Neiman-Marcus made popovers a lunch-time staple at its Dallas flagship, but as the N-M ships set sail for many other ports, they took the popover recipe with them. Even to St. Louis and Plaza Frontenac. As a result, Greg Maggi prepared thousands of them while he ran the kitchen.
He’s moved, and while his new operation, Robust, in Webster Groves, has the gleam of a photo in the N-M catalog and offers some delightful fare and wine, it does not serve popovers.
Robust, managed by owner Stanley Brown, is a recent addition to what once was described–and accurately at the time–by David Frank, long-ago Repertory Theatre artistic director, as "a quiet little village" in commercials he did for the theater. It offers American tapas, and lots of wine, from servers whose T-shirts describe styles of wine and, sometimes, the style of the server, as well.
The establishment is new and sleek, and Maggi’s offerings, well-honed during lunch service at Neiman-Marcus, are splendid. This is not to say that dishes are the same (matching the absence of popovers, there is no chicken salad, either), but that lighter fare seems to be a specialty for the talented chef.
The menu is still a work in progress, but according to Cohen, it is nearing the end of its experimental stage. It should be on the web site next week.
Tapas, whether in the Spanish restaurants where they originated, or in Asian and Italian and American restaurants in St. Louis that have adopted them, are perfect for people who like to take chances and who like variety. Servings are small, just right for two people to share. A hungry diner can easily eat four, five if he’s very hungry. Our usual technique is to order three or four – we take turns in selecting – and then go for a second round or dessert.
Everything we tried at Robust was excellent. Seafood chowder was thick with shrimp, chunks of fish and potatoes, and the flavor showed evidence of an excellent fish stock 
to start the cooking process. Crab cakes displayed lots of crab meat, if not a lot of lump meat, and they were nicely spiced and properly cooked, slightly crisp on the outside, moist and flavorful inside. We thought they were outstanding. A platter of thinly sized chorizo sausage also was delicious, with a good hit of spicing, served with crisp melba toast squares. The chorizo was not prepared in house, but someone showed fine purchasing skill. Presentation of all three dishes was spot-on. The crab cakes, at $11, were about at the high end of the small plates. A small piece of steak, some pate and some flatbreads, are other possibilities.
Eating and drinking lightly (we’ll get to the drinking soon) left room for dessert, a charming cheese plate and a chunk of bread pudding that was a delightful surprise. Bread pudding is almost as constant as creme brulee or flourless chocolate cake on local menus, but this was among the best we’ve had recently. We eat it often because it’s one of our favorite desserts, but this was special; It was light and very tasty, studded with raisins, not overly rich and very smooth going down, and a nice crispy top.
The wine list is long, with many choices by glass or bottle, the wines listed in order of robustness, or what we call "bigger," or "heartier" or "with more body." Robust also offers a number of "flights," with three smaller portions of wine by the glass so that styles can be compared or contrasted, just as we did in college exams. We sampled a flight of sparkling wines, known as a "bubble bath," which included non-vintage samples of a Spanish bubbly, known as a "cava," and a pair of from France. One was from the Gascony region and described as a "blanc de blancs," means that it came only from white grapes like Chardonnay or Pinot Blanc. The other was a rose from the Loire Valley, probably of Gamay grapes, possibly with some Pinot Noir. The Spanish offering probably was a blend, but there seemed
to be some Chardonnay in the one we tasted. We preferred the two French offerings, especially that from Gascony.
Lots of promise to Robust, with its menu ideal for post-theater snacking with a glass of wine, something we often search for after a play has left us with a major conversation topic, always treated best with a glass of wine and a hunk of cheese.
And brunch is on the horizon.
Robust Wine Shoppe & Café
227 West Lockwood Ave., Webster Groves
314-963-0033
Lunch and Dinner daily
Credit Cards: All Major
Wheelchair Access: Adequate
Smoking: No
Price range: Tapas-style dishes, $5-$10
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Robust
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