Jun 15, 2005
Mike Shannon's
On the way to a baseball game, a stop at Mike Shannon's is something everyone should do at least once. The baseball memorabilia is worth viewing for all Cardinal fans as well as any baseball fan visiting St. Louis for the first time. The service is very good which lends to an upscale hotel like experience. It might have been the Red Sox fans that added the out of town feel to our recent dinner. To exemplify the top notch service, when one of the table bussers dropped a tray just as we were being seated, every employee swooped in to handle the situation and we received a complementary drink for our trouble. The steak is a must try and will melt in your mouth. If you think even the 8 ounce filet is too much, split the steak and try some appetizers and side dishes. The creamed spinach had a nice smooth texture and an even better flavor. The spinach salad was equally enticing as were the crab cakes with just a touch of Cajun spiciness.
Jun 13, 2005
Juniper
Juniper Grill, a bistro and wine bar, is a new addition to Soulard and provides a casually elegant atmosphere that is perfect for a relaxing dinner with friends. We arrived on a Saturday evening without reservations after our original destination turned out to be closed. We were graciously seated with the caveat that we needed to finish dinner within an hour and a half. As it turned out, we did run over a few minutes. As you enter through the bar, you will see a beautiful piece of art that hangs as the centerpiece of the main dining room.
The drink offerings provided a nice variety. The mojito was excellent as was the sangria and each was enjoyed by my dinner companions. Three wine flights were offered with the waiter suggesting two and I settled on the Missouri Ste. Genevieve offering which provided a nice variety. All three were served together and it was up to me to pair each with my meal. The salad selection was quite nice and everyone was happy with their selection, particularly the blue cheese salad which included fresh romaine and chicory lettuce as well as bacon, blue cheese, tomatoes and a creamy avocado dressing. The appetizer list provided additional temptations and the blackened flank steak was quite flavorful. Three of us ordered the snapper dish which provided a touch of spice on a most succulent fish. The risotto had a great flavor and texture. The duck was also a hit with the right degree of moistness and was done as requested. All in all, it was a nice experience. I might suggest a little more structure to the wine flights as pairing them with the meal ended up being trial and error. But the price was reasonable even though every item is priced individually and I will definitely return. Next time, I might put together a collection of small appetizer plates as the list included some unique offerings that are seldom offered.
The drink offerings provided a nice variety. The mojito was excellent as was the sangria and each was enjoyed by my dinner companions. Three wine flights were offered with the waiter suggesting two and I settled on the Missouri Ste. Genevieve offering which provided a nice variety. All three were served together and it was up to me to pair each with my meal. The salad selection was quite nice and everyone was happy with their selection, particularly the blue cheese salad which included fresh romaine and chicory lettuce as well as bacon, blue cheese, tomatoes and a creamy avocado dressing. The appetizer list provided additional temptations and the blackened flank steak was quite flavorful. Three of us ordered the snapper dish which provided a touch of spice on a most succulent fish. The risotto had a great flavor and texture. The duck was also a hit with the right degree of moistness and was done as requested. All in all, it was a nice experience. I might suggest a little more structure to the wine flights as pairing them with the meal ended up being trial and error. But the price was reasonable even though every item is priced individually and I will definitely return. Next time, I might put together a collection of small appetizer plates as the list included some unique offerings that are seldom offered.
Robert E. Lee Restaurant
The romance evoked by the Mississippi River gives the Robert. E. Lee restaurant an atmosphere leg-up. The riverboat is not too difficult to find, though certainly not walking distance from the shopping area in Kimmswick. The area is so much more scenic than what you see upriver as there is no industry in the immediate area. There is a helicopter landing pad and you will often see parasailing over the river.
There was a short wait upon boarding the boat as there were no employees at the front. We were given an option of sitting by the window with an inspiring river view. The wine list was small and only included Missouri wines, a nice selection though. However, after ordering an Augusta Cynthiana followed by Chambourcin, we learned that the only red they had in stock was a Crown Valley Norton. The service was quick and polite and our server was quick to apologize for not having the first two wines that we ordered. The bread arrived and provided a very aromatic touch but there was no butter. We had to ask for water but once we did, it came quickly and so did the subsequent refills. The salad was crisp and their Caesar dressing was worthy. Again, we had to ask for more bread and the second round was less aromatic than the first.
I had the tenderloin with cognac mushroom sauce and it was done very well. The meat was done to my requested temperature and was tender and of good quality. The sauce was delicate and the cognac flavor was very complementary. The waiter recommended the garlic mashed potatoes and they did not disappoint. The Crown Valley Norton was a good accompaniment.
Although you feel like you are in a Victorian era steamboat, the boat was actually built in the late 1960s by the James B. Eads Corp. using an old U.S. Army Corps of Engineers boat. She came to the St. Louis riverfront in February 1970 and opened as a restaurant two months later. She spent the early part of her career at the downtown St. Louis landing but was ultimately severely damaged during the flood of 1993 and remained closed for a while. In 1997 four local businessmen bought and renovated her. Most of her wooden structure has been replaced by steel and she got a new paddlewheel. A new owner later moved the boat to Kimmswick and opened her back up as a restaurant.
There was a short wait upon boarding the boat as there were no employees at the front. We were given an option of sitting by the window with an inspiring river view. The wine list was small and only included Missouri wines, a nice selection though. However, after ordering an Augusta Cynthiana followed by Chambourcin, we learned that the only red they had in stock was a Crown Valley Norton. The service was quick and polite and our server was quick to apologize for not having the first two wines that we ordered. The bread arrived and provided a very aromatic touch but there was no butter. We had to ask for water but once we did, it came quickly and so did the subsequent refills. The salad was crisp and their Caesar dressing was worthy. Again, we had to ask for more bread and the second round was less aromatic than the first.
I had the tenderloin with cognac mushroom sauce and it was done very well. The meat was done to my requested temperature and was tender and of good quality. The sauce was delicate and the cognac flavor was very complementary. The waiter recommended the garlic mashed potatoes and they did not disappoint. The Crown Valley Norton was a good accompaniment.
Although you feel like you are in a Victorian era steamboat, the boat was actually built in the late 1960s by the James B. Eads Corp. using an old U.S. Army Corps of Engineers boat. She came to the St. Louis riverfront in February 1970 and opened as a restaurant two months later. She spent the early part of her career at the downtown St. Louis landing but was ultimately severely damaged during the flood of 1993 and remained closed for a while. In 1997 four local businessmen bought and renovated her. Most of her wooden structure has been replaced by steel and she got a new paddlewheel. A new owner later moved the boat to Kimmswick and opened her back up as a restaurant.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)