Alluring French Bistro, LeRoux, in Downtown Denver
Once I stepped in the dark blue enclave of Bistro LeRoux, I was transported to an alluring vibe of a French bistro amidst the hustle and bustle of downtown Denver. As I was ushered to one of the best seats in the house featuring a chandelier atop, I instantly knew that I was in for a special candlelit dinner by Executive Chef Lon Symensma and Chef de Cuisine Justin Benavidez.
Just like its lemon tart dessert delicately prepared with toasted vanilla meringue and a passion chocolate on top, each dish from LeRoux embodies meticulous European techniques with a contemporary twist.
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| Lemon tart |
European techniques at its finest
The star of the night was definitely the mushroom mille-feuille, which means one thousand sheets, layers, or leaves. What is more commonly known as a French dessert named Napolean, LeRoux's rendition of the savory mille-feuille was a spectacular display of thinly sliced king mushrooms layered like a cake-- a vegetarian dish encircled with earthy, white bean cassoulet, red wine jus, and smaller oyster mushrooms.
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| Mushroom mille-feuille |
The panna cotta, originally an Italian dessert, was introduced as a small plate made out of rhubarb. Besides from the striking plating, the nuttiness of the pistachio together with the flavorful goat cheese and tarragon complemented the tartiness of the rhubarb. Although I would have envisioned this as part of the dessert selection, the rhubarb panna cotta paired well with the Bee Sting cocktail concocted with Breckenridge gin, chamomile honey, lemon and absinthe foam as a palette opener.
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| Rhubarb panna cotta |
Other classic dishes came in a form of a burrata, a delightful appetizer with candied walnuts and pear mostarda, an Italian fiery, sweet preserve, as well as a French onion soup with stock that was literally oozing with sexiness out from cave-aged cheese, taking the daily woes away paired with a cocktail potion of suerte reposado, amaro montenegro and an Italian vermouth called punta e'mes aptly named as A Long Day. I did have a long day, alright!
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| French onion soup with A Long Day cocktail |
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| Burrata with arugula, candied walnuts, pear mostarda, arugula and grilled baguette |
A celebration of textures
Rounding out the special meal at LeRoux are the halibut and the chocolate mint gratin. With the main ingredients soft in texture, both are accented with a crunchy top and sides -- the fish was pan roasted to perfection with haricot verts or French green beans, and the bruleed gratin was accompanied with cacao nibs.
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| Pan roasted halibut with English pea puree, haricot verts, mint and pea tendrils. |
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| Chocolate mint gratin with yogurt glace and cacao nibs. |
The combination of exquisite food, intimate ambiance, and knowledgeable staff is what makes LeRoux a food destination not to be missed in downtown Denver.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary meal in exchange for an honest review at LeRoux.
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