The second-best moment at any St. Louis restaurant right now is when Skip Steele (or one of his crew) fires up his propane torch to caramelize the apricot glaze on the baby-back ribs at Bogart's Smokehouse. The best moment is when you take your first bite of those ribs, or the prime rib, or the pastrami, or, really, any of the barbecue served up at this Soulard gem. Yes, local 'cue hounds knew before Bogart's opened that Steele was a master. Still, it's always remarkable when a new restaurant immediately feels as essential as Bogart's does.
Jennifer Silverberg
Wes Johnson, owner and chef of Salt
At a time when so many restaurateurs are playing it safe, chef Wes Johnson decided to go big and bold, taking over a very large space and filling it with his unique idea of what a modern Midwestern restaurant could be. Yes, Salt is rustic and ingredient-driven, in the contemporary style, but it is also playful and just as driven by Johnson's creativity and ambition. Or, to quote a friend of mine after I'd extolled the dishes here, "You had me at duck-fat-fried chicken." Salt is the Best New Restaurant of the past twelve months.
