When you eat in a restaurant, the savory stuff comes first: soups, salads, appetizers and entrees. Desserts arrive last, as if the menus were designed by a vast conspiracy of fretful nutritionists hell-bent on making sure you eat your kale salad and crispy Brussels sprouts before even thinking about the Linzer torte or tiramisu.
Not so at . Reopened at 494 E. 19th Ave. in December in the wake of an earlier incarnation a few blocks eastward, the sleek room projects a cool that is right up there with its milkshakes.
Regular lunch and dinner items are by no means ignored — they are actually quite good — but dessert is the star. Why else would they dedicate a whole bar in the room’s northeast quadrant to watching chefs carefully plate such creations as “Molten Cake Thingy That Everyone Has”?
The food is comforting, though you would not describe the room as cozy. Soft aquas are interspersed with charcoal accents. Metal and glass decorate the room’s long, curved exterior wall. There’s something of a ’50s retro vibe; you half expect or to waltz in, heels clicking on the cement floor. Still, there are rustic touches, such as a weathered bottlecap-shaped sign advertising Luckenbach Beer — “Coldest beer in Texas.”
Waiters are friendly and knowledgeable, though on a couple of visits the employees at the host stand seemed more keen on telling you where you could not sit than actually finding you a table. Yes, the place fills up, but please. It reminds one of the old line, “A maître d’ is a man whose job it is to seat you, but whose inclination is to put you in your place.”
But the kitchen by and large fulfills its mission in admirable fashion. An order of roasted duck nachos was a study in savvy construction. Instead of piling all the goodies atop the chips, which leads to quick dissatisfaction once you get past the initial wave of noshing, this version was beautifully layered, right down to the bottom. Moist, shredded duck melded with tart goat cheese and black beans, and was laced with red chile for one of the best nacho plates I’ve had in ages.
An avocado salad was also appealing. The slices were fanned across the plate, peppered and slick with olive oil. To the side, halved cherry tomatoes and a clutch of greenery was topped with shaved manchego cheese. Arriving on a red plate, it was a visual treat, too.
We were less enamored with the shrimp and grits, one of those now-ubiquitous dishes across America. The shrimp were battered and fried, served atop a much-too-porridgy pool of grits. Despite the addition of some greens, the dish was pretty much a plateful of beige.
Short-rib ravioli was a return to form. Whole moons of crimped pasta were stuffed with tender beef in a light, creamy sauce that seemed driven by both tomatoes and roasted red peppers.
D Bar has a way with salads, too. The Césár Chavez salad featured grilled romaine wedges, cornbread croutons, jalapeño goat cheese poppers and a green chile caesar dressing.
It also prompted a discussion with the manager, who asked me at meal’s end what I thought of the salad’s name. He was concerned that it might be insensitive. I told him that I could certainly see how people might think it too flip, but he assured me it was meant to honor the famed advocate of farmworkers’ rights. , after all, got his start organizing California lettuce workers.
Anyway, it made for a thoughtful talk about politics and a cause that still resonates.
And a lunchtime soup and salad was a nice cold-day combo of tomato soup and a three-cheese panini. (Havarti, fontina and white cheddar, if you’re curious.)
Now to the just desserts.
Crème brûlée is one of my all-time favorites. This version had the right touch of vanilla bean and a properly caramelized top that crackled under the spoon. The cake-and-shake was a winner, with a moist three-layer chocolate cake and icing.
But the real star? That milkshake. I opted for raspberry instead of chocolate or vanilla. It was a thick, cool mouthful of fresh fruit, topped with a dollop of whipped cream and some chocolate crunchies. I can’t wait to see what D Bar does with its shakes when this summer.
Up and running again in Denver’s Uptown neighborhood, D Bar is hitting the sweet spot.
William Porter: 303-954-1877, wporter@denverpost.com or twitter.com/williamporterdp
D BAR
Dessert bar and more
494 E. 19th Ave. 303-861-4710 dbardenver.com
**
Very Good
Atmosphere: Sleek, contemporary room with a cool vibe. Sound levels can be high.
Service: Friendly waiters, but the host stand experience can be frustrating.
Beverages: Beer, wine, cocktails, sodas, milkshakes
Plates: Small plates, $6-$11. Entrees, $12-$18. Desserts, $8-$10
Hours: Tuesday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m.-midnight. Saturday, 10 a.m.-midnight. Sunday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.
Details: Street parking
Two visits
Our star system:
****: Exceptional
***: Great
**: Very Good
*: Good
Stars reflect the dining reviewer’s overall reaction to the restaurant’s food, service and atmosphere.
