Yes, St. Louis is known for Italian food, but I’ve always maintained that particular distinction is about more than good family recipes. Our most popular classic Italian restaurants also adhere to a foolproof formula: generous servings, fair prices, side dishes included—and, of course, great food.
So, with population shifts westward, it’s no surprise to see some of that excellence and value moving in that direction, too. Vito’s in the Valley, opened about a year ago, does a good job on all the above counts. Maybe not as massive in menu as most spots on the Hill, the selection here still hits all the key bases: antipasti, insalate, pasta, pizza, calzone and six entrees. The only thing I missed was seeing a shrimp entrée on the menu, but I’ll bet if I’d asked, they would have whipped one up.
The place is friendly and the owner is ever-present—both are keys to success, I have found. And it’s very attractive, with large patio doors on several sides, a big dining room and an appealing (if noisy) bar room.
For starters, we tried the Eggplant Parm ($8), which was quite good. There were three nice, meaty slices with seasoned Italian breadcrumbs, grated parmesan, sweet tomato sauce and the interesting addition of slivered onions that appear to have been blanched. It was an all-around wonderful dish, with the eggplant firm and thick, and the breading very nicely done—not overly fried.
Also very tasty was the Italian Wedding Soup, a soup of the day, which was a salty chicken broth heavily filled with cooked kale and small, tender meatballs. A Caesar Salad was refreshing and had a light, creamy Caesar dressing with a few very flavorful anchovies on top.
Considered a house specialty, the Spidini di Pollo alla Fiorentina ($18) was impressively presented as one large chicken breast rolled around filling, breaded and topped with a creamy mushroom sauce. It was quite good, filled with a mash made of spinach, pancetta, pine nuts, mozzarella and mushrooms. The breading was excellent, the chicken cooked tender (not dry, like so many spiedini are), and the filling was flavorful and not overly cheesy. Like all entrees, it came with whipped potatoes and root vegetable medley, both very good.
The sleeper dish was Farfalle con Asparagi ($19), an inventive mix that included shaved crisp asparagus, tart sundried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, fresh mint, garlic, cooked onion slices, feta cheese, pine nuts, olive oil and white wine. Sounds like the kitchen sink, but tasted delicious.
Grigliata di Pesce ($26) was a platter of grilled seafood: salmon, scallops, shrimp and calamari. All came nicely charred and served with lemon-olive oil sauce, but none of the elements wowed me (except maybe the shrimp, which had that delicious breading).
Our desserts, though, were top-notch. The bread pudding ($6) was served in a wrought-iron ramekin with zabaglione, brandy and drizzled caramel. The Sfagliatina was amazing: delicate puff pastry filled with whipped mascarpone-armagnac and decorated with fresh strawberries and house-made strawberry puree. Don’t miss it.
[chef chat] » giovanni lafata
What made you choose the Valley?
I was looking at opening my own restaurant after 18 years in the family business.
Do your customers know you from Vito’s in Midtown?
About half do.
How are your recipes different here?
We’ve got a new chef here, so some are the same, but a lot are new.
What menu item is a customer favorite?
Chicken Spiedini
What’s your favorite menu item?
Filet Ammudicatto
138 chesterfield towne centre | 636.536.3788
Photos: Bill Barrett
