Three-day smoked jackfruit, daikon radish bacon, and dairy-free inexperienced chile mac bites are on the menu at JackBeQue in Englewood.
South Denver has a brand new vegan consolation meals vacation spot, due to the arrival of JackBeQue. The takeout- or delivery-only spot, which opened contained in the Hilton Denver Inverness in February, is the brainchild of Atlanta native Ross Pullen.
Pullen, who studied sustainability in faculty earlier than attending culinary faculty at Colorado Mountain School in Summit County, transitioned to a vegan weight loss plan 4 years in the past with the assistance of a 10-day quick. That have opened his eyes to how a lot people overconsume every day and impressed him to open a Southern-style, vegan barbecue restaurant. “There’s a lot room to create more healthy choices for Southern delicacies, however I noticed an absence of that within the Denver space,” Pullen says.
At JackBeQue, Pullen gives dishes produced with whole-food components like natural bread, daikon radish, and hemp seed, then tops them with do-it-yourself and locally sourced vegan sauces. As its title hints, one of many highlights of the menu is smoked jackfruit, a tropical fruit that’s native to South India. When the produce is cooked and shredded, it seems remarkably just like pulled pork, making it a standard ingredient in vegan barbecue. The truth is, the hanging resemblance usually even fools diners. “I had a vegetarian visitor at a catering occasion a number of weeks in the past who virtually wouldn’t eat the barbecue as a result of she didn’t imagine it wasn’t meat,” Pullen chuckles.
Making JackBeQue’s signature smoked jackfruit requires a protracted course of. First, Pullen mixes the jackfruit with a few of his tangy, barely candy, do-it-yourself barbecue sauce. Then, it goes into the smoker for 3 days earlier than it’s able to be served in considered one of Pullen’s sandwiches, such because the JackBeQban, that includes barbecue jackfruit topped with vegan “cheeze,” smoked watermelon, pickles, and dijon mustard.
One other must-try menu merchandise is Pullen’s bacon, which is made with daikon radish that’s pickled and smoked, leading to a crunchy, savory accompaniment to dishes like Brandy-Braised Brussel Sprouts and the hearty BeanBePatty Soften. “I favor whole-plant components, and I keep away from soy, so I began working with daikon radish to see what I might create,” Pullen says.
JackBeQue solely makes use of pure components, equivalent to non-GMO rice bran oil for frying. Pullen’s dedication to utilizing entire meals is tied to his ardour for residing a sustainable way of life. For instance, after studying that a considerable amount of deforestation within the Amazon rainforest is brought on by a requirement for soybean farming, Pullen aimed to chop soy out of his weight loss plan.
Crunchy favorites to attempt embrace the fried inexperienced chile mac—bites which are crispy on the surface, creamy on the within, and served with a aspect of do-it-yourself barbecue sauce. Or order the hush puppies—considered one of Pullen’s favourite meals rising up. His variation is accompanied by a aspect of vegan maple butter (as a substitute of the standard honey butter), which enhances the light spice of chipotle seasoning.
Craving dessert? High off your meal with the peach blueberry cobbler, served with creamy, do-it-yourself hemp ice cream.
After just a few brief months of enterprise, JackBeQue is already increasing its hours and choices. Cease by on the weekend to attempt their newly debuted brunch menu, that includes Belgian-style mac and cheese waffles, homefry type potatoes, and, after all, a wholesome aspect of daikon bacon.
JackBeQue is open for takeout and supply contained in the Hilton Denver Inverness, Thursday–Friday, 11 a.m.–8 p.m., and Saturday–Sunday, 9 a.m.–8 p.m.; diners can even order by way of Uber Eats, Doordash, or Grubhub; 200 Inverness Dr. W., Englewood
