BearLeek

Photos courtesy of Kevin Austin 

Hello my fellow foodies and welcome back. I’ve been on vacation on top of the world (literally) this Summer, but am now back, rested, and ready to go with all the culinary adventures!

I picked a great one for my first venture back from my summer break. BearLeek in Denver opened last month, and it’s all the buzz. Under the direction on Chef Harrison Porter and Rema Maaliki, BearLeek is a globally inspired restaurant based on Chef Porters experiences in restaurants in Melbourne, Peru, and here in Denver. Chef Porter has worked in such restaurants as Mercantile Dining and Provision, was the executive chef at Jacques, and Brasserie Brixton. He was part of the culinary team at Alma Fonda recently before branching out on his own to open BearLeek. Rema has experience at The Wolf’s Tailor, Mercantile Dining and Provision, and abroad in Australia. With her roots in Palestine and Lebanon, the collaboration of Chef Porter, Rema Maaliki, and Carlos Hugo Meza, Beverage Director represented a restaurant that I just had to check out.

BearLeek sits in a basement in in the RiNo district of Denver. You feel special just walking down the stairs to enter as it’s like a little bit of a secret. The dark interior is showcased by the brightly lit open kitchen and bar area. I always love when I can see the chefs at work creating their amazing dishes.

The dishes are made to share, and they all have some kind of twist to them. My husband and I started with Bread and Butter Bear. If you are a homemade bread eater, then this is a must order. The bread is served steaming hot with a Charred Leek Butter in the shape of, you guessed it, a bear. It is heavenly, and a melt in your mouth starter. The French Onion Tartlet and the Tomato and Melon in Bear Cham was next. Both were so different, but the French Onion Tartlet goes on my list of best things I have ever eaten. It is rich, filled with creamy onions, and topped off with the most delicious Taleggio fondue. If you like French Onion Soup, this is it, taken up 100 notches, and with a buttery crust to die for. The Tuna Crudo was a fantastic play on the original with labneh, a mint vinegarette and a sesame ponzu. It is a Japanese, Middle Eastern masterpiece and all the flavors worked perfectly together.

We had the Halibut and Ratatouille to share for our main course. Topped with Fish Fumet and Crispy Leeks. It was also a winner. Perfectly cooked, the fish was crispy on the outside, flaky on the inside, and bursting with a fusion of flavors.

Cocktails and desserts are as inventive as the food at BearLeek, so don’t skip either. One thing I will mention is that my husband is not a fan of tomatoes, or melon, and he devoured both at BearLeek, so I can say a big thank you to Chef Porter and all the staff for turning him back from the dark side. The food is just that good at BearLeek, so go there, and create your own culinary adventure, you won’t be disappointed. Until next time my fellow foodies, eat well, drink well, and be well.