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The Big Red F Restaurant Group (the entity behind standbys such as Lola in LoHi and the West End Tavern in Boulder) is opening its fourth Jax Fish House this spring. The new Jax, which will open in Glendale, joins locations in Boulder (1994); downtown Denver (1995); and Fort Collins (2011). Though each restaurant is rooted in the East Coast fish house mentality, the individual spaces boast their own personalities. That distinction is cultivated by the chef in the kitchen: Boulder’s Jax delivers more local, forage-friendly cuisine; downtown Denver’s offers Asian-influenced eats, while Fort Collins’ menu leans French.
Chef Duane Walker, previously Lola’s executive chef, will head up the Glendale location. In an effort to school himself in Jax’s culture and cuisine, Walker is cooking at the Boulder flagship. Look to that location’s nightly specials—pesto-crusted grouper with Turkish fig ratatouille, potato crisp, and roasted butternut squash purée or spice-rubbed Mahi Mahi (pictured) with fingerling potato fricassee, creamed corn, and pepita-Colorado radish gremolata—for a peek at Glendale’s future. It is through these dishes that Walker will refine his interpretation of the beloved fish house.
When: The new Jax will open by April 15, 2013.
Where: 600 S. Cherry St.
More Jax News: Celebrate the final moments of 2012 and Jax Denver (circa 1995) on New Year’s Eve. The restaurant will close the following day, January 1, for renovations. The new look will be revealed about two weeks later.