Father’s Day is nearly here, sending shivers of anxiety through families everywhere: What to get for Dad this year? He’s maxed on power tools. Full up on camping gear. And if he wears ties, he’d rather pick out his own.
Here’s the deal. What Dad really wants this Sunday is a steak. A big, fat, juicy steak, charred on the edges and pink in the middle. And he doesn’t want to have to get dressed up for it, either.
Problem solved: Juicy Lucy’s Steakhouse in Cherry Creek North, an offshoot of the popular decade- old Glenwood Springs steakhouse.
Housed in a building that’s seen more than its share of restaurants visit and die (anyone remember Papillon? Indigo? Tula?), Juicy Lucy’s might have cracked the code on this treacherous piece of real estate: Serve straightforward food in an unpretentious atmosphere.
Groundbreaking? Nope. Inspiring? Not really. Write-home-able? Nah.
Reliable steak-and-fixin’s? You bet.
Although you could order fish or chicken at Juicy Lucy’s, they’d both be beside the point of this place, which is, clearly, big slabs of meat.
Tops at Juicy Lucy’s was the New York sirloin strip, supple and nicely seasoned and just fatty enough, with a hint (not a shout) of grill-char (not oven-char) at the edges. Choose the 14-ouncer if you want sandwich leftovers, which you will.
Also rating nicely was the filet mignon, although the 6-ouncer was more evenly cooked than the 9-ounce piece. And those with a clean bill of cardiac health will have a ball with the massive T-bone or the even bigger porterhouse, enough for at least two, if not four.
The center-cut pork chop merited less enthusiasm, dry as it was and draped in a cloying cider glaze. And the salmon fillet was simply a waste of time. Come to think of it, skip the fish entirely, and stick to steaks.
Steaks and appetizers, of course.
Among the typical appetizer offerings like shrimp cocktail (called “martini” here) and steamed artichoke is the eyebrow-raising “Elk in Fillo on Bordelaise Sauce” which was, surprisingly, a keeper of a dish. The gamey elk, buttery against the flaky phyllo crust, luxuriated in its bordeaux-and-shallot sauce, making for a remarkably sophisticated dish that demanded attention.
On the side, choose the button mushrooms sauteed with brandy or the fresh creamed spinach, but skip the gooey beer-batter onion rings and the gloppy potatoes au gratin.
Service at Juicy Lucy’s is relaxed and friendly, efficient and capable but not at all formal.
I have two main beefs with Juicy Lucy’s. One, the prices. While the restaurant feels like a less-expensive steakhouse, the truth is, its steak prices are right in line with some of the swankier spots in town (Porterhouse, $38.50; New York strip, $24.75-$31). At many steakhouses, part of your bill is for elevated, formal service; Juicy Lucy’s laid-back vibe should come cheaper. (Get around this by coming early in the week, when you can score a steak dinner for two for $52.80 on Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays.)
Two, and this is admittedly picky: The fluorescent lights in the parking garage across the street stream like daggers into the wide-open dining room. If you’re anywhere near the windows, you’ll wish you had your sunglasses, so angle for a table in the back. There must be a solution (glazed windows, perhaps) — here’s hoping Juicy Lucy’s finds it.
Dad deserves a steak this weekend, and at Juicy Lucy’s, he doesn’t even have to change out of his cargo shorts to get it. Lucky him.
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Juicy Lucy’s Steakhouse
Steak. 250 Josephine St., 303-393-6700, juicylucys
** (Very Good)
Atmosphere: Laid-back, spacious room with big tables and generous booths.
Service: Relaxed, sometimes too relaxed
Wine: Accessible wine list, mostly steaky reds
Plates: Appetizers $5.75-$12; steaks $15.75-$38.50
Hours: 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Sunday-Thursday. 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday
Details: Reservations suggested but not always needed. Parking lot on north side of building. Wheelchair accessible. Happy hour specials daily from 4 to 6:30 p.m.
Three visits.
Our star system: : **** Exceptional : *** Great : ** Very Good : * Good
