I was at True Food Kitchen, the energetic, always-busy, paean to fresh, healthy food in Cherry Creek North. On the advice of my friend, I ordered the winter ingredient salad, adding, at the last second, grilled salmon to the order.

When the dish arrived, we were immersed in conversation and I didn't pay much attention. Then I took a bite, and another. Here was a perfect knob of crunchy roasted cauliflower. There was a sweet cube of roasted squash. A caramelized Brussels sprout captured my attention. Then a soft mulberry. Then...what was that? A hint of horseradish in the vinaigrette. On the face of it, the salad was a simply a jumble of chopped—and often tough—winter vegetables, but the flavors were dense and complex. And the salmon? It couldn't have been cooked more expertly.

It was through this salad's depth and carefully built flavors that I came to understand the magic of True Food's "globally inspired" fresh cuisine. If you haven't been, do yourself a favor.

Tip: Start your meal with the deep green cucumber martini, a balanced, sweet-tart blend of vodka, St. Germaine, pineapple, and cucumber.

2800 E. Second Ave, Suite 101, 720-509-7661