Just a few nights after it opened in late February, Casa Juani is buzzing with lively chatter from patrons, their cutlery clinking across artisanal plateware displaying collections of vibrant tapas dishes. Spanish wines and creative cocktails in delicate coupe glasses frame the plates resting on light oak tables. Friends and families huddle in camel-hued booths, reaching to sample the feast in front of them. The vibe is decidedly Boulder—hip yet relaxed—but also completely distinctive, a testament to its owners.
Casa Juani is the debut restaurant concept from chefs (and married couple) Eduardo Valle Lobo and Kelly Jeun, Frasca Food & Wine alums who also helmed kitchens in New York restaurants Eleven Madison Park and Del Posto. Serving inventive yet familiar Spanish fare with a focus on fresh seafood, Casa Juani is a love letter to Valle Lobo’s 98-year-old mother, Juanita, who raised him and his three siblings in Madrid. “I get emotional talking about it,” Valle Lobo says. “She stayed home, taking care of the family, cooking seven days a week with super delicious ingredients. She sacrificed a lot for us. It’s what she’s always done.”
Menus reveal Juanita’s influence, from a simple Spanish omelette with eggs, olive oil, potato and salt flakes, to a mushroom, rice and Périgord truffle dish, to croquetas—small, breaded rolls filled with bechamel sauce and cinco jotas jamón Ibérico, Spain’s most premium free-range ham. This particular pig, Valle Lobo says, is a symbol of Spanish cuisine. The animal grazes on acorns to produce a distinct nutty flavor, and just one leg can be worth up to $1,300. A highlight of Casa Juani’s offering is the marisqueria seafood bar, where chefs prepare raw dishes like razor clams, oysters, mussels with clam ceviche, scallops with onion and tarragon, and a sea urchin custard complemented by ajo blanco and green grapes. Jeun says their many travels to Madrid, where popular markets offer dozens of fresh fish and restaurants showcase seafood in dining rooms, inspired their own display.
“People care about where their food comes from,” she says. “They want to see it. To have a view of the marisqueria in our dining room, it makes it fun and interactive. Guests can be part of the experience.”
Casa Juani seafood, vegetables and meats are sourced from the East and West Coasts, Spain and local farms, including Toohey & Sons and Esoterra Culinary Garden. Sea urchins are overnighted from Santa Barbara, California, where divers caught them the previous day. Every ingredient in the kitchen begins whole, whether it’s spices, ribeye on the bone, or a freshly harvested tomato. “There’s no shortcut to delicious cooking,” Jeun says. “It’s about developing flavors. Food tastes better when you can source it properly.”
Restaurant interiors lean on a Mediterranean minimalist aesthetic, allowing the food to take center stage. Boulder architecture firm Arch11 infused the space with Iberian design flair—earthy and modern with stone and marble accents. Valle Lobo and Jeun found various plates, bowls, and other ceramics in showrooms across Madrid, Barcelona, and New York. Attention to detail is visible in the plating, where the couple’s culinary creativity shines.
“We’re presenting tapas in a fun way, interacting different seafood and vegetables,” Valle Lobo says. “I'm doing this because of my mom. We want to have good food, good ingredients. Someone told me, ‘The food tastes like my grandma’s.’ It’s incredible. I'm very happy."
Casa Juani
901 Pearl St., Boulder
CasaJuaniBoulder.com