Another of those recommendations from my bosses that I had to try. After growing up thinking McDonald's was a special treat, and that any restaurant that seated you before taking your order was "fancy", my tastes have evolved.
About a half mile north of I-44 in the little town of St. James is a HUGE house with a great menu. Sybil's looks like something taken straight out of a plantation picture, but is one of the best dining experiences I've had in mid-Missouri.
My boyfriend and I had decided to go for a drive and to visit a friend of mine who will be teaching in mid-MO this year. (Really, this is just a great excuse for me to go get wine. There's the moral of the story!) I had heard of Sybil's from my bosses, as mentioned, but figured I'd not likely have a reason to go anytime soon.
We drove to the restaurant, and had no problems finding parking, as the lot is completely paved. Tied to what I can only imagine is a decorator's store, Sybil's provides a very elegant outlet for those seeking both good food and a high-class environment.
Walking in to the main doors, I cringed only slightly inside, thinking that my ideas had finally gotten the better of me. Everything screamed "too good for you." Especially since most of the items on display came complete with a price tag. If you found something you wanted to learn more about purchasing, you simply ask the waitress, I guess.
The friend teaching in the area had heard of, but never been to, the restaurant. And all she heard was "kind of expensive." But she had apparently not heard the full story. While the menu was likely on the pricy side for dinner, lunch was incredibly reasonable. It was actually pretty comparable to the prices of many chain sit-down places for the lunch menu. And surprisingly, several of the patrons were in shorts and sandals through the lunch period. We all felt at home in jeans and polo shirts.
My friend took advantage of a new lunch item they were trying out, a steak quesadilla. My boy went for the french dip sandwich with buffalo fries, and I decided to have the pulled pork barbecue sandwich with steak fries.
The lunch was great, and the planning was smart; the dessert menu was printed seperately, and brought to the table after we had completed our dishes. We tried the tiramisu and the peanut butter pie. Both were decadent and flavorful.
If you are in the St. James area, you will undoubtedly enjoy Sybil's. Between the food, the service, and the ambiance, you'll feel like you're being spoiled--even if you aren't paying through the nose for it. I would recommend making a reservation for any typical dinner or lunch time.
Showing posts with label food review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food review. Show all posts
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Restaurant Review: TONG'S
Hearing about this place a few weeks ago from my bosses, I finally was given the chance to try Tong's this weekend with my beau. We both enjoy Thai food, and so it made sense to try a new place out.
Honestly, if you weren't aware that the restaurant existed, you might not even know to look for it. But if you're reading this, you are in for a treat. This is a gem of a restaurant, hidden away in a shopping center in the southern part of the city off Campbell. If you are familiar with the South Campbell Starbucks, head 4 blocks north to find Tong's. They are on the same side of the road.
We arrived about 7 p.m. on a Saturday evening to a nearly-empty parking lot. Walking in, we were seated immediately at a quiet table for two near the back.
This restaurant is extremely accessible. We were seated in an upper section, and ramps were our only way to get there. If you tend to be clumsy (like I occasionally can be), you don't have to worry about stairs...or rumpled carpeting. Just your own feet!
While I can't say much for the waitress's knowledge of the menu itself, I will say that it turned out to be a really great dining experience. To whet our appetites, the man and I enjoyed Chinese beer, reasonably priced bottles for foreign lager, as we thumbed through the menu.
Clearly marked in the menu was something I was glad to see; the chef had gone to great lengths to explain his style of cooking, and his willingness to help those who are attempting to dine healthy. This had been one of the reasons I was interested in trying Tong's originally. My bosses are both on Weight Watchers, and spoke highly of the staff's willingness to alter the dishes to taste, as well as to fit one's dietary needs. (The example my boss offered was that she didn't want beef, but the rest of the dish sounded great; the waitress offered to change out the beef for shrimp.)
My boyfriend went with a basic beef, noodle, and broccoli dish. I decided to be the seafood eater this time, opting for Grouper with a Basil Garlic Sauce. My dish was served with seasonable steamed vegetables, as well as steamed rice. The fish was breaded, but it was light. Although I asked for mild, it was a little more spicy than I regularly desire. Still, it was delicious...and overly filling. I had to request a box.
While our particular waitress wasn't knowledgeable about specific menu items, I was impressed with the staff overall. Our plates were brought to us when ready by another member of the serving staff. Our water glasses were kept appropriately full (one of my pet peeves, especially when eating spicy foods). We were even asked if we wanted a second beer before our glasses reached the halfway mark.
The prices were reasonable, overall. For two to dine at dinner, we spent what I would consider a reasonable "date" price (i.e., under $50, including tip). Keeping in mind that I had seafood, and we each had beer, that was really more than reasonable. There were, however, much less expensive options available.
Please support this local restaurant! I want to be sure that we keep good, reasonably priced, and healthy options available to us in Springfield. I would feel comfortable bringing friends here, but be sure you create your own dish if you plan to bring children (yes, there's a menu option for that!), since even "mild" can be more than a little spicy.
Honestly, if you weren't aware that the restaurant existed, you might not even know to look for it. But if you're reading this, you are in for a treat. This is a gem of a restaurant, hidden away in a shopping center in the southern part of the city off Campbell. If you are familiar with the South Campbell Starbucks, head 4 blocks north to find Tong's. They are on the same side of the road.
We arrived about 7 p.m. on a Saturday evening to a nearly-empty parking lot. Walking in, we were seated immediately at a quiet table for two near the back.
This restaurant is extremely accessible. We were seated in an upper section, and ramps were our only way to get there. If you tend to be clumsy (like I occasionally can be), you don't have to worry about stairs...or rumpled carpeting. Just your own feet!
While I can't say much for the waitress's knowledge of the menu itself, I will say that it turned out to be a really great dining experience. To whet our appetites, the man and I enjoyed Chinese beer, reasonably priced bottles for foreign lager, as we thumbed through the menu.
Clearly marked in the menu was something I was glad to see; the chef had gone to great lengths to explain his style of cooking, and his willingness to help those who are attempting to dine healthy. This had been one of the reasons I was interested in trying Tong's originally. My bosses are both on Weight Watchers, and spoke highly of the staff's willingness to alter the dishes to taste, as well as to fit one's dietary needs. (The example my boss offered was that she didn't want beef, but the rest of the dish sounded great; the waitress offered to change out the beef for shrimp.)
My boyfriend went with a basic beef, noodle, and broccoli dish. I decided to be the seafood eater this time, opting for Grouper with a Basil Garlic Sauce. My dish was served with seasonable steamed vegetables, as well as steamed rice. The fish was breaded, but it was light. Although I asked for mild, it was a little more spicy than I regularly desire. Still, it was delicious...and overly filling. I had to request a box.
While our particular waitress wasn't knowledgeable about specific menu items, I was impressed with the staff overall. Our plates were brought to us when ready by another member of the serving staff. Our water glasses were kept appropriately full (one of my pet peeves, especially when eating spicy foods). We were even asked if we wanted a second beer before our glasses reached the halfway mark.
The prices were reasonable, overall. For two to dine at dinner, we spent what I would consider a reasonable "date" price (i.e., under $50, including tip). Keeping in mind that I had seafood, and we each had beer, that was really more than reasonable. There were, however, much less expensive options available.
Please support this local restaurant! I want to be sure that we keep good, reasonably priced, and healthy options available to us in Springfield. I would feel comfortable bringing friends here, but be sure you create your own dish if you plan to bring children (yes, there's a menu option for that!), since even "mild" can be more than a little spicy.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Another food review from STL
While I raved about Modesto in the last post, I have to admit that there was a restaurant we tried that had less than exciting results.
BARcelona had a couple of fantastic things going for it. The idea is great: a small tapas and wine cafe nestled in a quiet neighborhood just off a business district. And the weather was perfect for sitting outside. Unfortunately, the seating was limited, but BARcelona had thought of that. They put in large French doors that they kept open during nice weather, so most of the dining room was given a soothing, gentle breeze during the meal.
The drink I ordered was the restaurant's namesake (a BARcelona), and included a great blend of Stoli Vanil Vodka, Midori Melon Liqueur, Chambord, and pineapple juice. Because of the mixture, it's a beautiful green and red combo, like an inverted stoplight effect. After much deliberation, my boyfriend and I decided it was probably closest in flavors to a Now-n-Later. I enjoyed it heartily, even if it was a tad sweet--it made the good afternoon that much sweeter!
Unfortunately, the menu options were not quite as tasty as we had hoped. We ordered three items: pan con alioli (garlic bread with olive oil), Bacalao (fried codfish and potato cakes with lemon garlic alioli), and Solomillo con Cabrales (grilled beef with blue cheese, spinach, and served in a Rioja reduction). All of these quickly appealed to our palates, especially our love of garlic-flavored foods.
The bread, surprisingly, showed up last. And to be fair, we could've made this at home, using basic garlic powder, cheese, and some olive oil on the side. It wasn't anything unusual or special. It tasted only slightly different than the house bread, which was served at the table, sans butter. (Sorry, a MAJOR pet peeve for me!)
The Bacalao sounded unusual to me--a combination I wouldn't normally put together. I had tried to be daring on this trip, but much to my dismay, this proved my adventurousness to have been better left elsewhere. There was nothing specifically appealing about this dish. Its appearance reminded me of salmon cakes my mom used to make on Fridays during Lent. The potatoes were not hearty, but overly mashed, even creamy. Given that it was paired with codfish, even hash brown potatoes would have been a good alternative. The only firm texture came from the overly browned crust. And unfortunately, there was no seasoning. Salt from the codfish was very apparent, but no herbs or interesting flavors to tickle the tongue.
Finally, Solomillo con Cabrales--what should have been the piece de resistance--turned out to be as disappointing as it could have been. The meat was well prepared, certainly; it's difficult to get a chef who can hit "medium" right on the nose--not overdone, and not too pink. The cheese was a nice touch, and the spinach, while wilted, was not anything like I remembered from being a kid. The disapppointment in this dish was the sauch, which was more like a light glaze than a reduction. Overly sweetened, it competed with the saltiness of the cheese and the natural flavor of the meat, rather than offering a nice compliment. Personally, in some ways, this sauce would have made a nice salad dressing, rather than with this dish.
After a little discussion, my boyfriend and I agreed that BARcelona hit what happens with too many restaurants that expand too quickly (this is one of two locations). Its menu became simplified, so that you can have a similar experience in another location, in terms of food. But it has sacrificed a great deal of flavorful personality in the process. I'd be willing to give it a shot again, but only if I was certain that the food was more daring--or at least more like what we thought we'd be getting by the menu's description.
BARcelona had a couple of fantastic things going for it. The idea is great: a small tapas and wine cafe nestled in a quiet neighborhood just off a business district. And the weather was perfect for sitting outside. Unfortunately, the seating was limited, but BARcelona had thought of that. They put in large French doors that they kept open during nice weather, so most of the dining room was given a soothing, gentle breeze during the meal.
The drink I ordered was the restaurant's namesake (a BARcelona), and included a great blend of Stoli Vanil Vodka, Midori Melon Liqueur, Chambord, and pineapple juice. Because of the mixture, it's a beautiful green and red combo, like an inverted stoplight effect. After much deliberation, my boyfriend and I decided it was probably closest in flavors to a Now-n-Later. I enjoyed it heartily, even if it was a tad sweet--it made the good afternoon that much sweeter!
Unfortunately, the menu options were not quite as tasty as we had hoped. We ordered three items: pan con alioli (garlic bread with olive oil), Bacalao (fried codfish and potato cakes with lemon garlic alioli), and Solomillo con Cabrales (grilled beef with blue cheese, spinach, and served in a Rioja reduction). All of these quickly appealed to our palates, especially our love of garlic-flavored foods.
The bread, surprisingly, showed up last. And to be fair, we could've made this at home, using basic garlic powder, cheese, and some olive oil on the side. It wasn't anything unusual or special. It tasted only slightly different than the house bread, which was served at the table, sans butter. (Sorry, a MAJOR pet peeve for me!)
The Bacalao sounded unusual to me--a combination I wouldn't normally put together. I had tried to be daring on this trip, but much to my dismay, this proved my adventurousness to have been better left elsewhere. There was nothing specifically appealing about this dish. Its appearance reminded me of salmon cakes my mom used to make on Fridays during Lent. The potatoes were not hearty, but overly mashed, even creamy. Given that it was paired with codfish, even hash brown potatoes would have been a good alternative. The only firm texture came from the overly browned crust. And unfortunately, there was no seasoning. Salt from the codfish was very apparent, but no herbs or interesting flavors to tickle the tongue.
Finally, Solomillo con Cabrales--what should have been the piece de resistance--turned out to be as disappointing as it could have been. The meat was well prepared, certainly; it's difficult to get a chef who can hit "medium" right on the nose--not overdone, and not too pink. The cheese was a nice touch, and the spinach, while wilted, was not anything like I remembered from being a kid. The disapppointment in this dish was the sauch, which was more like a light glaze than a reduction. Overly sweetened, it competed with the saltiness of the cheese and the natural flavor of the meat, rather than offering a nice compliment. Personally, in some ways, this sauce would have made a nice salad dressing, rather than with this dish.
After a little discussion, my boyfriend and I agreed that BARcelona hit what happens with too many restaurants that expand too quickly (this is one of two locations). Its menu became simplified, so that you can have a similar experience in another location, in terms of food. But it has sacrificed a great deal of flavorful personality in the process. I'd be willing to give it a shot again, but only if I was certain that the food was more daring--or at least more like what we thought we'd be getting by the menu's description.
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