When Little Wolf first opened last Memorial Day, it was serving what co-owner Clarke Boyer calls “chaos cuisine.” A couple dozen plates from around the world were specifically designed to match the upwards of 100 whiskey bottles the place stocks and curates. The karaage chicken bao sliders, charcuterie boards and tiki salmon were all excellent, but to the casual observer, the place lacked identity.
Little Wolf had everything going for it, but it was still having trouble filling its dining rooms. So in late April, the place overturned the kitchen and introduced Flip and Howl, an astonishingly affordable burger concept that focuses on cold-smoked wagyu sourced from a ranch in Durango. Chris Odde, the brother of the other co-founder, Jonathan Odde, came on as chef, bringing with him the entire team from his now-closed Westminster burger joint Mojo 99.
It was a quick turnover, so fast that people hardly noticed that the once sleepy eatery had suddenly become the kind of place where folks might have to wait for a table at 2 p.m. on a Thursday. “We closed Saturday night and were open as Flip and Howl by that Wednesday,” said Odde.
All the burgers sit somewhere between $10 and $15, and nothing on the menu exceeds $20. So it’s surprising to see things as ornate as the Ask Alice with fried raclette, wild mushroom, arugula, red wine onion, shallot chips and black garlic ranch, and the Route 44 that comes topped with grilled pineapple, prosciutto, goat cheese, arugula and fig mostarda. But the menu isn’t deliberately far out or adversarial. The Vintage is as classic as it gets. One of the smoke-bomb patties is covered with Cooper Sharp cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle and howl sauce for something drive-thru dreams are made of.
At first, the more pedestrian offerings might seem like an odd fit next to what Boyer has described as one of the biggest collections of American single malts in the country. While before, dishes were precisely paired to pours or cocktails, now there’s just a sense that refined whiskey can’t go wrong with a great burger. The high and the low sit in not-so-unlikely harmony.
Boyer says that the decision to include two separate but overlapping concepts was inspired by the success of The Denver Biscuit Company, Atomic Cowboy and Fat Sully’s. “This is more what I thought we needed to do from the get-go.”
Even though plenty has changed, Little Wolf will still maintain its whiskey focus. It will continue presenting frequent whiskey events, with Jonathan Odde running the program.
Chris Odde has been very careful to make the kitchen diet-safe. Inspired by his fiancée, Susan Eisman, who has celiac disease, Odde isn’t cutting any corners. Gluten-free buns are nearly as good as the standard issue, separate cooking areas are strictly enforced and there are plenty of vegan alternatives despite the predominantly meat-focused menu. Every meal ends with a free gluten-free ice cream cone with house soft serve.
While The Vintage and the Ottomatic, with aged Irish cheddar, fried egg, bacon, green chilis and chipotle aioli are guaranteed to stay on the menu, Odde seems constantly driven to improve what’s offered. He shows an almost frantic passion for details, and churns out new menu items with alarming ease. “I’m always hungry in the middle of the night. That’s when the inspiration strikes,” said Odde. “Most of my recipes come at three or four in the morning.” The Wiseguy is one such creation. Sliced wagyu is covered in caramelized onion and a Greek yogurt, horseradish, crushed peppercorn and garlic sauce. Order this, or live a life of regret.
By all appearances, Flip and Howl infused Little Wolf with just the right spark to get it where it always knew it could be. Boyer says he has ambitious plans for the bar, adding that he will focus on classic cocktails.
“We’re trying to make the best burger that we can, and we won’t stop until we do,” smiled Odde.
Little Wolf home of Flip and Howl Burger Kitchen is located at 4408 Lowell Boulevard, Denver. It is open Sunday – Thursday from 11 a.m. – 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Photos courtesy of Clarke Boyer.
