Best Bites: Olivea

Olivéa, 719 E. 17th Ave., 303-861-5050, www.olivearestaurant.com.

Yasmin Lozada-Hissom fell in love with smooth mascarpone cheese while living in the Lombardy region of Italy 10 years ago. Today, the pastry chef, a co-owner of Olivéa, makes this sweet delicacy from scratch and showcases the cheese's creamy consistency in a semifreddo ("half-cold" in Italian) that comes alongside a lemon croustillant with berries. The dessert's unusual flavors and textures—partially frozen mascarpone, summery berries, and paper-thin, black pepper-flecked cookies sandwiched with light lemon cream—present a study of contrasts that surprise and delight.