When fine dining was just beginning to return to hotel restaurants, St. Louis had Faust’s, the flagship restaurant of the former Adam’s Mark Hotel (now the Hyatt Regency St. Louis at The Arch). Most of the time, it offered a remarkably strong kitchen. The signature dish was lobster—for a while, there was a lobster du jour, the preparation varying at the whim of the kitchen. There was always lobster bisque, whether on an icy night or an August evening. The pastry chef worked the midnight shift (a bygone occurrence), making every puff and layered pastry by hand.
The menu frequently followed food trends. There were nods to chef Ferran Adrià’s El Bulli more than 10 years ago, when the Spanish restaurant was at the height of its fame. Of course, there was danger in chasing such trends. When vertical food was at its (ahem) height, a swordfish entrée served at Faust’s was at least four layers tall. The moment I touched it, the food toppled over—and the fish fell into my napkin-draped lap.
The late Bob Kabel, the sommelier and de facto maitre d’, was one of the best things about a visit to Faust’s. His wine knowledge was ocean-deep, but he’d also chat up the guest who wanted “just a glass—maybe some red?” with an approach that put anyone at ease. He would be wearing a black tie and the guest might be in shorts, but Kabel was just that smooth.
The decor was seemingly never up-dated—the owner loved the room the way it was. And, unfortunately, with the curtains closed at night, the restaurant never fully highlighted that stunning view of the Gateway Arch.
