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Local Clayton Restaurant Packed with Passion & Flavor

It was a gorgeous night for food and fun with the Dining Divas this past month as we enjoyed Peno Southern Italian Soul Food located in a Clayton neighborhood. And even though we enjoyed it, it was not without its issues. I can admit it.

We have issues. But not always. Parking can be an issue depending on the location of the restaurant. Peno is on Wydown in the middle of a neighborhood, and fortunately, several of us were able to grab a spot in the small lot they have. Otherwise, you have to try your luck with street parking, and unfortunately, one Diva was not so lucky and ended up with a fender bender.

Reservations can be another issue because we’re a large group. Some restaurants prefer groups of our size to dine before six or after nine. Although Peno is a small restaurant, they were happy to accommodate us at our preferred time. And because it was such a lovely evening, we were seated outside on their patio. And we loved it.

I’m always impressed when the owner of the restaurant or the chef stops by each table to visit or answer any questions. The Talkative Diva had lots of questions for him. She appreciated his passion in his work. The Italian Divas joined in too. It was nice to hear why he has certain items on his menu and why the recipes are prepared the way they are. Ultimately, it’s how he grew up. And we have no issues with that! There should have been no surprises with the price range of menu items. We were in Clayton!

But if you were wondering what you were going to pay for your meal, you had to guess (“between $23 and $28” said our waitress) because the menu was written on a blackboard and did not include the prices. This was an issue for most of us because we prefer to know what we’re paying for a meal before we get our bill.

Peno is what we call an “occasion” restaurant. A place you go to for an anniversary or special birthday. Very nice, but costly. So knowing that, you had to keep that in mind when deciding on dinner. And dinner was good…to most of us. As the group rolled in, we ordered a few appetizers. The Braised Octopus was prepared in a spicy tomato sauce and served with Italian sausage. Wonderful! A healthy portion of Bruschetta was served with various toppings and was a delicious option for the Not-So-Adventurous Divas.

It was obvious why the Italian Salad was the favorite of the late Mr. Tucci of Pasta House. It’s not your ordinary side or house salad. Peno’s menu changes daily as well as seasonally. Most of the pastas noodles are homemade, and what a difference that makes.

The Pappardelle Palermo is served with a light, brothy tomato sauce with Italian sausage, red peppers, prosciutto, and pistachios and packed with flavor. The Shrimp Pasta and Pesto with spinach was very good. And they don’t skimp on the shrimp. There were four jumbo-sized servings.

“Oh my gosh” is how the Mushroom Ravioli was described. Four large raviolis served in a garlic broth with tomatoes and spinach. Even though, it’s not what they do in Italy, soak up the sauce with some of the bread. It was so good. Seriously, I do not recommend sharing the ravioli with anyone else. Keep it all for yourself.

  I got one word from the Talkative Diva when I asked about the Chicken Spedini. “Delicious.” She said it was the best spedini she’s had in a long time. There are a lot of spedini options in St. Louis, but this one could be the best. However, another Diva thought it was overpriced.

Before we ordered dessert, the owner made sure he provided us with a watermelon intermezzo to clean our palettes. Again, it was another gesture that showed his passion for helping to make our dining experience the best it could be. The Polite Diva ordered the Godfather Chocolate Cake because she wanted to make sure the table enjoyed something “chocolate” for dessert, but what she really had her eyes on was the Cannoli with peaches and berries. We had no issues with that. The Indulging

Diva ordered it and several of the group deconstructed it completely.

Between the appetizers, salad, bread, and main course, I don’t know how people enjoy a traditional Italian meal with all the food! Well, they probably share theirs, and take small bites, and eat slowly. Hmmmm. Will have to take that into consideration next time. Most of us don’t have issues with paying more for really good food. Homemade pasta. Fresh ingredients. Friendly people. Peno had all of the above. And that makes it worth the price.

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