When my parents were in town, Greg and I decided it would be fun to do a fancy dinner out one night. Well, let me tell you, St. Louis is a serious foodie city. After calling several restaurants that were already fully booked for Saturday night, I was starting to think we were going to have to eat at 5:00 with the early bird crowd or at 10:00 when all the servers were ready to go home for the night. Then I struck gold with a call to Five Bistro. Although Greg and I eat out quite a bit, this place was a real treat for the holiday weekend.
Nestled in a corner lot in The Hill neighborhood of St. Louis, Five Bistro was a welcomed escape from the recent string of torrential downpours and tornadoes that had been tearing through the area for over a week. The atmosphere was upbeat and chatter filled the room - I think everyone was just happy to be out for once! The one and only downside of our experience was the very loud and overly obnoxious group of six drunks dining next to us - you know the ones that want to relive every funny thing that ever happened to them and just how funny it was. Anyway, I digress.
We were greeted with our very knowledgeable and friendly server, Nancy. She walked us through the menu, describing Five's mission to use locally sourced, in season ingredients. In the end, my mom and I both decided to go with the four-course prix-fixe option while my dad and Greg chose their own entrees and shared everything else with us.
Our meal began with a complimentary amuse bouche of a savory cream puff filled with smoked trout mousse. It was the perfect way to start off our meal. Next came our appetizers. The table shared the salmon tartar with crispy water crackers and the paper thin beef carpaccio. Both were delicious and the servings were just the right size. For the next course, Greg and I shared the nettle soup and my parents shared a salad made with local greens. Next came our entrees. My mom and I both ordered the veal with polenta which was excellent. Greg devoured the trout special which came with roasted sweet potatoes and mixed veggies, and my dad enjoyed the roasted half chicken with vegetables. I should have taken notes on what everyone got because the menu changes on a daily basis, but just know that it was good! Finally, we ended the meal with a four layer chocolate dessert and my personal favorite, sweet honey goat cheese sandwiched between crisp sugar cookies, a perfect end to the perfect meal. We had a great experience at Five Bistro. The food was excellent but I believe having a great server that really knew the menu and treated us as if we were her only table really elevated our dining experience. Thank you, Five Bistro, for a wonderful night out in St. Louis!
Five Bistro
5100 Daggett Avenue
Saint Louis, MO 63110
(314) 773-5553
Showing posts with label restaurants. Show all posts
Showing posts with label restaurants. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Friday, April 15, 2011
St. Louis Foodie Finds: Chava's Mexican Restaurant
One aspect of St. Louis that Greg and I are most excited about is the abundance of unique restaurants that seem to pop up no matter what neighborhood we venture out to. People who know me "in real life" know that I have a slight obsession with Mexican food. And I don't discriminate, my dirty little secret - I love Taco Bell. There, I said it, the el gato is out of the bag.
But that's not what I'm here to talk about. I am here to tell you about a much, much, much better Mexican food eating experience. I was going through a bit of withdrawal because I hadn't eaten Mexican since we went out with friends before leaving Milwaukee over a month ago. So, we did a little research and settled on Chava's.
Located in the bustling Soulard area, Chava's has a prime corner location with plentiful outdoor seating available on the front and side. One section is covered with a canopy and twinkling lights, perfect for a special birthday celebration or just a fun night out on the town. Greg and I chose to venture inside as it was already cooling off and we got a great table for two next to the window.
We were greeted with a basket of warm tortilla chips and a bowl of smoky, spicy salsa. It was all I could do not to down the whole basket and call it a day! Next, we settled on an appetizer of jenas - baked jalapenos stuffed with Mexican sausage (chorizo?) and cheese. Normally, I would go straight for the guacamole or queso dip but I was really happy I tried something new. These were incredible and not at all greasy or over-filling. Just enough to get me ready for the main event, steak fajitas.
The meat was marinated and cooked until tender and the plate was overflowing with grilled peppers, onions and all the fixins'. The only thing that could have made my meal even better is if it was served on one of those piping hot skillets that keeps them sizzling while you build your fajita.
Luckily I have a husband who likes to share because he chose the pork tamales which were delicious. Steamed in corn husks and smothered in salsa verde and melted cheese, the tamales were a winning combination. We only wish we had saved room for dessert, fried cheesecake, what?!
I am really excited to return to this restaurant, after reading their website I learned they are famous for their El Mireko (ranchero chicken burritos flash fried and topped with chile con queso) and their fish tacos. I also think the fried tacos sound good (have you noticed I gravitate toward anything fried?).
Sorry I did not include any photos. I really prefer to enjoy the dining experience without stopping to take pictures! But check out their website for pics and more information.
Chava's Mexican Restaurant
925 Geyer Avenue
Saint Louis, MO 63104
(314) 241-5503
But that's not what I'm here to talk about. I am here to tell you about a much, much, much better Mexican food eating experience. I was going through a bit of withdrawal because I hadn't eaten Mexican since we went out with friends before leaving Milwaukee over a month ago. So, we did a little research and settled on Chava's.
Located in the bustling Soulard area, Chava's has a prime corner location with plentiful outdoor seating available on the front and side. One section is covered with a canopy and twinkling lights, perfect for a special birthday celebration or just a fun night out on the town. Greg and I chose to venture inside as it was already cooling off and we got a great table for two next to the window.
We were greeted with a basket of warm tortilla chips and a bowl of smoky, spicy salsa. It was all I could do not to down the whole basket and call it a day! Next, we settled on an appetizer of jenas - baked jalapenos stuffed with Mexican sausage (chorizo?) and cheese. Normally, I would go straight for the guacamole or queso dip but I was really happy I tried something new. These were incredible and not at all greasy or over-filling. Just enough to get me ready for the main event, steak fajitas.
The meat was marinated and cooked until tender and the plate was overflowing with grilled peppers, onions and all the fixins'. The only thing that could have made my meal even better is if it was served on one of those piping hot skillets that keeps them sizzling while you build your fajita.
Luckily I have a husband who likes to share because he chose the pork tamales which were delicious. Steamed in corn husks and smothered in salsa verde and melted cheese, the tamales were a winning combination. We only wish we had saved room for dessert, fried cheesecake, what?!
I am really excited to return to this restaurant, after reading their website I learned they are famous for their El Mireko (ranchero chicken burritos flash fried and topped with chile con queso) and their fish tacos. I also think the fried tacos sound good (have you noticed I gravitate toward anything fried?).
Sorry I did not include any photos. I really prefer to enjoy the dining experience without stopping to take pictures! But check out their website for pics and more information.
Chava's Mexican Restaurant
925 Geyer Avenue
Saint Louis, MO 63104
(314) 241-5503
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