Boundary
We repay a visit to the newly relaunched concept at the Cheshire!Hey, weren't you just there?
Why yes we were! We had been invited by Olson.com to visit and blog about the Blue Moon event at the Restaurant at the Chesire, which was indeed a lovely event in which we got to meet Chef Rex Hale and had a blast!
Since then, the Restaurant had been closed, re-opened as Boundary, and then we were invited by 10X Studios to help promote the new restaurant (and of course get plenty of awesome food and drink for free, full disclosure).
What's Changed?
Same Old Favorites, Some New Stars
In some ways it’s almost the same place. The atmosphere is very familiar, and there are some of the old classics available, like the Peruvian Ceviche we fell in love with last visit.
The place is still totally classy and attracts a pretty upscale crowd, though there are some notable changes.
Tuna Poke & Kona Kampachi
These two dishes were incredibly light but had serious flavor. The Tuna Poke, the dish with our sticker placed on it, featured yellow fin tuna, soy, ginger, sesame, and cassava chips. A surprisingly savory dish.
The Kona Kampachi, made with beet, ginger, chile, sea salt, and coriander, is a lot more brighter in its flavor profile and is served in a sashimi style.
Do They Have Cooked Food as Well?
Oysters Rockefeller
They do have raw oysters in the raw bar, but if you prefer your oysters cooked they have these hearty delights. Oysters Rockefeller featuring Kale, Pork Belly, and Grana Padano. We’ve had this dish other places and loved it, and the dish was well made at Boundary also.
Mac n’ Cheese
Going from light to really, really heavy, we have the Boundary house Mac n’ Cheese. This is one hearty dish. It was deliciously cheesy, but we have to warn our serving of it was extremely greasy. So, those looking to avoid packing on the pounds should avoid this one, or at least be sure to get a nice digestif afterwards.
Pork Ribs
When we last visited the Restaurant at the Cheshire we wrote about the beef short ribs they had. These are not quite the same, being served on the bone, but the meat is still nice and tender and now has more of an asian kick to them.
Whole Crispy Snapper
Served with Vietnamese Salad and a ginger cilantro vinaigrette, this dish is part of a growing trend of “head-on” cuisine. A lot of places in St. Louis serve whole fish now, and this one is a good one to get. It was absolutely delicious and had no shortage of meat to share.
The only thing about this dish that may prevent some from getting it is the $55 price point. If the price is a bit high for some, then there are also less expensive options in town as well.
Anything Good to Drink?
Fashionable as Don
We love a finely made old fashioned, and this drink is a fun reinvention of the classic drink. It’s made with Bourbon, Luxardo, Cynar & Apple Bitters and was a perfect mixture of sweet, savory, herbal, and fruity flavors.
6’2” & BulletProof
We’re not ones to shy away from a challenge, and this was a bit of a challenging drink. It contains 4 Hands Milk Stout, Laphroaig Scoth, Coffee Liquor, and Grand Marnier. The bartended said that people had remarked upon its “magic marker like” flavor profile. You can definitely taste the peat from the Laphroaig, but the other ingredients do a good job of mellowing the drink out, especially after the ice had started to melt.
Maybe not the easiest drink to enjoy, but if you’re looking for something different and love peat, this is your drink.
Final Thoughts
This much-anticipated new restaurant is a trendy update of the former Restaurant at the Cheshire, which was already a St. Louis staple. Chef Hale’s updated menu can cater to whatever mood you’re looking for, whether that be dinner while sitting at their fancy green couches, or an after dinner cocktail with the lobsters at the newly expanded bar.
Come visit Chef Hale and Chef Wil Pelly for a spectacular experience!
Love,
– Christine & Charlie