Review: Cyrano's in Webster Groves

Lunch at Cyrano's changed my life.

It was more than 30 years ago, and the ice cream parlor/restaurant was in a basement at the corner of Clayton road and DeMun Avenue, where a bank now stands. Joan Dames, then the features editor of the Post-Dispatch and a friend since the days -- the late 1950s, if you have to know -- when we both worked at the Globe Democrat, not only bought lunch but offered me a job as the newspaper's film and theater critic.

The Guru was born a few months later when my role at the newspaper expanded to writing about restaurants, a move that led my waistline in a similar direction.

Cyrano's took a shot at elegance a couple of years after the fateful lunch, opening De Bergerac's as a haute cuisine palace in the West Port area, but the city and suburbs weren't ready. Cyrano's eventually moved a few blocks to a location on Big Bend Boulevard, where Harvest holds forth today, then disappeared, causing sadness among many and a "Whoops!" sort of surprise to those who walked in and tried to order a Cleopatra, its signature sundae.

But it's back, with the same Cleopatras, Black Forest Torte and Cherries Jubilee marching hand in hand in hand under the guidance of pastry chef Carolyn Downs, wife of owner-manager Charlie Downs. Both formerly were at Harvest, and at Cyrano's before that, and they have reconditioned and installed some of the furniture and memorabilia that decorated the Clayton location. Comfortable sofas surround a small table for sundae-tasting, and there's a bar, too. Bright decor and some elegant art work of cookies and cakes adds cheer to the walls, and it's a good guess that there will be outside dining when the weather improves. 

The menu has expanded, however, and the kitchen is open late, which makes it a pleasant spot for before or after theater, films, concerts or opera at nearby Webster University or other schools in the immediate vicinity. Unfortunately, Cyrano's does not take reservations, so go early if you want to chance it on a busy night. Service is brisk and well-informed, and pre-event diners, after reminding a server about a time deadline, will find courses appearing rapidly. By the way, it is not a good idea to eat too much before attending any sort of performance; it should be allowed to make one sleepy all by itself, without the aid of a too-full tummy.

There are some chalkboard specials to augment the soups, salads and sandwiches on the menu, designed to leave room for dessert. Prices are quite moderate, with nothing on the menu during our visits topping $10. The lengthy dessert list shows some of the old favorites and adds more, like a rich wonderfully textured caramel brioche bread pudding that arrives with a cherry Bourbon sauce and whipped cream. Delicious. So are the chocolate custard with the French appellation of pot au creme; the classic tarte tatin, a caramelized apple tart in puff pastry; a traditional Black Forest Cake, a St. Louis specialty for more than a century; simple butter cake with blackberries and blackberry sauce; and a variety of sundaes, plus delicious lemon, raspberry and coconut sorbets.

Dinners were quite good, too. A sweet potato bisque was light and elegant, with the rich potato flavor coming through, and an appetizer of New Orleans-style barbecue shrimp brought back memories of the Crescent City, though these were slightly different. The shrimp were perfectly, cooked, but the sauce displayed far less fat than that at Pascal's Manale, which used to do New Orleans' best, and the coppery color showed evidence of the traditional roux, made with browned flour and butter. The spicing was excellent, but for some reason, no bread was served to sop up the wonderful juices. It was the only time in a couple of visits I could not make contact with a waiter, and with fear of the sauce getting cold, I took a spoon to it.

The smoked chicken roll, with chipotle sauce and guacamole, displayed lovely spicing, a fine hint of heat, and the roll went well with a Greek salad, developing a cross-cultural relationship. The salad, with feta cheese, chickpeas, olives and roasted peppers, was topped with an oregano vinaigrette dressing that offered a properly sharp note, and the greens were fresh and crisp.

The chalkboard offers a variety of dishes, and the beef bourguignonne on one visit was a delight. The chunks of lean beef were tender and had been braised for a long time, with mushrooms, pearl onions, potatoes, garlic and a wine reduction. The cooking process was long enough to allow all the flavors to work together and to blend into a dish where the whole was far more than the sum of its parts.

There's a small, but pleasant and moderately priced wine list, and the aura and ambience are charming and welcoming. But save room for dessert!