100 FAVORITE DISHES: HAM-AND-EGG CONGEE AT ONEFOLD

By Mark Antonation, Westword

No. 38: Breakfast Congee at Onefold Coffeehouses come along and settle in to neighborhoods without much notice or fanfare, doing more or less the same thing from place to place: a few breakfast items, some pastries and sandwiches, some hot soups or egg dishes if there's room behind the counter for a hot plate. When Onefold opened in February in Uptown, it didn't look much different than any other morning cafe, but a quick look inside and a glance at the menu is enough to make you realize that the charming little nook is doing far more than just toasting bagels. For one thing, the kitchen is as big as the dining area, and a small crew keeps things bustling. For another, everything on the menu is organic and features unique preparations and presentations: Eggs and potatoes are fried in duck fat, flour tortillas for the breakfast burritos are made from scratch, ham and bacon come from the pork gurus at Tender Belly. Our favorite for a warming breakfast or filling lunch is the ham-and-egg congee, a savory rice porridge that Onefold cooks with chicken or turkey stock to up the umami. It's a simple dish with only a few ingredients, but the mild congee base acts as a springboard for the other flavors. A poached egg lurks just at the surface with a payload of creamy yolk waiting to be spilled out with the jab of a spoon; fried ham adds no-nonsense country-kitchen appeal. Veins of rich soy sauce and chile oil add layers of salt and heat, and fresh-grated ginger and chive ringlets give zingy bursts of vegetable crunch. Beneath the casual, homey construction of the dish, the convergence of Midwestern farmhouse simplicity and Chinese ingredients come together with surprising success. Onefold's menu, and the congee in particular, beckons with comfort-food promise but feels somehow right and healthy rather than fat-laden and heavy. Instead of the usual array of cookie-cutter cafes and boring breakfasts, Onefold offers something creative, joyful and presented with care. Breakfast should be like this every morning. Even though the Best of Denver 2015 edition is out, we'll keep counting down the contenders for the best dishes in the city in advance of Westword's Dish event on September 20, where many of our Best of Denver winners — along with other favorites — will congregate to serve up small plates. If there's a dish you think we need to try, tell us about it in the comments section, or shoot us an e-mail at cafe@westword.com. Hungry for more? All the dishes in our countdown are linked below. No. 100: Chile Relleno at La Fiesta No. 99: Gurage Kitfo at Megenagna Ethiopian Restaurant No. 98: Cochinita Pibil at Work & Class No. 97: The Greggers Tongue Sandwich at Olive & Finch No. 96: Baum Cakes at Glaze by Sasa No. 95: Goat hot pot from Viet's No.94: Head cheese from Beast + Bottle No. 93: Kettle Chips from Amerigo Delicatus No. 92: Pork Belly Confit at Solera Restaurant and Wine Bar No. 91: Tacos Campechanos from La Calle Taqueria No. 90: Biscuits from Denver Biscuit Co. No. 89: Clams and Chorizo at Gozo No. 88: Aburi Sushi at Sushi Den and Izakaya Den No. 87: Kimchi and Sausage Torta at City, O' City No. 86: Mar y Tierra Molcajete at Paxia No. 85: Crispy Pork Spare Ribs at Table Top No. 84: Chips and Dip at Euclid Hall No. 83: Chile Relleno Burrito at El Taco de Mexico No. 82: Scallop Crudo at Stoic & Genuine No. 81: Ceylon Curry Dosa at Khazana No. 80: The Lambada Torta at La Torteria No. 79: Pork Bulgogi at Dae Gee No. 78: the Pulled Pork Pig Pen Sandwich at Boney's No. 77: IPA Mac & Cheese at Hops & Pie No. 76: Chiles en Nogada at Chili Verde No. 75: Udon Noodle Bowl at Bones No. 74: Cinnamon Rolls at the Duffeyroll Cafe No. 73: Smoked Turkey Croque-Madame at Acorn No. 72: Pickled Lake Michigan Perch at Trillium No. 71: Oysters at Jax Fish House Glendale No. 70: Venezuelan Tostadas at Empanada Express Grill No. 69: Tahini Cauliflower from Biker Jim's Gourmet Dogs No. 68: The Ham and Cheese Tartita from Maria Empanada No. 67: Ronnie's Favorite from Rosenberg's Bagels and Deli No. 66: Shoo-fly Pie from the Long i Pie Shop No. 65: Czech Potato Pancakes at Sobo 151 No. 64: Fried Chicken at the Post Brewing Co. No. 63: Braised Brisket Sandwich at Masterpiece Delicatessen No. 62: The Scotch Egg from Argyll Whisky Beer No. 61: Butternut Squash Ravioli at DiFranco's No. 60: Sesame Balls at Vinh Xuong Bakery No. 59: Curry Puffs at Suvipa Thai Food No. 58: Diavola Pizza at Pizzeria Locale No. 57: Chorizo Breakfast Stew at DJ's 9th Avenue Cafe No. 56: The Rare Beast Sandwich at Salt & Grinder No. 55: 48-Hour Short Ribs at Chop Shop Casual Urban Eatery No. 54: Marrow Bone Brulee at Mercantile Dining & Provision No. 53: Prawns and Pork Belly at Blackbelly Market No. 52: Belgian Waffles from Waffle Up No. 51: Nashville Hot Chicken at Lou's Food Bar No. 50: Breakfast Burrito from Chickee's Lil Kitchen No. 49: Monkfish and Romanesco at TAG No. 48: Cabeza Tacos at Taqueria El Trompito No. 47: Pupusas Revueltas at Pupuseria San Salvador No. 46: Sesame Pockets at Golden Plate II No. 45: Tuna Mousse at Cart-Driver No. 44: Tavern Tots at the Highland Tavern No. 43: Carne Asada Fries at North County No. 42: Pho at Wonderbowl No. 41: Shredded Bison at Tocabe No. 40: Nachos al Pastor from Tony Guacamole No. 39: Prosciutto Pop Tart from Bakin' Bakery