Cheaper meals appear on NoCo dining tables

What a year it has been for hospitality in Northern Colorado! While new restaurants opened with high hopes, and others closed, even old hands scrambled to come up with new formulas for diners freshly interested in value as well as in well-prepared, imaginative meals. But more trends later.

First, the hellos and goodbyes for 2009.

Hello, NoCo

Fearless in the face of economic stresses, the folks behind the Rio Grande decided to kick Mexican/American Western fare up a notch with El Monte Bar and Grill. The new upscale restaurant is notable not only for…