The 32 Essential St. Louis Restaurants

"When beloved French bistro Bar Les Freres shuttered, the loss to the local dining community felt palpable. Last spring, Michael and Tara Gallina, along with their Take Root Hospitality business partner Aaron Martinez, swooped in to announce that they would open their fourth restaurant, Bistro La Floraison, in the old bistro’s place. The space, which seats 40, is soft and elegant, with floor-to-ceiling persimmon-hued velvet curtains and a soft pink banquette. Like all of the Gallinas’ projects, every aspect of the restaurant is seamless and polished. The succinct menu highlights the essential gustatory joys of casual French dining: small plates (served on bone china) like gougeres, savory financiers, country pate en croute, followed by a handful of entrees, including a glorious French fried chicken cordon bleu that’s a clever olive branch to the Midwestern clientele. While Bistro la Floraison is refined and taut, the small, gracious touches in homage to Bar Les Freres — like choosing a name that retains the same initials — provide a sense of continuity while inviting guests to see what has blossomed in its place." - Holly Fann