Pomme, in its Clayton storefront, is a bistro. Not in the sense of coq au vin and pommes frites, but it’s one man’s show, a smallish menu showcasing his work, and an air of coziness in a simple interior. It’s really all about the food. Bryan Carr’s cooking carries the day.
It had been a while — too long, in fact — since we’d visited Pomme. It’s a wonderful spot for cold-weather food, the sort of rib-sticking edibles that icy evenings demand. One night, three were on the menu, a shrimp bisque, parsnip soup with a light hit of cream, and Prince Edward Island mussel soup. The latter was about liquid rather than solids, a few mussels and a few vegetables arranged on the bottom of a bowl, followed by a pitcher of steaming soup poured over them by the server. This is a first-course soup, designed to get things started, so the fact that it was not stuffed like a stew is perfectly fine. And it was wonderful, full of flavor and not overwhelming in its richness, a fine blend of the lovely mussel liquor, white wine, shallots and other mysterious flavors.
Duck pate arrives with a few tart cherries and a warm cognac sauce to point things up. Roasted red peppers share a plate with strips of prosciutto and some endive lightly dressed in a veil of vinaigrette. And a warm slice of goat cheese tart was just the thing, sort of a pissaladiere with onions and bacon in it, all nicely gooey and not too hot to eat.
Speaking of duck, it often appears on the menu in one or another style. Once it was a sliced duck breast, served the requested medium-rare, tender and succulent with its cherry sauce. It also was on the menu as confit, when an entire quarter arrived, dark and crispy, dancing in the mouth.
Roast chicken is better than average at Pomme, and there are always a couple of fish or seafood options—walleye has been on the menu lately, for instance. The vegetarian dinner changes nightly; we tried an eggplant rolatini, the slices of eggplant rolled up with cheese and Swiss chard and roasted with a tomato sauce, an immensely satisfying dish. But frankly, we can’t believe someone hasn’t come in and asked for a plate with nothing on it but the day’s vegetable side dishes from the various main courses. For example, as succulent as the duck confit was, was the carrot flan alongside, laced with cardamom, that made us ooh and ahhh. The current version of beef shortribs are crusted with parsley and mustard after they’ve been braised in a deep red wine sauce. They were partnered with a sort of cornbread souffle, sweet and airy but sturdy enough to mop up a bit of the sauce when called upon for that task.
Portions here are reasonable, not St. Louis-giant, so there’ll be room for dessert. The house signature dessert is Apples For Olivia that are named for Carr’s daughter. It’s apples in an individual pastry crust, served warm with some apple sorbet and a couple of ovals of very thick whipped cream. It’s well worth the short extra waiting time for it to arrive fresh from the oven, and overall, it is surprisingly light, nicely tart. Marjolaine is layers of baked meringue sandwiched together with whipped cream. Carr seasons it with hazelnuts and drizzles the whole thing with coffee-flavored creme anglaise, satisfying both with its taste and its texture. And by all means, keep an eye out for the strawberry-lemon gratin. A round of cake is topped with a thick lemon cream that’s run under a broiler to brown it and then served with strawberries that despite the calendar manage to have honest taste about them. It’s a lovely dessert, the tart lemon zinging the tongue.
The wine list is well-chosen, including moderate prices for by-the-glass selections that range the globe; most also are available by the bottle. There’s a reserve list for those nights when it’s time for a splurge. Service is attentive and pleasant; this is too small a room to force diners to crane their necks looking for help.
Pomme
40 North Central Ave., Clayton
314-727-4141
Dinner: Tuesday-Saturday
Credit cards: All major
Wheelchair access: No steps, but tight quarters, no steps.
Smoking: No
Entrees: $19-$28
