Barcelona – Not Bad but Bring a Hearing Aid

Date Dined: February 22, 2014

Rating: 3.5 stars

I will start out by saying that I love tapas. It’s like Spanish dim sum, and I am a huge fan of family style dining. During my study abroad time in Madrid, I had some of the most delicious dishes I can imagine. With that said, I understand that it isn’t fair of me to compare a small family-owned restaurant in Spain with someplace in Clayton, Missouri, so I’ll keep things in perspective.

Barcelona, is one of my go to tapas places because it’s fairly affordable, filling, and good (not great but good). There are a few stand out things on the menu and I’ll make sure to mention them below.

This is the first time I’ve been there on a Saturday evening and will probably be the last. Sitting at our table, you have to literally yell at the person across from you to be heard. It’s sort of forgivable considering the cozy spacing of the restaurant, but at least turn off the loud, hipster, techno music.

The décor is nothing to write home about, but it’s not offensive. More than anything, on a busy night, it’s going to be insanely crowded. These guys really try to pack every single person they can into the restaurant. Which is funny because they never seat the back patio even though it’s covered. That’s usually reserved for the smoking bus boys.

I’ll start with the most disappointing part of the meal, the sangria. You would think as a tapas restaurant they would take some pride in their sangria. Instead what you get is three pieces of fruit placed in each glass which is then filled with a watery, tasteless, red wine. I honestly think they do take cheap red wine, add some water to it and then bring it out in a colorful pitcher. We drank it because we bought it, but never again…

 

We ended up ordering a lot of food so I’ll keep my descriptions brief. The fried artichoke hearts were okay, but the breading was a little heavy and you couldn’t taste the artichokes very well. In fact, the largest issue was that it didn’t taste like anything except for fried oil. The calamari as well isn’t anything groundbreaking. It’s not bad, but there’s almost no flavor to it as well.

I enjoyed the mussels, but the actual meat inside seemed small. The tomato based broth is very good, but I think the quality of the mussels themselves leaves something to be desired. Usually you expect a slice of meat inside at least about half the size of the shell. These were more like 1/6^th the size. It also doesn’t come with bread which I assumed would be standard with most mussel dishes. (How are you supposed to finish off the rest of that delicious broth?).

On past visits I’ve also had the Croquetas de Pollo y Jamon which are essentially mashed potato sticks. Unfortunately, again to cut costs they cut down on the amount of meat in the dish and replace it with a large amount of potatoes. The Solomillo Con Cabrales (grilled beef tenderloin with blue cheese, spinach and rioja reduction sauce) is likewise disappointing. The meat is a little tough, the sauce is blandly lackluster, and worst of all it’s usually brought out lukewarm instead of piping hot.

The paella valencia was the most disappointing thing. It used to be my favorite dish there with an assortment of white fish, shrimp, mussels, chorizo, and chicken. This last time it was obvious to cut costs that they removed the shrimp and downsized the amount of meat in the dish. Although it came with 6 or 7 mussels there were only three discernible chunks of fish and four pieces of chicken. We also ordered the chorizo on the side as one of our members was Jewish and I can say that it was probably the amount of four eighth inch slices maybe a little less. The rice was also mushy and yet each grain seemed a little chewy and undercooked. The most unfortunate part of the dish was that it was quite salty, enough that I was reaching for my water after every few bites.

Now that I’ve mentioned the negatives let me move onto the positives. First the Alas de Polico or garlic chicken wings are just delicious. The wings themselves are nothing special, they’re the same small drumsticks are wings you’ll find at a buffalo wild wings, but the sherry mayonnaise sauce is very tasty. However, I do enjoy how they bake rather than fry the wings. They also top it with small chopped pieces of garlic which I enjoyed as an avid alliophile.

The Queso de Cabra al Horno is one of my favorites. A ice cream scoop amount of goat cheese is placed in a small cast iron and surrounded by tomato sauce. The entire thing is baked and then brought out to the table with a serving of “garlic bread” (basically bread with some butter on it that’s been charred a little too long). The goat cheese is light and slightly sweet which balances the heavier and saltier nature of the sauce.

Finally, my favorite part of the meal is the tres leches cake. In general, I’m usually disappointed in desserts in restaurants. It’s not often you taste something truly unique and satisfying, this cake is it. It looks like a piece of vanilla cake with frosting on a plate that’s had milk poured over it. What it tastes like is heaven. The cake is light, not too sweet, and wonderfully moist. Each bite is like biting into a bit of what a raincloud. The sauce likewise, is slightly sweeter, but compliments the mild nature of the cake. Lately they’ve added in a layer of fondant frosting to the top, which is good, but I think the cake could honestly do without it.

Barcelona is a wonderful place to celebrate, to go with large groups of people, and to a good beer. The price also isn’t outrageous with most dishes costing between 5 to 7 dollars. We ordered 6 tapas, the paella, tres leches cake, and sangria and our bill wasn’t outrageous. If we had forsaken the paella and sangria then our per person bill would have only been fifteen dollars a person. So long as your expectations are for real tapas you can’t go wrong with Barcelona.

Wei Hong – Great Food with a Bad Attitude

Date Dined: February 21, 2014
Rating: 3.5 Stars

I love Wei Hong, but I am admittedly biased. I love it because it’s located in Tower Grove South (my hood). I love it because it reminds me of my childhood comfort food. I love it because you can buy whole duck there.

Wei Hong is located on South grand sandwiched inbetween a vegan place and a mediterrian place (both of which I need to frequent) it constantly looks like it should be going out of business. The busiest I have ever seen it in there is four tables full on a Saturday night. I’m guessing a combination of low overhead and lots of takeout orders helps them out.

The interior design is nothing special. Stereotypical Chinese trinkets line the windows and the tables have a definitively no frills feel about them. Although the menu used to boast that it specialized in Cantonese fair, the owners are most definitely Chinese.

Also be prepared to get a fair amount of sass from some members of the family that owns the restaurant. The mother especially can make you feel as if you’re inconveniencing her and they have very little tolerance for special requests. Case in point, the last time we ordered crispy pork and they gave us BBQ pork. When Jess went back to exchange it, instead of apologizing the mother told Jess that this is what she had ordered and then made her stand there for 15 minutes before replacing it. (The crispy pork is hanging in the meat window and it takes about 2 minutes to chop. I will say they tend to treat me more nicely since I can speak to them in Mandarin, but even I get the demon lady face sometimes.

Their best dishes also aren’t for everyone. For example, most people aren’t used to seeing someone devour an entire roast duck, beak skin and all, but I love it. It has that same greasy goodness that grocery store rotisserie chicken has. Likewise, Jess isn’t a huge fan of the crispy pork, even though I can easily eat a pound of the stuff. You’ll also find certain favorites of mine like Chinese BBQ pork and chickens feet with black beans.

However even these dishes can be hit or miss. The crispy pork is sometimes dry and tough and the duck has struck me as a day or two past its prime (but still edible). And perish the thought if you complain. Still, as the only place in the area to get these delicacies I always venture back.

It should also be noted that not everything on the menu is good. Jess and I have our standard order: beef chow fun dry, honey walnut shrimp, and salt and pepper shrimp whole. There are some truly awful dishes. I remember going with her parents once and ordering this tasteless, awkward pineapple chicken dish (I think they just tossed pieces of chicken, pineapple, and vegetables into a pot and boiled them).

Likewise, I can’t speak for any Americanized dishes that they have. This isn’t the place I go to if I want to order sweet and sour, mongolian anything, or sesame meat. I’ll be reviewing this restaurant based on the tried and true dishes I love there that no other Chinese restaurants in the area serve.

First, the beef chow fun dry meaning that its marinated in a soy sauce blend and then stir fried. The wet dish is also very good, but I’m seldom in the mood for the gravy it comes with. The beef is always soft and flavorful, the wide strips of noodles are likewise delicious, and the strips of green onion add a nice variation to the flavors.

Second, the salt and pepper shrimp is not to be messed. You can get this whole or deshelled. I prefer the whole as I like to suck out the head meat and suck on the shells, but either way its delicious. A simple dish they take whole shrimp, coat them with a cornstarch, salt and pepper mixture, add in some green onions and peppers and stir fry the entire thing. It’s a simple dish, but I appreciate that they offer it shell on unlike some other places.

Lastly, the honey walnut shrimp is always a crowd pleaser. Take de-shelled shrimp, lightly batter it, and then coat it in a sweet mayonnaise mixture. Add some steamed broccoli and my favorite, candied walnuts, and you’re done. It sounds gross, it looks a little gross, but it is delicious.

I’d also be remiss if I didn’t at least mention the ham and scallion buns. Brushed with egg before baking to give them a gleam, the dough is soft and comes apart in layers. On the inside there’s strips of ham and scallions drizzled with some secret savory sauce. I like them, but these things are like crack to Jess and some of our friends.

I gave this place a 3.5 rating because only some of the items are good. I mentioned the pineapple chicken dish, and they lose points on certain other thing as well: their pork buns are always understuffed, their sizzling chicken is usually soggy, and their potstickers are disappointing considering the caliber of their other dim sum items. Also the attitude they always give Jess whenever she goes in alone is horrendous.

The price is also a little on the high end. For 3 entrees, a few ham and scallion buns, and a quarter pound of crispy pork you're looking at a hefty $50.00 bill. Most of their entrees do range from the $10-13 range.

The next time I’ll probably venture out of my safety zone a little and I will be sure to update when I do.

Untamed Hearts at the Zoo – Walrus Penis and Bifurcated Possum Vagina Included!

Date Dined: February 15, 2014

Rating: 4 Stars

Jess and I agreed long ago that we just have too much junk. It definitely doesn’t stop us from buying each other more junk, but we’ve been trying to get better. Jess loves the zoo and she loves wine so untamed hearts seemed like a great deal.

We pulled up to the south parking lot at 6 pm and made the short walk across the bride. I didn’t see anyone standing there or any signs so at first I thought I had read the instructions wrong. Much to my surprise and delight as we stepped up a man in a 6 seater golf cart pulled up, handed us a blanket, and we were on our way.

The dinner itself was held at the lakeside café and they did a surprisingly nice job of dressed it up. Jessica and I actually considered this as one of our wedding venues, but they had a few too many rules for us (which is understandable considering the animals). So it was like getting to see what our wedding could have been like.

After checking in we were seated at our private, numbered table. Note to people who attend this event in the future, the little flower on the plate is not white chocolate, it is butter. I know that they place a red foil wrapped heart chocolate next to it, but you should not try to eat the butter like chocolate (cough Jess cough).

We hit up the cash bar, a whiskey sour for me and a Riesling for Jess. For zoo booze it wasn’t bad. The whiskey sour was strong enough for me to taste it and the Riesling was only slightly overly sweet.

Passed hors d’oeuvres were circulated  by our table. The first was a slice of andouille sausage wrapped in a fillo dough which was delicious, I mean how can you go wrong with that. Next smoked salmon drizzled with coriander crème and placed on a cucumber slice which was also delicious. I probably had eight of these. Finally, sea scallops and pepper on a crostini. The sea scallops were a little bland as were the peppers, but that was fine. The most disappointing thing was the bread which was stale. The original e-mail said that they would have artichoke and feta tarts  which also sounds delicious, but that’s okay.

Around 7:00, one of the zoologists showed up at our table with a possum pelt and pictures of possum penises. He was a delightfully eccentric elderly gentlemen. Apparently Jess also knows far more about possum penises than one customarily would. On the other side of the room, I saw another zoologist carrying around a large walrus penis bone.

At 7:30 promptly wine was poured and our salads were brought out: mixed greens with pumpernickel croutons, scotch eggs and warm bacon dressing. The dressing was far and above the best part of the salad. The lettuce was a little wilted, the croutons were soggy and tough at the same time, and the scotch egg was cold. Obviously it had been sitting in a refrigerator for a few hours and taken out right before serving. But, again, I’m just nitpicking.

At this point, I would say the only hiccup in the night reared its ugly head. We were the first to be served our salads, but the last to be served our entrees. As a result, we had a long period of watching other people get their food before we were served ours.

For dinner I had the grilled beef tenderloin served with a large latka, and grilled asparagus with what tasted like a balsamic reduction on the side. I wasn’t asked how I’d like my steak cooked, nor did I expect to be because of the nature of the dinner, but I was happy it was medium rare. The steak was pleasant tender and quite a large cut (I would say maybe 10 ounces). I’ve grown weary of plated dinners as the food as never quite up to snuff, but I would say this came close. My only complaint about my meal is that I would have loved some more of that reduction to dip my steak into. (I had a brain fart during the entree and forgot to photograph it, so my apologies)

Jess had the potato wrapped sea bass with grated potatoes and asparagus. Her sea bass was likewise light, flaky, and moist and the portion was generous. I only had a spoonful, but she seemed to enjoy it greatly.

Dessert was both a ricotta cheesecake with blueberries in a raspberry coulis and a flourless chocolate cake with heart shaped meringue. The cheesecake was far and above the winner here. The ricotta gave it a certain flavor and lightness that was truly delicious. Don’t get me wrong, the flourless cake was tasty, but it was a little heavy, almost like eating a brick of fudge. On the plus side, it was a dark chocolate which I love.

After dinner we were given a pleasant and surprisingly raunchy presentation on the mating habits of various animals in comparison to romantic stereotypes. For example, did you know that bonobos are surprisingly charismatic? The presentation was corny, funny, and informative.

The night was very pleasant as we were given the remainder of our bottle of wine and a sackful of Bissinger’s milk chocolates as parting gifts. We also might have stolen our floral centerpiece but then again who’s to say?

Another cart was there to take us back to the entrance to the zoo and we were on our way, full and content. I would give two definite thumbs up to attending untamed hearts as a couple or a grouping of people (of which there were a few).

Acero – The Meal that Progressively Improved

Date Dined: February 14, 2014

Rating: 3 Stars

Jess and I kicked off our Valentine’s day weekend by trying out a new venue, Acero. We had heard great things about this place and its pre-fixed menu, so we decided to try it. Granted, I have a certain cynicism about holiday meals. They’re typically overprices and often the food isn’t nearly as good as what’s on the normal menu.

We arrived at 6:00 pm and encountered a restaurant that was only about 10% full. This already had me at little wary. Granted 6 is a little early, but there were literally only about 10 other people in there. (To their credit by the end we left at 7:30 about half of the restaurant is full).

The restaurant itself is actually kind of charming. It’s dimly lit while still being able to see. There’s wood as far as the eye can see, and large windows in the bar area. There also seemed to be a main dining area, but we weren’t seated there. I will say that they squeeze the tables pretty closely together. I was almost butt to butt with the guy behind me and I could have reached out and stroked the cheek of the guy on my right.

Let me get the service out of the way at this point. Our server was a very nice man, but he was a little awkward. There were multiple times where we would say we needed a moment only to have him return literally one minute later. I didn’t think we was trying to be rude, he just seemed a little inexperienced, and just kind of an awkward person. He did have a few nice touches which I’ll note in the following paragraphs.

We began our meal with a glass of Prosecco which was fine, not the best I’ve had, but definitely drinkable. This was followed by a yellowfin tuna crudo. The fish was very nice and the bread was soft, but it was unfortunately overpowered by a liberal amount of olive oil. There was oil on the side of the plate, I didn’t think there was any reason to put it on top.

This was followed by a red pepper seasonal soup. Luckily, for Jessica it was very mild. However, once again there was multiple streaks of olive oil or fat in my soup which made the dish taste… well oily. As you can see, the presentation was also a little sloppy. Not a deal breaker for me, since I care more about how food tastes, but still a little weird considering the caliber of the restaurant. It was also fairly bland, with very little hint of the red pepper. Strangely enough, there were no salt or pepper shakers on our table, we had to ask for them.

It was during the soup that I really started to notice the rushed feeling of the restaurant. I still had about a third of my soup left when I paused to take a drink of water and discuss something with Jess. At this point, one of the other servers tried to clear my dish off without first asking me if I was done. Now, I don’t mind you asking. Not all servers and patrons are trained in the universal language of fine dining (placing your utensil on the dish). But you need to ask me before you touch my food.

For our next dish Jessica chose the gnocco fritto “meat donut” and I chose the smoked duck with baby arugula, picked red onion, and pecorino. The “meat donut” was actually a little misleading. I’m familiar with gnocco fritto, but I thought that maybe this was a twist with the meat filled in the pastry. It was actually three slices of fairly mediocre prosciutto on top of the donut. Good prosciutto in my opinion is a little on the moist side, salty, light, and has some nice marbling. I’m pretty sure this had been left out on a tray as it kind of had the consistency of jerky. 

The smoked duck was  fairly enjoyable as well (despite the overwhelming use of olive oil once again). There were three nicely seared slices and the plating and presentation was quite nice. The duck itself was tender and the char on the outside was well done. If I had one complaint it was again the extraneous oil used in the dish. Our table had an olive oil pour, we could have always added more if we wanted to.

 

We chose two different options for our pasta course as well. Jessica had the risotto with spinach, truffles, olive oil and parmigiano. I settled on the stracci with lamb ragu, rosemary, and parmigiano. This actually turned out to be my favorite dish of the night. It was nicely seasoned with a fairly impressive amount of lamb. Really, it was just hearty, warm, and satisfying.

I actually didn’t care much for Jess’s risotto, but she liked it which was all that matter. There was something a little off about the taste for me. It might have been the truffles, I haven’t been able to adapt to that earthy taste.

At this point our server did half refill our glasses with prosecco which I thought was a nice touch. Enough to finish the meal with, but not so much that it would discourage individuals to buy separate alcohol.

The entrée followed. Mine was vension with Yukon potatoes, spinach and red wine and Jess chose the Sea Scallops with fingerling potatos, pancetta, parmigano, and melted leek. I thoroughly enjoyed my venison. I wasn’t asked how I’d like it cooked, but it came out medium rare which is my preference. They did a good job of toning down the gamey taste that plagues a lot of wild meat and the cut was large.

The scallops came three to a plate and they were tender, fresh, and so so SALTY! When she started trying them I thought she was exaggerating, but she was not kidding. It tasted like they took them straight from the ocean, didn’t wash them and proceeded to prepare them.

We finished the night with desserts. I had the cheesecake and Jess chose the panna cotta. Both were adequate, but nothing special. While I appreciate exceptional desserts (the pie from Annie Gunn’s  or the crème brulee from the Refectory in Columbus), I’m not picky.

As an after thought our server brought out a small glass of Serendipity gold coast dark chocolate ice cream which is just… heavenly. It's based on a dark chocolate, and it has a rich, creamy texture that you'd only find in high end chocolates. A scoop this size should be enough for anyone. I loved it so much that I actually stopped by Local Harvest to pick myself up some after dinner.

All in all, I would say the Acero Valetine’s menu was good, but slightly overpriced at $75.00 per person. There are quite a few other restaurants that have $55.00 menus with the same quality food (thinking about vin de sets lobster pot pie valentine’s special). I'm happy that I tried it, but it didn't quite live up to expectations. Maybe I'll venture back for the normal pre-fixed menu.