Eating Adventurously at the Libertine

I recently got around to visiting the Libertine for the first time during Clayton restaurant week. If you are looking for a new place to try for Valentine's Day it would be a great choice; the space is very cozy and romantically lit without being too dark.

Image courtesy of the Riverfront Times

The only issue I had with the space itself was that we were seated at the table closest to the bar, and I felt a little like the people who were standing nearby waiting for a table were staring us down. If you prefer more privacy, request a table in the back when making reservations.

Crispy pig tails with polenta.

For the first course, I had the crispy buffalo style pig tails with whipped gorgonzola brown butter polenta. The pig tails were a bit greasy for my taste and I didn't get a lot of gorgonzola flavor from the polenta. I probably would not order this one again.

The terrine board.

My husband has to try any terrine he encounters, and the Libertine's housemade board with Pâté de Campagne, Porchetta di Testa, pickled carrots, apple butter, and crusty bread did not disappoint.  At $8 for a half order that was large enough to serve as a meal on its own, the board is also a great value.

The ramen bowl.

The dish at the Libertine that I had been most looking forward to trying was the ramen, which is served with a soft poached egg, pickled shitake mushrooms, and molasses bacon. While the molasses bacon was delicious, the pieces were so large that it was a bit difficult to eat. The pickled shitakes added some much needed acid to the dish, and in my opinion were the best part.

The highlight of the Libertine for me were the cocktails. My favorite was the Monseigneur Bocephus, a bright and complex mixture of bourbon, Benedictine, sarsaparilla soda, and local honey. I'm definitely planning to try to recreate this one at home.

For dessert, I had red velvet cake with cream cheese ice cream, candied cocoa nibs, and dried beets, which doesn't seem to be on their regular dessert menu. The cake and ice cream were great on their own, but the beets added an unexpected earthy sweetness and crunch that made the dessert truly outstanding. If they have it when you go, it's definitely worth a try.

Overall, the Libertine suitably lived up to its decadent name. I definitely plan to return for cocktails and ramen as soon as I can.

Romantic Valentine's Day Dinner at Home: Beef Bourguignon

I try to avoid going out to eat on Valentine’s Day, as I have little interest in cutesy love-themed menus and the inflated prices that come along with them. My husband and I get around this by going out for a nice meal on a different day and making dinner at home on Valentine’s Day proper, which in addition to being more affordable is actually more romantic. You can dine in your “let me slip into something more comfortable” clothes, if you wish. No one will likely complain.

But when we do go out for a romantic dinner, my favorite place to go in St. Louis is Brasserie in the Central West End. And my favorite thing to order there is the beef bourguignon, which is beef stew made with red wine. I decided to try my hand at making my own this year, and though I can’t say it was as good as Brasserie’s version, it was still pretty fantastic. If anyone out there has Brasserie’s recipe, share it please!

Beef Bourguignon (from Everyday Food)

Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces button mushrooms (trimmed), quartered if large
3 pounds boneless beef rump roast, cut into 1-inch pieces
Coarse salt and ground pepper
5 strips bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups dry red wine (I used Pino Noir)
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 garlic clove, smashed and peeled
4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
10 ounces frozen or fresh pearl onions, peeled,
1 tablespoon butter, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot with a lid, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high. Add mushrooms and cook until browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Season beef generously with salt and pepper and add 1 tablespoon oil to pot. In batches, brown beef, 2 to 3 minutes per batch (adding up to 1 tablespoon oil per batch if needed); transfer to plate. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pot. Add bacon and cook over medium until brown, 5 minutes. Add tomato paste; cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add flour and cook, stirring, 30 seconds.

Return beef to pot; add wine, broth, bay leaf, and garlic. Bring to a boil, cover, and transfer pot to oven; cook 1 1/2 hours. Add carrots and onions and cook until meat is very tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours more, adding mushrooms 15 minutes before end of cooking. Stir butter into stew, and serve topped with parsley if desired.

I like to serve this over mashed potatoes, the way they do at Brasserie, but it is also great over roasted fingerling potatoes, noodles, or crusty bread.

That's Just Ranunculus!

So Valentines Day is on the way. And while this post  is definitely inspiration for Valentines bouquets that don't involve roses (that's right, fellas, girls love variety), its mainly an excuse for me to daydream about spring and the lovely blossoms that come with it.

It also means I get to help you bone up on your floral vocabulary. While this may not impress your neighbors, it will make you feel really cool next time you need to order flowers at your local florist. Or hey, bring a date to the Botanical Garden and wow them with your horticultural prowess. It's what the cool kids are doing.

Ranunculus:

Dahlias:

Delphinium:

Hydrangea:

Nemisia:

Poppies:

Rhodedendrons:

These are great choices for any non-traditional bouquet. There really are so many options when it comes to a great flower arrangement, and most of these will set you back quite a bit less than your typical rose bouquet. So why not kill two birds with one stone; impress your local florist with your knowledge of the local flora, and make a loved one happy with an unexpected pop of color.