Buzzetta's in Chesterfield 4-5-2025

I'd give this place a 4.5 out of 5 based on this night's experience. 

This is the 2nd time we dined at Buzzetta's.  I looked all over their website and nowhere did it say anything about reservations.  When we first went there, they weren't doing any reservations, so I assumed they still weren't.  We arrived around 5:30 on a Sat. night.  We walked in with several other people who all had reservations.  So, I asked the hostess.  She said they now used OpenTable for reservations.  I wish they had something about that on their website!!

So, we asked if we could get a seat.  At first the hostess wanted to sit us at the bar.  We said we'd wait.  Then she said she thought she could find us a table.  We got a very nice table near the center of the room.  We also got a GREAT waitress.  She was very experienced.

We each ordered a cocktail.  When we tried to order a bottle of cabernet, this waitress asked if we'd be interested in looking at some better bottles that the owner had in his office.  We said "sure."  So, she brought out several $120-200 bottles.  We recognized the bottle of The Prisoner.  We hadn't had it for awhile, but we knew we liked it.  So, we said yes to that.  That was a good upsell on her part.  We were going to get a bottle of $50 wine and ended up spending about $120.  The wine was good, but it is a little too fruity for Mike's palate.  The waitress was all over helping us with this wine.  She decanted it and prominately displayed it on our table.  

When it was time to order dinner we decided to just ask for what we wanted (as it wasn't exactly on the menu).  I wanted a small order of eggplant parm with a side order of pasta with marinara sauce.  Mike wanted veal saltimboca with a side order of anglehair pasta with marinara sauce.  She said she could make that happen!  I love when restaurants will work with you.  

Before our entrees arrived we had bread and Mike ordered a house salad and I ordered some minestrone soup.  The soup was good, but the broth was a little thin.  Minestrone often has a little pasta in it (often orzo or some other super small pasta).  That pasta that was put in this was lingini.  It was fine and it wasn't over cooked, but it was odd.  

Our entrees were yummy.  

Then we asked our waitress about dessert.  There were several things that sounded good, but Mike asked her what was her favorite.  She said that the flambe was awesome.  It is made tableside.  The owner guy comes out with a portable burner and a skillet and several bottles of alcohol.  In the skillet he has butter and brown sugar.  He is making homemade caramel.  Then he puts a little of the alcohols in in and burns them off.  We asked for it over esspresso gelato.  It was warm and crunchy and cold and smooth all at the same time.  It was awesome.   Sorry the photo is blurry. 

Jinzen in Clayton 3-29-25

I'd give this place a 4 out of 5 stars. 

 Jinzen calls itself a "Fusion Cuisine" restaurant.  It seems to be all Asian Fusion.  

Anna was home and she was going to the Fox with me.  She picked this place to try.

It is a fusion restaurant that is also known for its Asian drinks.  I got a glass of wine, but Anna ordered one of their flavored sodas.  Her soda came in a can that they had bottled and it had fizz.  She said it was very good.

We each ordered an appetizer.  I ordered the Takoyaki.  It was just OK.  It was like round ball pancakes with a little bit of octopus in them and a sauce on top and A LOT of fish flakes on top of that.  The fish flakes were not a great addition and it needed way more octopus. 

Anna ordered chicken goyza.  These are traditional Japanese dumplings.  They were good.

For dinner Anna ordered the pork katsu with tempura vegetables.  She liked the vegetables, but too many of them were mushrooms.  The pork was not as tender as chicken katsu and had too much grissle. 

She saved the katsu for leftovers and didn't end up eating it. 

I ordered the volcano fried rice.  It is a rather unique presentation.  They bring a smoking hot skillet style pan (think fajitas).  They turn over a bowl of kung pao chicken fried rice on it and take the bowl away.  Then they have a little gravy boat with whipped raw egg in it.  They pour the egg around the edges of the rice.  It fries immediately and then they stir the egg into the fried rice.  It was fun to watch and I liked the dish.  

This photo is immediately after the eggs were poured around.

I enjoyed this dish.  The appetizer was just OK.  I would go back.  Many people order ramen, bulgogi, or bibinbap here.  I'd like to try some of those some time.  

Commonwealth on Grand 2-22-25

 This is in the Arts Hotel just one block up the street from the Fox Theater.  The restaurant has changed hands several times and had some famous chefs go through there.  

I do have to say that this night we went, I was not feeling well.  I was in the throws of a cold/the flu.  So, I was just trying to make it through the night and enjoy the show.  

Bonnie and Charles we with us, so that was nice.  I just wished I felt better.

I ordered the scallops.  They were prepared well and came with a side salad.  They were on a bit of sweet potato puree, but I thought the lack of any real side vegtable was odd.  The scallops saved well, but the salad died and I had to throw it out.  

Mike ordered a steak.  It had mushrooms on it, which he gave to me.  He said the steak was good. 

I didn't even think to take pictures of what Bonnie and Charles got.  I remember Bonnie got some kind of chicken.  I think they liked it.  As you can see, I was rather out of it. 

I think we may have to try this place some other time when I am feeling better.  

Bartolino'sTwin Oaks 3-8-25

 I had heard that Bartolino's had opened a new restaurant at the corner of 141 and Big Bend.  The area is called Twin Oaks.  It is kind of a new development.  There is a big apartment complex and shopping center there and the Bartolino's is the bottom floor of the aprartment complex.  

Mike had tried to get us a reservation on Resy and they didn't have any times until later in the evening, so he called them on Friday night and the lady who answered said "Yes, they had an opening at 6."  Well, we didn't get any kind of a confirmation text (we didn't know we were supposed to get a confirmation text).  So, when we got there, they didn't have us in the system at all and it was kind of a mess.  So, it ended up we went to the bar and had a drink.  I had some kind of a berry sour margarita and it was quite good.  Mike had a gin and tonic, of course.  We got a table in about 25 minutes.  

The tables all seem to be around the center bar area and that tends to make the entire place rather loud.  When we mentioned that to our server, he said we actually were there on a quiet night, because they often have live music in the bar area and it is loud in the whole restaurant.  

We started with the arencini appetizer.  They were really good.  The rice was super smooth and almost seemed like mashed potatoes rather than rice.  I wonder if it was mashed rice??  The sauce was a pink sauce, not my favorite, but it was good.  

We ordered a bottle of Decoy, which we knew we liked.  It was funny, there were two couple dining right next to us who ordered a bottle of Decoy almost at the exact same time as us.

I ordered eggplant parm with angel hair pasta.  It was really very good.  The egg plant was cut very thin and fried.  I could have done without all the basil on top, but that's ok.

Mike had veal parm with a side of rigatoni.  He wished he could have had spaghetti instead of rigatoni, but that's ok.

We finished with a trio of canolli.  They were crisp and good.  Mike had coffee.  

This is closer than the Bartolino's that is on Hampton on the way to the Hill.  It is nice to be able to make a reservation.  I'd go back.  

Peppe's Apt. #2 in Kirkwood 3-1-25

 It has been a few years since we have been to Peppe's Apt. #2.  It is quite a unique place.  It is in an old house off of Geyer in Kirkwood.  It has a small parking lot in the back and there is some street parking.  We were going to the Fox, so we had very early (5 pm) reservations, so we parked in the lot in the back.  It probably only has a dozen or so tables on the main floor.  There is a 2nd floor that has some bigger tables and I think it might have a meeting room.  It's a class place with nice china, chandeliers on the ceiling, experienced wait staff.  

I read online that this restaurant was started by a guy named Peppe and he is still the guy that greets you at the door.  The food is mostly old world Italian.  

Mike and started with a cocktail and then ordered the shrimp scampi appetizer.  It is something we got the first time we came and it is really good and we have ordered it every time since then.  

We ordered a bottle of Italian Valpolicella.  It was good, but not as good as a California cabernet.  

I ordered the linguini putanesca.  It had black olives and capers.  It was good, but the twangy sauce was just OK.  I'd hoped for more spice and less twang.  

Mike had chicken parm.  It was good.  

For dessert we split a piece of some kind of chocolate torte.  It was a nice bite of sweet at the end of the meal.  Mike had coffee.  

This place is never the BEST food in the world, but it is consistently good and it is a nice place to eat in quiet elegance.  

Cobalt Smoke and Sea in Creve Coeur 9-28-24

This place is a solid 3.5-4 stars.  

We have been to this place several times before, so I almost didn't write one of these.  We came here before the Fox.  They always have interesting drinks and pretty good food. 

I started with some kind of fizzy, numb your mouth drink.  I find that sooo weird. It is made with the buzz button plant that literally is like novocain for the inside of your mouth.  

We started with an appetizer that was the special.  It was proscuitto with oranges and thick cut candied bacon.  It was interesting

Mike had fettuccine bolognese.  You could tell the pasta had been hand made.  He liked it. 

I had some steamed halibut on baby bok choy with other vegetables with a vegetable soy broth.  It was good...not great.  

Mad Dog and Cats 10-25-24

 On a random Friday night we decided to try this place.  It always seems to have decent reviews.  It is over on Hwy 94 and Wolfrum, so it isn't far. 

The inside is just a bar with a few tables and booths.  We were lucky to get a booth.  

Mike started with the French Onion soup.  It supposedly one of their specialties.  Mike said it was OK.

Then Mike had their reuben sandwich.  He said it was good, but nothing spectacular.

I got the fried cod sandwich.  It was fine.  The cod was like Fish Fry cod and it really didn't fit on the bun well, but it tasted fine.  

This place was fine.  We didn't find anything that will make us come running back.