Bistro La Floraison — Restaurant in Clayton

I was so excited to have dinner here with my friends but I got really disappointed. I’ll start with the good things - the interior is classy (though the space is really small and if you don’t like the feeling of sitting close to other people it might be an issue but it is very small Parisian restarting vibe too so it might feel authentic), the food was excellent, the drinks were okay, sommelier was full of knowledge too and the staff were polite and nice but the policy of this place is unacceptable. As soon as we sat at the table we were asked if we would like to order entrees and we felt a bit weird (my friends and I went to many places around St. Louis and we were never asked it in the very beginning), when the waitress saw our confusion she told us that there’s another reservation in 1,5 hours. Since that moment we just felt like we were constantly pressured, and again I don’t blame the staff because I’m pretty sure they were pressured by their management. We had to wait for our beverages too, so we’d be half way through appetizers or entrees when we got our cocktails or wine. My friend just started on her rib when the waitress asked if she’d like to box it, that definitely made us surprised. The whole vibe was very “eat and leave soon” and we didn’t relax, didn’t have any desire to talk about anything and when you go to a place like this it’s not just about food, it’s about spending a relaxing evening and talking with your friends that you don’t see that often. No matter how good the food was I’ll never come back, and I doubt I was the only one who felt this atmosphere of rush and this is what happens when you want to squeeze as many...

This restaurant turned out to be an absolute disappointment. Not only were the prices exorbitant, but the food was far from satisfactory. Our first course, the PÂTE DE CAMPAGNE, was a letdown in every sense. The pâté, which is supposed to be a smooth paste, was as hard as a rock, completely missing the mark. The accompanying mustard and cornichons were surprisingly plain, akin to something you'd find in a local supermarket.

For the entree, I ordered the SEMOLINA GNOCCHI, and what arrived was a minuscule serving of the toughest and most dense gnocchi I've ever encountered. Gnocchi should be light and fluffy, but these were as solid as stones. The sauce, on the other hand, was overly salty and lacked depth of flavor. It's a shame that such subpar fare was served in a restaurant.

The waiter, while seemingly friendly, bordered on being overly attentive. It felt as if she was trying to upsell us at every opportunity. We'd already shared a first course and each ordered an entree, but she still persisted in suggesting additional items, which became quite frustrating.

Furthermore, her approach to dessert recommendations was rather off-putting. Instead of asking if we wanted to hear about the desserts, she launched into a lengthy monologue about various options. Also, offering more cocktails when our glasses were only half empty seemed more like a ploy to inflate the bill than to enhance our dining experience.

The pricing was nothing short of astronomical, considering the quality of the food and service. I cannot, in good conscience, recommend this restaurant and have no intention...

This place smells stinky and fishy, or something didn’t dry properly. We looked at each other when we first walked in, but we still decided to try it out as others rated it high. We sat down and no server greeted us until I had to wave at someone to get us a menu. We finally got a menu and ordered. Because of the smell, I only wanted to try a drink and an appetizer before ordering any entree. God was I glad I did that. I ordered La Neige spritz. It tasted very watery on the top and too bitter towards the bottom. Something happened to my husband’s drink. We shared the Tour de France. How disappointing these appetizers were. Potato chip overpowered the taste of caviar, which in itself is not high quality. Oysters were not fresh, and drenched in sauce. It’s not a problem for them alone as we found most oysters in St Louis to be subpar. Gougeres and financiers are decent, but nothing impressive given the price tag. Portions were small. I get it. They want to go for the high-end dining experience, but the taste was really far off from high-end. And it took quite some time to get the appetizer plate. We did not end up dining there after all. I wish they’d clean up the foul smell completely. I’d not return nor recommend it to anyone with the low quality of food and service we received. One little detail, the tables were too close to each other. I can hear the couples next to us even when they’ve definitely lowered their voice. I would’ve not minded this if the food were any good. Unfortunately,...