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| Photograph by Katherine Bish | |
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A Clayton bistro that’s actually quiet? Sacré bleu!
That soup? A taste of winter in a bowl. Smoky as oak in the fireplace; silky, warm and rich; the Gouda cheese and portobello puréed to a buttery-smooth bisque. The waiter explained that the soup has been a favorite since Bistro Alexander opened last spring, and offered a teacup-sized sample to prove why. He sold us. A cup of this fragrant concoction is a delightful way to begin a winter’s evening at this Clayton eatery.
The smoked Gouda soup is a de rigueur starter here; if you want another appetizer or two, consider the pâté offering of the day. On a recent visit it was goose liver, unctuous and creamy, studded with pistachios, served in chilly slabs along with crisp toast points. Polenta fries have a pleasant al dente texture, enlivened by a ragout of braised fennel and mushroom. Sweetbreads are happily gaining more aficionados locally. The version here is splendid: big fricasseed lobes, served with a disk of fried polenta and a scattering of mushrooms and chopped apples in a thick, savory gravy of pan juices.
Salad compositions tend toward the baroque. Slices of crispy duck confit are presented on a bed of wilted arugula along with fingerling potatoes marinated with truffle oil. Busy. Candied walnuts tossed with mixed greens in spiced apple vinaigrette along with Roquefort cheesecake and pears poached in port. Alliterative and busy. Recommendation: Go with a fine salad of romaine hearts attractively stacked and drizzled with an understated and elegant Caesar dressing and accompanied by crunchy garlic croustades and briny spirals of whole anchovies on the side. It is a refreshing way to approach some tantalizing main courses.
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In true bistro style, Alexander has less than a dozen entrées. Close your eyes and stab at the menu; you are unlikely to be disappointed. A half-chicken grilled with a light herby seasoning was worthy, glistening in its own, almost sweet, juices. Any bistro that serves such a dish can be reliably judged by how the kitchen complements it. Here, it arrives with a dollop of risotto studded with leeks and bacon that adds just the right contrast to the meat, along with a hillock of garlic-sautéed spinach. A platter of well-prepared scallops, their surface crunchy and golden, the interior luscious and sweet, tends to focus the diner’s attention exclusively on the tasty bivalves. The kitchen at Alexander manages to pair them with an equally flavorful, glorious profusion of wild fungus: meaty trumpets of chanterelle and clustered bushes of tiny chestnut mushrooms. Scallops and mushrooms are arranged around a mound of colcannon potatoes and ladled with a beurre noisette. Colcannon is a classic Celtic dish: mashed potatoes chunky with just-cooked chopped cabbage and swirled with lots of butter. This beurre is a tricky sauce, but it’s handled adroitly here, butter toasted in a pan until it separates and the solids turn hazelnut brown, then mixed with capers, almonds and raisins. Excellent.
A maple glaze on salmon? Like putting a cardigan on a Deadhead, we thought. Alexander makes it work, largely because the glaze is wonderfully light; it gives the fish just a hint of sweetness. Once again, the main ingredient shares prominence on the palate with an accompanying heap of golden spaetzle nuggets tossed in a bacon-infused vinaigrette and a side of Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes. The salmon is grilled just to firm up the meat and caramelize enough of the glaze to give an added flavor to the fish.
A crumble of apple-bacon bits tops a hefty portion of short rib braised until it is fork tender. This is a handsome presentation, the plump rib meat balanced on a potato croquette laced with horseradish and surrounded by braised red cabbage. It was risotto, aromatic with sage and a very pleasant goat cheese, that made the duck another highlight. The duck itself was lusty, pan roasted and perfectly pink in the center—prepared this way, no other meat leaves fewer margins for error. Daffy’s remains are arrayed in small medallions atop the risotto, a thoroughly felicitous pairing rendered even better by a sprinkle of huckleberries—if you have never had them, think of souped-up blueberries. They make a sweet contrast to the richness of the duck.
Desserts get the job done. A trio of chocolate beignets is doughnut-fried, with the interiors just a little fudgy, and plated alongside dips of a shockingly bitter orange caramel sauce and a delightful pot of espresso-flavored crème. An icy root beer granité is combined with a vanilla bean panna cotta for a weird but tasty upside-down float. The mud cake is breathtakingly chocolaty, accompanied by almond ice cream and candied oranges.
Alexander’s wine list is manageable—good choices but few bargains. A lemony, layered ’06 Honig Sauvignon Blanc is excellent and affordable ($30). The White Sox had a great year in ’05, but for Macon’s Chardonnays it was even better. An ’05 Macon Lugny, apple-acidic and sparkling with minerals, is highly recommended. So is, especially, at $85, if someone else is buying—an ’04 Nuit Georges Vaucrains made by Alain Michelot, one of the premier winemakers of the Mâconnais.
Seating outside (when the windchill doesn’t rival the plunging value of the dollar) is relaxed, though the décor inside is upscale for a bistro. Starchy white linens cover tables situated in nooks that lend an air of intimacy. Just as important, noise is blessedly minimal, even when the place is full. Oil paintings on the walls are not noticeably distracting. A small bar at the entrance has smaller tables for an intimate drink before dinner with a pleasant street-side view. Service is professional but can get a little slow as the restaurant crowd thickens. Bistro Alexander, at least the third restaurant incarnation at this address, is an estimable dining destination. It will be interesting to see how it fares in the boom-or-bust climate of Clayton’s eating scene.
Bistro Alexander
Address: 7927 Forsyth
Phone: 314-725-9999
Website: bistroalexander.com
Average Main Course: $28
Reservations: It’s Clayton. What do you think?
Attire: Like you’ve been invited for gin-and-tonics at the Imperial College Boat Club
Bottom Line: Above-average bistro fare with some excellent side dishes and fine presentations
