Had dinner Tuesday night at Gaetano's in Denver. This was the headquarters of the Smaldone family from 1947 through the early 1990s. There are photos of the Smaldones all over the restaurant, and a Denver org chart on the bathroom wall (the previous owners sent me a large laminated copy of this one a few years back- its very cool). The current owners gave me a tour of the basement and showed me the hidden rooms where the Smaldones ran card and carps games, as well as the entrance to an underground tunnel that dates back to Prohibition.

The resto was bought a few years ago by the Breckenridge brewery group. It's an interesting mix of original decor with a modern twist. They have a good menu and an excellent craft cocktail list- all named after gangsters. The Quiet Dom, the Breeze, the Sonny Red, the Whitey Bulger, etc. I had the Breeze, the Sonny Red, the Hook, and a gin-based version of a Manhattan. They were all expertly crafted libations.