Photograph by Kevin A. Roberts
The late Jack Miller, whose great contribution to St. Louis dining was the scores of well-trained young chefs and bakers he created at St. Louis Community College–Forest Park’s restaurant program, had a basic piece of advice for students: “Serve the hot food hot and the cold food cold, and you’re more than halfway home to a successful experience for the diner.”
Someone at Terrene apparently failed to absorb this lesson. The result was a mostly tasty, but unbalanced dining experience.
We visited the Central West End restaurant on a summer Saturday, when there was a warm hum in the room. Most of the diners were outside, enjoying one of the loveliest dining areas in the city, but the aroma of diesel exhaust bothered us more than tobacco, and a temperature above 78 degrees chased us into the air conditioning.
The Terrene menu is a good one, with imaginative touches and much use of local produce. At the height of summer, a tomato salad was a perfect appetizer—all shades of red moving into purple, juicy, firm, and perfectly ripe, with a simple vinaigrette dressing of just-right balance and a handful of fresh watermelon balls offering superior flavor contrast. Sweetbreads, however, were a disappointment. There were none of the menu’s advertised truffles, and the poached egg either lacked a yolk or had one so small it went unnoticed. We registered a mild complaint with the server, and she dashed off to replace it—a generous gesture. The plate that returned had truffles and an egg, but the sweetbreads themselves were the toughest we’ve ever seen. Pork pâté was terrific, as were roasted mussels, with white wine, garlic, and lemon blending nicely into a rich broth that brought a tingle. Frites arrived crisp, well-drained and tasty.
Large plates offered a nice range with quail, chicken, pork, lamb, beef, fish, and shellfish, as well as summer-vegetable tempeh cakes as a vegetarian selection. Hanger steak, by its nature a little tough, was flavorful and excellent, cooked as requested, but the hot steak came atop cold fingerling potatoes, cold coleslaw, and a Carolina barbecue sauce that soaked into everything. The potatoes, described as a salad, were halves of the small potatoes with a little dressing, and we’d give the undistinguished slaw what used to be called a “gentleman’s C.” We’d have liked the barbecue sauce on the side, or the other items on separate plates; having everything tossed together stirred memories of Army mess-kit days.
That said, the other large plates were unqualified successes. The quail, stuffed with salsiccia, was perfectly cooked and delicious, and the pork loin, accompanied by collard greens and creamy grits, drew cheers. The lamb pot roast’s flavor benefited from long, slow cooking, but the dish seemed a little underseasoned, which was somewhat of a surprise.
Desserts were most pleasing. Chocolate terrine, a step away from ganache, was dark and outstanding, the chocolate flavor boosted by its concentration, offering all of the necessary argument for why dark is superior to light. Peach cobbler, laden with fully ripe fruit, was excellent, considering that it was the batter-with-fruit style now so prevalent around town. Its crunchy top was a bonus, but we still prefer pie crust.
Service at Terrene is smooth and professional, with servers who understand the menu and explain it well. The wine list is strong and well-priced, including an Argentine rosé that made a superior companion to appetizer choices of both meat and fish, as well as those frites. Its pleasing aroma and light body were right for everyone. Moving up in flavor and down in price scored a tasty Petite Sirah for the main courses.
Average Main Course: $22
Dress: Nice-casual
Reservations: Suggested, especially weekends
Chef: Brian Hardesty
The Bottom Line: Despite a few hiccups, Terrene remains a favorite, indoors or out.
33 N. Sarah
Central West End
314-535-5100
terrene-stlouis.com
Dinner only, Tue–Sun
By Joe and Ann Pollack
