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If anyone kept records of the St. Louis restaurant that's had the most proposals on-site, it would surely be Tony's. Their long tradition of luxury and indulgence surely calms the most anxious suitor and the most skittish objet d'amour. Valentine's Day, of course, is the big night for question-popping, and for a while they even kept track of how many proposals occured each Valentine's Day.
Not, of course, that that's the only night for love. Plenty of bended knees, proprietor Vincent Bommarito tells us, especially after the fim "Moonstruck" came out, in which Cher instructed Danny Aiello on the proper way - kneeling, and with a ring - to propose to a woman, in a busy restaurant or not. [Here's a clip of the scene (below), if you've forgotten it.]
But things don't always go smoothly. One fellow insisted on the ring being placed in a champagne cocktail, despite concerns from staff about the safety of the diamond. When it arrived, it was indeed resting atop the traditional sugar cube at the bottom of the glass. The woman didn't notice the ring, but then the gentleman was called away unexpectedly. When he returned, the champagne flute was gone. The woman had handed the glass to a busboy. Chaos ensued as Bommarito and several staffers flew toward the kitchen. It had been dumped in the garbage disposal and someone was about to hit the "on" button. We can just hear the bellowed commands in the traditionally quiet kitchen. The ring escaped what would have been a certain mangling and right in the nick of time.
Another night, many years ago, the suitor ordered a 7-course meal. It's typical of Bommarito that he even remembers what they ate. "It was the tenderloin with foie gras," he said, "And he had a poem written for each course." The surrounding tables figured out what was afoot. At the end of the meal, the captain brings out a silver tray and dome, which he revealed to exhibit the ring box. Romantic, yes? And after all that? She said no. "The other tables almost booed," recalls Bommarito.
But maybe the best story is the simplest: Yet another man proposed on Valentine's Day. And for the next 41 years, on their wedding anniversary, he and his bride returned to Tony's.
Editor's Note: After a quick but sweeping renovation ("we touched all surfaces," according to Tom Niemeier, president of SPACE Architecture + Design, the designer and contractor), Tony's reopened last week (see accompanying images). The improvements include new flooring, lighting, and an expanded bar area (below), featuring an all-leather floor, a white quartzite bar, abstract wood art, and a modern-yet-elegant seating area.
