Bistro Barbes

Excellent dining experience that will long be remembered for its overall quality, ambiance, modesty, and artistic expression. Dinner was one of the most intimate and relaxing that I have ever encountered, with every course being extremely well prepared, expertly plated, and unbelievably delicious! Love this place!! Thank you Chef Jon!!!

This is the best meal I’ve had in Denver. We opted for the wine pairings and the whole experience was PHENOMENAL. Jon does it all himself. It’s quite something to see him, cook, serve, and even bus tables. You can tell a lot of thought has gone into each dish, his passion for cuisine is is clear. I will be coming back here often.

We went to Bistro Barbes for dinner and it was extremely good. Overall, it was a great experience from start to finish. The place is extremely cute and seems like something you would find if you looked around France and found the place that those in the know go to. We'd been there at least once many years ago and I wish I had thought to go there again sooner. It is definitely somewhere that I will go back to and a place that I will keep an eye on so that when their menu changes, I can book again. Now for the more in-depth review. It was a four-course fixed-menu. I'd checked out the menu when booking so I knew what to expect and thought my husband would like all of it and I would like everything with the exception of dessert (however this was because I don't like chocolate so I know I am the exception here). However, it is something to note that if you don't like the menu, it is fixed in advance. The first course was braised artichoke hearts. They were perfectly done and complemented by a nice pomegranate glaze. They were on a bed of hummus which was unique and something I hadn't seen before. Second course was shaved asparagus salad. We did ask for a substitution (my husband does not eat cheese) and they were able to accommodate it and used pine nuts as a topping rather than brie. The pine nuts were a nice touch, but I wish I had tasted one with brie for comparison. It was nice enough that I plan on incorporating them myself into future meals that I make and something I don't know I would have thought of doing before. The main dish was braised short rib. The only compliant of the whole evening was the potatoes were really hot but once they cooled slightly, they were crispy on the outside and perfect on the inside. The short rib was tender and the peppercorn sauce brought the meal together. It was also the perfect size for me - enough to be filling, but not enough to think that you overdid it. Dessert was a chocolate expresso cup - on the bottom was a chocolate cake with an expresso creme finished with a chocolate cap which you broke to distribute (much like a hard chocolate shell on an ice cream cone or as the owner/chef said like the top of creme brûlée). I am not a huge fan of chocolate, but even despite this I thought it was good (especially the expresso creme). My husband who does love chocolate devoured it. I forgot to ask how often they change the menu. I like trying new things so I probably wouldn't go back for the same menu, but if their next one looks as good as this one was, I'll be back. Even if they have a chocolate dessert again :-)

We were amazed that this restaurant is a one man operation and the place is spotless. There is no wait, and the ambiance was relaxing and the food Absolutely Delicious. I didn’t take pictures of the food because I was very engaged in conversation and enjoying my delicious meal, so I leave it to you to visit and experience Bistro Barbès for yourselves.

Bistro Barbes Summary: truly a unique, hidden gem! Who would have guessed we have a North African inspired modern French restaurant in Park Hill? And it's been here for four years! Location/Parking: Park Hill, near Elm and 26th Street. Street parking only. Ambiance: small and narrow; nothing too fancy; elements of North African culture. Service: top notch! A very high-level that you would expect at the most expensive French restaurants. Cocktails: we tried a house drink made from spiced cranberry shrub and ginger beer.  It contained the spice called fenugreek. It was very exotic. It set the tone for the evening. Amuse-bouche: complimentary, ever-changing. Ours was tasty. Appetizers: we selected the beef cheeks. They were extremely rich, but paired nicely with a more sweet and tangy coleslaw mix. Salads: we split the shaved pear salad as an appetizer as well. It came over a bed of brie cream and figs, topped with a red wine-cacao gastrique. Entrees: they were out of duck leg, so they informed us they would be substituting it for duck breast. Toni and I still ordered the duck, and it was cooked to perfection! It was set atop of saffron basmati rice, roasted brussel sprouts, and butternut squash chips. Bob ordered the hanger steak. It looked amazing! It was served with raclette over a bed of kale. I tasted some of the steak and it was really delicious. Desserts: we had been warned that the desserts are fairly small, but we still decided just to split one dessert among the three of us. It was perfect. We ordered the chocolate hazelnut creme brulee. It was definitely a different take on this traditional dessert, as it did not come in a ramiken, but was served over a pool of rosewater-infused white chocolate with supremed orange segments, and petit meringue cookies. All in all, this was a great experience! I highly recommend checking it out. We visited on the Thursday night before Christmas and it was very slow. Hopefully they get much more business soon!