Twice a year I post photos of the best dishes I’ve had at local restaurants. Below is my listing for the last half of 2019, in no particular order. (Those selected from first half of year are repeated at the bottom of this post.)
I make no attempt to balance the food groups or ethnic cuisines. These are just dishes I remember especially enjoying at the time.
Togarashi Fries (Bellwether)
Togarashi Fries come with nuac cham dipping sauce and gochujang ketchup. (Togarashi is a Japanese spice blend of chile pepper, hemp seed, poppy seed, black sesame, ginger, orange peel and nori. It’s often sprinkled on corn, sushi, ramen and stir fry.)
Steamed Dumplings (Akar)
This Asian delicacy doesn’t get any better than what Chef Bernie Lee delivers up at his new Forsyth location. Akar is small and cozy, so be sure to make reservations.
Asparagus (Private Kitchen)
A simple vegetable dish packed with flavor. To dine at this upscale Asian restaurant on Olive, reservations and menu selections must be placed on line in advance.
Crawfish Enchiladas (Broadway Oyster Bar)
Broadway Oyster Bar is a touch of New Orleans in downtown St. Louis.
Mufallato (Blues City Deli)
Blues City Deli is a neighborhood restaurant with a large menu of top notch sandwiches and a host of loyal fans. (One sandwich feeds four!)
Beef Ramen (Nudo)
Chef Qui Tran does it again with his second noodle house—this one in the Delmar Loop.
Gyoza (Nippon Tei)
These chicken and pork dumplings are both luscious and lovely.
Lamb-Beef Gyro (Katerina’s Greek Restaurant)
New in downtown Clayton, the family run restaurant (in the former Morton’s location) knows how to turn out Greek specialties, that will have you coming back for more.
Desserts (Cafe Natasha)
A mom and daughter restaurant on Grand, that consistently turns out superior Mediterranean dishes.
Roasted Celery Root Soup and Bolero Carrot Cake (Bulrush)
Roasted Celery Root Soup
Bolero Carrot Cake with acorn miso, rye butterscotch, roasted pumpkin, malted milk crumb, and feuilletine crepes.
Pear Salad (Capital Grill)
Burrata and Honey Balsamic Pear
My selections of favorite restaurant dishes for the first half of 2019 were:
- Falafel at Sultan
- Hot Salami at Gioia
- Asian Chicken Salad at Zodiac in Neiman-Marcus
- Bread Pudding at Cyranos
- Chocolate Coconut Tres Leches at Cinder House
- Tempura Soft Shell Crab at Akar
- Veal Dumplings at Sidney Street Café
- Pide at Balkan Treat Box
- Tomato Bisque Soup at Giovanni’s Kitchen
- Caponata of Eggplant at Olio
- Cheddar Biscuits at Yellowbelly
