For me, this journey began on Indigenous Peoples Day last month. While browsing on social media, I came across a mini documentary asking the question "Why don't you see more Indigenous restaurants?" In the course of the video, it detailed how many traditional Native American dishes have been lost to history due to forced migration, being away from main food staples on reservations, and rations given to the Native community.

Many of the foods we may think of when we think of Native American food even came well after the introduction of the above policies. Fry bread, for example, came out of the use of rations given to the community by the US Government that included flour and wheat.

Immediately after watching the documentary and learning there was a Native American Restaurant just south of the WyColo border in Denver, I added it to my google maps as a place I wanted to go and waited for the perfect opportunity to give it a shot. My main goal was just to try something new and different that we wouldn't ordinarily get a chance to eat, so I went in without any particular expectations.

Finally the day came where the stars aligned to go to Tocabe, a Native American Eatery in Denver. I took one of my best friends out after his wife's baby shower to find food and cigars and we set Tocabe in our sights. "Hey, I have this place I want to try. Want to come?"

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We both got the stuffed fry bread that came with a variety of fillings and toppings, but both of our meals included Bison meat, something that will always remind me of my childhood growing up next to a Bison Ranch. We took our first bite and both of us immediately exclaimed that it was mind-blowing. Possibly the most delicious food I've ever had.

I know it sounds like an exaggeration, but I honestly can't stop thinking about how delicious that meal was. So much so that I went back less than a week later to get another hit. Perhaps it's lucky we don't have one closer to home, or my waistband would certainly have some complaints.

 


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Tocabe stuffed fry bread!

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You'll just have to try it for yourself. Tocabe has two locations in the Denver Metro area and they offer other delicious foods like Bison Ribs, Taco Salads, and the fantastic Wojapi dessert that we took home with us because it was so delicious, we couldn't put it down.

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