Image of meal
By Dave Lowry Photographs by Katherine Bish
To the French, for whom linguistic precision is what trigonometry is to an alligator, a pomme is an apple—except when they mean it to be a potato and just don’t feel like adding de terre, as in pommes beynaçoises, the potato balls from Beynac-et-Cazenac, or pommes segonzac, the renowned potato dish of Perigord Blanc. We went with our first guess, however, and were relieved to see a portrait of apples hanging in the dining room of Pomme. “Apples” it is at one of the better restaurants in an area of Clayton that has for years been home to some of the finest dining in the region.
Despite the name, apples appear in only one dessert and there is nothing particularly French about the fare. Instead, it’s a thoughtful compendium of what’s in season and what tickles the culinary fancy of the kitchen. Preparations are simple, though stylish and satisfying. Notice, incidentally, that the servings sometimes appear skimpy; it’s an illusion created by the large tableware, and you won’t leave hungry. A chicken breast was roasted, the skin crispy and succulent, and served with chunky, earthy morels and slivers of leek, the meat aromatic with the fragrance of lemon ($22). Short ribs, subject to overcooking and syrupy sauces, can be as mushy and tasteless as a Céline Dion lyric (or as Céline herself, come to think of it.) Here, though, a crust of mustard and parsley on the boneless short ribs only enhanced the smoky taste of the meat, moist and fork tender. The side of corn pudding, chunky with kernels, made for a splendid pairing with the ribs ($25).
Trumpet mushrooms, a staple of nouvelle cuisine, have hit the big time in California and are being used by chefs elsewhere— including those at Pomme. The addition of this dark, meaty fungus was particularly inspired in a dish of plump sea scallops in a light sauce of lemon and basil. The dried mushrooms were reconstituted, their flavor intensified, and they made a fine accompaniment to the scallops ($26).
Life is too short ever to pass on duck confit. I strongly recommend the version here; the rich duck leg meat was so slowly cooked in its own luscious, satiny fat that it fell from the bone. Instead of the customary lemon or orange, the kitchen uses cognac to add depth to the flavor. The confit is then made even better with the addition of tart cherries that cut right through the richness of the meat, offering a worthy contrast. There is no better meal for a frigid Midwestern night ($26). Another rewarding entrée in cold weather: the lamb chops, presented along with lamb stuffed ravioli in a red wine sauce that brings out the flavor of the meat and gives it a hearty fullness on the palate ($28).
The appetizers are interesting and worthwhile. A clam soup was wonderfully rich, pungent with the roasted garlic and fresh herbs, the chopped clam meat lustrous in the thick soup ($10). Slices of smoked salmon were thoughtfully paired with corn cakes, and the two tastes and textures were brought together with an herb cream ($10). Roquefort and sliced almonds added the right zing and texture to a French-style green-bean salad ($9). By the time you read this, the local tomatoes we had will be a fond memory, but if the happily smelly sautéed goat cheese they were matched with is used with any of the appetizers on the frequently changing menu, go for it ($11).
Recommended desserts: a pear tart in flaky pastry that comes with a pear sorbet and a dense flourless chocolate cake with a scattering of berries (both $7).
The wine list runs the gamut in price but is consistent in quality. The selection of Chardonnays is especially good—and affordable. Absolutely the best wine bargain here (and one of the best in town) is the ’03 Domaine de la Solitude, a Cotes du Rhone from a winery that’s going to be among the very best in this famed region of France in the coming years ($28). Match this modest, full bodied Cotes du Rhone, bright with cherries and spices, with that confit, and you’re talking a meal like Mom used to make— provided that Mom’s kitchen had three Michelin stars.
The quality of the ingredients is high at Pomme; nothing appeared on our plates that was the slightest bit poorly prepared or second rate. Flaws do exist here, though. There was an unconscionably long wait, inexcusable in a place of this caliber, for all courses at our table; others seated after us were well into their main courses before our appetizers arrived. And if you’re in a large party, you are likely to be seated directly behind the podium of someone who should have been a maitre d’ but is more like a hostess. Her frequent stops there for menus and other items is distracting, but because we can’t think of a better way to arrange the room, we won’t criticize too much. Otherwise, the ambience is formal, though not overbearing. Worn but-beautiful hardwood floors attest to the history of the building. Raw-brick walls are appropriately decorated with renderings of the aforementioned apples and of pears. Tables are nicely set—nothing ostentatious, linens starched and white. A tiny bar along the back wall separates the dining room from the kitchen. Pomme is small, with space for probably a couple-dozen diners. Its size and menu will remind diners of a Parisian bistro, a cozy eatery with filling, sophisticated fare. Would that vehicular traffic in Clayton could come and go as swiftly as do some restaurants there ... but Pomme deserves to stay.
Address: 40 N. Central
Phone: 314-727-4141
Website: www.pommerestaurant.com
Dinner: 5:30 “until everyone is finished,” Tue–Sat
Average main course: $23
Reservations: Strongly recommended, especially on weekends
Dress: As if you’re posing for a Dockers commercial
Bottom Line: Hearty bistro fare in a cozy setting in downtown Clayton
