The Luhrs Tower, an art deco skyscraper in downtown Phoenix, has long been a signature building that links the past and present identities of the city’s center. While the tower has undergone significant renovations in past years and is bonded to its neighbor, the Luhrs Building, via the connecting Luhs City Center, it has long lacked a signature restaurant to complement its architectural distinctiveness. After a fast-casual chain tenant, the building now has Casa de Julia, a full-service Mexican restaurant, to fill the gap on the ground floor.
The Julia associated with this particular casa is the grandmother of the restaurant’s owner, who is herself from a family that operates Filiberto’s fast food restaurants. Casa de Julia is at the opposite end of the Mexican restaurant spectrum with a refined look and sophisticated menu more in line with an upscale urban experience than a 24-hour drive-thru. The restaurant is adjacent to the eastbound A Line platform of the Downtown Phoenix Hub, and similar stops for trains in other directions all found within a block or two of the Luhrs Tower’s central location.
Casa de Julia’s ground floor space is right at the corner of First Avenue and Jefferson Street, and the nearest bike racks are found across the street just outside the CityScape development.. At this time, a potentially appealing spot for patio dining along First Avenue sits unused. Perhaps that can be developed with milder weather. Until then, look for the entrance along Jefferson that leads to an airy dining room full of potted plants, light wood, and natural light. A trendy selfie wall with neon is found towards the back, beyond the bar and near the kitchen.
The servers will often offer a little bit of chips and medium-hot salsa as a light snack, but that’s about as far as Casa de Julia goes in terms of the usual Mexican restaurant playbook. Instead, the kitchen focuses on starters like enfrijoladas, solid cubes of panela cheese inside folded tortillas covered in a rich, zesty sauce of pureed beans and chipotles. A choice of meat can be added if desired, bringing the already hearty appetizer into entree territory. The queso asada is decadent with a big puck of firm cheese served in a spicy dark sauce augmented with chorizo.
A lighter touch is found in the aguachile de camaron in which raw shrimp are surrounded by a pungent hibiscus sauce with abundant chili, red onions, cucumber, and avocado in a sort of helical tower. A brunch menu served until mid-afternoon features a variety of breakfast-oriented dishes such as huevos rancheros, French toast, vegetable and short rib omelettes, and chilaquiles with red or green sauce. Items that trend towards lunch include a pork belly sandwich in brioche and a smashburger dressed with pico de gallo and avocado spread.
A bowl of traditional red pozole is a mild version, but some salsa on the side can be used to heat things up a bit. Radishes, lettuce, and onions are already chopped up and added to the bowl, eliminating some of the fun of customizing this dish to individual preferences, but perhaps allowing for a neater presentation. Tender pork also finds its way into the asada de puerco, a stew served with fluffy seasoned rice and some salsa. A luscious piece of short rib is served in a spicy mole with sides of grilled asparagus and a combined puree of potatoes and cauliflower.
Enchiladas verdes are also strong here. With a choice of chicken or cheese as fillings, they’re presented in a smooth green sauce that is highly flavorful but not terribly spicy. Tacos at Casa de Julia are elevated in their approach with three of them presented flat on a plate in an almost mathematically perfect arrangement. The restaurant’s eponymous Taco Julia incorporates. tender strips of steak on corn tortillas that have essentially fused with griddled cheese. Grilled peppers and onions and avocado puree add variety in terms of both taste and visual appeal.
Taco Xicali is a slightly different presentation of beef while the Taco Baja incorporates plump slabs of fish that have been cooked in a tempura-like batter and then topped with avocado crema drizzle and pico de gallo. All the tacos are based on corn tortillas and are served in trios that are generally quite filling. Nevertheless, if something extra is desired, there are sides of asparagus, mashed cauliflower and potatoes, corn on the cob, and potato wedges available, in addition to two hearty salads, a Caesar and a Honey Harvest salad with fruit and gorgonzola.
Case de Julia’s approach to dessert emphasizes artful presentations of classic Mexican sweets. A piece of tres leches cake is accessorized with ribbons of cream on top and a crisp lattice extending from the slice. Chocoflan is stratified with chocolate on the bottom, flan above it, and a top layer of berries. The star, however, is the arroz con leche, which is presented under a small glass dome with a burning cinnamon stick. The glass top helps retain the smoky, spicy scent, which blends well with a layer of finely minced pineapple below the creamy rice pudding.
The bar serves beer and wine, as well as cocktails such as Holy Night, a mezcal drink with chili and a bit of corn added to create a smoky, spicy blend. Nora’s Mystery is made with bacanora, an agave distillate from the mountains of Sonora, and enlivened with a hunk of ginger, some lime, and an orchid blossom. In an act of alliterative appreciation, margaritas are discounted on Mondays. Built in 1929, the Luhrs Tower has stood Downtown for nearly 100 years. A modern Mexican restaurant like Casa de Julia seems a good fit as it approaches its second century.
45 W. Jefferson St., Phoenix AZ 85003
https://www.casadejuliaphx.com
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