As you stare at the pale peach pool inside the spiny vessel that stars in Il Posto’s Riccio di Mare appetizer, you may wonder, What is that? Don’t be alarmed—it is indeed edible and, what’s more, delicious. Chef de cuisine Wes Park has reimagined sea urchin as a dip: Instead of serving the edible part of the urchin whole (like the uni you find on sushi menus), Park purées it with cream into a silky-smooth sauce. It’s then returned to its otherworldly shell—now a serving dish—via a whipped cream canister that renders the liquid into foam. Scoop up the airy, briny-buttery stuff with tender pieces of lobster roe focaccia. And as diners around you crane their necks to get a better look at the $13 stunner, ponder what Park and owner Andrea Frizzi—now situated in Il Posto’s hip new RiNo digs—will shock and awe Denverites with next. 2601 Larimer St., 303-394-0100

This article was originally published in 5280 May 2017.
Denise Mickelsen
Denise Mickelsen
Denise Mickelsen is 5280’s former food editor. She oversaw all of 5280’s food-related coverage from October 2016 to March 2021.