Cherry Creek’s picture perfect restaurant destination, Second Home Kitchen + Bar

I’ll be the first to tell you: I have no flair for interior decorating. My reds go with pink leopard print and my Russian nesting dolls huddle in front of Van Halen posters. Don’t ask me for design advice.

Which is why I am so impressed by spaces that utilize the most unusual elements to compose a fluid, engaging space. Cherry Creek’s Second Home Kitchen + Bar – nestled inside the JW Marriott off Clayton Avenue – showcases a hefty helping of just this kind of skillful design. Picture it: shellacked panels of wood hang at odd intervals against the walls, soaking in excess sound; glowing neon lights color the back of a looming wine wall; floor–to–ceiling window–doors open to a courtyard with angular firepits and polo’ed guests tilting back Sonoma Sauvs. It’s the perfect entrée into summer, it turns out, and the kind of place you really want to be on a Friday night.

Which is where I landed with my better half a couple Fridays back. And while Second Home is, for lack of a better word, entrancing, it also eludes description. I mean, what would you call a dining room with chalkboard charcuterie signs feet away from a glowing wine wall? Art nouveau?

It turns out the menu is as conceptually elusive as the space. Their restaurant team dubs it “American home cooking with spins on timeless favorites,” while an international wine list and hefty microbrew selection render the concept something of a global fusion–touched exploration of comfort food–inspired eats. Follow? Me neither.

But the articulation of a concept is really put to the test on the plate; if it’s delicious, who can argue? And there’s no argument from me. The spring menu rolled out recently, bearing the creative marks of long–sung Executive Chef Jeff Bolton. There’s little pretension, and a lot of flavor.

Number one must-try: the Seared Cornbread Pudding. Don’t let the name fool you – this reads like an ooey-gooey indulgence, but in reality is a duo of moist, green chile-flecked cornbreads paired with a smoky Pasilla cream, salsa verde, and an ingenious pickled Fresno pepper-cilantro slaw that’s worthy of its own plate.

Number two: the Smoked Duck Breast and Asparagus Salad. Culinary gurus take note, this is how you compose a dish – a chorus of bitey arugula, snappy Sherry vinaigrette, creamy duck egg, earthy duck, crunchy hazelnuts, and sweet Port-soaked cherries that all land perfectly in key on a final captivating chord. Humor me in my dramatic rendering – it really is that good.

Number three: Skirt Steak with chimichurri and house fries. OK, OK, so this isn’t anything that raises an eyebrow or tickles the creative nerve, but it’s one of those Second Home comforts that will always earn applause. Why? It’s simple, accessible, and we love it – we crave it, even. And it’s no afterthought – the sour kick of the chimi does a great service to tender steak (done medium-rare, of course), and the fries have a luscious crunch.

Last but deliciously best: Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding. Honestly, they had me at “chocolate.” I’m a sucker for bread pudding, but when you top it with chocolate chip ice cream and couple it with an Irish coffee, then I will probably marry you.

Aside from its flavors, one of the greatest parts about Second Home is the diversity of its space and offerings. On the one hand, you can settle in for dinner and sail through courses, or you can sit outside in the cozy courtyard and nurse a beer while chatting about stock prices. You can also edge in for a seat at the bar and try an enormously potent cocktail while eyeing the crowd. Speaking of, the crowd is mostly well–to–do young business folk, but there’s enough of a mix to make an evening out on your own an adventure. How it ends is anyone’s guess; keep an open mind and a healthy appetite.

Second Home Kitchen & Bar is located at 150 Clayton Lane, 80206. More info at SecondHomeDenver.com