Bridge Tap House and Wine Bar - Meh

Date Dined: May 26, 2014

Overall Rating: 2.5 Stars

Another day after the wedding meal, we wanted to see some people off so we decided on doing some brunch. Originally, sushi was the destination until we realized everything on Wash Ave (except for Rosalita’s) is closed on Memorial Day. Changing gears we decided to check out Roosters which I think is good but overrated, but the 45 minute wait was a little too much. So we finally settled on Bridge Tap House.

I remember going here on a lunch date with a friend almost a year ago and thinking it was pretty tasty. Something must have changed since then because the quality of the food has certainly gone downhill. Let’s delve in shall we?

Décor: 4 Stars

I love the inside of Bridge Tap House. Of course I’m a sucker for the exposed bricking and the dark wood, but I just like the general feel of the tall tables, and the spacing between them that could easily transition into something romantic during a dinner. Although narrow, they made the most of the space by building a sizeable upstairs seating area.

Service: Hard to Say

We had a server on her very first shift out of training so it’s hard to say how the normal service would be. Needless to say, I think she’s got a long way to go as she couldn’t remember basic questions about a lot of the dishes including how many came out per appetizer and how big certain dishes were. But, I will say that the hostess was very friendly and the bartender made an excellent mimosa.

Price: 2 Stars

Bridge Tap House is expensive for what you get. If the food was just a little better or the prices just a little cheaper then I’d be all about it, but when you’re paying over $30.00 for an entrée, a drink and an appetizer you expect a little more bang for your buck.

Food: 3 Stars

The last time I went I thought the food was quite tasty, if not amazing. They had bbq chicharron and a pretty moist and tasty hamburger. Whatever they changed about the menu is definitely for the worst.

The restaurant does have an impressive beer and wine list, which might be what you want to stick to when you go. Fifty-five beers on tap, and over twenty wines by the glass. Pair this with a nice cheese plate and you can have a pretend sophisticated evening. We actually ordered a cheese plate, and it was quite tasty. I’d be remiss in stating I could remember the cheeses ordered, but paired with the tomato jam they were a nice start to the meal. Little did we know that this would be the highlight of our visit.

Appetizers included pretzel rolls (6 dollars) and pork tacos (8 dollars). The pretzel rolls were what you expected from a basic soft pretzel, but I honestly think that Companion’s pretzels are even better. The soft doughy centers of the rolls were good, but the outside was actually a little tough and chewy. The beer cheese was actually much appreciated as it helped you make it through the entire roll. The pork tacos were likewise fine, with the meat moist and plentiful, but it was kind of lacking in taste, almost as if they had boiled the meat. The carrots and lettuce were an odd accent to the entire meal and made it sort of difficult to eat.

For my main entrée I ordered the Amish chicken (18 dollars) with the gorgonzola, bacon and rosemary bread pudding (for an extra 4 dollars). I knew when ordering the pudding that it wouldn’t be as good as it sounded and I was right, but I still enjoyed it. If anything it was more like a quiche with the outside toasted. I love a blue cheese, but the gorgonzola was a little overpowering. The chicken was fantastically disappointing. The meat was dry, the kale undercooked, and what’s with the six french fries? Really the most obtrusive thing about it was that sauce that you see in the picture, and served in that small dish there was no place to scrape it. I think that a good roast chicken dish should be able to stand on its own. Pay a little more attention to the meat and use the sauce as an accent. Plus give me some more damn french fries!

In Conclusion

If you want to grab a drink and eat some cheese then this might be the place for you. If you’re looking for a great lunch spot downtown I might skip this place. Out of all the Bailey restaurants I’d rank this as my least favorite and partially because of the high food prices. I will say it’s worth trying if you want to test out a new downtown location, but I can’t see it becoming a favorite foodie joint.

Modesto – Fine if You Have No Place Else to Go

Date Dined: May 26, 2014

Overall Rating: 3 Stars

It was the day after our wedding and we were starving. Moving 16 centerpieces, a chuppah, and a boat load of other things will do that to you. People were craving Italian so we headed to the Hill to give them a taste of Saint Louis’s Italian district. Unfortunately, it was Memorial Day and most of my standbys were closed. While making Jess drive around searching for the mystery Italian place we went to once we stumbled onto Modesto. For some reason I always thought it was located in Maplewood, but nope, right on the Hill. By now we were really hungry so we figured “eh, why not?”

Décor: 4 stars

Modesto’s décor is actually the best part of the meal by far. I love open and partially open kitchens so that suckered me in. A row of booths runs down the center of the restaurant, while tables are spaced an appropriate amount of room apart. There were even some larger, circular booths recessed in the walls which would be fun for a small group of people. Upon entering you can also sit in the bar area, which would also have been just fine with us.

Service: 2.5 stars

If you’ve been reading my blog on a regular basis you know that I’m both understanding and demanding about different things when it comes to service. There was really nothing to brag about at Modesto. Upon entering we were greeted with a restaurant that was at the most one-forth full. Their first question was if we had a reservation, which doesn’t sound weird here on paper, but the tone she used almost conveyed the subtext of “if you don’t have a reservation you may need to wait.” I was happy some of Jess’s friends were there and shared my sentiments or else I would have thought I was imagining things.

Our server was likewise lackluster. She kind of looked like she was doing us a favor being there. I’m not one to be fawned over and formal restaurants actually make me a little uncomfortable,  but this chick acted like we were her parents giving her a lecture about the national deficit. I think she asked us once how everything was. The thing that bummed me out the most was that we mentioned that we had just gotten married and her exact response was “oh.” At least crack a smile girl. Needless to say Jess and I had a debate about her tip and of course I lost, but what are you going to do?

Price: 2.5 stars

Average is the word, you’re not going to find any great deals here. In fact, after being served Barcelona’s plentiful servings the sizes here were a little disappointing. If you are hungry do not come here as you’ll have to order 4 dishes a person just to satisfy yourself (you can get away with 5 for a two top at Barcelona or even Guidos). Not much to say, but considering the quality of food, I’d definitely say not worth it.

Food Rating: 3 Stars

Let’s start off with the drinks. In three words, “stick with beer.” The mojitos were on special that night for $5.00, but only the regular ones. I ordered a coconut mojito, and paid the full $10.00 price for it. (Another opportunity to provide some above average service, just squirt some coconut in there for me). Well… it tasted nothing like coconut and the drink was so watered down it made me think that I was drinking natty light. The sangria was likewise watery with no trace of sweetness or fruityness to it. Ugh.

There were some very tasty dishes, and some god-awful ones, but all in all everything was pretty average. I will say that a lot of the food came out in odd numbers. I always appreciate when food comes out in easily divisible numbers. Fours and sixes are good, three tops are also pretty common, but there were a few ones and fives at the restaurant. (Not to mention that tapas is meant to be shared and trying to split a taco between more than two people is difficult).

The bread is nothing special. It’s one of those white, Italian loafs that comes out a little cold and tasteless without something to spread on it. Unfortunately, the only thing that came out to spread on it was an olive tapenade. Why not just fill one of the ramekins with butter?

Now when it comes to the food, I’m going to start on a positive note with my favorites. The fried artichokes were greasy, but very satisfying, and one of the only dishes that I thought was generous considering the price. Lightly breading, with just the right amount of saltiness, I could have snacked on these things all night. The tosta de sobrasada or grilled bread with chorizo, goat cheese, and honey was surprisingly delicious. The sweetness of the honey really complimented the chorizo, and this was a dish that could have very easily turned into a disgusting clash of tastes.

After those standouts there were two dishes that were good, but not outstanding. The pork belly tacos were on special, and I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of pork belly they gave you. Chunks of slightly crispy meat were marinated with a Spanish BBQ sauce and served on a flour tortilla. My only observation is that they might want to consider charging an extra buck and giving the table two served on smaller corn tortillas. The patatas bravas were likewise very good, but that’s to be expected considering that it’s just Spanish French fries. Still, good job and I’ll give props where do.

Now for the things that were just average, and unless you’re really craving them I would order them someplace else. The croquetas de salmon were fine, but it almost tasted like they used canned salmon. The filling was pretty mushy, and all you could really taste was the breading. The chili relleno’s filling was okay, but the pepper itself was mushy, and not warmed all the way through. The queso de cabra, which I always order when available on a tapas menu, was likewise mediocre. The goat cheese lacked the creaminess of its quality bretheren, the tomato sauce could have been Ragu, and the bread was tasteless. I’d stay away unless you’re really craving this signature dish.

The fried cauliflower would have been better seared on a grill. It was lacking everything that made the artichokes great. Greasy, tasteless, and still raw on the inside, I would say skip this one. If they change the menu to have a pan seared version I might try that. The bistec a la cabrales, could have been straight out of a greasy spoon diner, but not nearly as good. Not only was the presentation kind of sloppy, but the lack of any sort of seasoning on the meat coupled with the toughness made me not even finish the slice I took for my plate.

By far the most disappointing was the Paella. Upon seeing the picture you might think the same thing I’m thinking, wow that looks pretty good. It’s not. The rice was crispy and burnt causing me to actually hurt my tooth... on rice… The chicken on the other hand was nicely bland and mushy. The seafood, in general, also lacked any sort of flavoring, which also included tasting like seafood. If I had been blindfolded I would never have guessed that there were actually four types of different seafood in the dish. The only thing that managed to survive, somewhat, is the chorizo, but in its small cubed state its presence was severely lacking.

For dessert we ordered the churros and tres leches cake, two of my favorites. The churros were Disney quality, soft on the inside, cinammony-sugar on the outside. The tres leches cake was acceptable, with the right amount of moistness, but it was like eating a cup of sugar. 

In Conclusion

If you’re driving around and everything else is closed or booked go check out Modesto. If you go in expecting a chefs who have never studied Spanish cuisine then you won’t be disappointed. The food in all ways is average and the house drinks awful. Maybe if we were in Rolla, Missouri I might make this a go to, but so many other delicious options I think I’ll be skipping this place for years to come.

Barn and Grill Restaurant (Bourbon Missouri) - Fried Chicken Worth Driving an Hour For

Date Dined: June 1, 2014

Overall Rating: 4 Stars

My old boss would send me to Rolla for traffic court mainly because it wasn’t her car and she didn’t care how much mileage it tacked onto mine. So I would awake at 5 in the morning to make court by 8 am. The only godsend of going was that I was able to try new and wonderful places coming back home. This is one of them.

Décor Rating: 3.5 stars

You aren’t going to find anything fancy here, and sometimes it seems like the overworked AC unit can’t quite keep up, but you didn’t expect anything right? To their credit, even though they serve a heapload of fried foods the place never smells like rancid oil. What you will find there are rows of no frill booths along the walls, old 50s style soda shop tables and chairs, and a brightly lit dining room courtesy of the large windows. But you’re not coming here for a fancy date, you’re coming here for the grub.

Service: 3.5 stars

I always feel as if the younger servers here have never encountered a busy shift before, but they’re always friendly. There are only about 20 tables in the joint and there are three servers. When we walked in yesterday there were about nine occupied tables and our server acted like she was in the weeds the entire time. But she was super nice. Her only major shortcoming was that she never would tell us what they were out of until we ordered it. The first time around, no big deal, I sometimes forgot to tell patrons what we had 86ed. But the second time? Just let us know. The third time we finally got some answers.

On the plus side, the food all came out quickly, in the right order, and still warm. We never had to ask for refills or bread, and she brought out everything correctly. If you do have the chance to get the older of the three female servers she is a treat. Typically, she’s the one who helps me out when I come for lunch and she knows her stuff.

I will say that they’re completely accommodating with exchanges and substitutions. For example, I wanted to add a few pieces onto my chicken dinner. No problem, we’ll just charge you a set price for each piece. Most other places wouldn’t have been as friendly.

Price: 4 Stars

You really can’t beat the price here for the entrees. Some of the appetizers are a little pricey. The crawfish bites, which you’ll see below were a whopping nine dollars, and the pie was four for a large, but pricey slice. But the entrees are the money savers. For the same nine dollars you can get a half broasted chicken with a side and a salad or soup. For just eight you can get a giant plate of spaghetti with a sald. Their burgers are all affordable as well with the basic ½ pound model only seven dollars again with a side. I’d say skip the appetizers unless you really want to try one of them and walk away satisfied for less than fifteen dollars with dinner and dessert.

Food: 4 Stars

I’ve tried a wide variety of things on the menu now and I’ll say that everything is definitely above average. The burgers will be cooked the way you like them, moist, and very obviously homemade. The fried dishes will be battered in a tasty coating with just the right amount of batter. The blueberry pancakes have actual blueberries inside them, but nothing will blow your socks off. Except for the fried chicken!

But let’s start where the meal began shall we? I had always been intrigued by, but never ordered the crawfish bites. I was anticipating large chunks of crawfish with some breading on them, but what came out looked more like popcorn shrimp. Not bad, mind you, but just not worth the nine dollars. At least when I pried one open I could tell that they used real crawfish inside and the batter was light and flavorful enough that it tasted pretty good actually. But if you’re a crawfish lover you might want to stay away.

Bread and salads followed. The rolls are never anything special, they look like they were store bought, but they do come out hot and fluffy so no complaints. The only reason to eat them; however, is the honey butter that comes out with them. Sweet, light, and soft, this stuff is addictive. The salad is pretty standard too, but it’s tasty and makes you feel good because it has the appearance of being healthy. Take a grocery store iceburg mix, throw in some dark veggies, toss in some thinly slice onion, lots of cheese, and smother it in a sweet red wine vinaigrette and you’ve got their salad. It’s a nice way to take the edge off your hunger.

Jess wasn’t in a deep fried mood so she went with the spaghetti and meatballs. Weirdly thick spaghetti noodles, but they were firm and al dente so who’s complaining. The sauce was pretty standard, but it was thick, a little sweet, and hearty. The meatballs were actually delicious and I suspect made in house but there weren’t nearly enough of them. However the ones we did sample were tender, bursting with Italian spices, and just pretty damn delicious. Just wish there were four or five more of them.

Now we get to the piece de resistance and why this place ranks as four stars in my book. The fried chicken. I’ve had broasted chicken before, but this place blows them out of the water. In most fried or broasted chicken places the meat is always tender and juicy, but not often is it coated in the most delicious of all coatings. This stuff is crispy, light, and somehow wonderfully salty without making you reach for a glass of water after every sip. It’s like the equivalent of a clean wine, you taste it, it explodes on your tongue and then it leaves your mouth feeling brand new and fresh as a summer’s day. If you don’t believe me go try it for yourself. They say this stuff takes 30 minutes because they’re making it from scratch and I believe them.

The peanut butter pie was satisfying, but again nothing mind blowing. I did appreciate how the peanut butter wasn’t too sickly sweet and the concentration was plentiful. The use of whip cream and chocolate chips were completely unnecessary and I found myself scrapping most of these toppings off.

In Conclusion

If you love fried chicken then take a road trip out to this place and stop by some of the kitschy sites along the way. If you’re at the caverns or road tripping it down 44 do likewise. You won’t be disappointed. At the very least you’ll have a hearty meal that will leave you feeling happy, and the service is always polite. Even with the large amount of food we ordered our bill topped out at $45.00 with tax.