Edition: St. Louis Hosts U.S. Figure Skating Championships
Special Occasion Restaurants & Elegant Dining in St. Louis
Author: Beth M. Custer
A fine restaurant can be a microcosm of life's happiest events. For most of us, holidays, milestone birthdays and anniversaries, and even marriage proposals are made unforgettable when accompanied by an exceptional meal in elegant surroundings.
Top of the Riverfront
The Millennium Hotel's Top of the Riverfront (314-241-3191, 200 S. 4th St., M2;D5) slowly revolves to display panoramic views of the entire city. Locals agree that dusk is the best time for viewing the changing colors of the sky and the sparkling lights of nearby buildings. Its quiet elegance is perfect for a romantic rendezvous. The focus is on American regional cuisine, and on any given day the menu might include everything from prime rib to roast duck to a nice selection of seafood. The popular Sunday brunch offers champagne and over 100 menu items like Belgian waffles and made-to-order omelets.
Tony's
Ask a St. Louisan to name a special occasion restaurant, and the first response is likely to be Tony's (314-231-7007, 410 Market St., M2;C4), known for years as the place to impress friends or clients. The ambience is hushed and formal; unflappable waiters stand unnoticed until by some prescient awareness one appears at the instant he is needed. Choose amoung entrees like grilled scampi and lobster tail or beef tenderloin with foie gras, or try the chef's tasting menu.
St. Louis Fish Market
(314-621-4612, 901 N. First, M2;A5) isn't a market at all, but a chic restaurant with highly polished tables and deep leather booths inside the Embassy Suites Hotel. Subdued jazz and dim lighting along with a subtly nautical decor bring to mind an upscale seaport dining room. The Crab Spinach Swiss Parmesan Artichoke dip with fired pita triangles is a satisfying, full-flavored appetizer; the crab cakes are choice, and are complimented by both cilantro basil pesto and corn jalapeno salsa. A full raw bar/sushi bar is offered for both lunch and dinner. For dessert, try the deeply comforting Warm Apple Betty, a huge portion of dense apple cake with vanilla bean ice cream and hot caramel sauce.
The atmosphere at St. Louis Fish Market is chic and upscale. Enjoy subdued jazz and excellent food for that special event. -- Charlean Gunn, Guest Services, Embassy Suites Hotel
The Crossing
For the well-heeled cognoscenti of Clayton The Crossing (314-721-7375, 7823 Forsyth, M8;E2) is the place to enjoy a "crossing" of French and Italian cuisines. The chef's Fall tasting menu lists twelve items to choose from, including Stracci Ragu of Wild Boar, Texas Tilapia with warm spinach, wild mushrooms and a vermouth wine reduction, and a choice of two wine flights. On one recent evening the menu included a crisp salad of mixed greens and julienned apples with lemon vinaigrette, fontina, and honey-truffle oil. As for dessert, the memorably decadent Warm Chocolate Torte will calm the nerves of any chocoholic, while the White Chocolate/Dark Chocolate Mousse was described by one patron as "a little bit of heaven." Discriminating diners will enjoy both the artistically arranged dishes and the ambience created by sophisticated original artwork.
The Crossing, with its seasonal menu of northern Italian and northern French cuisine and its intimate ambience, lends itself very well to either a business dinner or any special occasion. -- Eddie Klein, Head Concierge, Ritz-Carlton
Porter's
On the Illinois side of the river, Porter's (618-345-2400, 1000 Eastport Plaza Dr., Collinsville, M1;B4), wraps diners in a warm, club-like atmosphere. The savory grilled pepperloin, marinated in olive oil and herbs for 48 hours before cooking, is a favorite. The award for Most Fun Dessert goes to the Bananas Foster, prepared dramatically by a server who peels an entire orange into one long, narrow strip, then uses it as a fuse to ignite the bananas. Locals rave about the Sunday brunch; it offers mouth-watering breakfast and lunch entrees, and a pastry table groaning under the weight of multiple cakes and pies.
Monarch
The recently expanded Monarch (314-644-3995, 7401 Manchester Rd., M4;C2) has a cosmopolitan ambience that CBS News anchor Russ Mitchell compares to restaurants on the Upper West Side of New York City. The dining room's fabric-swathed ceilings convey airy luxury, while the bistro is more casual, but still chic. One recent menu included pan seared sea scallops with Mediterranean couscous and sweet potato hay, and yellow fin tuna with frizzled wontons, all arranged artistically and garnished with inventive little fillips. The new wine bar features live music on Thursday and weekly wine events.
