Blog

BY LISA KAMPETER

Dinner outside at the beginning of June sounds like a good idea even in St. Louis. It still falls under the time period of “spring” so why not plan to dine al fresco on a new patio surrounded with flowers, herbs, and even tomato plants and corn. Planning for it in April or May more than likely would have included rain. So the Dining Divas picked Revival in June mainly for its hot, new, outdoor dining space; however, the patio wasn’t the only thing that was hot.

Revival is off Choteau at 39th Street in the space that once occupied King Louie’s. The well-preserved building with dark wood and brick interior is simply comfortable with its upscale feel. This Diva never particularly enjoyed the popular King Louie’s, but Revival is a find.

Coming back from a “European vacation”, it was appropriate for a few of the Divas, that we chose Revival as our venue for the month of June. We returned to the States renewed and revitalized, and Revival was the perfect setting to share our stories of Italy. It wouldn’t be a “true” European vacation without Big Ben and Parliament, and even though neither are located in Italy, the Grandma Diva and the Rand McNally Diva repeatedly said that statement (amongst more colorful words) while trying to drive out of and back into downtown Rome.

There were stories of popes, train rides, the countryside, Roman gods (and we’re not talking of the mythical sense but of the Roman men), and the shopping. Oh the shopping. I could go on, but I won’t. More appropriately were the stories of the wine and the food. After 10 days abroad and four additional pounds, this Diva was prepared for a letdown at Revival compared to the fabulous feasts in Italy. Happily, I wasn’t.

Revival has a fabulous selection of smart cocktails. From the Pop Rocks Martini (yes, the glass is laced with the electrifying pop rocks candy) and the Lemon Drop to Mojitos and a wide selection of wines, you can definitely drop a few bucks on drinks. This Diva’s bar bill surpassed the food bill. The Newlywed Diva had a custom-made martini that really hit the spot. Fortunately, she only stuck with one drink as she got pulled over on her way home!

The Italian Diva loved the Fried Oyster appetizer that kicked off her meal. It was prepared with a light buttermilk batter and served on top of greens and drizzled with an amazing mysterious sauce. Grandma Diva had the Beef Skewers with blue cheese, and we were all surprised at the serving size in this appetizer. Her eyes rolled positively when we asked how she liked what she ordered.

Up front, the Greek Diva questioned our waiter about dessert. He convinced her that she’d be ordering one. So she chose a lighter dinner and had the Pear and Goat Cheese Salad with spiced pecans. Good decision. However, she also requested a side of collard greens which were just okay, and slimy and chewy according to the Picky Diva. She had ordered the Pulled Pork with BBQ Sauce Flatbread Pizza and was not pleased when collard greens were included on it. Plus, the pork was scarce. She also wasn’t thrilled that cheese was missing. Had she joined the Divas in Italy, this wouldn’t have been such an adjustment as many pizzas there are cheese-less. She did, however, love the Cumberland BBQ sauce.

There was nothing sparse about the Pulled Beef Short Rib and Cheese Sandwich. With fontina cheese and beef piled high on homemade bread, don’t try eating it all in one sitting, especially if you want dessert. It’s that good that you’ll be tempted.

Revival’s menu also includes a selection of sides worth mentioning. The Italian Diva loved Granddad’s Hush Puppies which she says is definitely not of the Long John Silver’s variety. Next time the Picky Diva goes to Revival, she may make a meal out of the side of Macaroni and Cheese. It truly is a dish that should be slowly savored. Hands down, it’s the best Mac and cheese the Italian Diva has ever had. The crowning touch, in her eyes, was the topping of additional cheese and crumbled crackers, then baked to perfection. Kraft’s Cheesy Mac will no longer have a home in this Diva’s pantry.

Our feelings regarding dessert were definitely renewed at Revival. We shared a few items, and each had our favorites. The warm Chocolate Bread Pudding with Dr Pepper sauce was preferred by most, but chocolate lovers would also enjoy the massive piece of rich Chocolate Cake. Try the Red Velvet Cake with cream cheese icing, and you’ll have a hard time deciding which dessert you like best.

Aside from the food and atmosphere (minus the heat), there was one other piece of Revival worth mentioning, our waiter Blake. He confidently described each dish that we’d chosen and openly suggested something else that he felt we’d prefer. With a smile, he listened to our banter and answered our questions. He even agreed that the restaurant Harvest has the best bread pudding. As a bonus, he was easy on the eyes.

Unfortunately, there are negative pieces of Revival worth mentioning. When this Diva tried to make reservations a few weeks prior, they told me if our party ended up being less than eight people, they’d need a credit card to hold the reservation. I have never heard of such a thing. They also told me they couldn’t reserve a table outside, and that by 5:45PM, the patio would be filled. When I showed up at 5:30PM, there were several tables still available outside. For that matter, there were several tables still available at 7PM.

The Newlywed Diva arrived about the same time the valet parking group did and made her move her car from the street, even though there were several others parked there already. Then they told her she could park on the parking lot but had to leave the first three rows open. Surprisingly, others followed her and parked in those first three rows.

Regardless, we’ll be visiting Revival again in the future but from the inside. Considered the best new patio dining, you could forget that you were in the middle of the city especially with the occasional train that drove by. You could also forget that you weren’t on vacation anymore. If only you could forget those additional pounds.
.

Share on Facebook

Tweet

Follow us