My Ohm My

Solid eats, electric atmosphere

Comments (0) By Ian Froeb Wednesday, Aug 2 2006

...continued from page 1

Among the "Large Plates," there were only a few standouts. Fish tacos featured a delicious salsa made with chunks of fresh mango. I was especially impressed by the shrimp rosé pasta. The shrimp were small but plump and perfectly cooked, and the cream sauce was a very delicate balance between earthy mushrooms and light, sweet rosé. (The menu lists this as "Chicken Rosé Pasta," but you can substitute shrimp for $3, which I recommend.)

Oddly, the menu includes several Cajun dishes: "New Orleans Chicken Gumbo," jambalaya, po' boy sandwiches and several creations made with "blackened" chicken, shrimp and salmon. I skipped the jambalaya, but both the chicken gumbo and the blackened salmon were disappointing. The gumbo was loaded with okra and andouille sausage, but my cup contained one measly hunk o' chicken, and the overall flavor was basically cream of chicken soup. The salmon was a nice piece of fish, large and tender, but it was barely browned, let alone blackened, and the Cajun seasoning was too salty. The side dishes — gloppy rice and black beans in a very thin broth — were a travesty. Note to chain restaurants: If you're going to appropriate a cuisine, at least get the basics right.

Jennifer Silverberg

Louie, Louie: Oh baby, we gotta go.

Location Info

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Bar Louie-Central West End

14 Maryland Plaza
St. Louis, MO 63108

Category: Bars/Clubs

Region: St. Louis - Midtown

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Details

Bar Louie
14 Maryland Plaza, 314-678-3385. Hours: 11 a.m.-1 a.m. Sun.-Thu., 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Fri.-Sat.

Pomegranate margarita $8
Onion rings $6.99
Louie Burger $8.99
Fish tacos $10.99
Shrimp Rosé Pasta $13.99

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Better to stick with more traditional bar-and-grill fare: burgers, wraps and sandwiches. The "Spicy Shrimp Po' Boy" sandwich wasn't spicy — the "chipotle mayo" tasted an awful lot like Thousand Island dressing — but it was tasty, with loads of fresh tomato, red onion and romaine lettuce in a crusty demibaguette. The "Louie Burger" I had for dinner on Friday night was on the thin side — I should have ordered it medium-rare instead of medium — but it was still juicy, and its topping of giardiniera sauce, a piquant mix of pickled peppers and other vegetables, was addictive.

Clearly, Bar Louie is a better bar than it is restaurant: On Friday I knew it was time to head home when two guys at a nearby table suddenly stood up and performed a choreographed dance to Lil Jon's "Get Low." Still, it serves food later into the night than most places, its prices are reasonable (the most expensive dish costs $14), and most of the ingredients are impeccably fresh.

Besides, it certainly has electricity. And sometimes that's enough.