ernesto's

we'd been waiting months to try ernesto's wine bar, but we just kept putting it off in favor of other groupon offers. finally, after nearly six months of waiting, we found a reason to go: some of our friends wanted to meet up for some post-grading-please-kill-me-now wine and cheese debauchery.

mission:
ernesto's wine bar
benton park

terrain:
located in the confines of tucked-away benton park, ernesto's is a tiny little wine bar that offers up an intimate atmosphere (only a handful of tables) and contemporary furnishings. we sat at the largest table, which was situated comfortably in the corner next to the large front window, offering us an excellent view of the quiet, tree-lined street. plating was straightforward and unpretentious, though sometimes a little uninspired (see grilled cheese photo).

personnel:
our waiter was competent, though he lacked the sincerity we like to feel at fine dining restaurants, especially ones as intimate as this. (a smirk and a givemeyerdamnorder attitude is just fine with us at qdoba, but show us a little more love when we're forking out 10 bones for some pinot freaking gris.) anyway, he was noticeably attentive with the water refills, something we chalked up to restaurant policy (y'know, to keep the wine drinkers from getting out of control).

rations:
since the larger plates were primarily meatcentric, we decided to skip entrees this night and go with a smorgasbord of appetizers. we started the night with a trio of nuts, opting for rosemary walnuts, curried cashews, and lavender marcona almonds. though each flavor struggled to shine through, we have to admit that there's a whole lot of bang for the buck (all three helpings for only six dollars!). midway through the nut snack plate, the cheese arrived, which was a good thing because the nuts combined with the cheese beautifully. our cheese selections were the stilton, the gouda, and the "purple haze," a goat cheese infused with lavender and fennel pollen. the purple haze was by far the best of the bunch and is definitely worth returning for. on the heels of the cheese came our last starter: a trio of spreads, including a double order of white been hummus and a single order of tomato, eggplant, and pepper sauce. to the point: neither of these things is good enough to order again. moving on... the final component of our snack extravaganza was "the best grilled cheese." with wild mushrooms, sharp cheddar, black truffle fontina, and white truffle oil, we figured there was no way to go wrong. right? wrong. so. much. grease. for some reason, despite the richness of the ingredients, ernesto's chef decided it was a good idea to add an insane amount of butter to the bread. yeah, we get it, grilled cheeses are traditionally prepared with buttered bread, but there's also such a thing as discretion. make no mistake, the sandwich was incredibly tasty, but the oil and butter deathlock was simply overkill, and it ruined what could have been a transcendent sandwich. quite literally, our hands were glistening with sandwich runoff. ewwww.

overall, ernesto's is really close to doing things well enough for a return visit, but for now they're just not hitting the mark.

assessment:
b-

vegetarian-friendly score:
b

one 19 north

this kirkwood tapas joint has received a lot of good press lately, so when we saw a groupon for it, we jumped on the opportunity. (very) generally speaking, tapas restaurants in the states consist of clever restaurant owners who have seized the tapas trend to make lots of money selling overpriced and undersized portions of food. unfortunately, one 19 north is no different.

mission:
one 19 north
kirkwood

terrain:
nestled among the many shoppes on big bend avenue, one 19 north's unassuming storefront is easily missed (we've driven by it multiple times and never noticed it). the interior consists of warm colors, "vintage" posters, and tacky walls (sort of faux-tuscan or adobe or something, perhaps meant to evoke images of old-world wine cellars, they just feel a little "trading spaces"). there are a couple of nice tables perched near the front windows, and there's a cool bench along one of the walls that allow the vertically challenged among us to swing our feet. in any case, nothing much to see here. move along.

personnel:
our server was quite good. full of energy, quick to please, and highly attentive, he made sure we knew exactly what vegetarian options were available to us. (turns out, too, that this guy has a reputation, as one of our servers at ernesto's wine bar spoke very highly of one 19's head waiter.)

rations:
as you know by now, we're suckers for hummus, and whenever we see hummus on a menu, we're gonna get it. the saffron hummus at one 19 was tasty, no doubt, but we struggled to find any hint of the saffron the restaurant promised. furthermore, the naan we were promised wasn't really naan at all; it's just a regular ol' flatbread, and not even warm. anyway, we can put up with a little misrepresentation, but we will not put up with skimpy portions. as you can see, this place has pushed "tapas" to the extreme. the salt and pepper shakers are the perfect scale to illustrate just how minuscule this "serving" of hummus was. eesh. we were not amused.

from there, we moved on to the crispy artichokes hearts, which boasted a wonderfully seasoned tomato and crushed almonds sauce.
the artichokes, however, were lackluster and simply did not taste fresh.

we finished the meal with two salads that do not merit a full write-up. suffice to say that they were uninspired but competent, with very poor dressing (one actually separated in its ramekin).

we're convinced that things would have gone better for an omnivore, but we cannot endorse this restaurant if you're a vegetarian. from the too-small portions (even for tapas) to the mediocre flavors, this is a restaurant that needs an overhaul if they're to appeal to a more diverse crowd.
 

assessment:
c-
 
vegetarian-friendly score:
b-

sweetart

oh, sweetart, how we love thee. there are few things in my life more comforting than walking into a strictly vegetarian restaurant, and when the food is top notch, well, fuggitaboutit. from the moment we set foot in this shaw neighborhood cafe, we knew we'd found a new friend. (we only wish we'd discovered it sooner!) since our visit a year ago, sweetart has been building a bit of a following in the st. louis foodie scene. in fact, their vegan brownies are featured on the cover of this month's sauce magazine. all the attention they've received is justified, no doubt, but most of the attention seems to be aimed at their desserts (they're delicious, by the way, if a bit on the sweet side). for this review, we'll be focusing exclusively on the savory fare.

mission:
sweetart
shaw

terrain:
tucked away in the underrated shaw neighborhood, this lovely little cafe is decorated with cbabi bayoc's fluid, vibrant, jazz-improv paintings, and the seating is eclectic mix of vintage chairs and tables. the muted palette of the furniture balances nicely with the brilliant colors of cbabi's art, but most of all the place just feels "lived in"--unpretentious, comfortable, and inviting. to be sure, the place is a bit cramped during lunch rush, but when the food is this good, it's a minor inconvenience. plus, for the most part (except for that one dickhead sitting next to us this summer), the patrons are friendly and interested in being descent human beings. once you visit sweetart, you'll understand that this is not a place where jerks hang out.

personnel:
without fail, the service at sweetart is on point. even though there's minimal interaction with the staff (one orders at the front counter, after all, and one does bus his or her own dishes), we're always greeted with a smile. we frequently see cbabi helping out in the front, and if you're not too shy, he's very approachable. again, it just wouldn't make any sense for the owners to be jerks. still, cbabi and reine are both wildly talented people, so it's nice to know that they're grounded. you get the feeling that they're the type of people you'd want to spend a lot of time with.

rations:
we've tried many things at sweetart over the last year, but there's always one constant: the sweet burger. it's a beautiful melange of onions, lentils, carrots, and textured vegetable protein (we think?). it's topped with tomatoes, organic greens, house vegan spread (to die for!), and, in their own words, "magic." you can also opt for avocado for a little extra dough, and though it's a lovely addition, the burger is so good that you're fine foregoing the extra expense.

for this visit, we wanted the "tower grove," a delectable un-chicken salad sandwich, but since it's out of season, we went with the "39th." the best vegetarian blt in the country (the world?) is in northampton, ma, at green bean cafe, but sweetart's version is a more than competent substitute. what sets the two apart is that green bean's blt comes with homemade tempeh for the "bacon"; at sweetart, they use smart bacon, which is a tasty soybacon for sure, but it just can't quite shake the processed feeling/texture. to be clear, this is still a very good sandwich, even if it feels a bit too savory. again, though, this sandwich is topped with the house vegan spread, and if you missed it before, we'll remind you that this stuff is to die for.

a quick aside: you'll notice that there are tortilla chips on one of the plates. ordinarily, sandwiches come with either fruit or locally-made billy goat chips, but after many disappointing experiences with the billy goat chips, we now make a point to get tortilla chips. to be fair to the billy goat chip company, the only time we've ever had bad experiences with their product is at sweetart. we have no explanation for this. more than anything, we'd just like to know if other visitors to sweetart have had the same experience. nevertheless, we love the sandwiches so much, we'd return again and again even if sweetart only offered a lump of dirt for a side dish.

assessment:
a-

vegetarian-friendly score:
a+

pi

full disclosure: we are long-time devotees of pi. the original delmar location was one of the first restaurants i visited when i moved to st. louis, and it's pretty much the first place i recommend to anyone looking for good food in the area. quite literally, it never disappoints. still, we approached this review as objective professionals, not as the slobbering, blindly gluttonous fiends you would normally see on a trip to pi.

mission:
pi | euclid avenue location
central west end

terrain:
as is the m.o. of all pi restaurants, the euclid avenue location tries to fit into the neighborhood aesthetic. the decor is a blend of ironic pop art and antiques. tres chic. the lighting is dim, to say the least, and there are large windows that allow diners to watch the omnipresent euclid foot traffic. we have been less than impressed with the eating space--table, seating, and proximity to other diners--and this night was no different. nevertheless, the euclid avenue location is very good looking, and comfort was clearly sacrificed for ambiance.

personnel:
the first time we visited euclid avenue pi, our waiter was horrible. he seemed completely disinterested, and his attitude screamed douchebag hipster. yeah, we get it, we'll never be as cool as you and your neck tattoo. bravo. anyway, this time our service was exceedingly improved. since we're quite familiar with the menu, though, there simply wasn't much work for our server, but at least she shared many warm smiles with us and was attentive without being intrusive.

rations:
as is the case with all pi locations, we always order a large "western addition"; it's the pre-pizza nosh that changes (depending on location and/or mood). this night, we ordered the hummus. it's a fairly straightforward, westernized hummus (read: not oily), but it's flavor was exceptional, blending just the right amount of lemon and tahini. the accompanying roasted red peppers were a bit too limp for my liking, but they tasted good enough. the green and kalamata olives packed huge flavor, and it was clear that they were fresh fresh fresh. finally, the flatbread "spears" (our word) were great for dipping; we just wish pi would season them to cover up some of the dough-iness. if you're listening, pi, we're thinking rosemary would be money.moving on to the thing matters most: the western addition pie. for anyone who will listen to me long enough, i always explain that the western addition will change a person's life, and i mean it. it's the type of experience that sticks with you for a long time, the type that makes you dream about returning again and again. i've always been a fan of deep dish pizza, having grown up with pizza hut pan pizza as a weekly staple and then moving on to the deepest of deep dish pies in chicago (shout out to gino's east but not giordano's!). seriously, i'm a deep dish snob. and i thought i knew all there was to know about deep dish. not so. what pi does to separate itself from chicago-style deep dish is exactly what makes it better: the cornmeal crust. technically speaking, pi is san francisco-style deep dish, and it truly does feel "cleaner" than the deep dish found to our north. the sauce is impeccable, incorporating fresh herbs and gorgeously vibrant chunks of tomato. the mozzarella is always delicious, but it's the addition of creamy ricotta and salty feta that send this pie to the moon. add some spinach, mushrooms, and onions, and you have the perfect vegetarian death row meal. there is nothing we'd rather eat for our last meal (though lois would insist on adding a bowl of ben and jerry's on the side). it's the type of meal that makes your mouth water instantly, makes your eyes roll into the back of your head, makes your whole body swoon. it is perfection.

assessment:
a+
note: though not reviewed this time, the salads served at pi are some of the best in the city.
note 2: here's the final word on eating vegan deep-dish at pi: you must call in advance so that they can prepare the deep-dish dough without butter.

vegetarian-friendly score:
a (with match meat and vegan cheese options available, this pizza joint is head and shoulders above the others)

vegadeli

we tried vegadeli when it first opened, but we were too underwhelmed to make the long drive back (all the way in chesterfield, yo) for a second chance. we were both craving food from a 100% vegan (!) restaurant this past weekend, though, so we put pedal to metal, waving our skinny middle fingers at gas prices.

mission:

vegadeli

chesterfield, mo

terrain:

did we mention that vegadeli is located in chesterfield? eesh. we still can't figure out why the owner chose that location, but it is what it is. the interior of vegadeli is relatively no frills, sporting a few basic tables and some "folk" art on the walls. the menu is posted on the wall next to the front door. the menu is posted by the door, and it has pictures next to some of the items, which struck us as a tad too chinese buffet. we're guessing they do this because many new customers may not be familiar with some of the ingredients.  one orders at the cash register, which is adjacent to a sparsely populated dessert cabinet. to its credit, vegadeli was clean.

personnel:

the cash register operator was soft spoken and friendly. when i requested an off-menu item (hummus with bread), she didn't make a fuss, and when we ordered the kale wrap (more on this later), she couldn't suppress her delight in the quality of our selection. we love it when restaurant staff are excited about the food.

rations:

we started with a hummus appetizer. yes, that's a plastic container you see there. why they didn't serve the hummus in a washable dish is beyond us. in any case, the hummus was strange but tasty. it almost tasted cheesy, which made us think they may have added some parma to it. either way, it was good enough to finish off but not good enough to order again. the pita was served cold with no seasoning. too bad. from the hummus, things picked up a bit, beginning with the delicious yellow lentil soup and veggie-stuffed cornbread. the lentil soup was not overly salty, but it still managed to pack plenty of flavor. the cornbread was fantastic, combining chunks of veggies and just the right amount of sweetness from the corn. when we combined the cornbread with the soup, the result was magical. still, the serving size of the soup was laughable. we paid for a bowl, but there couldn't possibly have been more than 5 ounces. did the server just mess up our order?  we sure hope that's the case.

after the soup, we moved on to the kale wrap. it was quite nice, really, and had a delightful taste of sesame, but again the serving left much to be desired. we understand serving controlled portions, but it is simply unacceptable to charge nearly ten dollars for what amounted to a few leaves of kale, a slice of tomato, and some sauce. they did throw in some chips (kettle brand?).

despite the shortcomings, vegadeli should still be commended for offering a 100% vegan menu. clearly, they know how to make their food taste yummy; they just need to work on presentation and value.  no doubt, though, we'll be paying them more visits in the future.

assessment:

b- (primarily because of the inconsistencies)

vegetarian-friendly score:

a+

lucas park grille

we don't get downtown very often (what's that you say, "aren't rooster and sen thai reason enough?" puh-lease.), but the food at lucas park grille is good enough to bring us back sooner rather than later.

mission:

lucas park grille

downtown

terrain:

when you first walk through lucas park grille's door, you find yourself in the midst of a dimly-lit bar area. the vibe is a bit strange, straddling the world's of suits and urban hipsters (what i call "yupservatives"). we opted not to sit in the bar area, as smoking is still fair game, and we made our way to the back room, where we found ourselves seated in front of a lovely, fully functional fireplace. the table settings are conservatively adorned, with white linens and blase glasses. the chairs only enhance the feeling of 1980's wall street power lunches, as they're plushy and fabricky in all the ways that, for some reason, make me feel claustrophobic. and there was an exposed outlet near the fireplace. eek!

personnel:

our head waiter was a helluva guy, who seemed to want nothing more than to cater to us exclusively. once we explained that we were only interested in vegetarian options, he perked up and looked damn near excited to let us know what lucas park had to offer. we tested him, too, by inquiring about the stock used for the risotto, and he promptly got word from the kitchen that the dish was safe for vegetarians. jackpot. he also recommended a wine tasting for us that would go best with our vegetarian dishes, and his suggestion was spot on.

rations:

we started the evening with a bread basket and a ramekin of too-cold-to-spread butter. still, the bread was good enough and just the right amount to sate our appetites before the roasted red pepper hummus arrived. as is typical of most restaurants serving hummus, pita was the platform we were forced to use for shoveling, but the point here is that the hummus was so good that we wanted to shovel it in. it's so good, in fact, that it nearly matches schlafly's. we were so happy with the hummus that we both said it didn't matter if the rest of the food were garbage. that there's some good hummus, y'all. from there, we moved onto the vegetarian meatballs and the missouri forest mushrooms risotto. both entrees were worthy of praise, but it was the meatballs that had us fighting each other for more and bigger bites. the ratatouille was divine, the house-made mozzarella was sinfully rich and smooth, and the match meatballs were of the highest quality (thank you, match!). (by the way, if you haven't tried match products, you need to do so immediately.) we sopped up the last traces of sauce with our bread, and we lay back into the plushy chairs to wait for our dessert: bread pudding. awww, yeah. obviously, we didn't need the sugary send-off, but we rarely have the strength to pass up bread pudding. fortunately, lucas park's bread pudding was every bit as good as the rest of the meal. sticky and warm, caramel-ly, and not too dense, the bread pudding put us in the trees, people. hello, bliss; hello, food coma. what a meal!

assessment:

b+

vegetarian-friendly score:

a-

harvest

we've been interested in harvest for a couple of years now, as they consistently garner rave reviews from both local and national media. harvest has made a name for itself by serving local and/or organic produce. according to their website, harvest "takes American cuisine to a new level, transforming seafood, steaks, chicken, game, and vegetables into multi-tiered presentations of flavors and textures." with the help of an opentable.com kickback check, we finally pulled the trigger last night.

mission:
harvest
richmond heights

terrain:
harvest is a strange fusion of modern furnishings and southwestern colors and patterns. it's difficult to say whether or not it works, but enough of the decor was confusing enough for us to comment on it numerous times. the lighting was exceedingly dim (what harvest calls "warm"), and the noise was not an issue, despite eating at the peak of a dinner rush. we really dug the wine racks, which conveniently serve as a partition between the dining space and the kitchen doors. the table settings did nothing to interest us, aside from the harvesty-autumn brass napkin rings. one thing we like about the setting is the different levels that help make the space more dynamic.

personnel:
our primary waiter was quite good, and from the minute we exchanged words with him, we felt comfortable. he responded with a brief hesitation when we told him we only needed to hear about vegetarian specials, but he rebounded quickly by showing us his willingness to discuss options with the chef. in fact, he made two separate trips to the kitchen to inquire about veg-friendly menu items. the staff assisting our waiter were competent and very friendly.

rations:
we were excited to eat at harvest because we've read numerous reviews that celebrated harvest's commitment to the locavore movement (see quote above). we started off with an organic greens salad. organic = good. harvest salad = underwhelming. not only was the salad a touch limp, it was also quite uninteresting in terms of flavor and presentation. it came with an herbed cheese toast, and this was actually the highlight. still, organic does equal good, and we really appreciate when a restaurant makes the extra effort to serve organic produce.
moving onto the next course, we received a bowl of onion rings with maytag blue cheese dip. the onion rings were nicely breaded and the dip was yummy, but we were stunned by the enormity of the serving. so. much. greasy. onion. we conceded at mid-stack and moved on to the final course: a side of kennebec potato "frites" (we're still not sure why frites is in quotation marks) and our entree, ricotta gnudi. we ordered the former because, well, we're suckers for frites; we ordered the latter because the main ingredient was chanterelles. the frites were quite good, as was the truffle mayonnaise. nuff said. the ricotta with gnudi was soft and flavorful (unlike most ricotta) and the spaghetti squash was a great touch, but the dish was ultimately a failure because of one fatal flaw: fried chanterelles. ordinarily, we don't like to question a chef's decisions, and we understand that he probably chose to fry these beautiful mushrooms in order to add texture, but it was absolutely the wrong decision. instead of tasting the mushroom, we tasted the batter coating the mushroom. what a shame. beyond this flaw, the dish was swimming in butter. ick. perhaps this is why they started their spa menu? still, we were expecting the butter sauce to be a seasoning, not a soup.

we went to harvest expecting a fresh, vibrant, veg-friendly meal. instead, we left feeling greasy and unwell. to be fair, it was our fault that we ordered onion rings and frites, but it was the treatment of the food that let us down. there just didn't seem to be a commitment to "letting the food speak for itself," which is a mantra nearly all locavores chant. why is a restaurant like harvest even offering onion rings and frites? why drench vegetables in either butter or oil? sad, really, but still we applaud them for committing to local produce. next time, though, we'll stay away from the fried foods.

assessment:
c+

vegetarian-friendly score:
b

sqwires

last night, we visited sqwires for the first time (thank you, restaurant.com!). some backstory: pretty much whenever we see hummus on an online menu, we consider the restaurant worthy of a visit. we are nothing if not fiends for hummus. well, when a restaurant touts a menu consisting of veg-friendly items like hummus and vegetable lasagna, it moves to the top of the list of places to visit.

mission:
sqwires
lafayette square

terrain:
nestled in the heart of lafayette square, this converted warehouse is just a block from the park. inside, the layout is cozy and modern, intermingling old butcher blocks, quirky light fixtures, exposed wood ceilings, and (what appear to be) recycled particle board tables. being an old warehouse, you may not expect it to be that 'cozy' but the mood lighting, long benches ornamented by a few pillows, and seasonal dressings really gave the place a warm and comfortable feel. there's a collection of vintage radios, too, which serves as the backdrop to a small stage for local bands. all things considered, it's really a delight for the senses.

personnel:
the waitstaff was attentive and unobtrusive (a quality we're quite fond of). food came out in reasonable intervals, water was refilled regularly, and dishes and silverware were cleared after each course. one woman who tended to our table we thought could be an owner, judging by her dress, manner, and how casually she moved between all areas of the restaurant. something definitely told us that she felt some ownership about the place, which was nice to see-- we like seeing owners pitching in, especially if they look happy doing so.
our order was carried out without error, and there were plenty of genuine smiles from all who stopped by the table. questions about vegetarian issues ("is there chicken stock in the butternut squash soup?") were handled without reluctance, and it felt like the staff were committed to making vegetarians feel welcome.

rations:
we started off the night with a trio of spreads, which included black bean hummus, spinach and artichoke, and eggplant caponata (which contains no fish, according to the waiter). all three spreads were competent and made us optimistic about the rest of the meal. the only thing we would have liked to see is maybe an alternative to pita. we are a little pita-ed out, but at least these were served warm and toasted. our second course was the broiled goat cheese with ozark forest wild mushrooms. no doubt, the dish was delicious, but it was exceedingly rich because of the cream sauce (an unnecessary addition, considering the goat cheese was already strong enough). nevertheless, the mushrooms were insanely good, and we had a helluva fun time eating it. it's just not something we would consider ordering again for at least the next decade-- our consciences couldn't handle that much decadence. to conclude the savory portion of our meal (yes, there's dessert a-comin), we moved onto the vegetable lasagna, which is noteworthy because of its construction if not its flavor. instead of pasta, the dish is composed of vegetable "noodles"--a touch that noticeably reduces the heaviness normally associated with lasagna. beyond this noticeably progressive nose-thumbing at italian traditions, the dish was overpowered by a goat cheese-marinara concoction that wins points for tasting homemade but not for tasting good. to be fair, the dish is not necessarily bad; it just needs some improvement. to wrap up the evening, we decided to splurge and have the pumpkin bread pudding. we're both big fans of bread pudding, and lois gets particularly giddy about all things "pumpkin." simply put: this was top-of-the-line bread pudding. soft (i'm not allowed to use "moist." ever.) when it needed to be, crunchy in all the right places, just the right amount of burn on the bottom, the bread component was perfection. the simple vanilla ice cream blended beautifully with the caramel sauce, too. the only thing we would have changed was to make it more pumpkiny since that flavor was conspicuously absent, but it was easily good enough to justify the inevitable guilt that we both experienced the rest of the night.

 



assessment:
b

vegetarian-friendly score:
b+

best of st. louis: hummus

hummus

hummus has become ubiquitous in st. louis. basically, if a restaurant wants to cater at all to vegetarians, the hummus light bulb goes off. unfortunately, many restaurants have missed the mark, pawning off on us crumbly-dry or oily-wet hummuses (aka, dog's dinner).

the five restaurants below, however, have done more than enough to make us come back for more.

1) schlafly bottleworks's hummus with curry crackers
without question, this is the hummus we love the most. it's not as creamy as a hummus you might find at ranoush's, but we tend to prefer a little less oil in our hummus. the kalamata olives, feta, and red onion combine brilliantly with the spiced chick peas, but it's the curry crackers (not safe for vegans, though, as there's cheddar in these bad boys) that make this meze transcendent. you will not find these crackers in stores, as schlafly cooks 'em up on site. they are occasionally lackluster, but when the chef is on point, they have the potential to change your life.

2) lucas park grille's roasted red pepper hummus

3) triumph grill's chipotle red pepper hummus

4) pi's hummus at the euclid location deserves mention as an exceptional offering. if they would just add a little spice (we're thinking rosemary) to their flatbread, they'd easily jump into the #2 spot.

5) square one brewery's traditional hummus with roasted garlic