St. Louis | A French Bistro That Tastes Like Home

🍴 Brasserie by Niche After days of indulging in (delicious) American barbecue, we decided to try a French bistro for our last night in St. Louis. By definition, a “brasserie” is an informal French restaurant serving hearty food—but on a Saturday evening, most diners were dressed quite formally, adding a nice touch of elegance to the night. 🥐 Amuse-bouche: Warm Bread with Butter The warm pre-meal bread was a total comfort! Its crust was crispy, while the inside was soft and fluffy. Slathered with salty, creamy butter, it instantly soothed our hungry stomachs—simple, but absolutely satisfying. 🐌 Appetizer: Escargots The escargots were simply seasoned. Unlike the cheese-baked escargots I’ve had before, this version kept almost all the snails’ original flavor. I’m not sure which style is more authentic, but I did find a slight fishy aftertaste in this one—though it wasn’t a dealbreaker. 🦆 Main Course: Confit Duck Leg The confit duck leg was the highlight of the meal! Its skin was crispy, and the duck meat—likely marinated in advance—was packed with savory flavor and a hint of rich fat that melted perfectly in the mouth. The meat was tender but not tough… surprisingly, it tasted just like the marinated old goose my family used to make at home! A warm, nostalgic twist in a French dish. 🥘 Main Course: Braised Beef We told the server we wanted to share this, so they kindly split it into two plates before serving—what you see in the photo is half the portion. The beef was braised until tender and flavorful, but the most surprising part was the two pieces of salted pork on the plate. It felt like a wonderful, unexpected connection between Western cuisine and Chinese home cooking. 🍮 Dessert: Floating Island This dessert has such a fun name! From what I know about baking, the “island” is made of meringue, floating in a “sea” of sweet cream, topped with toasted crispy almond flakes. The “sea” was a bit sweet, but on a day when I was craving something sugary, it brought me so much joy. Average cost per person: 💰 $50 - $60 #StLouis #StLouisMO #Missouri #FrenchCuisine #MyFoodDiary