Denver Restaurant Week celebrates 21 years

• Meals range from $25 to $55 and reservations are expected to go quickly.

The big picture: The annual celebration of Denver's restaurant scene comes at a precarious time for the industry, with closures mounting by the day and a loud fight at the state Capitol about how to remedy the situation.

Dig in: To generate a little inspiration, we combed through the menus and picked our standouts for the week:

• John: The approachable atmosphere and food at Dio Mio in RiNo make it an easy pick for a weeknight meal, and the white chicken ragu with sage and fried prosciutto sounds like a treat.
• Alayna: RiNo's lively Magna Kainan is offering a three-course meal showcasing refined, wood-fired Filipino comfort food. I'm eyeing the sinigang — a tamarind broth brimming with mussels — and the bibingka, a rice cake with smoked gouda and salted egg caramel.
• Esteban: The food at Champagne Tiger pairs nicely with the upscale cocktail lounge vibe at this relatively new East Colfax restaurant and bar. I'd go with the maitake mushroom linguine.