Tamal de poblano – steamed corn masa, roasted poblano rojas, oaxaca cheese, roasted poblano cream sauce and pico de gallo from Tamayo with a Rare Trait IPA from Cerebral Brewing
On Thursday, June 17, I attended Do At the Zoo, the Denver Zoo’s annual fundraiser. Proceeds from this event help support the Zoo and all of its daily operations, including the care and feeding of nearly 4,000 animals. I spent the evening wandering around the zoo looking at animals, sampling bites from over 60 local restaurants, and sipping beer from multiple Colorado breweries. It was fantastic!
Tempura spring roll with citrus vinaigrette with a Gose, both from Fate Brewing
Food and drink tents were set up all throughout the grounds, and there were lots of tall tables scattered around so guests could set their things down and enjoy the fare before moving on to the next stop. Not only was there a plethora of beer and food, but there were plenty of spirits and wine available too.
The Drunken Nut Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pie from The Long I Pie Shop with a Gose from Fate Brewing
As a vegetarian I usually have to skip a majority of the bites at events such as this. Happily, this was not the case at Do At the Zoo. As you can see from my photos, there was an abundance of vegetarian dishes. And the photos show only a small portion of what I actually consumed. I tried to take as many pictures as possible, but after a while I just wanted to relax and take it all in.
Avocado Fondue from D Bar with a Gose from Fate Brewing
By the end of the night I had a few favorites: Watermelon Sour from Platt Park Brewing, Banana pudding with salted caramel sauce from Helliemae’s Handcrafted Caramels, and Tamayo’s Tamal de poblano: steamed corn masa, roasted poblano rojas, oaxaca cheese, roasted poblano cream sauce and pico de gallo. There were so many delicious bites; it was a bit overwhelming, but in the best possible way.
Do At the Zoo was very well done. There was enough space to accommodate all the guests; it was well attended but not overly crowded. The quality, variety, and amount of food and drink was impressive. And of course being able to see the animals made it extra special for me. It was one of the best events I’ve ever attended. For those who want to support a good cause while enjoying three hours of some of Colorado’s best fare and beverages, this is the place to be.
