The Robust Wine Bar folks have taken on this neighborhood spot in South City that most recently was the restaurant J McArthur’s. They have kept the inside pretty much the same—high-top tables and chairs, prominent bar and simple decor in dark neutrals. One change is the large enclosed patio, a big plus considering the indoor area is pretty small.
The menu is fairly extensive for a wine bar, with several starters, soups, salads, sandwiches and a half-dozen entrees. And the food is generally good, self-defined as ‘elevated comfort food.’ Two starters showed that, especially the Buffalo Balls ($9), meatballs made with ground pork and chicken—very tender—and tossed in a spicy and sweet glaze. There were plenty of them, and they came on deliciously creamy grits dotted with green onions and bleu cheese.
The Pickled Bits ($8) was an impressive bowl of house-cured veggies—beets, turnips, asparagus, carrots, green beans—that were tangy and a little spicy from the pickling process. A Seasonal Vegetable Salad ($9) was a nice combination of roasted beets, peppery greens, gorgonzola and finely chopped hazelnuts. One complaint: some of the nuts had turned, which affects everything.
Another starter, Pretzel and Cheese ($8), is becoming as omnipresent as fried calamari—nothing wrong with that considering how delicious warm pretzels are. I’d say the pretzel stick (singular) is superior, with a crisp exterior and soft, chewy inside. But $8 is steep for a single, large pretzel stick! Even the accompanying house-made cheese dip couldn’t dull the sticker shock.
Burgers and a few favorite sandwiches top the meal menu, and our Po’boy ($12) stole the show. Served on a soft hoagie bun, it was piled with 10 grilled shrimp— perfectly cooked—and a very good cabbage slaw. There was the restaurant’s signature Snax Sauce on there, too, which was good and resembled Russian dressing.
The Shepherd’s Pie entree ($17) was served in a deep bowl with a nicely browned parmesan crust. Inside, underneath a layer of good mashed potatoes, was stew filled with slow-cooked lamb and peas in a tasty gravy. My only complaint is about the bits of gristle in the stew—there’s no graceful way to remove it from your mouth at the table!
A house specialty, Meatloaf ($15), was outstanding, served as two sizable slices slathered in mushroom gravy with sautéed onions and mushrooms. The meat was a combo of beef and pork with subtle spicing and a sweet jam glaze. Best of all were the mashed potatoes, fresh green beans and carrot wedges. The veggies were fresh and cooked to still-firm, always a sign of quality. It was all-around excellent.
There’s a small dessert menu, so we had the Apple Pie ($6), which was tasty. A small scoop of Serendipity ice cream was served alongside. An ice cream sandwich ($5), which also came from Serendipity, was yummy: two chocolate cookies jammed with salted caramel ice cream.
Surprisingly for a ‘gastrobar,’ this appears to be a popular place with families. There were lots of kiddos in both rooms (indoor and patio), something to note if you want a more adult evening.
amuse bouche
the scene | Busy wine bar
the chef | Joseph Hemp V
the prices | $8 cocktails, $2.50-$6 beers, $5-$12 starters, $10-$17 meals
the favorites | Po’Boy, Pretzel and Cheese, Buffalo Balls, Meatloaf, The Pickled Bits
chef chat » joseph hemp v 
pedigree | Forest Park Community College and various local kitchens
favorite ingredient | Fresh thyme
favorite restaurant | Olive + Oak
favorite cookbook | Prune by Gabrielle Hamilton
most memorable dining experience | Eating at Sydney Street Cafe for the first time. We had the tasting menu, and the food and service were amazing.
guilty pleasure food | Fake crab meat
3500 watson road | 314.353.9463
Photos: Bill Barrett