Mercantile Dining and Provision
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While visiting some family in Denver we wanted to go someplace special for a nice meal. We ended up going to Mercantile Dining and Provisions in downtown Denver. This restaurant has its own farm that supplies many of the produce and cheeses used. We were in for a treat, but not quite what we were initially expecting.
Mercantile is located in the beautiful Union Station in the heart of downtown Denver. We just parked in one of the many nearby parking garages in the area and explored downtown while we waited for our reservations.
Union Station is a beautiful functioning train station that is filled with many restaurants and bars. Mercantile is quite spacious inside and takes up a large portion of the northern wing of the station. The interior continues the classic Beaux-Arts and Renaissance Revival-style of the rest of the station. This clean look and layout help add to the upscale atmosphere of the restaurant.
Like with most meals we started off with some drinks. The Violent Delight cocktail was a delicious mix of pineapple and rum. We also got some wine and a Manhattan that were both very good. We also want to emphasize the service the staff provided during our meal; it was amazing and felt on par with many other high-end restaurants we have been to.
Since the restaurant uses cheese from their nearby Fruition Farm we had to try out their charcuterie. The Market Provisions comes on a large cutting board with cheddar cheese, bleu cheese, goat cheese, prosciutto, salami, smoked sausage, pickled green beans, pickles, and toasted bread. The bread was nicely grilled and was a great vehicle for the many different topping combinations. All the meats and cheeses were delicious as well as the pickles. The mustard in particular was fantastic. The market provisions have many seasonal ingredients, so it will vary throughout the year.
We also got the artichoke dip to follow up the market provisions. The dip came in a small cast iron pot filled with creamy cheese, artichoke, and spinach. This cheesy goodness was paired up with four toasted dinner rolls. The warm rolls topped with the gooey filling was wonderful.
For the main entrees we got the agnolotti, bucatini carbonara, taleggio tortellini, and the strip steak. The agnolotti is a ravioli stuffed with ricotta and a mixture of cheese. This all sits in a tasty broth with more peas, dill, and mushrooms. The noodles in the bucatini carbonara were al dente and were in a nice lemon sauce that unfortunately was a bit too salty. The taleggio tortellini was quite small with only six tortellini and could have used some more cheese. Like the carbonara the noodles were al dente and the sauce was slightly too salty. The strip steak was cooked to a perfect medium-rare and sliced over a beet puree spread. The streak and spread were great. The side of crispy confit fingerling potatoes were salty, crisp, but also a little dry.
For dessert we ordered the blood orange cheesecake since we had read it was amazing. Unfortunately though, the cheesecake was a little dry, but it had a nice subtle fruity flavor. The ice cream was slightly bitter but very good and the crumble was great.
Mercantile Dining and Provisions wasn’t exactly what we were expecting. Overall the food was very good, but the entrees were rather small. Looking back at the meal, with the general low price for the main entrees, it was basically fine dining on a budget and thus had smaller portions. The entrees were good, but the real star of the meal were the appetizers and shared plates offered. The service from the staff was also excellent and set it above most other restaurants. We’d gladly return to Mercantile, now that we know what to expect.
Google Maps Link: Mercantile Dining and Provision
