120438 Mon Jan 21 06:58:46 -0800 2002 10 8 Midwest 0 656567 Last week i had a late dinner at Bobby's (corner Manchester & Sutton). It was just fair. The room seems cold and unwelcoming, and the ceilings are too high. The decor is faded and tired. Granted, i only had one dish: jambelaya, but this should be a signature dish for a creole place. The chicken was kind of tough and (not much of it) just laid on top of a large mound of rice. There were also too few pieces of sausage and these were nothing special. The overall spicing was neither deep nor complex-- just hot with an overpowering flavor of sage and thyme. Disappointing. The Schafley hafweissen (sp?) on tap was good, though. Later in the week i stopped at Maya Cafe (down the street from Bobby's) for a quick beer. I ran into a colleague who informed me that their dinners were over an hour overdue at their table because the chef had just walked out! Stay tuned. Finally, i had one of the best pieces of fish that i have ever eaten (really) at Wonton King on Olive in (i think) U. City. Absolutely fresh, steamed to perfection in a garlic soy broth with sliced scallions. I look forward to working my way through their deceptively simple menu. A couple caveats: Almost no English spoken here--though they are extremely nice and helpful. Liquor license applied for, but no booze yet. Soon, i hope. Mon Jan 21 06:58:46 -0800 2002 0 CliffA 1 656587 If you ever plan to eat in St.Louis on a Sunday night, do it before 9 or 10pm. This town shuts down everything. I went looking for food at 10:15pm on a Sunday night, and I ended up at Schnuk's grocery store at 12am, only because the Amoco gas station recommended it when she saw me cursing up and down the aisles trying to find a suitable meal. If you need any help with New Orleans, ask me. I would be happy to help. Tue Jan 22 18:13:24 -0800 2002 656567 0 Hector Mejia 2 656589 Monday night, too. I thought Monday restaurant closings were an anachronism--not in this town. I always am sure to have somethng in the house for Monday night. Wed Jan 23 08:05:50 -0800 2002 656587 0 CliffA 3 656783 Most of the Asian restaurants are open Mondays and close Tuesdays, if that's any help. Sat Feb 16 15:57:36 -0800 2002 656589 0 lemons 1 656595 Thanks for the info on your recent adventures. I have one of my own to share. I have been around the St. Louis area all my life, but just recently decided to start discovering restaurants here. I usually make most of my food adventures on the road and save home for cooking. On that note, on Monday no less, I gave I Fratellini in Clayton a try for dinner. It is very small, seating 30 or so. We got their right at 5 because my companion had a flight to catch later that evening. Overall, it was a disappointing meal. I did have a great red wine, but it was served it a tall skinny juice glass, the same they serve the water in. I was told this was customary in small Italian restaurants. Maybe so, but it did nothing special for me, and they should be much more concerned about the food than the glasses they serve the wine in. We each ordered a salad, I had the arugala salad and my companion had the spinach salad with pancetta and gorgonzola. My salad was arugala, untoasted pine nuts and a few shaves of parmesan with a light vinegarette. Not bad, but by no means memorable. The pine nuts should have been toasted, it would have enhanced the flavor a great deal. The spinach salad was pretty close to bad. The spinach was lightly sauted in olive oil then topped with the pancetta and gorgonzola... and that was it. No other dressing. It cried out for balsamic vinegar or just about anything to give it a little kick. It tasted like greasy spinach leaves. The special of the night and my entree was a saffron risotto with chicken, red bell peppers, portobellas and mozzarella. It was good, but loaded with cheese to a point it was stringy. The mistake they made was garnishing the sides of the serving bowl with chopped cilantro. It was sharp and bitter compared to the creamy and mellow taste of the rissoto. Parsley would have been a much better option if they felt the need for greenery. My companion had the tenderlion fillet stuffed with gorgonzola and something green. This was okay, but the meat was not tender, and they did not ask how to prepare the meat. Guess that was not an option. The potatoes were great. Overall, again, nothing special. The dessert I ordered, of which I cannot remember the name, was quite good. It had a sponge cake and two types of chocolate cream. It was also huge. I am looking forward to continuing my quest for great St. Louis restaurants. So much for the first try. Wed Jan 23 14:21:05 -0800 2002 656567 0 GinaCaleeo 2 656602 I feel compelled to reply when someone posts a lengthy review. Mainly, i guess i'll avoid Fratellini. The local food group is going to La Piazza tonight. You should contact Kimberly Shapiro at Kbearshapiro@aol.com if you're interested in going-- either tonight (hurry!) or subsequently-- if you want to get out more. Thu Jan 24 08:21:05 -0800 2002 656595 0 CliffA 3 656603 Re: I Fratellini. I think it a bit unfair to try to assess a brand new restaurant on one visit early in its existence. I went last night and, although it wasn't exactly memorable, I had a decent meal. My red wine was served in a perfectly appropriate red wine glass. Service was a tad slow, but the waitress was apologetic and comped dessert. My seafood risotto was just fine, and since all my daughter had was plain spaghetti with butter, it's kind of tough to give much more of a meaningful review. Zoe has had success now with three other restaurants, and I have every reason to believe she'll iron out the kinks here and succeed again. The space has a nice, European feel, and the restaurant features a refrigerated case with carryout foods displayed, which should be a welcome addition to the neighborhood. Thu Jan 24 09:46:08 -0800 2002 656602 0 Alan Freed 4 656607 Ok, i'll give it a go. Thanks for the info. Fri Jan 25 07:56:23 -0800 2002 656603 0 CliffA 1 656598 I couldn't agree with you more about Bobby's Creole. My misinformed in-laws hosted our rehersal dinner there since I learned to cook in NOLA. Gotta tell ya, I do a better job than they do when I'm drunk on Dixie. However, we recently found a creole place that is worth the trip. Unfortunate name, New Orleans By-you, but really delish. Honest jambalaya, spicy (unusual here) and plentiful crawfish, rich etoufee. Fabulous. And they even have Dixie at a reasonable price. (I really hate paying micro-brew price for my cheap college beer.) On a sunny nice day, I enjoy Broadway Oyster Bar. Food's pretty good and consistent. I go when a good band is playing on the patio. Wed Jan 23 16:56:54 -0800 2002 656567 0 marie 2 656599 Really too bad about Bobby's. One of the last meals I had before leaving St. Louis over a year ago was at Bobby's. Not even a shadow of what it was when it first opened in the U. City Loop. Wed Jan 23 17:05:27 -0800 2002 656598 0 Pat Hammond 2 656601 Thanks for the headsup on New Orleans By-you (i see what you mean about the name). I agree about Broadway Oyster Bar. We were there this summer, and there was a good cover band, the night was warm, and drunken Cards fans were plying our women friends with free pitchers. Thu Jan 24 08:13:03 -0800 2002 656598 0 CliffA