Today, I am having lunch with my father at Herbsaint. It’s one of my favorite restaurants and one I haven’t visited often since I stopped working downtown.
This is not going to be a review of that meal, because I am writing it the day before we dine. That’s how publishing works.
Herbsaint was a breath of fresh air when it opened. The light from the windows that opened onto St. Charles and the minimalist décor set the stage for Donald Link’s menu of comfort food done thoughtfully.
I’ve taken lots of people there and many of them requested a return trip when they were next in town. I ate there at least once a month for years, and I never had a bad meal. That’s a remarkable run of good meals. The only other place I’ve had that many good meals over that length of time is Bayona, and it’s no coincidence that both restaurants are among my “cannot fail” recommendations to people visiting from out of town.
It’s been a remarkably consistent restaurant because they find talented cooks and reward talent. I have not, as I write, tasted the food that chef de cuisine Tyler Spreen is cooking these days, but I’ve seen the menu and I think it’s all going to work out.
I’ll tell you if it doesn’t.
It occurred to me as I was thinking about this that there are a lot of restaurants I haven’t patronized in a long while. Too many to list, actually. I’m optimistic that we’ll all be able to revisit restaurants we love before too long. Let me know if there are any particular restaurants you miss visiting.
