Coconut Ice Cream Was the Real Standout of the Night

More than a year after moving away from St. Louis, I’m suddenly sharing this belated restaurant review on a whim (I checked Google Maps first to make sure the spot’s still open! ✅). Last summer, after finishing my coursework but before graduation, my classmates and I had a sudden surplus of free time—and that’s how we squeezed in several restaurant hunts before leaving the city. This place was one of them 📅. It already had a good reputation among international students; at the very least, everyone who’d been there came back singing its praises 👍. Now that I’ve moved to Seattle, I can fairly say this restaurant is genuinely delicious—it’s not just “good by St. Louis standards” (as if the city had no good food). Even in Seattle, it would still hold its own as a tasty spot 😋. The restaurant is quite small, so reservations are a must ⚠️. The ambiance is lovely, with dim lighting and a quiet vibe—perfect for a small group of friends (two or three) to grab a drink and chat 🍷. The menu isn’t long and changes with seasonal ingredients 🥦. Prices are reasonable, and portions are small too—so even with a small group, you can try several dishes. That’s one thing I really appreciated 🥢. The food leans slightly sweet. For appetizers, we ordered Korean-style roasted cauliflower and eggplant: The roasted cauliflower was cooked like popcorn shrimp—sweet-seasoned, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. It was a fun twist 🥦✨. The eggplant had a complex flavor, similar to braised eggplant, but it wasn’t particularly good. Maybe it’s because Chinese cuisine has so many amazing eggplant dishes, or maybe the other dishes were just too good—either way, the eggplant felt plain in comparison 🤷‍♀️. As for mains: The beef ribs were tender and fall-off-the-bone, with seasonings that felt like a blend of Chinese and Korean culinary essence. The side carrots were delicious—sweet and tender 🥩😋. That said, if you’re eating it with fewer than two people, it might feel a bit heavy 😅. The risotto was amazing—infused with the delicate aroma of mushrooms, with a hint of creaminess retained, but much lighter than traditional Italian risotto 🍄. I’m not a fan of raw green onions, but here, the green onion sprinkles were the perfect finishing touch, both in texture and flavor 🌱. Desserts! We didn’t plan them in advance, but the two we picked ended up being one cold, one hot: The chocolate lava brownie was on the sweet side (classic American sweetness) but rich in chocolate flavor—definitely tasty 🍫. But the MVP of the meal was definitely the coconut ice cream. The ice cream itself was smooth and creamy, with just the right amount of sweetness 🥥🍦. The crunch black sesame candy bits on top added great texture—they took the coconut flavor from “simple” to “layered,” reminding me of those innovative dessert shops in Guangdong that add coconut milk to black sesame paste 🖤. After that night, coconut and black sesame became another “power couple” in my book 💥. After rambling on so much, I just hope the day I can reunite with my good friends in St. Louis comes soon. ❤️🤗 #StLouis #StLouisFoodRecommendations #StLouisTravel #WashingtonUniversityinStLouis #StLouisDesserts