie burger. Too good.
Cadry
Mashed potatoes and a salad! What an awesome combination of delicious indulgence & healthy goodness!