ribeye

 What: Grand Cru, which is a French term for the most elite wines. This restaurant lives up to its name as it is one of the elite restaurants recently added to Denver.

Where: 5370 Greenwood Plaza Blvd., #I-106 Greenwood Village, CO, US 80111

When: Doors are open Monday thru Saturday at 5:00pm for dinner only. The last dinner seating takes place at 9:30pm. Private dinning available.

Pros: The steak is the best steak I have ever had. It was so tender that I could cut it with my fork.

Cons: The restaurant is quite small. You can’t help but hear the conversation at the table directly next to you. However, Chef Brown is making some changes to the atmosphere which will include a separate bar area as well as a lounge with a state of the art aquarium

 

3The Landmark is the place to be on the weekends if you live in the DTC area. People dart around in every direction headed to the movie theater or on their way to dine at the chain restaurants. Now there’s something new on the block. Hiding in a quaint spot located next to the popular Jing Restaurant sits a goldmine called Grand Cru.

The second you walk into Grand Cru you forget that you are in the middle of one of the hottest spots in DTC. Everything from the softness of the hostesses voice to the romantic atmosphere and music, takes you to a place of relaxation. All the tables are adorn with delicate flowers and candlelight.

As we were seated, Chef Jonas Brown waltzed out from the kitchen and greeted us at the table with a humble yet confident persona. Chef Brown attended culinary school in Las Vegas but has made his way back to Denver to embark upon his first solo restaurant journey.  Grand Cru is his vision and cooking is his passion. He let us know from the beginning that he doesn’t have steak knives in his restaurant, insinuating that one wouldn’t need a sharp knife to cut through his tender cuts of meat. “People love my steaks,” he said. With that, he was off to prepare our meal.

orangeSoon after our chat with the chef, the Wine Country Salad made a grand entrance and looked too good to eat. Everything was in its perfect place as if Chef Brown had strategically placed every ingredient one by one. As I took my first bite I realized it tasted as good as it looked. The apples, walnuts, red onion and grapes were paired perfectly with the blue cheese crumbles and the mixed greens.

I got lost in the salad and before I knew it, out came the much-anticipated Grand Ribeye U.S.D.A. Prime steak and the sides, which you order separately. The truffle garlic mashed potatoes and the sautéed spinach were the choices for the evening. And my, what amazing choices they were. When I took my first bite of the potatoes I immediately went to heaven. All I could do was let the them melt in my mouth and savor the creamy garlic sensation.

After a couple bites of the truffle garlic mashed potatoes I remembered I had the steak sitting in front of me. I glanced around the table searching for the steak knife. Then I remembered, Chef Brown stated the restaurant doesn’t own steak knives. That was a pretty big statement. Could this meat be so tender that I would be able to cut it with my butter knife?  I was in utter shock and disbelief. Not only the tenderness of the steak was amazing but the seasoning and the added onion blue cheese sauce bring Chef Brown’s steak as close to perfection as it gets. Actually, the meat is so tender that I only needed my fork to cut a piece of the steak. When I say I have never had a better steak in my life, I truly mean it. cake

Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, items from the sweet endings menu were served. And oh how sweet it was. First we tasted the Creme Brulee which was magnificently light and fluffy. This rich custard was served in the traditional small white desert bowl and had an excellent thin sugary top coat that broke easily when tapped. Chef Brown has turned me into a creme brulee fan.

The creme brulee was amazing but beware. The hot chocolate cake, which is flourless, is something you will crave for days. The fantastic blend of chocolates will leave you wanting more of this perfectly portioned simply sweet cake.

The entire experience was exceptional! Grand Cru did not miss a beat. The hostess/waitress Jennifer was absolutely delightful and never rushed us. She checked in with us just enough so we knew she was there if needed but never imposed upon our meal. It was great to see Chef Jonas take such pride in his first restaurant creation. He was back in the trenches, making sure everything was cooked to his liking and presented in a way which sets Grand Cru above the rest.

As we were leaving I noticed a poster hanging on the wall advertising “The Last Dinner on the Titanic” On April 11th and 12th Chef Brown will serve up the 10 course first-class meal exactly as it was served on the Titanic over a hundred years ago. A live orchestra will perform throughout the night and all guests must dine in 1912 attire. There are only eighteen spots open for this elegant and extravagant dinner experience and I have no doubt they will sell out, if they haven’t already.

My suggestion: Go to Grand Cru before it becomes the restaurant to be at. Once the secret is out about this place, I guarantee they will have lines out the door.