E xplore the hyper- seasonal Mediterranean-inspired dishes keeping our tastebuds on their toes on

ï BEST S ï NEW RESTAURANT Salve Menya Osteria Rui

WRITTEN BY MARY ANDINO | PHOTOS BY MABEL SUEN STORY AND PHOTOS BY MABEL SUEN

At Menya Rui, the dining experience is a bit diff erent from anything else you’ll fi nd in St. Louis. Guests are greeted at the door and instructed to grab a chair wherever one is available in the 24-seat restaurant or to wait until one opens up in the event of a full house, which is fairly common during peak dinner hours due to the handmade noodle shop’s booming popularity. In these close-knit quarters, orders – which are beamed straight to the open kitchen via a QR code menu – summon plates of crispy karaage, cool dressed cucumbers and bowls of expertly constructed, Japanese-style noodles within mere minutes.

The runaway success of the casual eatery is no surprise given chef-owner Steven Pursley’s dedication to the cra . Pursley launched popup Ramen x Rui in 2018 a er spending three years honing his skills at ramen shops in his mother’s home prefecture, Okinawa, as well as in mainland Japan. With Menya Rui, which gets its name from the Japanese word for noodle shop, “menya,” as well as Pursley’s Japanese middle name, Rui, the rising star showcases the evolution of his culinary experiences with his fi rst brick-and-mortar business – and the results are nothing short of amazing.

Although the restaurant’s service style and rustic environs mimic those of its high-quality, convenience-driven Japanese counterparts, the off erings within take on a unique character all their own. Each comforting bowl of handcra ed fare carries the infl uence of its predecessors in a new, inspired context – full of meticulously balanced fl avors that are heavily refi ned yet ideal for everyday consumption.

Menya Rui features three types of noodle categories: ramen, tsukemen (dipping noodles) and mazemen (brothless noodles). Each individual dish is made up of multiple layered components, including tare (concentrated base seasoning), broth, aromatic oils, handmade noodles and toppings. The careful and consistent a ention to detail that goes into creating each harmonious bowl makes the humble noodle shop worth visiting again and again.

Menya Rui, 3453 Hampton Ave., Lindenwood Park, St. Louis, Missouri, 314-601-3524, facebook.com/menyaruistl MUST-TRY MENU ITEM: Pork Shoyu Ramen Pursley’s signature, bestselling pork shoyu (soy sauce) ramen makes him nostalgic for his time working in Japanese noodle shops. Aromatic back fat is topped with pork shoulder chasyu, menma (bamboo shoots), scallions and nori.

ï BEST S ï NEW RESTAURANT Salve Salve Osteria Osteria

WRITTEN BY MARY ANDINO | PHOTOS BY MABEL SUEN

Evolution is the heart and soul of Salve Osteria. Not only is the menu hyperseasonal and constantly changing, but also the dishes themselves riff on popular classics – think grilled cabbage in place of romaine le uce in a Caesar salad or a cannoli-inspired cheesecake for dessert. And don’t forget the transformation of the space itself, which formerly housed the beloved Cafe Natasha. Led by partners Natasha Bahrami, Michael Fricker and chef Ma Wynn, Salve Osteria seeks to honor the café’s legacy while also stepping out of its shadows to claim its own identity.

Since opening in May, Salve has quickly gained popularity for its Mediterranean-inspired dishes. If the spot already has an iconic dish, it’s defi nitely the Salve Caesar (grilled cabbage, miso bagna cauda, scallions and Parmesan). Chef Ma Wynn felt obligated to off er a Caesar salad but wanted to push it in a new direction and highlight cabbage – a vegetable he considers underrated. The bacon fat carrots, with mustard, shallots, bacon and blue cheese crema, are another one of the spot’s most popular dishes.

Guests can expect these signatures to remain on the menu, but the rest of the dishes will change as the seasons do. “Ma and the team in the kitchen go weekly to see what the harvest is at the market, and they evolve dishes based on that,” Bahrami says. For example, the grilled watermelon salad evolved into a dish with heirloom tomato and honeydew melon in the summer months. In winter, the restaurant is featuring more root vegetables and squash. For guests, this is part of the experience: Each time they visit Salve, there will likely be something new on the menu to try.

The beverage program at Salve Osteria receives just as much a ention and care as the food. Bahrami, owner of The Gin Room, and Fricker, owner of Grand Spirits Bo le Co., help guests embrace European drinking culture. “Philosophically, it was important for us to build cocktails that played into our dishes in a couple of diff erent ways, both complementary and then also contrasting the dishes enough to break up some of those fl avors,” Fricker says.

One of the team’s favorite cocktails is the Grass is Greener, with StilL 630 Volstead’s Folly gin, genepy, reposado tequila, four types of herbs, lime and cilantro oil. “It has this really beautiful fresh juniper, fresh coriander [and] really bright citrus notes to it,” Fricker says. Guests can also expect Martinis, gin and tonics, Negronis and spritzes with unexpected twists and fl avors.

Customized vermouth and sherry pours are another source of innovation. The bar team off ers guests varietals that are perfectly paired with dishes to enhance their fl avors and elevate the dining experience. Bahrami calls pairing a Manzanilla sherry with the bacon fat carrots “transformative.” “It just makes the fl avors explode,” she says. Bahrami, Fricker and the rest of the staff pride themselves on educating diners and making these pairings accessible, informative and delicious.

The knowledgeable staff , seasonal menu and carefully curated beverage program all add up to create a guest experience that feels special but not stuff y. “The servers guide you through the experience and talk you through your dishes, coursing them properly for you,” Bahrami says. “And the dishes are just hi ing your table right as your conversations are shi ing. There’s something magical about being able to curate that experience with guests without having to be an extremely fancy place.”

Salve Osteria, 3200 S. Grand Blvd., Tower Grove East, St. Louis, Missouri, 314-771-3411, salveosteria.com MUST-TRY MENU ITEM: Roasted B ts One of Salve’s most popular starters is the roasted beets with pickled orange, mustard, herbs, ajo blanco and pistachio. Co-owner Michael Fricker considers this one of Salve’s signatures and says it will continue to be a menu mainstay.