After dinner happiness at Cielo Restaurant.
The pick of the month for Dining Women (our 5-some that eats out once a month) was Cielo Restaurant. (Cielo is pronounced like the instrument and is the Italian word for sky.) The unique space is one of the loveliest venues in town. Perched on the 8th floor of the Four Seasons Hotel in Lumière Plaza, the restaurant and bar overlook the Gateway Arch, MLK Bridge and the Mississippi River.
We wanted to eat outside on the roof terrace, that looks much like a well-manicured city garden with a pool, plantings, fire pit, art work, and dining area. But it was cool and drizzly that evening, so we settled into the comfortable dining room.
The roof at Cielo has the feel of a city park.
A view in every direction
Dining on the roof at Cielo
A nice touch on a chilly evening.
A classic Italian menu
It was mid-week, yet the place was crowded. Most tables were made up of men, who were likely in town on business trips and staying at the hotel. What a great venue Cielo is for showing off the city, its cuisine, river and downtown.
We took in the panoramic view and enjoyed a fine Italian dinner from the kitchen of executive chef Gian Nicola Colucci, a native of northern Italy. His house-made classics were all authentic, well-prepared and charmingly served. And since a picture is worth a thousand words, behold. . . Buon Appetito!
The Salmon with cauliflower puree, roasted carrot romanesco, and citrus gremolata was truly a work of art.
Risotto with short rib ragout, oven-dried tomato and Parmesan.
I had the Carrot Ravioli with spinach burrata filling and lamb ragu. Excellent!
This chocolate gelato was as good as I’ve had in Italy!
Even the house Chardonnay found fans at our table.
View of the city after dark at Cielo
An After Dinner Riverfront Excursion
Shady Jack’s Saloon & Deli
Since we were already on the riverfront, I decided to look up Shady Jacks. The biker bar had been recommended to me recently by a couple of blog readers as a place for great French fries. We drove by, but it wasn’t open. Even so, I could tell from the signage that it was a lively, multi-dimensional venue, where I could likely get a tattoo along with my fries.
From their website, I learned Shady Jack welcomes everybody—“bikers, tattoo lovers, swingers, motor heads, construction workers, hot chicks, ugly chicks, young and old, country boys, cow boys, lawyers, judges, pimps, police officers and sports fans.”
Our group was uncertain which of those categories we fit into. I suggested that we call ahead and inquire about valet parking, a quiet seat near the window, and their wine selection. But, alas, I couldn’t convince Dining Women to eat at Shady Jack’s next month.
It was too dark to take a good photo, but I went on line and found this one (above). It will help you to locate the place should you want to do some culinary research on my behalf. If you go, please report back on the quality of the fries.
Cielo Restaurant, Four Seasons Hotel, Lacledes Landing, 999 N. Second Street. Open: Mon-Sat 6:30a-2:30p, 6-10p; Sun 6-10p. Sunday Brunch: 10:30a-2:30p. Cooking Classes: Sundays 6p-8:30p, hands on and interactive, $85 per person. NO LONGER IN BUSINESS.
