372319 Sun Feb 18 06:48:16 -0800 2007 21 8 Midwest 0 2304078 My wife and I will be in St. Louis the end of March and I am looking for recommendations for romantic and intimate dining spots in St. Louis, preferably in the downtown area! Thanks for any help that you can give! Sun Feb 18 06:48:16 -0800 2007 69227 enortham 1 2305014 I think you have to be patient with recs for St. Louis. Most of the town is recovering from the Mardi Gras celebrations in Soulard yesterday. Sun Feb 18 14:07:29 -0800 2007 2304078 56396 cookingkid 1 2305027 An American Place in the Renaissance Grand Hotel is quite beautiful and would definitely fit the bill for intimate and romantic. It's also pretty pricey, IMHO. Larry Forgione is the chef and uses a lot of local products. Sun Feb 18 14:15:25 -0800 2007 2304078 34801 shannoninstlouis 2 2349260 he's the owner, and he has something to do with the food for sure, but the day to day chef is a guy from New Orleans that was displaced by Katrina. I don't recall his name. Sat Mar 03 13:51:45 -0800 2007 2305027 29144 bobzemuda 3 2352421 Is it OK to chime in with my name? Josh Galliano and thanks for the support. As for other recommendations, you should consider Sidney Street Cafe as Kevin Nashan's food is stellar. It is down the street from Niche, so if you could always maneuver savory at one and sweet at the other. Sun Mar 04 21:21:49 -0800 2007 2349260 23287 jpg 1 2305277 The usual suspects. An American Place was already mentioned. Tony's. Really expensive but really over the top service, i had to fight the water pourer to get a drink of water, he kept refilling it. Good food and good wine selection, but you are really paying for the service and the flash. I would think Niche would be wonderful for an intimate dinner. Or King Louie, or Eleven Eleven, although people have said they have gone downhill. They are not really in downtown. Don't go to Laclede's Landing, the restaurants are OK, but Sun Feb 18 16:20:29 -0800 2007 2304078 11826 Phaedrus 1 2305859 Not really in downtown, but Niche, in Benton Park, was very good. Maybe Kemoll's would be decent downtown, though I have not been there myself. Tony's on Market is the swank, old-school joint downtown. Sun Feb 18 21:06:04 -0800 2007 2304078 31825 ddfry3 1 2307238 I've recently had a good meal at the tapas place, Mosaic, on Washington. Also Copia on Washington is pretty good. Mon Feb 19 11:20:38 -0800 2007 2304078 24556 jojoamelia 1 2309418 It doesn't get much grander for drinks than the Grand Hall at Union Station - this is part of the Hyatt Hotel - the Grand Hall features a vault ceiling that shows up in architecture books, has Tiffany stained glass windows, and has a romantic whispering arch (the only one I know of besides the Cathedral at Clonmacnoise in Ireland and the US Capitol in Washington DC. The Hyatt has a nice restaurant called the Station Grill ("enjoy the panoramic decor of an old-time dining room"), and you can find out more at the Hyatt website. Tue Feb 20 04:54:08 -0800 2007 2304078 12584 Doug 2 2309763 The Grand Hall is fantastic. I would inquire about the food from others though, last time I went it was less than spectacular. It may have changed for all I know. Tue Feb 20 07:26:55 -0800 2007 2309418 11826 Phaedrus 1 2327217 While Niche is not downtown, it is only a 10 minute cab ride, so it should be considered a viable option. It's the only place already listed (in my opinion) that can be labelled both intimate and romantic. And the food is amazing, with portions that aren't overwhelming, which allows you room for their noteworthy desserts. Reservations are a must, so we always eat at the bar. Sun Feb 25 07:22:54 -0800 2007 2304078 26334 Todd Lannom 1 2327407 Spring for a cab, or hop on the Metrolink and try out Savor; it's run by the former executive chef of King Louie's (also good). Here's a gander at their menu: http://www.saucemagazine.com/savor/wine.htm Sun Feb 25 08:56:07 -0800 2007 2304078 77643 abba 2 2331542 Kirk Warner, the former King Louie's Executive Chef, has not been cooking at Savor since June 1, 2006. I dined at Savor (with full knowledge that Kirk was no longer in the Kitchen) two weeks ago, and was very disappointed with my meal, as was my dining partner. His absence is noticeable. Press release: http://www.travelingkitchen.com/pdf/KTK_PR.pdf Mon Feb 26 15:11:30 -0800 2007 2327407 26334 Todd Lannom 1 2332065 Most everything in St. Louis is about 15 minutes from where you are standing so let me recommend Harvest on Big Bend which I think has some of the finest food in the city and is comparable with Chicago and other big food towns. Remi's in Clayton is also very nice. The grill at the Ritz Carlton is great as well, though expensive. The Ritz is not an expensive place to stay (call if you're interested and ask for a rate) and we think Clayton is nicer than downtown. Mon Feb 26 17:30:58 -0800 2007 2304078 72774 marilyn9 1 2334039 For a romantic dinner our favorites are Chez Leon and Moxy, located side by side on Laclede Ave. in the Central West End. Chez Leon is a classic French bistro; Moxy is a little new cuisine stylish place. Eric Brenner, owner of Moxy, was chef at Chez Leon for many years before opening his own place. Reservations recommended if you like to eat at a reasonable hour. Metrolink brings you within 3-4 blocks. (Central West End station, come up the Euclid Ave/hospital exit stairs, not towards the buses.) Both are, like an American Place, rather pricey, but the atmosphere is much more intimate. The Central West End also will make a good afternoon, pre-dinner or post-dinner walk--as you go north on Euclid, there are several streets with little shops, galleries, etc. The Grand Hall at the Station is quite the elegant place for a cocktail, but not for food. Get your predinner drink before walking over to the Metrolink! Tue Feb 27 11:12:43 -0800 2007 2304078 78255 theotherLisa 1 2357138 I would second the Central West End, there are some good restaurants and it's a cute area. You should also think about heading over to the Hill- Italian is certainly romantic. Cunetto's and Charlie Gitto's are my favorites. Think about Lafayette Square for after dinner- The Chocolate Bar is to die for! Tue Mar 06 07:15:55 -0800 2007 2304078 80289 lwoerther 1 2357733 Nothing romantic or intimate about Cunetto's. It's great if you want quantity at a low price, but I could not recommend it for a cozy dinner for two--either for the quality of the food or the quality of the ambience. Tue Mar 06 09:36:22 -0800 2007 2304078 12694 alan 1 2358197 I would definately second Bailey's Chocolate bar if you intend to end your intimate evening with drinks / desert. Get a table on the porch if possible (it is heated). It's just about perfect for the cap to a romantic evening. Late weekend nights, however, be prepared for a wait of up to an hour to get seated. Take a stroll around the neighborhood / park (which is also romantic). Tue Mar 06 10:57:40 -0800 2007 2304078 14815 bab 2 2358841 Right next door to Bailey's is 33 Wine Bar. Very nice also. Tue Mar 06 13:13:02 -0800 2007 2358197 34801 shannoninstlouis 2 2368182 I also had a great time at Bailey's, can be crowded on weekends. Great desserts and atmosphere, get the chocolate martini!! Thu Mar 08 20:53:05 -0800 2007 2358197 31825 ddfry3 3 2368648 more like get "a" chocolate martini as they have about a dozen and a half. The ice cream onces are like adult milkshakes. So delicious. Fri Mar 09 05:52:12 -0800 2007 2368182 29144 bobzemuda 1 2387353 A lot of the places downtown are either insanely expensive (like An American Place or Tony's) or are mostly geared towards a trendy, younger crowd (most places on Washington, such as Copia). The good thing about St. Louis is that nothing is really that far away from downtown. If it's you and your wife and you want to make a night of it, I recommend Eleven Eleven Mississippi for drinks and dinner, followed by a quick 3- or 4-block walk over to Bailey's Chocolate Bar on Park. Both places are excellent and Chocolate Bar is open late. Plus, they have AMAZING dessert and cocktail lists. Wed Mar 14 22:51:41 -0700 2007 2304078 82838 onebrilliantbroad