The Buckhorn Exchange

The Buckhorn Exchange, founded in 1893, is really one of Denver's historical landmarks, a great place to get the highest-quality meats and wild game dishes. And because it was featured on Man v. Food, you know I had to stop here. In fact, I saved this one for last, a nice treat to end my Denver stay.

Yes, my friend and I had hit that proverbial food wall after four days of epic noshing. But onward we chugged. Or waddled. Or wheeled. Somehow, Buckhorn -- food stop #23 -- would make its way into our system.

Entrance

It's a steakhouse that also boasts great wild game, Rocky Mountain oysters, and a full bar (upstairs). A lot of animal heads line the interior, along with historical memorabilia.

We were both fooled, thinking the place closed between lunch and dinner on weekdays. Nope, it was open all this time. Oops. They encourage reservations, but we still got a table without one.

The menu is in newspaper format, a unique deviation from the norm.

Yeah, we weren't extremely hungry. And we both knew that the prices on these prime cuts of protein would subject our wallets to cruel and unusual punishment. Appetizers would do for this visit.

Rocky Mountain oysters ($10.75) was first on the list. Gotta have that when in Colorado. It had its chewy qualities, almost a hint of the sea on occasion. It went very well with what I believe were separate containers cocktail sauce and horseradish sauce.

Appetizer menu
(April 2012)

Rocky Mountain Oysters
(The Buckhorn Exchange)

The grilled duck breast ($10.75) is rubbed in lavender and pepper, grilled up to about medium-rare, and coated with a sauce of raspberry and Red Zinfandel. Good grief, this was amazing. Perfectly cooked (medium-rare), with amazing grill marks. The sauce had an addicting controlled sweetness with ideal consistency.

Grilled Duck Breast
(The Buckhorn Exchange)

Can't also forget about the various specials, depending on the day you go. They had ostrich available when I was there.

I don't frequent pricey steakhouses often. Even with prices that would make wallets all over the world weep inconsolably, it was a major thumbs up. If I actually manage to make a decent living, I could probably come back and splurge for a complete dinner. At least if I go for lunch on a weekday, it should be way more cost-effective. 8.5/10


(And so ends four epic days in Colorado. I'll be back one day....)