The Crossing

I had a perfect evening at The Crossing with my special someone. The restaurant is intimate, classy, with romantic lighting. They have three tasting menu options (classic 4-​course, premium 4-​course with more options, and grand 8-​course meals) that are well worth it. The chef can also prepare vegetarian versions by request. I went with the premium option. I feasted on a roasted beet salad with goat cheese, pine nuts, and pesto for my first course. It was a perfect blend of subtle sweet and tang + creamy and nutty textures. For my second course I had the egg raviolo with bacon and brown butter. As soon as I cut my fork into the raviolo, egg yolk oozed out and mixed into the rich butter sauce, which was nicely complemented by the salty, thick bites of bacon. For my main entrée, I had seared yellowfin tuna on top on a bed of parsnip purée and wild mushrooms. For dessert I had a fried strawberry pie with a lemon gelato. This was a bit sweet and heavy for me. I would’ve preferred something lighter like a panna cotta or the salted pot de crème, which is on the classic tasting menu. All in all though, a wonderful night out.

Fine dining, classy, delicious and one of the nicest and most expensive restaurants in Clayton. Their sister restaurant Acero is one of our top 5 favorite restaurants in StL — more casual and reasonable with similar high quality food.
Crossing is a very special occasion place if price is not an issue.
Went back Feb. 2016 and had an exceptional dining experience. The waiter was outstanding and every course was so good, I can’t even say what I enjoyed most. Highly recommend and look forward to going back for a special occasion.

Great pick for business dinner. Hadn’t been here in a while and was glad we came back. Cheese dip they put out to start is almost impossible to stop eating. Great choices on the ala carts menu but the tasting menu is best option! All the favs from main menu plus a few others. Started with tuna tartare which was clean and fresh then followed with the foie gras-​perfectly cooked and paired with a vinegar reduction. Finished with striped bass over mushrooms — crispy skin and flaky white moist fish — yum! Will definitely be pack and need to try sister reataurant Acero

We went for lunch, we ordered two different dishes of pasta. They were ok but both had a creamy, buttery sauce that overwhelmed all ingredients. They also came with cheese already grated on top of pasta: this should be optional (or at least, it should be specified in the menu). Not authentic Italian. For a more authentic and creative Italian experience, go to nearby Pastaria. Espresso was very good though. Pricey from what they offer.

We have had two meals which have been spectacular
They are trying to do all things right and succeed but stop short of over the top crazy food and spices
It started w the large single ice cube in their cocktails to the homemade chocolate cake, ice cream, and rugelach
This place is consistently doing a full fine dining experience

They amaze me that they have so many excellent options on their menu and everything is consistently great!

My husband and I hosted our Fine Dining Couples Meetup here on Saturday evening, October 24^th, 2015. There were eight in our party and it was the first time for all of us.
For a restaurant to rate four stars from me, both the food and the service have to be very good. The Crossing did not disappoint!
Our experience began with me making the reservation and communicating it was for a fine dining meetup and that we had no one attending this night with any special dietary or accessibility requirements. The restaurant called the day before to confirm for a party of six (which WAS the original number). I really appreciate it when I get a call to confirm. It helps me to know everything is good to go. Off to a great start! But as these meetups tend to go, there was a last minute couple who wanted to come along. I called the restaurant 3 hours before our reservation and they were very accommodating and said they could move a few things around to make it work. Another point for great service! Having complimentary valet by a very clean and courteous young man was also a great touch.
The menu is comprised of all local (when possible) ingredients and therefore changes from day to day. I’m sure they have some items they always try to have, but don’t expect to find a «favorite» dish that you can come back for again and again. But I feel the ever-​changing menu is part of the charm of this place. They offer both traditional appetizer, salad/​soup, entrée, dessert menu and a «tasting menu» (three actually) for you to choose from. The tasting menus are designed by the chef to be cohesive experiences that flow from one course to the next. Seven of our guests chose one of the tasting menus, one guest chose to order a la cart.
The restaurant is small and doesn’t offer a lot of room for movement once seated. The bathrooms (one each) are nice, but down a small hall just off the dining area. There isn’t a of privacy and if there is a line, as there was several times during our evening, it spills out into the dining area itself. Not the best set-​up, but I assume it’s all that could be done with the space.
Our server was Katelyn (sp?) and our hostess was Bijhu (sp?). Bijhu was welcoming with a warm smile and quickly seated up. Katelyn was friendly, knowledgeable, efficient and able to handle substitutes, questions from all directions and our diverse personalities all at the same time! Well done. I also failed to tell her the checks were separate, but she back-​tracked and made it happen with zero mistakes. There is a 20% gratuity added for larger parties. We were fine with that as the service merited 20%, if not more.
We had soup, salads, crab cakes (I personally tasted and thought they were delicious, with good sized chunks of claw meat), shrimp scampi (with roasted peppers — another yum!), Colorado lamb t-​bone (cooked to perfection and not overly fatty as lamb can sometimes be), grass-​fed tenderloin (my entrée — also cooked to a perfect medium rare), the catch of the day, tagliolini, friend blueberry pie with lemon-​cheesecake gelato (Oh. My. God.), salted caramel pot de crème (another Oh. My. God.), and local apple cobbler with oatmeal cookie gelato. Yes, it tasted exactly like an oatmeal cookie. Mind-​blowing for your tastebuds!
We had before, during and after dinner drinks all around. My husband and I found a new favorite: Muller-​Catoir Mussbacher Eselshaut Riesling Kabinett, Pfalz, Germany ($ 60 bottle). That was a wonderful surprise. The sad part was they only had one bottle so we had the second bottle of their choosing (also $ 60 and another riesling) but it was not as good in our opinion.
With drinks, tasting menus (four courses) and after dinner drinks, the bills ranged from $ 120 per couple (this is the very low end; don’t expect this if you try any upgrades or have drinks) to $ 275 for my husband and myself. It was approximately $ 700 for the table, including gratuity.
Lastly, although very tight, the restaurant has made the most of the space with a tiny entryway, several sizes of tables, linen, and original works of art on the walls (all for sale by the way). It’s a lovely little gem and I would suggest anyone who is a bit adventuresome, doesn’t mind paying $ 50+pp for a meal and finds themselves in Clayton, to give The Crossing a try. I don’t think you’d be disappointed. And if you were, I feel they’d make it right. They seem to truly care about quality and service.
Bonus points: Upon leaving, Bijhu asked how our evening was, thanked us for choosing The Crossing for our Fine Dining Meetup and said she hoped to see us again very soon. For such a young lady, she carries herself with the type of ease and confidence that makes your first and last impression of the restaurant a very pleasant one. Well done!

Great restaurant and the best tuna I have ever had! Thanks Crossing!

Fine dining, classy, delicious and one of the nicest and most expensive restaurants in Clayton. Their sister restaurant Acero is one of our top 5 favorite restaurants in StL — more casual and reasonable with similar high quality food.
Crossing is a very special occasion place if price is not an issue.

Authentic Italian food
Tasting menu is well designed and a true culinary experience
Service is professional and courteous
My visits to St Louis are always enhanced by visits to The Crossing
I have been fortunate to have Douglas as our server the last two experiences and he is absolutely amazing

Fantastic! Seated per request on reservation and on time. Free valet. Excellent food and presentation. Nice place for a slow relaxing dinner. Our waiter Douglas was attentive and made excellent recommendations. We did not feel rushed. St. Louis is lucky to have such a place. We will be back!

We had a great experience last night at the Crossing! Zach our waiter, was amazingly knowledgeable about the wine and fiood and made sure we enjoyed our evening! We had a great evening and we defiantly be back! Take a client, meet friends, enjoy life, it’s worth it!

Had the grand tasting menu a few months back in the Spring. I can honestly say that it was the best meal of my life. Period. I find myself wanting to go back, soon.

I recently met my mom at the Crossing for lunch, and we had a pretty nice time! It was definitely more A-​OK than great, but I would definitely go back to try more.
Our service was really on point and everyone was so friendly — a definite plus. We had coffee right away and took our time looking through the menu. There’s a lot to choose from between the starters, salads, pastas, sandwiches, and the bigger entrees.
We ended up going with the taglioni pasta with wild mushrooms (to share), and were happily surprised when they split it up for us ahead of time. The pasta was okay, but there was so much salt that it was hard to eat (and even left my mouth stinging a little bit.) It would have been great otherwise. The caesar salad I had on the side, however, was wonderful.
I like the environment at the Crossing for lunch so I’ll definitely come back to try something else… the tilapia was looking pretty tempting.
I’ll update once I try more!

Went here for a date night with my fiancée the evening before a family wedding. Each of us were extremely impressed with the overall dining experience. We each had the grand tasting meal and were pleasantly surprised that they brought my fiancée and I different dishes at the so we were actually able to taste twice as many by sharing. The seared scallop with foie gras was by far my favorite but the variety, freshness, and presentation of each dish was exquisite and timely. The price is high but I would certainly recommend it for celebrating a special occasion!

Not bad but way too expensive for what you get
$ 250 for two with the tasting menu and wine pairing
Staff friendly but not very trained
We were early at the bar where no napkin under drinks. Hostess forgot us. Waiter asked our wine choice before we saw menu. Had daily pea soup served without any garnish on top. Food taste good but not outstanding
Wines were average but were not paired to the food
We had markedly different choices but same wines

Fantastic restaurant! Wonderful French cuisine, great tasting menus, very nice wine selection. The chef has a truly unique and delightful style. The daily pasta specials are great. Wonderful service. Nice people too! I had the romaine salad, egg raviolo and Ahi Tuna. Beautifully composed!

The food and wine were outstanding. The service was spectacular. Can’t wait to go back!

Celebrated my mom’s belated birthday dinner, and the experience was awesome! My older sister recommended the place, and the only availability they had was 5pm, which was perfect because we don’t like eating late dinners. But by 6pm, the place was getting packed. We all got the 4 course tasting menu, and let me say… we loved it! Plus you can choose menu options between the $ 35 & $ 50 tasting menu, but will up-​charge depending on what you order. Everyone was raving about how good it was, and not one complaint. And their dessert, the Caramel Pot De Crème was heaven. I am not a huge dessert/​sweets type of person, but I wanted to order another.

Very pleasant dinning experience. We ordered the $ 85 course. It tasted so good. The staffs are super nice. Definitely will be back with my friends and family. The only thing that I have to complaint is the time for the whole course is too long.

To be clear and precise, this is not a regular restaurant. It is very classy and prices reflect that. This is not a place for casual dates, it is a spot where you get a girl who deserves to be treated well.
I would recommend to be in a jacket. It is not difficult to spot a Maserati or a Porsche to be pulled over. Usually people dining are little older, typically 55+
The food is incredibly delicious. We went there for a Valentine’s dinner and they had prefixe menu and we thoroughly loved it. They also have an excellent collection wines.
The ambience is great and dimly lit. Sets a perfect romantic mood. I wouldn’t recommend the restaurant for groups or business meeting, its just too «cozy».
I have often seen that the servers of similar establishment have a lot of arrogance and snobbish attitude. However, the servers were super nice and made it kd
The area has a little challenge to find a parking spot. However, they have a complementary valet which is nice.

I recently wrapped up a low-​carb feast here. Top-​notch experience from service and ambiance to cooking textures and tastes.
The restaurant is warm and cozy in a sophisticated, foodie way. I found the service attentive and pleasant. Water was always filled and finished dishes promptly cleared. The only ding I have is that the bathroom is hopelessly outdated — it looks like something you’d expect to find in your aunt’s house.
I did the chef’s grand tasting menu, but asked that they go low carb. Wow did they hit the nail on the head. From start to finish they varied the flavors and textures and built from lighter fish to more succulent fattier meats. I couldn’t imagine a better sequence.
Here’s an abridged version:
1) Tuna crudo — very light and refreshing. Classic dish so but executed well
2) Warm shrimp salad — flavorful little salad with the greens taking center stage in some ways although the two shrimp were sweet
3) Pan seared octopus with chickpeas and balsamic — this is where they got serious and received their first wow. The cooking was spot on and the octopus so tender. Loved it
4) Scallop and foie gras — my favorite course. Juicy succulent scallop, so fresh, topped with rich foie gras seared to quintessence
5) Branzino with black kale and mashed cauliflower — lighter fish but crispy skin and larger portion was a special that evening
6) Roast quail with turkey pâté and chicken jus — this was a very bold and flavorful dish. I thought the little quail cute but the pâté controlled the flavor profile
7) Venison and veal belly — not easy to follow up course six but they nailed it with more exotic meats. Loved this dish too very standout and may be a paleo dream
8) Organic grass-​fed local short ribs with butternut squash and a fancy BBQ sauce — fun way to end since I was eschewing dessert. This course was deliciously tender and melted in my mouth while the sauce and squash added a touch of sweetness that rounded out the meal

I’m in town for a wedding and two of the other bridesmaids and I wanted to get a nice meal the night before. By nice, we mean not just comfy for our wallets– we wanted to see what the town had to offer. My friend found this place and placed a reservation for 830 at night. It was the only time slot available.
We walked there from our hotel and it seems like an unassuming little place from the outside, with the black and white sign. Inside, the lighting is dim with lots of artwork and wine bottles. It was busy– we had to wait almost 10 minutes for our table– and the restaurant hummed with the noise of people enjoying each other’s company. The little booths on the walls each had a piece of art hanging in it, lit by tiny spotlights. We were seated by a room divider that was actually a wine rack– cool and multipurpose!
As we sat down, we were handed the wine list and presented with a small dish filled with little crispy buttery toast chips and a little ramekin of blue cheese-​cheddar soufflé. OMG– it was the BEST thing ever! And I don’t even like cheese! It was not too rich or salty, but savory, smooth and warm. The softness of the cheese soufflé was a perfect complement to the crunchy toast. And us without even a food menu yet!
My friend opted for a glass of white and asked our server, Gus (I think), if there was a dry-​ish Riesling, since there wasn’t a Riesling option on the by the glass menu. He found her one! Having had plenty to drink the last couple of days and knowing how much we will have tomorrow, I opted to stick with water– which was delightfully refreshing after a day of walking around St. Louis.
After they brought our menus, they brought us bread and butter. It was soft and warm focaccia with soft butter. So delicious. So filling. We were half full by the time we ordered.
I really wanted to try the tasting menu. It felt like such a missed opportunity since so many people raved about it, but the other girls weren’t hungry enough and I knew I couldn’t eat all four courses. We opted for the tagliatelle bolognese, Chantelle mushroom tagliolini, the shrimp scampi, and the field greens salad.
Shrimp scampi– absolutely delish! It came with 5 large-​ish shrimp, on top of polenta with bell peppers. Wish there was more. The shrimp were cooked nicely with a nice caramelization. Contrary to popular dishes, this was only the shrimp (audience, you have been forewarned) on top of the polenta. Although sad it wasn’t a pasta option, the scampi was savory, well-​seasoned, and tasty. I totally would’ve eaten it on top of linguini.
Field greens salad– I’m not a salad person. I thanked my friend for thinking of my health. :P It was sweeter than I expected; couldn’t say what dressing was on it. I did get a couple of bites of overdressed greens, so I don’t think it was evenly tossed. The green apple matchsticks were a nice change on more traditional chunks or slices because it was easier to incorporate the apple with the greens. My friends really liked it.
Tagliatelle bolognese– the house made pasta (they make it daily) was soft and yummy. The ragu was a little acidic for my liking. Still, it was really good, perfectly sauced and everything.
Chanterelle tagliolini– This mushroom pasta was creamy and buttery and delicious. I don’t even like mushrooms and I thought it was tasty!
(I know, she doesn’t like cheese or mushrooms and she’s saying the best things all night were the things with cheese and mushrooms. Shows you how good they are!)
Our server was really cool too. Topped off water. Brought refills of club soda without being asked. Got my friend her Riesling. Even offered to split our check — and split the apps three ways without being asked, which is the most amazing thing ever. No one does that! They always ask, «so. how do you want to do the apps?» This guy took initiative and got it done. Didn’t even mind that we lingered another half hour, sharing pictures on our phones, and said goodbye when we finally left into the cold night air. And the coolest thing? I mentioned that I loved the cheese soufflé and asked if he had a recipe. He went and got it for me! I am so so excited to try it for holiday dinners!
Had a wonderful time tonight at The Crossing. So glad we came in for dinner, the food and service were fantastic. Check it out if you’re in town!