Private Kitchen is, well, very private. In fact, it’s almost a secret in the midst of Olive Boulevard’s ‘Asian Row’ in University City, where restaurants and groceries tempt St. Louisans with exotic specialties. Not even a year old, this place is reservation-only, and when you call, the owner will ask for your food order then and there so that he and his wife can shop for the ingredients the day of your meal.
That explains why we dined on a big-mouth bass at 7 p.m. that had been swimming in a grocery tank at 3 p.m. This is the Chinese way, they explained to us, not a multi-page menu of Americanized favorites. In fact, everything about Private Kitchen is different. The interior was subdued, not a garish red and gold decor, and menu offerings were wonderful bursts of flavors and textures most Americans rarely experience.
Salt & Pepper Shrimp here ($13.80) is served tail and head on, but it’s all edible. The heads have been drained of organ matter, and the entire crustacean is tender with the thinnest of skin, deep-fried and tasting delicious. Peking Duck ($36), like many of the dishes, looks like a work of art. The delicate breast meat comes sliced on a small platter with the very well-crisped drumsticks and wings nearby. The leg meat and back bone come on another plate, their delicious browned skin shown off and an aromatic dose of star anise perfuming the air. Nearby is a plate of slivered green onion, cucumber and plum sauce, along with steam buns, so diners can construct their duck sandwiches. The blend of sweet sauce, juicy meat, crisp skin and doughy bun is unequaled (this dish easily feeds four).
Also impressive is the deep-fried fish ($28), which comes de-boned, scored and fried in such a way as to have spikes of fried flesh sticking up, making it resemble a lionfish. Beautiful and tasty, it was simply too much fried crust in relation to actual fish for me. It had a sweet sauce with a slight vinegar undertone, a tempered version of the classic sweet and sour.
Our starter was the mysterious ‘soup dumplings’ ($10), delicate dough pockets that hold both a yummy ground pork filling and fragrant broth, so when you bite into them, the liquid bursts into your mouth, giving the impression that you’re eating soup. Every element was stellar, from the thin-skinned dumplings to the delicious broth and pork.
One thing you will notice is that unlike with Chinese food adapted for American tastes, the dishes don’t include vegetables; vegetables here are separate dishes in their own right. Rice, also, is not traditionally served unless you request it. Culturally, it is considered rude to fill your guests up with something as commonplace as white rice; a good host offers the best foods first, and eating here very much feels like being in a Chinese home. It is run by a husband and wife; he is the chef. There are only six tables, and they are tastefully set with white porcelain, much like you might see in a private home.
Service can be slow, with only one cook and one server. But Private Kitchen is a true culinary adventure. So put on your most forgiving pants, buckle your seatbelt and enjoy the ride.
[amuse bouche]
the scene | Tiny Shanghai restaurant tastefully appointed in peach and pale green
the chef | Lawrence Chen
the prices | $10 starters, $15-$36 entrees
the favorites | Soup dumplings
[chef chat] » lawrence chen
culinary pedigree | Cooking school in Shanghai, China
favorite ingredients | Soy sauce, sugar and pepper
favorite cookbook | I don’t have one, it’s all in my mind.
favorite st. louis restaurant | Texas Roadhouse
most memorable meal | In Shanghai, soup dumplings and fried whole fish
guilty pleasure food | I don’t have any.
8106 olive blvd. | 314.989.0283P
Photos: Bill Barrett