Post-Dispatch file photo
Bar Les Frères
That Bar Les Frères, now in its eighth year, remains an excellent restaurant isn't surprising. The powerhouse duo of restaurateur Zoë Robinson and chef Ny Vongsaly develop smart concepts — here a tight menu of beloved French fare — and build strong teams to keep those concepts humming. Small menu changes feel seismic, and the annual chilly-weather return of the best-in-town cassoulet should be a civic holiday. (Honestly? I would feast on that crock of duck confit, pork belly and Toulouse sausage at the height of summer.) What is remarkable is how fresh Bar Les Frères still feels. With its balance of sophisticated, sexy vibe and quirky decor, it isn't a gimmicky, Disney replica of a French restaurant but a half-remembered dream of one Paris night you're eager to fall back into.
Hours: Dinner Tuesday-Saturday (closed Sunday-Monday)
Last year's ranking: Rest of the Best
Opened: 2012