The view? Yes, the Arch and downtown, nice enough, although we wouldn’t go so far as some who say it’s the best around. (Dissent and discussion welcomed.) We wandered in after theater on a recent weekend and were very happy to find the kitchen at full throttle, and sufficient table space for our larger-than-usual group. Nibbling on lots of things, although only one traditional entree, we began with the steamed mussels and clams, which luxuriated in a spicy broth with bacon and tomato. Carefully cooked, to just the right moment, they gave plenty of pleasure, but it was the broth that stood out, nicely spiced and tingly on the tongue. The dish came with grilled bread for dunking, always a good idea, but no spoon for the broth. That was easily remedied, and we were on our way. Soft-shell crabs are coming into season, a favorite time of the year. The tender little crustaceans, completely edible, sweet and tender, are a fine example of less is more. We prefer them sauteed, maybe just dusted with a little flour, but even battered and fried is acceptable, as long as someone in the kitchen uses a restrained hand. Not that night at Vin de Set, however. Someone was too free and easy with the batter and the result, lots of taste of batter, not enough of crab, left us grumbling.
The BLT salad featured a presentation we’ve not seen before, a cross-section slice of a head of iceberg lettuce about three-quarters of an inch thick, topped with several slices of bacon, a few very small lumps of finely diced avocado and tomato and a roquefort vinaigrette, all cool, crunchy-creamy and quite tasty once we figured out the rather strange presentation. An appetizer of frog legs described as buttermilk-fried arrived crunchy and falling off the bone, perhaps from too long a stay in buttermilk. Were it not for their distinctive structure, they could have passed for chicken, lacking any of the mild brininess we associate with the little amphibian limbs. But the garlic aioli was excellent, and we kept it around after the rest of the dish was removed, knowing we’d find a use for it.
Absence of salt and pepper shakers (or mills, or what-have-you) on tables is becoming more common around town, a situation we don’t like. We do not add condiments to a dish before we taste it, but our tastes sometimes don’t agree with the chef (or one another, for that matter) and we like the opportunity to adjust without having to track down a server. At the same time, we appreciated the fact that the server did not carry a pepper mill in a holster-like contraption on her belt to offer the spice before we even had a chance to taste the dish. What the Vin de Set menu calls a classic tarte flambe is not, as th
The sirloin burger comes with a roquefort sauce, making it easier to eat with a knife and fork, but it’s juicy and satisfying. The fries alongside didn’t seem mass-produced, and helped to use up the remaining aioli from the frog legs. And a nightly special of slices of pork loin showed off tender slices in a gravy over some particularly excellent mashed potatoes, which seemed to have gotten all the good flavors that the onion soup lacked. Garlic and black pepper predominated, but we suspect there was plenty of meat juice in there, too. The wine list is a good one, with an attractive, wide range of styles and prices. The list can provide some superior values, like a bottle of Carignan from Corbiere in the Languedoc area, one of our favorite parts of southern France. Given the mix of items we’d ordered, we wanted something on the light side, but still red. Carignan fits, a little like a Grenache, but usually with a touch more body, a lot of fruit and a little spice. It worked well, a nice fit with most of what amounted to a tasting menu. Yes, even room for dessert: Vin de Set’s version of peanut butter and jelly sports a scoop of peanut butter ice cream set on a slice of French toast and covered in raspberry sauce. This is a surprisingly good idea in theory, better than, say, a brownie and ice cream. The French toast was quite tasty, a note of cardamom hanging around, and the raspberry sauce a good contrast. But four of us tried the ice cream and none of us could taste any peanut butter. Too bad. On the whole, service was cheerful and appropriate, but a few more servers would have made things more comfortable. The staff seemed stretched too thin. On the plus side, we never felt rushed, despite our late arrival and leisurely meal, even late on a weekend night, and we were far from the last folks there. But overall, a mixed experience. Vin de Set 2017 Chouteau Ave. 314-241-8989 Vin de Set, atop an older building in a neighborhood where Lafayette Square ends and industry begins, has settled into a comfortable position in the local restaurant community. Owners Paul and Wendy Hamilton, and chef Ivy Magruder,also responsible for 1111 Mississippi a few blocks away, have taken advantage of their location and created a large rooftop area, much of it under a canopy, for both food service and bar activity. Sounds nice, and is on those infrequent nights when the weather is just right, but be warned; between youngish drinkers and high-volume music, the area is often very noisy. There’s plenty of inside area when it’s too hot, or too cold, or too rainy.
Instead of bread with which to wipe up the sauce that covered the escargot, Vin de Set offers a round of puff pastry, a nice textural contrast to absorb the garlic, butter and white wine, though not quite as efficient at picking up every last molecule. But the combination was tasty, the escargot tender and the garlic in sufficient quantity. Three-onion soup, on the other hand, seemed quite insipid, lacking seasoning or even a distinct taste of the chosen alliums. Tracking down salt and pepper, neither of which were on the table took a little while, but they helped. Some.
e name might hint, served alight. In German, it’s a flamenkuchen, and it’s a favorite in Alsace, thus the two names. Here served on a crust so thin it would work as a St. Louis-style pizza, it combines onions, long-cooked until they’re sweet and well wilted, gruyere cheese, chunks of crunchy bacon and a drizzle of creme fraiche. It’s a good dish for sharing if someone feels benevolent, but also large enough to serve as a main course for one, and it’s delicious.
Lunch and Dinner Tues-Sun. (until midnight Friday and Saturday)
Credit cards: Yes
Wheelchair access: Good
Smoking: Only at the rooftop bar.
Entrees: $13-$24
Great review! Thanks!
Posted by: Carrie Straatman | September 13, 2010 at 05:11 AM