On Monday, February 17 Lea Jane’s Hot Chicken will open on the second floor of Avanti. Replacing QuickFish Poke Bar, the new concept from veteran chef Nick Graves will serve a succinct menu of starters, sandwiches, sides and beautifully-breaded bird, with a weekend brunch available Saturday and Sunday.
Lea Jane’s is something of a departure from the kinds of kitchens that comprise the 19 years Graves has spent cooking professionally. Most recently he helped open two Miami restaurants — Ember, a wood-fired American bistro, and Kaido, a Japanese-style cocktail lounge that favors wagyu, uni and elaborate omakase. The chef’s decorated career has included contributions to more than a few esteemed kitchens. He’s worked in fine dining — Michelin-starred and James Beard winners included. “I’ve done everything I possibly could except win the award,” said Graves.
The menu is clearly a labor of love — a welcomed return to the kind of nostalgic cuisine Graves grew up eating. “I’m not using tweezers anymore,” grinned the chef. The decision to open in Denver came on a whim, Graves citing a vague desire to move out west. All the better for the city.
The tempeh lettuce wraps ($9) come with voodoo sauce and kale kimchi atop bibb lettuce. Graves — a former vegan — enjoys soy. Soon to be house-made crispy tempeh is available to be substituted on any of the sandwiches. The bok bok ($15) comes with two ground chicken patties, beer cheese and kettle chips on a robust pretzel bun. The use of chips as a topping is deeply underutilized outside of home-cooking — the crispy accouterment a perfect garnish for the dense sandwich.
While the menu features plenty of delightful options, the true and obvious star of the show is the fried chicken. The result of a three-day process, the bird receives a full day’s treatment in both brine and breading. On the third day, the chicken is fried in four different fats — country ham, bacon fat, butter and lard — then served up with spices that range from the more mild Southern to an almost adversarial clucking hot. Like the many classic Southern chicken joints that came before it, Lea Jane’s will have a limited supply daily. For sweets, the root beer float ($5) — the pinnacle of sentimental dessert desires — comes with a healthy dose of Sweet Action ice cream.
Avanti beverage director Christopher Stotts has done a good job of lacing the menu with a range of pairings that thoughtfully complement the dishes. There’s an appropriate amount of champagne — a truly underrated match for fried chicken. There’s a little beer to go with the sandwiches — the bok bok sees a German pilsner from Elevation Brewing and the hot chicken sandwich the Melvin IPA.
While there is no shortage of excellent options at Avanti, Lea Jane’s brings a healthy dose of Southern hospitality to the sundry food hall.
Lea Jane’s Hot Chicken is located in Avanti at 3200 North Pecos St, Denver. It is open Sunday – Wednesday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Thursday – Saturday 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.
All photography by Alden Bonecutter.