You have to be doing something right to run a successful restaurant for 45 years. That’s the birthday John Mineo’s in Town & Country is facing in 2016. Of course, now John Jr. runs the place, along with an assist from his brother Sal. Both are ever-present, a nice reminder that this is still a family restaurant.
It’s classic Italian, Sicilian to be more precise, and the food is delicious, rich and on the heavier side. The decor is beautiful, creating a sense of intimacy and elegance at the same time. A more casual bar room is available for a quicker bite, and a welcoming patio area out front has heat towers, making it available even on crisp nights.
A salad of Tomato, Onion & Anchovy ($9) was noteworthy, its presentation a sign of what was to come. Three fat slices of beefsteak tomato sat on a platter topped with a bit of buffala mozzarella, anchovy fillets and basil in the classic Caprese salad. It was lightly dressed with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Delicious and satisfying, thanks to the quality of the ingredients and the thick-cut slices.
Entrees are heated tableside, an old-school touch that signals formality and elegance—and ensures your plate and its contents are hot. An order of pasta Mare Monti ($27) had as its base flavor the winning blend of clam juice, white wine and olive oil (probably with a bit of butter). The seafood was plentiful—shrimp and clams—and the noodles were well coated with sauce.
If you love veal, a traditional spot like this is the place to indulge. Nearly half the meat entrees are veal. It can be had simply with prosciutto and cheese (Modenese) or more fussy, in a cream sauce, like my Veal Gourmet ($33). Thin-pounded cutlets come breaded, crisped and smothered in a white sauce nicely flavored with crab and chunks of shrimp. Also in there are delicate asparagus spears, offering plenty of different flavors and variety on one plate. It comes with choice of veggie, potato or pasta, and I chose the green beans, which were topped with a truly delicious tomato sauce—chunky and sweet.
A standout dish was the Filet Trifolato ($34), medallions of tenderloin served in red wine sauce with thick-cut portobello mushrooms. Here again, presentation counts. The meaty portobellos added a woody flavor and smooth textural element to the steak and its rich sauce. A side of roasted sliced potatoes was similarly stellar.
Do not pass up the cannoli ($6), which is among the best I’ve had. The shell was chocolate flavored and meltin-your-mouth fresh. It reminded me of a warm donut in flavor, and of course there was a creamy ricotta filling and a double drizzle of sauce: cherry and chocolate.
amuse bouche
the scene | Traditional Italian fine dining
the prices | $6-$13 starters, $24-$40 entrees
the chef | John Mineo Jr.
the favorites | Tomato, Onion & Anchovy Salad, Filet Trifolato, Pasta Mare Monti, Cannoli
chef chat » john mineo jr.
pedigree | I worked in my uncle’s restaurant in Palermo, Sicily, when I was 14 until I was 19. And I learned a lot from my mother, father and grandmother.
favorite ingredient | Garlic and olive oil
favorite st. louis restaurant | Tucker’s for somewhere casual, otherwise one of my relatives’ restaurants
most memorable meal | Michael’s in Las Vegas; it was classic and romantic.
guilty pleasure food | Pasta. I eat it morning to night.
13490 clayton road | 314.434.5244
Photos: Bill Barrett