Review: Gallagher's in Waterloo

Over the river and through the woods … to Gallagher’s house we go. And, wow, we’re not the only ones. This enormous Waterloo restaurant was packed to the gills, stuffed like mushrooms and poppin’ like Champagne. After I tasted the food, the crowd didn’t surprise me one bit, but its makeup did. According to the owners, John and Susie Gallagher, upwards of 70 percent of their clientele on a given night is from St. Louis.

It’s no wonder guests are willing to make the trek; with a warm and inviting ambiance – similar to that of a family gathering – Gallagher’s is dining’s equivalent of a palate cleanser. Tired of restaurants that put a premium on scene over food quality? Take one Gallagher’s and call me in the morning.

The building itself is a three-story behemoth, basically your grandparents’ house on steroids. On the first floor, the bar had a back-porch vibe – with everyone sipping drinks and sitting around catching up after a long week. The first-floor dining area could be compared to eating at the more laid-back kids’ table on Thanksgiving, whereas the second floor – with tables scattered throughout a number of individual rooms – had a more intimate and formal feel. The third floor reminded me of Grandpa’s rumpus room – with a very large, very cool bar – where you can often head up after dinner to enjoy live music. (It’s also a pretty nice place for a private party.)

Attractive woodwork and interesting fixtures abound throughout the entire building, and its history and renovation are extensively well-documented on the restaurant’s Web site and menu, but to really appreciate what was done, check out the screen saver on the bar’s cash register. The building changes from a barely recognizable, wretched dump to its present incarnation. I watched for three cycles before I was sure it was the same building.

Gallagher’s chefs have a rich history as well. Their careers encompass much of St. Louis dining through the ‘70s and ‘80s. Luckily, neither Richard Perry nor Mickey Kitterman attempts to stand on his reputation alone. Simple, relaxed presentation allows the food to speak for itself. You will never have to guess what the food is or whether a lattice of drizzled sauce is integral to the dish or merely décor. The taste of the food is clearly the most important aspect of any dish, a philosophy I can gladly support.

It all starts with fresh bread and spreads made inhouse. Nice warm rolls and sweet cream butter are super, sure, but the deep-brown, ultra-moist strawberry-applesauce bread topped with pear spread is a combination that really gets those taste buds going.

The first item we went for on each visit was the seafood martini. (If that’s a martini then I’m Stephen-freaking-King. That is a sundae.) It was packed with crab and lobster mounding out the top, had shrimp sticking out all over the place and was topped with a huge dollop of Coca-Cola cocktail sauce. It was fantastic and very filling, every bit as good as a crustacean sundae should be.

Alternatively, the strawberry shrimp – crispy fried shrimp and strawberry sweet-and-sour sauce – reminded me of similar fare at a Chinese buffet, except these were actually good. It surprised me just how much strawberry flavor was able to get through the sweet-and-sour sauce without getting lost in the mix. An excellent chicken and sausage gumbo, spiced just right in my opinion, burned some of my fellow diners out. Interestingly enough, though, no one could stop eating it.

As entrées went, there seemed to be a little inconsistency with pasta dishes, as one arrived undercooked and one without enough sauce. No such problem existed with any of the meat or fish dishes. Each of these was cooked to the perfect level of doneness. The sweet-and-spicy ginger of the Asian glaze complemented the salmon very nicely. Lemon-caper butter sauce accented a simply gorgeous piece of rainbow trout.

Grilled jalapeño honey-mustard chicken shocked me a little. The jalapeños did not overpower, and the mustard – which really lent a refreshingly different flavor to the chicken – outshined the honey, unlike the usual honey-mustard goo. Then there’s the steak section. They do it right here. There are three cuts and four choices of sauces, and I’m sure they are all good, but you couldn’t pay me to choose a combination other than beef tenderloin with the crusted peppercorns and cognac cream sauce. Thank goodness I was the one reviewing because if I had had to give up a piece of that, well, there would have been a scene. Imagine an intense peppercorn taste in a silky, creamy sauce all while being drizzled on a perfectly prepared filet, then you have the essence of this dish.

Of the sides, cheese-crusted potatoes, old-fashioned corn chowder (corn, peppers, cream and eggs – kind of a peppery, corny quiche) and long-cooked green beans with ham and bacon were all superb and should not be missed. However, the amount of ham and bacon cooked with the green beans makes them salty.

The wine list is short but extremely accessible. You can have nearly all wines by the glass, and there are only three bottles over $50. These three are a Cabernet Sauvingon and Merlot from Duckhorn Vineyards and Silver Oak Napa Valley Cab, from two wineries that have obtained cult status. This is the cheapest I have EVER seen these wines at a restaurant. Heck, if you bought the Silver Oak from the winery it would be $20 more, before shipping.

Service on a busy weekend night can sometimes slip, but they are so friendly, the atmosphere so inviting and the food and wine so tasty and cheap you barely even notice it.