Since it opened in 2004, Zengo has seamlessly married Latin and Asian flavors, and the October menu—Taste of Lima-Tokyo—is one of the restaurant's strongest yet.

To best taste chef Clint Wangsnes' prowess, order the chupe de mariscos. The chowder-like bowl of creamy broth, inspired by a traditional Peruvian seafood stew, is both creamy and delicate, fragrant but not overpowering. It arrives steaming and chock full of shrimp, cockles (tiny clams), and Peruvian purple potatoes, a dainty alternative to the starchy white cubes often found in the soup bowl. In true Zengo-fusion fashion, Wangsnes put a Japanese twist on the dish by using bonito (fish) stock for the milk-dashi broth. Some might say it brings too much brininess to an otherwise light dish. We say it's just right. The one downside? There's only one week left to try it.

1610 Little Raven St., 720-904-0965

Photo: Rebecca Kritzer