Cuisine:

• Contemporary
• American
• Homestyle
• Steak House

400 Olive Description:
In the very heart of old downtown St. Louis, between Broadway and the Mississippi River, what was once the Merchants Laclede Bank has become the Hilton St. Louis Downtown. In its lobby---with bank vaults open and gleaming---is this dining room. While it doesn't make for an intimate setting, this turns out to be a good spot for visitors and locals to mix, especially for business lunches. Evenings are quieter, with out-of-towners usually prevailing. There's a generous selection of steaks and chops, but the menu shows clear signs of a kitchen striving for something greater---a goal it usually achieves. Look for dishes like an appetizer of cornbread and shrimp, which arrives in the form of savory little pancakes with sweet-spicy sorghum butter. There's also Amber Bock beer-onion soup and a savory cheesecake of smoked Missouri trout. Much from the grill menu is seared or encrusted, but a maple-glazed pork chop is smoked and served with a house-made chutney. Service is warmer than one expects in a downtown hotel, a reminder that this is, after all, called the hospitality industry.


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