In the search for some of the best meals in Denver, it is easy to get sucked into looking for expensive menus, small portions and classic French techniques. While those restaurants are timeless, chefs in Denver have expanded their creativity to change our perception of delicious dishes and elevate everyday ingredients. Proclaiming itself as “sophisticated Southern food,” the slogan at Julep takes these ideas to heart.
The idea of Southern food resonates in a way unlike any other cuisines in America. We see it as down-home comfort. The high heels or sport coats can take the night off when you eat at this type of restaurant—it’s called soul food for a reason. The combination of ingredients meld into a masterful dish that feels like heating up against a roaring winter fire with a hot chocolate in hand, laying out at the beach without getting a sunburn or having someone you respect say “I’m proud of you.” Though all are completely different iterations of warmth, they each provide a sense of light inside that remains glowing. This type of food can put even the most neurotic mindset at ease—It’s basically like eating mindfulness on a plate. Therefore, there’s no question that when a chef can truly pay homage to that soulful feeling that they should be rewarded with being named one of the best restaurants in the city.
Found towards the end of the Rino art district on Larimer Street, Julep is “out in the country” of Denver, if you will. A huge front deck is accompanied by windows to let in the sun’s natural light as you enjoy local provisions with a down-home twist. The ingredients that Julep uses are undoubtedly Southern.
The restaurant’s brunch menu features hoecakes, because pancakes aren’t what the diners in the south flip daily. They offer grits instead of oatmeal. Of course, no one has the audacity to separate the unmatched southern duo of shrimp spiced with red creole heat and creamy corn grits that offer some sweetness. While french toast is a brunch classic, Julep offers bread pudding for that same rich breakfast bite. You can even find the flavors of a sweet potato casserole in the bread pudding, reminding you of Thanksgiving and the epitome of comfort food. Two of grandma’s favorite dishes in one means that Julep is truly trying to pull at your heartstrings—and it’s working. The brunch is the kind you indulgently eat in bed, but the flavor will spring you out of bed in one step.
You won’t find a pre-sliced piece of white bread that might have the same chemicals that make your teeth look like they should be featured in a Crest 3-D White Strips commercial. Instead, they have biscuits like any good southern-inspired restaurant should. These mounds of dough are baked in order to project a golden glow on the outside that emulates the crust on a perfectly crispy baked sugar cookie, while the inside maintains a soft integrity. The softness of the inside could be mistaken for the lovely buttery texture of a doughy garlic knot from an old Italian establishment. Usually, people have great aspirations for the ideal biscuit but the result feels overworked and machine-made. At Julep, the varying shapes make it known they are clearly hand-rolled, kneaded and shaped. While you can order just one, a serving size is usually at least three.
As for dinner, it seems like dishes that could be made at home. However, when the artistic, playful plates arrive, they are nothing like you would expect. Many foods come to mind when thinking of down-home southern classics, but they offer the king of them all and treat him like royalty—fried chicken. Listed on both the brunch and dinner menu, the plate comes with steam waiting to escape once you take the first bite to break the crispy layer of breading. The deep hazel dredging has made its way into every inch of the breast, thigh and wing. It’s clung so close that each piece is still recognizable which allows for the ideal ratio of breading to chicken. The exterior lays as body armor, concealing the juices that hide underneath. They treat him like a turkey on Thanksgiving where the bird is the star of the show.
The upscale ambiance might resonate with any other fine dining restaurant, but it truly is just a peek into the humble home of chef Ryan Foster.
