This new restaurant sprung up at the corner of Eager Road and Brentwood Boulevard in conjunction with an equally brand-spanking new Drury Inn. Bonefish is part of a national fish restaurant chain started in 2000 in St. Petersburg, Fla. The emphasis is on flown-in-fresh fish and moderate pricing in a more upscale atmosphere.
They deliver on the atmosphere: This is a pretty place, with light-wood accents and mostly booth and hightable seating (neither of which I find as comfortable as ‘normal’ tables). And the servers are all dressed in chef’s whites, which, while clever, I found unsettling since it implied a level of expertise that they did not have. Our first server was unable to answer our questions and didn’t offer to; our second, while more willing to help, was no more knowledgeable.
Settled into our booth, we started with Mussels Josephine ($9.90), which was excellent in every way. The large serving of Prince Edward Island mussels was inherently sweet and served in a delicious preparation of white wine, butter, lemon and basil dotted with sautéed onions, garlic and fresh tomatoes.
So the bar was set high when we ordered our entrees, and some dishes delivered; others didn’t. Overall, the value is good—entrees come with a seasonal veggie and an additional side of your choosing, as well as a choice of sauce. But for real foodies, it’s all about the flavor and quality of food. And the lemon-butter on my Sea Scallops + Shrimp dish ($17.90) tasted ‘pre-fab’ and most certainly contained something less pure than lemon and butter.
Additionally, most of the fish entrees come ‘wood-fired,’ which here means grilled over oak, and the result is a very strong flavor that overwhelms the delicate fish. Rather than being slightly crisped at the edges (shrimp) or butter-seared (scallops), our scallops and shrimp dish appeared to be placed on the grill without the benefit of butter or oil, which would have given them more flavor and texture. Instead, they tasted only of the black grill marks from the hot surface. The same was true of our Rainbow Trout ($17.70), although the sauce we chose for it, Mango Salsa, was fresh-made and quite good. An order of steamed lobster tails ($29.90) was very good. The tails were meaty, sweet and came with real butter, warmed for dipping. A choice rib-eye steak ($25.70) was good and stood up a little better to the oak grilling. A side of garlic whipped potatoes made for a great accompaniment, as did the seasonal vegetable, spaghetti squash.
For dessert, the Macadamia Nut Brownie ($6.90) was totally pleasurable, if super-sweet. The rich, salty nuts went well with the chocolate cake, raspberry coulis and vanilla ice cream. The Pumpkin Crème Brûlée ($7.30), a seasonal special, was delicious too, even though it was hard to ignore the mound of ‘whipped topping’ served with it. This kind of shortcut brings a place down: It reflects poorly on the overall culture of a restaurant, especially one that emphasizes freshness. Bonefish tries hard not to look or taste like a chain restaurant, but it needs to address a few shortcomings before accomplishing that goal.
[amuse bouche]
the scene | Attractive ‘fish concept’ chain restaurant
the prices | $4.90 to $11.30 starters, $9 to $14.70 sandwiches, $15.90 to $29.30 entrees
the favorites | Mussels Josephine, Pumpkin Crème Brûlée, Steamed Lobster Tails, Macadamia Nut Brownie
[chef chat] >> managing partner brian willett
why st. louis? It is a new and exciting area for us.
signature dish? Bang Bang Shrimp
any special st. louis dishes? We don’t serve toasted ravioli or St. Louis-style pizza, but the fish is fresh and is brought in from all over the country.
most popular dish? Longfin Imperial tilapia
favorite thing about st. louis? I’m happy to be back in a big city with professional sports. I’m an avid hockey and baseball fan.
8780 eager road | 314.918.1649
Photos: Bill Barrett