Where to eat in St. Louis?

> On Fri, 19 Jul 1996, Tom W. wrote:

> > recommendations please. Cusines of US or Western Europe preferred with
> > wine list to complement. Looking for the best St Louis has to offer.
> >
> > thanks
> >
> >

I apologize for being so vague, but it was two years ago and we were just passing through. With that advance warning, I can tell you that there is an older, gentrified neighborhood with a French name somewhere near the river that has a restaurant in a former church (Eastern European Catholic, as I recall) that is stupendous, with a full wine list and wonderful experimental entrees.  I believe that the term "Abbey" is in the name, referring to the building. Looking at the above paragraph, I wonder if it could possibly be any more vague and less helpful.  Perhaps someone from St. Louis can fill in the copious blanks I have left.  Good luck.

Oh, about two years ago a full meal for two with wine (by the glass) and dessert went for about $50.

The restaurant is named "Ninth Street Abbey" in the historic Soulard area just south of downtown. Take Broadway south from downtown to Soulard,then a couple blocks west to Ninth Street. Patty Long and her group  of chefs do an excellent job. Suggest reservations on most nights or at lunch time.

2 of my favorites anywhere in the country  - Gino's on Hampton for Italian, and Remy's Kitchen in suburbia for California cuisine.

David Goldsmith

On Wed, 31 Jul 1996, David G. wrote:

> 2 of my favorites anywhere in the country  - Gino's on Hampton for
> Italian, and Remy's Kitchen in suburbia for California cuisine.
Respectfully, I suggest that if you want California cuisine you should come to California.  In St. Louis, you should try restaurants particular to the area.  Especially, go to one of the restaurants in the old Italian immigrant community known as 'the Hill', which features St. Louis' own version of Italian-American cuisine.  My favorites are two family-style restaurants that serve far-more-than-family-style fare:  Zia's, and Cunetto's House of Pasta (pastas $7-10, entrees up to around $15).  St. Louis also has some great sandwich shops (which are notably lacking in LA, btw); I like Amaghetti's and the St. Louis Sourdough Bread Company (both are mini-chains).  If you like pizza, you would be interested to know that there is acutally a St. Louis-style pizza.  Every time I go back home I must get one from Imo's (a local chain).  Another wonderful local specialty is the 'concrete' from Ted Drewe's walk-up ice cream counter.

An additional note:  'regional' restaurants in St. Louis are definitely geared towards family dining.  Fancy places are relatively infrequent, and for the most part are neither distinctive nor very good.  In many ways, this is a blessing.  You can eat better for the money in St. Louis than just about anywhere else.  However, if you insist on traditional 'fine dining' you are apt to leave disappointed (unless you actually *like* eating in hotels. :)

There are, of course, exceptions.  Again, there are some outstanding Italian-American restaurants at the top end.  In particular, Tony's has a world-class reputation.  You can get the whole pampered-by-waiters-in- tuxedos experience there, and still have excellent food.

Happy Dining!

Aaron

Aaron P. wrote:
>
> An additional note:  'regional' restaurants in St. Louis are definitely
> geared towards family dining.  Fancy places are relatively infrequent, and
> for the most part are neither distinctive nor very good.  In many ways,
> this is a blessing.  You can eat better for the money in St. Louis than
> just about anywhere else.  However, if you insist on traditional 'fine
> dining' you are apt to leave disappointed (unless you actually *like*
> eating in hotels. :)
>

Admittedly, it's not a "regional" restaurant (not sure what you mean by that, actually), but Fio's LaForchette is an outstanding restaurant, and certainly fits into the "fine dining" category.

Oh, and if you are going to mention "St. Louis-style pizza", you'd better describe it, or a lot of folks will try it and be disappointed. I'm a St. Louis native, BTW, and I can't STAND St. Louis-style pizza. It's a cracker-thin crust, not enough sauce, and often some cheese other than mozzarella.  It originated in little bars in South St. Louis.  I consider it inedible.

Kiwi Carlisle
[email removed]

Aaron P. wrote:
>
>
>
>On Wed, 31 Jul 1996, David G. wrote:
>
>> 2 of my favorites anywhere in the country  - Gino's on Hampton for
>> Italian, and Remy's Kitchen in suburbia for California cuisine.
>
>Respectfully, I suggest that if you want California cuisine you should
>come to California.  In St. Louis, you should try restaurants particular
>to the area.  Especially, go to one of the restaurants in the old Italian
>immigrant community known as 'the Hill', which features St. Louis' own
>version of Italian-American cuisine.  My favorites are two family-style
>restaurants that serve far-more-than-family-style fare:  Zia's, and
>Cunetto's House of Pasta (pastas $7-10, entrees up to around $15).  St.
>Louis also has some great sandwich shops (which are notably lacking in LA,
>btw); I like Amaghetti's and the St. Louis Sourdough Bread Company (both
>are mini-chains).  If you like pizza, you would be interested to know that
>there is acutally a St. Louis-style pizza.  Every time I go back home I
>must get one from Imo's (a local chain).  Another wonderful local
>specialty is the 'concrete' from Ted Drewe's walk-up ice cream counter.
>
>An additional note:  'regional' restaurants in St. Louis are definitely
>geared towards family dining.  Fancy places are relatively infrequent, and
>for the most part are neither distinctive nor very good.  In many ways,
>this is a blessing.  You can eat better for the money in St. Louis than
>just about anywhere else.  However, if you insist on traditional 'fine
>dining' you are apt to leave disappointed (unless you actually *like*
>eating in hotels. :)
>
>There are, of course, exceptions.  Again, there are some outstanding
>Italian-American restaurants at the top end.  In particular, Tony's has a
>world-class reputation.  You can get the whole pampered-by-waiters-in-
>tuxedos experience there, and still have excellent food.
>
>Happy Dining!
>
>Aaron
>
Oh, my.  I just have to jump into this fray.  I think you're confusing, or maybe abusing, a number of terms here, with the end result that St. Louis comes across as something of a one-horse restaurant town.  It ain't so.

First of all, Remy's motif is mediterranean.  "California" cuisine is kind of a catch all for something that has also been called "new American," among other things, and simply signifies, in my mind at least, adventuresome combinations.  Remy's is one of a several very good restaurants that opened in St. Louis last year that might loosely be termed "California"; another is Bryan's, which, since the chef trained in the Napa Valley, might be a little closer to the truth.  Bryan Carr, however, rotates his menu more and tries to blend in indigenous ingredients whenever possible; maybe we should term this hybrid Missouri- California thang "Santa Fe Trail cuisine" :-).

Second of all, although St. Louis is blessed with a large Italian community and a whole cottage industry of Italian restaurants, there's a vast variety beyond that.  Some of the other good new spots I've run across in the past few months include Reserve 1867 (French); Turvey's on the Green ("new American," for lack of a better term); Hot Locust Cantina (southwest/Cubano/Floridian); Joseph's (new Italian) and Trattoria Marcella (rustic Italian).  Plus there are a couple of ethnic enclaves (the Delmar Loop and South Grand) with Persian, Pakistani, Thai, Greek, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese and a bunch of others all packed into six- block strips.

I think it would be hard to define a "regional" cuisine for most midwestern cities.  As in Chicago, Cincinnati or Kansas City (well, maybe barbecue as a specialty in the last one), I'd recommend that you just enjoy yourself and forget about the labels.

joe bonwich
food writer
the riverfront times
st. louis, mo
[email removed]
opened up last year

For me, at least, no trip to St. Louis is complete without lunch at the turn-of-the-century Crown Candy Kitchen just outside of downtown (St. Louis Street if I remeber correctly).

Crown Candy Kitchen is an Ice Cream Parlor / Soda Shoppe / Candy. They serve light lunchs - I'm particularly fond of their hot dogs - split, grilled and served on a buttered, toasted sesame seed bun, probably washed down by a banana chocolate malted made with real bananas.  Their sundaes are classics, too.

Not fancy, but genuine St. Louis and possibly the oldest continuing operating soda fountain around.

Enjoy