St. Louis Restaurant Hunt | Intimate Ambiance Spot for Birthdays đ„
đ The Tenderloin Roomđ 232 Kingshighway Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63108 This week, I celebrated my roommateâs birthday, and we went to this steakhouse near CWE đ„© â it totally lived up to expectations! The restaurantâs vibe is perfect for special occasions: soft warm lighting falls on wooden tables, paired with low-key jazz in the background, making you unconsciously speak in a gentler tone. Glancing around that day, several tables were celebrating birthdays with cakes â lively yet not noisy, and the ambiance was absolutely on point. đ„ Food Review: Hits and Misses â This List Helps You Avoid Mistakes! â Must-Order Recommendations: No Regrets, Every Bite Is a Delight đ Scallops: The standout dish of the night! The scallop meat is so tender it practically melts on your tongue, with no chewy texture at all. The surface is lightly seared to lock in all the juiciness. The accompanying sauce is the cherry on top â savory with a faint herbal note that doesnât overpower the scallopsâ freshness. Even the roasted potatoes at the bottom are soft and fluffy, soaked in sauce; my roommate and I fought over the last piece! đŠ Crab Cake: Surpassingly delicious! Itâs packed with solid crab meat â every bite is full of large crab meat strands, with barely any starchy filler. You can taste the oceanâs freshness in every mouthful. Dip it in the tartar sauce on the side, and the sweet-tart flavor cuts through the richness. Itâs the perfect appetizer to whet your appetite; I regretted not ordering a second one! đ Complimentary Pre-Meal Bread: Free but surprisingly amazing! Itâs still warm when it hits the table, with a slightly crispy crust. Tear it open, and the inside is soft and fluffy, with a faint buttery aroma. Itâs delicious even eaten plain without any dip. We polished off a whole basket while waiting for our main course, and even mustered up the courage to ask the waiter for a second basket! đ« French Onion Soup: The onion soup on the right is worth a try! The onions are simmered until tender, with no raw sharpness left. The soup is filled with the sweet aroma of caramelized onions, perfectly seasoned. The top is covered with golden, stringy melted cheese â scoop a spoonful of soup with cheese into your mouth, and itâs rich and warming. Itâs pure happiness to eat this in winter! â ïž Proceed with Caution: Polarizing Flavors or Misses â Choose Based on Preference đœ New York Strip: We ordered it medium rare, and the taste was just average. The steak meat is tender enough, but it lacks that standout beefy flavor, and the seasoning is basic â itâs the kind of dish you âcan eat but wonât order again.â The biggest issue is the portion size; my roommate and I couldnât finish it, and when we reheated the leftovers at home, the texture was even more ordinary⊠đ„ Warm Spinach Salad: The portion is generous, and the spinach is cooked until soft, but thereâs way too much balsamic vinegar! One bite is overwhelmingly sour, which masks the natural sweetness of the spinach. Even I, someone who âcan handle sour flavors,â found it too much. Sour lovers can give it a small try, but if you donât like sourness, skip it entirely! đ« Beans Soup: The bean soup on the left is a total no-go! The texture is like âsavory eight-treasure porridgeâ â the beans are overcooked to mush, and the soup is mixed with all sorts of unidentifiable grains. The flavors are muddled; I took one sip and didnât want any more, so we just left it untouched in the end⊠đ° Chocolate Cake with Cherry Ice Cream: Dessert lovers, beware! The chocolate cake is so sweet itâs cloying â every bite feels like chewing âsolid syrupâ; you really would need to âeat it while taking insulin.â The cherry ice cream has an overpowering, bitter cherry flavor â not a fresh fruity taste, but an artificial extract one. My roommate and I took two bites and gave up; it was a waste, which was a shame. đĄ Practical Tips: Super Convenient Location: Itâs just a 5-minute walk from the 100 Apartments â itâs lovely to stroll back home after the birthday celebration. Book in Advance: Especially on weekends or holidays, itâs recommended to book a table on the official website 1-2 days in advance to avoid waiting for a seat when you arrive. Average Cost Reference: The average cost per person (main course + appetizer + drink) is around $60-$80. Itâs suitable for special occasions like birthdays or dates, but a bit pricey for casual meals. If youâre looking for a birthday restaurant in St. Louis where âambiance outweighs taste,â The Tenderloin Room is a great choice. Avoid the missable dishes, order the scallops, crab cake, and onion soup correctly, and pair it with a glass of red wine â youâll definitely have a birthday full of ceremony! #BirthdayRestaurant #DateNightRestaurant #AmbianceRestaurant #RestaurantRecommendation #StLouis #StLouisLife #StLouisFoodRecommendations #StLouisRestaurantHunt #StLouisFood #WashingtonUniversityinStLouis #WashU #STL