Sunday, October 12, 2014
F is for Family, the Feasting Fox and Fountains on Locust
Well, we deviated from the usual. Wendy and I are usually alone or accompanied by our pre-teen aged foodie, but on this night, we had my daughter and her two children (5 years and 20 months) with us.
Pre-teen foodie is easy to take anywhere even when he's whining about our dining location choice. The other two children and their mother are another story. On this evening, we were later than usual getting to the restaurant. When we arrived, their were two couples in the VERY QUIET dining room. There was music coming from the bar area, but it didn't overcome the VERY QUIET. Let me tell you, my two small grandsons do not do VERY QUIET often. It didn't take long before the 5 year old was building scaffolding out of the multitude of silverware on the table. The little one did not want to sit in a high chair and the food needed to arrive quickly before my very stressed and tired daughter (she teaches first grade and had been with children since waking) exploded.
We ordered multiple appetizers. All of us enjoyed the Parmesan Cheese Puffs. The cheese had been piped onto the center of small pieces of toasted French bread using a large star tip and then it looked to have been put under the broiler to get a quick brown. The older of the two grandchildren could have eaten the whole plate of these things. They were good and he loved them. His dairy intolerant brother only got the dry toast, but he, too enjoyed the appetizers.
The German Sausage Sampler was also enjoyed by all. The plate held a variety of sausages including our Sausage Wellington, a mild sausage wrapped in puff pastry, sliced thin and served with horseradish cream sauce. I believe that puff pastry makes everything better, but believed that this sausage and cream sauce would have stood alone. It was delightful.
The reason my one and only child joined us was for the potato pancakes and she chose the right time and place for great potato pancakes. They were perfectly seasoned shredded potatoes with just the right amount of crisp and fluffy. Served with chunky applesauce, they were a big hit with all six of us.
The chicken tenders were ordered for the grandchildren's dinners. They were also a big hit. Large pieces of chicken, perfectly breaded and fried. Served with ranch dressing, they were really good.
Our waiter, Brad, was very patient as he continued to refill the lemonade that the kids drank as though it were from the fountain of youth.
Pre-teen foodie ordered French Onion Soup, that he didn't like. It was not Famous-Barr's recipe, but had a nice flavor in spite of having a much thinner broth that what was expected. He also ordered scallops that were served on a bed of creamed spinach along side mashed potatoes. He said they were good and from the looks of his plate at the end of the meal, they were very much enjoyed.
His mother ordered Huhn Schnitzel. Since Wendy doesn't like mushrooms, I got the mushrooms and some of the cream sauce that it the tender chick was served with. Yum!
My daughter enjoyed the special - baked Pork Loin with mashed potatoes and glazed shredded carrots. Carrots that the mother of my grandson's said that she could eat all day long. She loved them even though she thought the pork was a little dry.
I had the sauerbraten. Tender pieces of beef that were also served with mashed potatoes and sweet and sour cabbage. Wendy and I both worked for Grone's Cafeteria and even though we were employed there ten years apart, both of us recall the wonderful taste of the Monday Night Special of sauerbraten and potato pancakes. While my dinner was good at the Feasting Fox, it did not compare to that of the sauerbraten served by the Grone family.
With all of us full, almost content to sit in our chairs and the scaffolding taken down, we decided to head to Fountains on Locust for dessert. The orders included Brownie in a Cup, served with ice cream, two Bearcat Specials, two Banana Bourbons and one Pinapple Cup made with dairy-free raspberry sorbet. I could go on and on about Fountains on Locust, but let me just tell you that you must try it yourself and that all adults with any sense of good taste should try the Banana Bourbon. Their website: www.fountainonlocust.com
E - Eleven Eleven Mississippi is Excellent
E was great! Their website is www.1111-m.com.
Although tucked away in a an easy to miss location, I can't say enough about Eleven Eleven Mississippi. The services was terrific and the food was wonderful.
We started out with appetizers that were terrific. I had the shrimp and corn bisque. It was almost a meal in itself. Perfectly seasoned and beautifully presented.
Wendy ordered the beet salad and a glass of Moscato. I don't know which was best. The wine was perfect (although I only had a taste) and the dressing on the beet salad should be bottled and sold. I was so enchanted with the fresh beets served over a mixture of greens and dressed with a perfect dressing, that I have been having beet salad for the last several days at lunch. Mine can't hold a candle to the salad served at Eleven Eleven Mississippi.
Wendy ordered the Prex Fixed special. The first course was a smoked brussel sprout salad made with apples, red onions, pecans, goat cheese and a Dijon vinaigrette. The second course was a Wonderful pasta served with dried tomatoes, thinly sliced fennel, a six minute egg and served with white balsamic butter and truffle salt. The third course was pan seared snapper serves with mustard greens orzo, artichoke puree and a basil-caper gremolata. Although all three courses were good, we both agreed that the brussel sprouts were a little too smoky, that the pasta was handmade and terrific. We disagreed on the snapper. I like my fish a little milder and I'm not a huge fan of capers, but Wendy was pleased.
I ordered one of the four Oak Oven pizzas on the menu - I love mushrooms and the wild mushroom – sun dried tomato pesto pizza with spinach, caramelized onions and smoked gouda was not only great for dinner, but I brought pizza home with me because I saved the best for last - dessert!!!
Wendy enjoyed the Apple Caramellata, pieces of cooked apple served in puff pastry and sitting in a great caramel sauce and served with her favorite ice cream - cinnamon.
I made the better choice - I had the Napoleon! It was crispy layers of sugared phyllo that had the consistency of the top of crème brulee!!! I would have been happy with just the phyllo, but did Eleven Eleven stop there? No, they added layers of amazing creaming vanilla custard and carmelized bananas. Nothing I've had before or since has ever been better. I will be returning, if only for dessert.
Eleven Eleven Mississippi is Excellent
Although tucked away in a an easy to miss location, I can't say enough about Eleven Eleven Mississippi. The services was terrific and the food was wonderful.
We started out with appetizers that were terrific. I had the shrimp and corn bisque. It was almost a meal in itself. Perfectly seasoned and beautifully presented.
Wendy ordered the beet salad and a glass of Moscato. I don't know which was best. The wine was perfect (although I only had a taste) and the dressing on the beet salad should be bottled and sold. I was so enchanted with the fresh beets served over a mixture of greens and dressed with a perfect dressing, that I have been having beet salad for the last several days at lunch. Mine can't hold a candle to the salad served at Eleven Eleven Mississippi.
Wendy ordered the Prex Fixed special. The first course was a smoked brussel sprout salad made with apples, red onions, pecans, goat cheese and a Dijon vinaigrette. The second course was a Wonderful pasta served with dried tomatoes, thinly sliced fennel, a six minute egg and served with white balsamic butter and truffle salt. The third course was pan seared snapper serves with mustard greens orzo, artichoke puree and a basil-caper gremolata. Although all three courses were good, we both agreed that the brussel sprouts were a little too smoky, that the pasta was handmade and terrific. We disagreed on the snapper. I like my fish a little milder and I'm not a huge fan of capers, but Wendy was pleased.
I ordered one of the four Oak Oven pizzas on the menu - I love mushrooms and the wild mushroom – sun dried tomato pesto pizza with spinach, caramelized onions and smoked gouda was not only great for dinner, but I brought pizza home with me because I saved the best for last - dessert!!!
Wendy enjoyed the Apple Caramellata, pieces of cooked apple served in puff pastry and sitting in a great caramel sauce and served with her favorite ice cream - cinnamon.
I made the better choice - I had the Napoleon! It was crispy layers of sugared phyllo that had the consistency of the top of crème brulee!!! I would have been happy with just the phyllo, but did Eleven Eleven stop there? No, they added layers of amazing creaming vanilla custard and carmelized bananas. Nothing I've had before or since has ever been better. I will be returning, if only for dessert.
D #2 - Dooley's Beef n Brew House
Our second attempt at a D restaurant on St. Louis was to Dooley's Beef n Brew House601 N. Grand, St. Louis, MO 63103. We enjoyed this experience much better than D #1, but I still wasn't overly impressed.
Seems our server was on his first day back after a hospitalization from a brown recluse spider bite, the details that I didn't need, but Wendy suggested that I asked the questions that prompted the answers.
The building is also old, but except for one booth that looked like it may have come from a Las Vegas establishment that was being torn down in the 70's, the interior appeared well maintained and it was definitely clean (a server who was three days in to her new employment and was stuck with a family of four who were out of control - parents AND older children - vigorously wiped tables all evening).
Again, we had fried pickles. They were good and served with a chipotle sauce that didn't have much chipotle in the mix. We also ordered the Irish fries - cheese fries with corned beef and Provel cheese. Wendy, who isn't a corned beef fan, even enjoyed the fries. They were different than normal cheese fries, but the corned beef was mild and it made a great start to the meal.
I had the Louie Burger for dinner. It was a traditional hamburger that I wouldn't go back for - good, but not great. Wendy had the Cardinal, a chicken sandwich made with traditional wing sauce. She enjoyed it.
Overall, D was not a winner for me.
Seems our server was on his first day back after a hospitalization from a brown recluse spider bite, the details that I didn't need, but Wendy suggested that I asked the questions that prompted the answers.
The building is also old, but except for one booth that looked like it may have come from a Las Vegas establishment that was being torn down in the 70's, the interior appeared well maintained and it was definitely clean (a server who was three days in to her new employment and was stuck with a family of four who were out of control - parents AND older children - vigorously wiped tables all evening).
Again, we had fried pickles. They were good and served with a chipotle sauce that didn't have much chipotle in the mix. We also ordered the Irish fries - cheese fries with corned beef and Provel cheese. Wendy, who isn't a corned beef fan, even enjoyed the fries. They were different than normal cheese fries, but the corned beef was mild and it made a great start to the meal.
I had the Louie Burger for dinner. It was a traditional hamburger that I wouldn't go back for - good, but not great. Wendy had the Cardinal, a chicken sandwich made with traditional wing sauce. She enjoyed it.
Overall, D was not a winner for me.
Thursday, October 2, 2014
D is for do-over or Dubliner Distaste
We narrowed down our D choices to three.
We chose, by randomly drawing a piece of paper, the Dubliner (www.dublinerstl.com) at 1025 Washington. A mistake!!!
The building is amazing with lots of woodwork and windows. The interior has a huge wooden bar, a window spot for live bands, and seating that includes benches along one wall. All have seen better days. The wear and tear on the benches looked like the result of too much Guinness and few punches thrown.
The soup of the day was chili, odd for an Irish bar, so we passed on the soup. Instead we ordered fried pickles and potato cakes as appetizers. Both were okay, (the potato cakes did not have the same consistency I expected, they were not as good as German potato cakes) and both presented nicely. The dipping sauce for the pickles was good, but nothing to write about.
For our entrees, Wendy chose the Shepherd's Pie and I ordered Bangers and Mash. Both were a huge disappointment. The pie tasted like chili, sans beans, with mashed potatoes piped on top. The (bangers) sausage on my plate were white, no sear at all, and contained at least two pieces of unchewable and questionable items (at that point, I knew I was finished). I questioned the server, asking if the sausage was made in house, he said no, that it was made locally, but he didn't know by which company.
We met two nice women who were seated beside us. They had been to Dubliner's previously and liked the pickles, too. First time I haven't brought leftovers home and won't be returning!
We chose, by randomly drawing a piece of paper, the Dubliner (www.dublinerstl.com) at 1025 Washington. A mistake!!!
The building is amazing with lots of woodwork and windows. The interior has a huge wooden bar, a window spot for live bands, and seating that includes benches along one wall. All have seen better days. The wear and tear on the benches looked like the result of too much Guinness and few punches thrown.
The soup of the day was chili, odd for an Irish bar, so we passed on the soup. Instead we ordered fried pickles and potato cakes as appetizers. Both were okay, (the potato cakes did not have the same consistency I expected, they were not as good as German potato cakes) and both presented nicely. The dipping sauce for the pickles was good, but nothing to write about.
For our entrees, Wendy chose the Shepherd's Pie and I ordered Bangers and Mash. Both were a huge disappointment. The pie tasted like chili, sans beans, with mashed potatoes piped on top. The (bangers) sausage on my plate were white, no sear at all, and contained at least two pieces of unchewable and questionable items (at that point, I knew I was finished). I questioned the server, asking if the sausage was made in house, he said no, that it was made locally, but he didn't know by which company.
We met two nice women who were seated beside us. They had been to Dubliner's previously and liked the pickles, too. First time I haven't brought leftovers home and won't be returning!
Sunday, September 21, 2014
C week - Central Table and The Cup
Although narrowing the choices down by letters seemed like a great idea, it is still a difficult decision when you consider how many great restaurants there are in St. Louis. We value your suggestions!!!
C Week
This week, we were in the Central West End (even the location began with a C). We ventured into Central Table - www.centraltablestl.com, where there are several options at lunch for types of food, including and not limited to Deli and Hearth and a central dining hall to eat - and then there is a dinner menu. Since I have not won the lottery and work during the day and Wendy, when in her right mind, sleeps during the day to accommodate her night job, our option is for an early evening dinner. Again, this week, our normal night didn't work out and we had our pre-teen foodie along with us as we entered the dining hall (a modern mixture of concrete, wood and stainless steel).
At some point, it was suggested we begin with dessert at The Cup, but we went the traditional route and started with Central Table. Because of our early arrival, only a few tables were occupied and our server had more than enough time and patience to answer all of our questions and any one who knows me will tell you that I can ask a lot of questions (a trait I inherited from my mother). We learned about the difference between lunch and dinner, were told how the cauliflower steak was prepared and while watching one of the chefs use a melon baller on a large white vegetable, we discovered that he was preparing turnip balls for a root vegetable dish (I don't even have the patience to make melon balls and can't imagine the effort it was taking to get that scoop into a raw turnip).
The dinner menu is extremely varied from small plates of oysters, to entrees of short rib and lamb shank. Again, decision making required a lot of thought and by this time of day, my brain is at far less than peak. Wendy and I agreed to share appetizers and entrees. Pre-teen diner was not given a choice but to share his selection - a situation that gave him something worthwhile to grumble about.
While trying to decide, our server brought out a sampling of bruschetta that was made with what tasted like the best ripe tomatoes ever. There were four or five small pieces and they were good.
Wendy and I enjoyed the Warm Marinated Olives (they were said to be marinated in olive oil, orange zest and roasted garlic). The kalamata olives were the best as the green olives had also spent some time in some really strong vinegar! Olives by themselves do not really appeal to me. I need a little bread or cheese - something to help the olives and when I got to the vinegar bite, I needed water!
Our second choice to start with were the Pork Meatballs. The were perfectly seasoned and served in spicy tomato gravy and according to the menu a ricotta salad. I saw two or three small pieces of lettuce and the ricotta was floating in the "gravy". While tasting good, I thought the ricotta was a little off putting as I tend to gravitate away from "floaters". The meatballs on the other hand were the highlight of the meal.
The bread I wanted earlier and even though it was one small piece, it was large enough for Wendy and me to share. I have described the Corsica Loaf from Door County (Wisconsin) Bakery enough for Wendy to ask me if this bread was similar. It was good, but couldn't hold a candle to the Corsica Loaf (I foresee a road trip).
For entrees, Wendy chose the Cauliflower Steak. It was a large slice of cauliflower grilled and topped with a spicy pomegranate sauce. Both of us enjoyed the flavor of the cauliflower and the sauce, however, it was served with garbanzo beans that lacked flavor and a hummus that tasted like dirt (okay, I'll admit I don't recall ever really tasting dirt, and Wendy disagreed, but it felt like dirt in my mouth). The bite I had, and one was enough, had a dry, gritty feel with again, a flavor that I can only describe as dirt. When the floor manager asked about our experience, he made a big production out of my comment about the hummus and told me it had not been prepared correctly!
I ordered the Pappardelle - hard to mess up noodles which were wide and obviously made fresh. My Aunt Ida Marie used to make homemade noodles and since I have been old enough to remember, I love noodles!!! These did not disappoint and the sauce, though not in abundance, was spicy (too spicy for Wendy who usually loves all things hot) and contained a beef and pork Bolognese. I brought most home and had it for lunch the next day even though I ordered a cup of their Butternut Squash Soup with caramelized apples and spiced pecans for that very reason. I had the soup for dinner and although good, would not be something I would order again.
Pre-teen was in a funk, didn't want much to eat so he only ordered one California roll from the maki portion of the menu. I had to look up the difference between maki and sushi and found that maki is a type of sushi that usually wrapped in dried seaweed and rolled using a bamboo mat. The California roll at Central Table was great. It was filled with sweet, shredded crab, a piece of cucumber and avocado. Wendy forced our friend to order two and I was glad that he did so that I didn't feel bad eating a second bite. The sauce it was served with was also great.
Now, onto the real treasure of the evening: The Cup (www.cravethecup.com) with four locations and a sister store is a St. Louis treasure. We tried, between the three of us and Wendy's parents, several different cupcakes. The peach cobbler cupcake was so good that when Wendy called and said that she was going back to a little shop we had stopped in to have the watch she purchased replaces with one that wasn't broken, I asked her to pick up a couple more! It had a crumb topping, complete with pecans underneath the buttercream icing and slices of peaches in the cupcake itself. Just sitting here thinking about it makes me want another!!! Jerry wasn't thrilled with the chocolate cupcake I brought home for him, but his taste runs more to the cheap, chocolate (really I think it is black wax) iced donuts that you can buy in a box at the gas station - you know, the ones with a three month out expiration date.
I hope that you have enjoyed reading about our experiences so far and will continue to read and recommend new places for us to try in and around St. Louis.
C Week
This week, we were in the Central West End (even the location began with a C). We ventured into Central Table - www.centraltablestl.com, where there are several options at lunch for types of food, including and not limited to Deli and Hearth and a central dining hall to eat - and then there is a dinner menu. Since I have not won the lottery and work during the day and Wendy, when in her right mind, sleeps during the day to accommodate her night job, our option is for an early evening dinner. Again, this week, our normal night didn't work out and we had our pre-teen foodie along with us as we entered the dining hall (a modern mixture of concrete, wood and stainless steel).
At some point, it was suggested we begin with dessert at The Cup, but we went the traditional route and started with Central Table. Because of our early arrival, only a few tables were occupied and our server had more than enough time and patience to answer all of our questions and any one who knows me will tell you that I can ask a lot of questions (a trait I inherited from my mother). We learned about the difference between lunch and dinner, were told how the cauliflower steak was prepared and while watching one of the chefs use a melon baller on a large white vegetable, we discovered that he was preparing turnip balls for a root vegetable dish (I don't even have the patience to make melon balls and can't imagine the effort it was taking to get that scoop into a raw turnip).
The dinner menu is extremely varied from small plates of oysters, to entrees of short rib and lamb shank. Again, decision making required a lot of thought and by this time of day, my brain is at far less than peak. Wendy and I agreed to share appetizers and entrees. Pre-teen diner was not given a choice but to share his selection - a situation that gave him something worthwhile to grumble about.
While trying to decide, our server brought out a sampling of bruschetta that was made with what tasted like the best ripe tomatoes ever. There were four or five small pieces and they were good.
Wendy and I enjoyed the Warm Marinated Olives (they were said to be marinated in olive oil, orange zest and roasted garlic). The kalamata olives were the best as the green olives had also spent some time in some really strong vinegar! Olives by themselves do not really appeal to me. I need a little bread or cheese - something to help the olives and when I got to the vinegar bite, I needed water!
Our second choice to start with were the Pork Meatballs. The were perfectly seasoned and served in spicy tomato gravy and according to the menu a ricotta salad. I saw two or three small pieces of lettuce and the ricotta was floating in the "gravy". While tasting good, I thought the ricotta was a little off putting as I tend to gravitate away from "floaters". The meatballs on the other hand were the highlight of the meal.
The bread I wanted earlier and even though it was one small piece, it was large enough for Wendy and me to share. I have described the Corsica Loaf from Door County (Wisconsin) Bakery enough for Wendy to ask me if this bread was similar. It was good, but couldn't hold a candle to the Corsica Loaf (I foresee a road trip).
For entrees, Wendy chose the Cauliflower Steak. It was a large slice of cauliflower grilled and topped with a spicy pomegranate sauce. Both of us enjoyed the flavor of the cauliflower and the sauce, however, it was served with garbanzo beans that lacked flavor and a hummus that tasted like dirt (okay, I'll admit I don't recall ever really tasting dirt, and Wendy disagreed, but it felt like dirt in my mouth). The bite I had, and one was enough, had a dry, gritty feel with again, a flavor that I can only describe as dirt. When the floor manager asked about our experience, he made a big production out of my comment about the hummus and told me it had not been prepared correctly!
I ordered the Pappardelle - hard to mess up noodles which were wide and obviously made fresh. My Aunt Ida Marie used to make homemade noodles and since I have been old enough to remember, I love noodles!!! These did not disappoint and the sauce, though not in abundance, was spicy (too spicy for Wendy who usually loves all things hot) and contained a beef and pork Bolognese. I brought most home and had it for lunch the next day even though I ordered a cup of their Butternut Squash Soup with caramelized apples and spiced pecans for that very reason. I had the soup for dinner and although good, would not be something I would order again.
Pre-teen was in a funk, didn't want much to eat so he only ordered one California roll from the maki portion of the menu. I had to look up the difference between maki and sushi and found that maki is a type of sushi that usually wrapped in dried seaweed and rolled using a bamboo mat. The California roll at Central Table was great. It was filled with sweet, shredded crab, a piece of cucumber and avocado. Wendy forced our friend to order two and I was glad that he did so that I didn't feel bad eating a second bite. The sauce it was served with was also great.
Now, onto the real treasure of the evening: The Cup (www.cravethecup.com) with four locations and a sister store is a St. Louis treasure. We tried, between the three of us and Wendy's parents, several different cupcakes. The peach cobbler cupcake was so good that when Wendy called and said that she was going back to a little shop we had stopped in to have the watch she purchased replaces with one that wasn't broken, I asked her to pick up a couple more! It had a crumb topping, complete with pecans underneath the buttercream icing and slices of peaches in the cupcake itself. Just sitting here thinking about it makes me want another!!! Jerry wasn't thrilled with the chocolate cupcake I brought home for him, but his taste runs more to the cheap, chocolate (really I think it is black wax) iced donuts that you can buy in a box at the gas station - you know, the ones with a three month out expiration date.
I hope that you have enjoyed reading about our experiences so far and will continue to read and recommend new places for us to try in and around St. Louis.
Thursday, September 11, 2014
B is for Bahn Mi and Baileys' Chocolate Bar
Another stormy night, but we ventured out regardless. Bahn Mi is located at 4071 S. Grand in St. Louis and although they have had some difficulty with their website this week and we couldn't see a menu on line, the reviews for their spring rolls sent us traversing down Grand Avenue (passing a lot of places that will probably wind up on our list of must try restaurants.
Wendy and I, along with our teen age rebellion (he didn't want to try "Vietnamese with a French influence" food) were glad that we braved the weather and made our way to Bahn Mi. Not only was the food good, but we had a history lesson (compliments of Wikipedia) about Vietnam on the journey and when we arrived and were greeted by the owner/cook's son, we were glad for the information we had learned.
The family who owns Bahn Mi immigrated to the United States in 1975 just prior to the fall of Saigon. Our server's aunt had married a scholarly man from central Illinois and when faced with the move to this country, they located themselves as close to family as possible and we are glad that they did so!!!
To begin our meal, we started with appetizers number 01, 02 and 03 on the menu. 01 or Thit Nuong is thin slices of cooked meat (we chose beef) that was well-flavored and reminded us of mild beef jerky, but easier to chew. At a cost of $3.50, the Thit Nuong was two pieces of beef, lettuce, sauce and instructions to dip the beef in the sweet and spicy sauce. I would order it again.
02 or Cha Gio was two deep fried egg rolls made with paper thin egg roll wrappers. The filling was ground pork and while Wendy and our less than happy companion found the egg rolls to their liking. I, was not as thrilled with this choice. You see, 02 came after 03, the Goi Cuon, a serving of three spring rolls that on this dreary night were filled with Tilapia that had been fried before being wrapped with mint, cilantro, and rice in traditional spring roll wrappers. The amazing flavors of these egg rolls was worth the drive and 02's fried taste couldn't hold a candle to the delicate spring rolls. More, please!
The entrée choices were more difficult. Along one wall of the restaurant was a dry erase board with 14 different specials for the night in addition to the multitude of items that appeared on the printed menu. Our young accomplice wanted something like miso soup (he wasn't about to venture into something he was familiar with) and our server/son was great when he suggested 09 (Pho Bo) and then presented the beef noodle soup with a plate of bean sprouts and Vietnamese Basil to put into the soup. He also brought a dark paste in a small bowl for our friend to add to the soup, stirring before tasting. Young complainer loved the soup as did Wendy (his mother) and me. The basil had a sweet licorice taste, milder than anise, and delicious. The large bowl of soup in addition to an appetizer was a filling meal.
A2 - Tom XAO XA CURRY (stir-fried shrimp with coconut milk, lemongrass and curry) was the suggested entrée and although curry is never my first choice (bad experience one time and now I hesitate each time I see curry on a menu). Wendy and I shared A2 and both of us found it delicious. When Wendy questioned the obvious lack of French items on the menu, our knowledgeable server showed us that the blend of curry and the coconut milk was a definite French twist to Indian Curry and Thai food heave handed with coconut milk. French influence or not, curry and coconut milk is becoming one of my favorite flavors. Bahn Mi knows how to mix the two with crunchy shrimp to make a wonderful A2!!! Again, I will order this when I return to Bahn Mi.
For our final entrée (Wendy and I usually order one each and then split them both), we chose #5 from the specials list. No Vietnamese name for this dish, just a description of what was going to arrive at our table: Kingsize noodles with grilled lean ground pork and fried mungbean and vegetables. I was not sure what kind of vegetables were in this dish and I haven't been brave enough to Google mungbeans (don't you agree that the name is off-putting?), but it is hard to go wrong with noodles and Bahn Mi went right with the seasoning of this entrée.
Overall, Bahn Mi was a hit even with the reluctant pre-teen.
For dessert, we traveled to Baileys' Chocolate Bar in Lafayette Square. Being a weeknight, we had no wait when we got there and were taken to the back of the restaurant where their were two couples enjoying each other's company. The first couple looked to be on a first or second date, you know the type, mid-twenties, trying to find clever things to say to each other and the other couple, a dad and 3-year old daughter who celebrate, according to dad, "date night" about twice a week (lucky girl).
The items on the menu at Baileys' makes it difficult to choose one of the decadent selections. Young, not so reluctant pre-teen (his demeanor changed walking into the Chocolate Bar) quickly decided on Baileys' Chocolate Brownie served warm with Bailey's Ice Cream and Caramel Sauce. The camper in me (okay, I'll admit that I would rather camp in a hotel, but back in the day....) couldn't pass up the S'mores Ice Cream Cake and Wendy ordered the Chilled Chocolate Cream Pie. While all three items were good, the brownie was definitely the best!!! Crunchy on top, gooey in the middle, it was really good. My next favorite was the pie. I love crust and the non-traditional chocolate pie (thick chocolate) was served in a tart shell along side Honey Almond Ice Cream with strawberry sauce. They could have left off the sauce for me and I would have enjoyed it more. And last, but not least, was the S'mores cake. A big disappointment except for the marshmallow that had been browned on top. Would I go back, sure, who doesn't like the smell of chocolate? But the next time, I would try the peach tartlet or the chocolate crepe cake.
Any suggestions for C week??? Let us know.
Wendy and I, along with our teen age rebellion (he didn't want to try "Vietnamese with a French influence" food) were glad that we braved the weather and made our way to Bahn Mi. Not only was the food good, but we had a history lesson (compliments of Wikipedia) about Vietnam on the journey and when we arrived and were greeted by the owner/cook's son, we were glad for the information we had learned.
The family who owns Bahn Mi immigrated to the United States in 1975 just prior to the fall of Saigon. Our server's aunt had married a scholarly man from central Illinois and when faced with the move to this country, they located themselves as close to family as possible and we are glad that they did so!!!
To begin our meal, we started with appetizers number 01, 02 and 03 on the menu. 01 or Thit Nuong is thin slices of cooked meat (we chose beef) that was well-flavored and reminded us of mild beef jerky, but easier to chew. At a cost of $3.50, the Thit Nuong was two pieces of beef, lettuce, sauce and instructions to dip the beef in the sweet and spicy sauce. I would order it again.
02 or Cha Gio was two deep fried egg rolls made with paper thin egg roll wrappers. The filling was ground pork and while Wendy and our less than happy companion found the egg rolls to their liking. I, was not as thrilled with this choice. You see, 02 came after 03, the Goi Cuon, a serving of three spring rolls that on this dreary night were filled with Tilapia that had been fried before being wrapped with mint, cilantro, and rice in traditional spring roll wrappers. The amazing flavors of these egg rolls was worth the drive and 02's fried taste couldn't hold a candle to the delicate spring rolls. More, please!
The entrée choices were more difficult. Along one wall of the restaurant was a dry erase board with 14 different specials for the night in addition to the multitude of items that appeared on the printed menu. Our young accomplice wanted something like miso soup (he wasn't about to venture into something he was familiar with) and our server/son was great when he suggested 09 (Pho Bo) and then presented the beef noodle soup with a plate of bean sprouts and Vietnamese Basil to put into the soup. He also brought a dark paste in a small bowl for our friend to add to the soup, stirring before tasting. Young complainer loved the soup as did Wendy (his mother) and me. The basil had a sweet licorice taste, milder than anise, and delicious. The large bowl of soup in addition to an appetizer was a filling meal.
A2 - Tom XAO XA CURRY (stir-fried shrimp with coconut milk, lemongrass and curry) was the suggested entrée and although curry is never my first choice (bad experience one time and now I hesitate each time I see curry on a menu). Wendy and I shared A2 and both of us found it delicious. When Wendy questioned the obvious lack of French items on the menu, our knowledgeable server showed us that the blend of curry and the coconut milk was a definite French twist to Indian Curry and Thai food heave handed with coconut milk. French influence or not, curry and coconut milk is becoming one of my favorite flavors. Bahn Mi knows how to mix the two with crunchy shrimp to make a wonderful A2!!! Again, I will order this when I return to Bahn Mi.
For our final entrée (Wendy and I usually order one each and then split them both), we chose #5 from the specials list. No Vietnamese name for this dish, just a description of what was going to arrive at our table: Kingsize noodles with grilled lean ground pork and fried mungbean and vegetables. I was not sure what kind of vegetables were in this dish and I haven't been brave enough to Google mungbeans (don't you agree that the name is off-putting?), but it is hard to go wrong with noodles and Bahn Mi went right with the seasoning of this entrée.
Overall, Bahn Mi was a hit even with the reluctant pre-teen.
For dessert, we traveled to Baileys' Chocolate Bar in Lafayette Square. Being a weeknight, we had no wait when we got there and were taken to the back of the restaurant where their were two couples enjoying each other's company. The first couple looked to be on a first or second date, you know the type, mid-twenties, trying to find clever things to say to each other and the other couple, a dad and 3-year old daughter who celebrate, according to dad, "date night" about twice a week (lucky girl).
The items on the menu at Baileys' makes it difficult to choose one of the decadent selections. Young, not so reluctant pre-teen (his demeanor changed walking into the Chocolate Bar) quickly decided on Baileys' Chocolate Brownie served warm with Bailey's Ice Cream and Caramel Sauce. The camper in me (okay, I'll admit that I would rather camp in a hotel, but back in the day....) couldn't pass up the S'mores Ice Cream Cake and Wendy ordered the Chilled Chocolate Cream Pie. While all three items were good, the brownie was definitely the best!!! Crunchy on top, gooey in the middle, it was really good. My next favorite was the pie. I love crust and the non-traditional chocolate pie (thick chocolate) was served in a tart shell along side Honey Almond Ice Cream with strawberry sauce. They could have left off the sauce for me and I would have enjoyed it more. And last, but not least, was the S'mores cake. A big disappointment except for the marshmallow that had been browned on top. Would I go back, sure, who doesn't like the smell of chocolate? But the next time, I would try the peach tartlet or the chocolate crepe cake.
Any suggestions for C week??? Let us know.
Saturday, September 6, 2014
Aya Sophia 9-5-2014
Aya Sophia (ayasophiacuisine.com) was the first stop on our A to Z journey and while we normally eat out during the week, yesterday was a stormy Friday night and while others went to a rained out football game, Wendy and I, along with Wendy's pre-teen son went to Aya Sophia for dinner.
Aya Sophia is St. Louis' only Turkish restaurant. The décor was okay, the food was great.
Wendy and I shared:
On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the best ever, Aya Sophia easily scored a 9 on food and while we have made an agreement that we won't repeat restaurants on our weekly jaunts until we have completed the alphabet, Aya Sophia might have to find its way in on another night of the week.
Aya Sophia is St. Louis' only Turkish restaurant. The décor was okay, the food was great.
Wendy and I shared:
- Beet and Goat Cheese Salad - We both like beets, so it wasn't surprising that this was the first item we ordered. The dish, light for a salad, came with four sliced cooked beets and three slices of a mild goat cheese that had been drizzled with olive oil. While the flavors were good, to call it a salad may be a stretch.
- Bohca - Meat pies that contained ground beef, onions and pine nuts baked in a phyllo dough. The seasoning was light and the pies were a perfect start to our meal.
- Sigara Boregi - Cigar shaped and stuffed with cheese (feta, ricotta, parsley and dill), they were crunchy and while I didn't taste the feta or dill strongly enough to mention, we both liked them and our guest ate two of the four that came in the serving.
- Sebzeli Musakka - vegetarian Turkish lasagna. The baked eggplant, zucchini, red bell peppers and potatoes were cooked in a sauce that was described as a béchamel with mozzarella cheese and tomato sauce. I didn't find the béchamel, the cheese made a nice brown topping, and the vegetables were almost perfect, the exception being the skin on the large pieces of red pepper were inedible. The Musakka was served with the lightest, fluffiest pearl couscous that was seasoned lightly with mint, cooked carrots and the best roasted brussel sprouts I have ever tasted. The caramelizing of the sprouts made the sweet and delicious. I'm sure they were seasoned with some mysterious spice that made them taste so good, but what it was is a mystery.
- Once we had tried our guest's mashed potatoes, we had to order a serving for us. Not at all creamy, but loaded with garlic, they were nothing but great! We also ordered another separate serving of the sprouts. Enough that Wendy was able to take some home.
On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the best ever, Aya Sophia easily scored a 9 on food and while we have made an agreement that we won't repeat restaurants on our weekly jaunts until we have completed the alphabet, Aya Sophia might have to find its way in on another night of the week.
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