You either cook octopus for a very short time or a very long time, but never in between. Do it wrong and the cephalopod turns rubbery, chewy, and inedible. But when done just right, octopus becomes soft and elegant. At Edge Restaurant & Bar, chef Zachary Rozanski achieves that essential tenderness by braising Spanish octopus in coconut milk, red Fresno peppers, and ginger for five hours. Rozanski then fires the seafood on a pecan wood grill for a hint of sweet smokiness before plating it with charred lime vinaigrette, chile-plum gastrique, sweet grapes, crushed cashews, and micro cilantro. The dish hints at Thai flavors, but the grapes give the exquisite appetizer a Mediterranean twist. 1111 14th St., 303-389-3343

This article was originally published in 5280 February 2016.
Daliah Singer
Daliah Singer
Daliah Singer is an award-winning writer and editor based in Denver. You can find more of her work at daliahsinger.com.