400 Olive Awards

400 Olive Restaurant Review:

Downtown’s two Hiltons, mere blocks apart, could hardly be more different. Unlike the towering edifices near the ballpark, the Hilton St. Louis Downtown at the Arch feels comfortingly historic. Its dining room --- once the lobby of the Merchants Laclede Bank --- includes open and gleaming bank vaults. While it doesn't make for an intimate setting, 400 Olive turns out to be a good spot for visitors and locals to mix, especially for a burger with Parmesan fries during casual business lunches. Its take on classic American dishes combines a meat-and-potatoes heartiness with bursts of frivolity like fried leeks (atop citrus-spice seared tuna), caramelized figs (in the eponymous salad), and Cognac-laced shrimp (with pasta, tomatoes and asparagus). Many of the dinner entrées are seared or encrusted, which makes the maple-glazed smoked pork loin a standout. Bread pudding with bourbon sauce ranks among St. Louis’ most popular dessert options, but we prefer the flaky Southern shortcake biscuits with ice cream and fresh strawberries. By-the-glass options are slim on a wine list peppered with too-familiar names, but at least the markups are reasonable.