How good is the bread pudding at Harvest (1059 South Big Bend Boulevard, Richmond Heights; 314-645-3522)? When Gut Check dropped by to pay homage to this favorite desert, chef de cuisine Brendan Noonan came clean about his consumption. "I've already had four portions of the bread pudding today," he sheepishly admits.
Typically made from bread scraps, Harvest starts its bread pudding with fresh loaves of brioche and custard. The marriage of the egg-laden brioche and cream/egg custard is rich as can be. In order to cut into that egg opulence, the entire slice of bread pudding is covered in a bourbon currant sauce. Noonan acknowledges that the sauce is volatile and can boil over because of the sugar and alcohol, yet the sauce is hardly mentioned when talk of the perfect bite of bread pudding come into play.
"I really like the middle," Noonan says. "It's not too cooked, not too much sauce and you get the vanilla whipped cream and the mint, which isn't just to garnish."
Gut Check took Noonan's advice on the premium bite and has to admit that the mint floods the senses, but a bite laden with the bourbon sauce always hits the spot.
In case you have an urge for the bread pudding, Harvest has recipe sheets available. "It's best to have it here though," Noonan adds with a smile.
Beginning last year, RFT restaurant critic Ian Froeb counted down -- in no particular order -- 100 of his favorite dishes in St. Louis. Now Gut Check has taken up where he left off. Check back frequently as we detail our 100 favorites, and don't hesitate to send us yours, too, either via the comments thread or at [email protected].
Previously:
#51: Root Beer Float at Dr. Jazz #52: Le Croque Monsieur at LaBonne Bouchée #53: Biscuits and Wild Mushroom Gravy at Blood and Sand #54: The Gracey at Fozzie's Sandwich Emporium #55: The Sun-Dried Tomato Pizza at Katie's Pizzeria #56: Brioche French Toast at Half & Half #57: Fish and Chips at Llywelyn's #58: Chicken Kabob at Al Waha #59: Seafood Ravioli at Gian-Tony's Ristorante
