Le French opens new Denver location

The big picture: Chef and co-owner Aminata Dia's original restaurant has been a staple at the Belleview Station district in the Denver Tech Center.

What I ordered: I visited for a Friday brunch and landed on the Senegalese fried chicken yassa sandwich, and I'm just going to go ahead and say it: This is the best chicken sandwich I've ever had.

• It was so crispy, and its lemon-onion yassa sauce, a popular dish style in West Africa, was a completely new and flavorful experience for someone used to far less interesting condiments.
• Making such a kitchen staple feel — dare I say, fancy — is no easy feat.

The intrigue: I started out with escargots, a dish I've heard about countless times but never actually tried, and I found myself really enjoying the tangy taste. The olive oil sauce was perfect with some freshly-cut bread.

• For dessert, I went with the sorbet, which was a nice, chilled balance to the fried chicken and snails.

The bottom line: On the price scale, Le French falls somewhere in the middle. On food quality, it's exceptional. All told, it feels like accessible luxury.

• It could work well as a dinner date spot, but it's great for a casual lunch, too.