BY MIGUEL OTÁROLA, @MOTAROLA_EATS

I watched Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" trilogy over the weekend. The escape into Middle Earth felt much needed. I've not read the books, but the late film critic Roger Ebert did. His interpretation was that hobbits "are good-hearted, bustling, chatty little creatures who live in twee houses or burrows, and dress like the merry men of Robin Hood–in smaller sizes, of course. They eat seven or eight times a day, like to take naps, have never been far from home and have eyes that grow wide at the sounds of the night. They are like children grown up or grown old, and when they rise to an occasion, it takes true heroism, for they are timid by nature and would rather avoid a fight."

Those are some #goals right there. Seven or eight meals a day? Sign me up for the Shire!

EDITOR'S PICKS

Denver chef Carrie Baird joins culinary castaways on new reality cooking competition

TIP POOL

Who makes the best bar nuts/trail mix in Colorado?

MORE HEADLINES

• U-Haul truck smashes into Uptown restaurant; owners’ other restaurant recently hit by a fire
• In-N-Out Burger moves forward with new northern Colorado, metro Denver restaurants
• New Colorado brewery wants to reinvigorate craft beer with novel hop technology
• Upscale Denver noodle shop and bar closes its doors
• Denver BBQ joint Post Oak planning second location near DU — BusinessDen
• Italian restaurant set to open in former Brider space on Platte Street — BusinessDen
• Commentary: Why are Colorado restaurants so freaking loud? — Allyson Reedy
  

EAT THIS

Dumpling Spot

The quality emerging from this food stall inside Edgewater Public Market doesn't match its humble name or decor. Dumpling Spot deserves more praise -- or perhaps a more colorful sign. The Chinese-style dumplings are fresh, piping hot and made with tasty fillings such as chicken and sweet corn and shrimp and pork. The dim sum sampler, pictured above, has more intricate variations -- shrimp shumai, for instance, and dumplings with rose-shaped pleats.

Located at Edgewater Public Market, 5505 W. 20th Ave., Edgewater; toasttab.com