M and D’s BBQ Cafe and Fish Palace in Denver Colorado

M and D’s BBQ Cafe and Fish Palace

Address: 2000 E 28th Ave.

Cross Streets: 28th and Race

Phone: 303-296-1760

Price: $$

Reservations: No

Hours: L-D:Tue-Sat

Those who know something about barbecue know that it is more a way of life than a genre of cuisine. True barbecue is a derivative of fine-tuned, closely guarded recipes passed down through generations, and that describes M&D’s. Ambience is warm and very casual, enhanced mainly by soul music that lulls overhead. The menu is authentically southern. It promotes dishes such as fried-green tomatoes, sour fruits that are sliced into firm rounds and tempered with a rich, almost-sweet cornmeal batter. Side dishes are made fresh and are notably vibrant. Entrées are heaping. Ribs, the house specialty, are deliciously moist, yet not overly fatty. Chicken proves the best canvas for the colorful smoky flavors (M&D’s new smoker burns four different woods). For the underfed, M&D’s offers combination “Q,” an enormity that includes all of the fundido meats plus two sides. Even if you’re full to the brim, it’s worth ordering peach cobbler à la mode, a heaping bowl of fresh baked peaches that act as sponges for the buttery overtones and hints of allspice. At M&D’s, southern hospitality, down-home comfort food and “secret” sauces never lose their luster.