The Royale
Rating: 4/5
3132 S. Kingshighway Blvd.
St. Louis, Mo. 63116
(314) 772-3600
$7-15

Our trusty Volvo once again rattled furiously through the streets of St. Louis in search of the perfect place to eat. Last time we went out we were led astray. But now our gastro-intestinal tracts had recovered and we were ready to try again. Being a restaurant reviewer often requires courage and perseverance. After an arduous search for a restaurant to visit we decided to try The Royale, which a friend recommended to us. The menu is fresh and exciting, but there’s also something there for your less adventurous dining companions.

From the exterior, The Royale looks much like any other neighborhood pub. A purple neon sign announces its name and beer logos illuminate the front window. The inside of The Royale has a lot more character. The d‚cor consists of boxing memorabilia and historical portraits, among other assorted items. A bar dominates the left side of the room while tables and wooden booths occupy the remainder of the space. When we sat down at our booth, our waitress handed us menus cleverly constructed inside the covers of used books. Another hefty book contained The Royale’s extensive drink list, which included a wide variety of cocktails.

One appetizer immediately caught our eye, and the spinach artichoke dip ended up being a hit with the whole table. The base of this dish was fresh spinach. (That’s right, we risked E. coli infection to bring you a review of this appetizer. That’s dedication right there.) Along with this volatile vegetable were artichoke hearts and a blend of cheeses, including goat cheese. The dip was neither creamy nor greasy, but had a thick fresh flavor. As we cleaned the plate off, we knew we were in store for more than simple bar food.

The first entr‚e we sampled was a burger, not surprisingly called the Royale. This was not the kind of sandwich you could get at just any old burger joint. The Royale was a half-pound of ground 100 percent Kobe beef, which is low in fat but high in flavor. You can dress up your Royale with cheese and choices include feta, goat and blue cheese; we tried the latter. This burger was a treat because it was a clever variation on an old favorite.

The Royale’s menu also features a number of funky pizzas. Menu options included ingredients ranging from ham to capers. We tried the veggie pizza, covered in mozzarella, sun dried tomatoes and a pesto sauce. The ingredients worked together to make a dish that really played with our expectations of what a gourmet pizza should be. The dough was cooked just right: crispy yet tender. Though the pizza was a little on the small side, it did make for a satisfying meal.

As Stepping Out columnists we have been around the culinary block a few times. We have had a lot of good dishes, but one of our favorites so far has to be the smoked brisket tacos at The Royale. These overstuffed tacos were filled with generous tender cuts of beef along with sweet grilled onions and a blue-cheese avocado ranch dressing. Although a little on the greasy side, these tacos made for a filling, powerful dish. Once more, the flavor and texture were both right on. This dish goes highly suggested for any beef-eater out there who ventures to The Royale.

We would absolutely recommend The Royale. The staff was courteous and friendly, though they won’t win any gold medals for speed. We hope to return some weekend evening and partake in a signature cocktail or two. Or three.

Popularity: 1% [?]

 Print This Post

This entry was posted on Monday, October 16th, 2006 at 12:00 pm and is filed under Scene. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.