This month’s food feature, The Foundry, is located within the Twin Mills Club in Denver. Although the club and its many amenities are for members only, don’t worry the restaurant is open to the public! Once you drive through their impeccably landscaped community and reach the clubhouse, you will find their sophisticated, yet welcoming restaurant. You will have the option to sit inside the expansive dining area or outside if the weather permits. The inside features an open kitchen which allows you to watch the staff work their magic through a wall of windows. Outside comprises a large patio space with umbrellaed tables, and a window that converts the bar to service outdoors as well as indoors. Everything about the atmosphere here screams significance, and the food is equally impressive. 

We started out by ordering two favorite cocktails: the Denver Sunset and Foundry Old Fashioned. The Denver Sunset is a tropical mix including coconut Carolina rum, pineapple and orange juice with a nutmeg rim and orange garnish. This drink is perfect for the warming weather that’s approaching or if you want to feel like you are on vacation. If you are looking for a drink with a head turning presentation, their old fashioned easily checks that box. Made with Elijah Craig bourbon, this cocktail is smoked table-side with cherry wood. Their drink menu also features plenty of wine by the glass or bottle and beers bottled or on tap.

Now, onto the food! Their appetizer section has a variety of options great for sharing. Some fan favorites include sauteed mussels, wood-grilled ribs, the empress cauliflower, and crispy Brussel sprouts. We decided to go with the ribs and Brussel sprouts. The wood-grilled ribs had benne seeds, sorghum, bacon barbeque and Mayfair dressing. The ribs were cut into eight large pieces, perfect for the whole table. The creamy dressing paired excellent with the light smoke and barbeque sauce of the ribs. We loved the Brussel sprouts and can easily see why they are a popular starter. The balsamic reduction added a sweet touch to this veggie appetizer sprinkled with grated parmesan cheese. Next time we stop in, the sauteed mussels are already on our must try list. We were told these are served in a heaping portion that many order as their meal.

For the main event, we choose from each of their entrée sections: handhelds, pizza, and chef’s table. Within the handheld section we opted for the house-smoked pastrami Reuben sandwich. Served on golden grains bakery bread, the corn beef is cooked overnight then smoked quickly, rubbed in coffee glaze and pastrami seasoning. Each handheld also comes with either crispy fries, house slaw, or garlic parmesan fries as a side. We went with the parm fries which were delicious! For pizza we chose the margherita with overnight tomatoes, fresh basil, and mozzarella cheese. The overnight tomatoes are tossed in spices and laid out to oven dry overnight. All pizzas are made in-house from small batch dough daily and can also be substituted for gluten free crust. From the chef’s table section, we had one of the newest items available to the menu which was the green Chile Peruvian chicken. This dish is a play on dirty rice with a fusion Southern twist. The chicken is locally sourced from Joyce Farms, served with crispy rice, black eyed peas and hatch Chile sauce. This meal was just as delicious as it looked! The chicken was tasty and plentiful, while the crispy rice added a nice crunch for texture. Some other popular entrées we did not try were the Foundry salad, rocket bird sandwich, steak 310 and  wood-grilled salmon.

We are so thankful that we remembered to save room for dessert, because it was a highlight of our dinner. The famous butter cake is a signature item, which once again was presented beautifully. The warm brown sugar crusted cake was topped with vanilla ice cream and surrounded by berries, flowers and whiskey sauce. Sharing this melt-in-your-mouth sweet treat was a flawless way to end our meal. 

At The Foundry you can tell a lot of love, time and detail goes into every dish. One of our favorite things about this spot is how they use products from various local farms and bakeries that are highlighted in blue on the easy-to-read menu. Chef Brett Faldstein is doing a wonderful job turning healthy and fresh local ingredients into scrumptious meals with a Southern flare. Other honorable mentions about this restaurant are their weekly specials, including a lunch combo, Sunday brunch, wine flights and more! This space also hosts events like holiday buffets and can be booked for showers and weddings. 

This hidden gem is definitely worth checking out for your next dinner outing. You can find it located at 310 Exploration Blvd. in Denver, NC. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner Wednesday through Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. On Sunday’s they offer a brunch menu from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., followed by dinner from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. With its diverse menu and skillfully prepared dishes, The Foundry is a top-notch culinary destination in the area. Whether you’re a vegetarian, seafood lover or meat aficionado, there’s something here for everyone. The ambiance is stylish and inviting, the staff is friendly and attentive, and everything we tasted was fantastic! Be sure to make a reservation by calling their team at 704-585-8778 before visiting. If you’re in search of a restaurant with quality food and a fine casual environment, you won’t want to miss out on an experience at The Foundry. Reservations are also available through OpenTable at https://www.opentable.com/r/the-foundry-at-trilogy-norman-lake-denver. You can also find their menu at https://lakenorman.bluestarmenus.com/the-foundry/