Just A Taste (now operating as Crooked Creek Cellars) — Restaurant in St. James

A hidden gem nestled in downtown St. James MO. The menu and bar items make it clear that elevated dinning and drinking are the goal in a quaint and comfortable environment while not getting to full of themselves. The bread board app included an olive oil and balsamic dipping sauce that while very tasty could have used a little “ something “ to make its flavor stand up to its appearance. I will say that my taste in olive oils runs pretty rich, the selection here had an excellent feel but was a little less fruity than I prefer. Maybe some roasted garlic?

My selection was a wonderful mussels and smoked tomato special that also came with ficcocia bread. ( I would comment that they overdid the ficcocia..... if it weren’t so dang good) the broth was amazing the balance of the smoked tomatoes and the subtle flavor of the mussels sang with just enough acid. I ate every drop I highly recommend.

My wife had the meatballs and ficcocia from the menu, boldly written on the wall across the room. As a standard item it looked like a value for only $8. The four meatballs where served roasted in a small stainless pan with several large strips of grilled ficcocia bread on the side. the rich and meaty sauce and bread set the stage for the meatballs that in our case were a bit overcooked This gave them a dryer texture. The meatballs Could stand a little seasoning to compete with a very flavorful plate. Overall the sauce was the star and the meatballs the understudy.

Definitely a step up from the everyday, Just a taste did not disappoint even with a few caveats. If your looking to break away from boring franchise food...

Ok, to all my google users hear me out. So my love one and I decided to come to this place on valentines 2/14/19 at 6:35pm (they close at 9pm)- we didn’t have reservations.. well, when we got there we saw half of the tables empty - so we were like “ok, they are not that busy.. they could sit us” I told the guy at the front that it will be for two people, he said “ I’m sorry we are all booked up” I told him “there is not one table available?” He said “no” - i hated the fact they couldn’t accommodate us or at least could of told us we could eat at the bar or bring another table on the empty spots they had ..I was like OK! and we left ...Other restaurants even thou they are all booked up they are so kind to bring you and extra table for you or somehow accommodate you ..they will go the extra mile to seat you (now that’s what I call good customer service) this place NOT EVEN - .....well this is for the owner or manager for JUST A TASTE .. just like a lot of the restaurants do - you should of done 80% of reservations and give at least 20% to the public because I’m sure on Valentine’s Day you got a lot of walk-ins and you guys turn them away and I’m sure they walk out really upset like us because you guys just took reservations and didn’t think for the walk-ins. You know for a fact you will get business especially on holidays - and another thing get more tables on your empty spots maybe you could of gotten more people in....

I took friends for dinner Friday night. We all had the Little Gem salad, which was superb. I ordered the Trout, which sadly, was dry and flavorless. I requested a lemon wedge, and it was never brought. Our table also ordered the Cannelloni and the farfalle Bolognese, which my guests said was very good. The server seemed disinterested in our table after we told her we were not big drinkers, and were not having cocktails or wine. The one thing that bothered us was that we felt like we were getting the "Bum's Rush" to free up our table. I made a reservation, so I felt no need to rush through my dinner or my conversation in order for them to turn the table over. I understand that restaurants love a table that drinks and will accommodate them vs the non drinkers, but the surest way for them to never have me as a guest again, is eyeballing the table and circling like vultures to see if we are leaving. I had heard great things about this restaurant and perhaps I caught them on an off night. I think a little education on how to treat customers, regardless if they drink or not, is in order. I probably will not go back, as there are other restaurants in the area that I would rather spend my money at. I can at least...