Olive + Oak

"If you drive by Olive & Oak at night, the first thing you’ll see is the amber glow emanating from the windows. And then you’ll see the people. People laughing, eating, and sharing bottles of wine. Odds are, if you are at Olive & Oak, you’re having a splendid time too. Owners Mark Hinkle and Greg Ortyl created something special with their first restaurant, and chef Jesse Mendica packs the menu with so many dishes that shine and satisfy. The charred octopus with smoked paprika aioli is a composite of opposite elements that improve each other, while an entree of pork cheeks with hominy, collards, rhubarb, and Dr. Pepper barbecue sauce leaves no space for timid flavors. Make sure to visit with someone you’re happy to share your meal with, and order the massive cowboy rib-eye with cracked pepper butter or the Dover sole with ramp vinaigrette and white bean puree." - Holly Fann, Joel Crespo

"If you drive by Olive & Oak at night, the first thing you’ll see is the amber glow emanating from the windows. And then you’ll see the people. People laughing, eating, sharing bottles of wine, and having the loveliest night out. Odds are, if you are at Olive & Oak, you are having a splendid time too. Owners Mark Hinkle and Greg Ortyl created something special with their first restaurant, and chef Jesse Mendica packs the menu with so many dishes that shine and satisfy, you could eat there multiple times in a week and then return the next week to do it again. The charred octopus with smoked paprika aioli is a dish of opposite elements that improve each other, while an entree of pork cheeks with hominy, collards, rhubarb, and Dr. Pepper barbecue sauce leaves no space for timid flavors. Make sure to visit with someone you’re happy to share your meal with, and order the massive cowboy ribeye with cracked pepper butter or the Dover sole with ramp vinaigrette and white bean puree. Only Mendica could make the old-school flatfish suddenly seem novel, exciting, and delicious." - Holly Fann

"When Mark Hinkle lost his young son to a congenital heart defect, he set out to memorialize him with a neighborhood restaurant that would bring families together around the table. The result of his efforts is Olive + Oak, a Webster Groves favorite for ingredient-driven fare in a welcoming setting. Here, chef Jesse Mendica—a semifinalist for Best Chef Midwest at the 2016 James Beard Awards—serves a daily menu of dishes like rabbit crepes, goat rib chops, and prime cowboy rib-eye, all prepared with top ingredients and old-school cooking techniques. Most everything on the menu is locally sourced—except for the oysters, as this is Missouri after all."

One of my favorite date night/ special occasion dinner places.

Meet Me in St. Louis