Sapphire Pan Asian
(314) 361-0013
4753 Mcpherson Ave
St Louis,
MO
63108
38.6481
-90.2601
Neighborhood: Central West End
What People Are Saying About Sapphire Pan Asian
The Editor
Contributor
Citysearch
The Scene
Zoe Pan-Asian's spare and graceful dining room, peppered with color, is usually bustling with the sort of attractive professionals most restaurants would love to attract. Without a reservation you'll be in for a wait, but the bar is comfortable, and the company is sure to be interesting. Once at a table, chopsticks are de rigueur, but silverware is on hand for those with less than perfect fine-motor skills.
The Food
Pan-Asian cuisine, a cosmopolitan cooking style that fuses Thai, Vietnamese, Korean and Japanese influences, is the latest food trend to reach St. Louis. Try the vegetarian version of the staple noodle dish pad thai, served with wok-seared Asian vegetables, chopped cilantro and ground peanuts. A capricious twist on the common garlic mashed potato side is daikon mashed potatoes, made with the pale, radish-like Asian root vegetable.
User Reviews
specialstl
November 20, 2007
Zoe's is now Saffire: I hear the chef bought the place (or something like that). The menu has changed somewhat, but some things have not. Translation: the food is as bad as it ever was. We returned last week after the name change, in hopes that our previous abysmal experience here was an anomaly. It was not. DO NOT be fooled by the St. Louis reviewers who rave about this place. They know not of what they speak. Better yet, they know not what they eat. The appetizers were passable -- we had the spring rolls (fresh) and the summer rolls (fried), and both were edible but nothing like what they could be. The sauces were, in St. Louis fashion, heavy handed and not at all unique. But had we known what the entrees would be like, we would have filled up on these instead. The crispy tilapia was NOT crispy, unless you count a small part of one edge. The majority of it was soggy and disgusting. Someone in the kitchen needs to learn a bit about deep frying -- either that or get the fryer fixed if its broken. The short ribs --recommended by our server -- were lukewarm at best. I understand the intent -- to impart a bit of five-spice flavoring. But the overwhelming sensation was COLD and sickly sweet. And the side noodle/asparagus dish had sauce that was overpoweringly one-dimensionally sweet. Both of these entrees left bad tastes in our mouths. They were most akin to leftovers poorly reheated. There was NOTHING redeeming about this dinner, unless you count the new paint job that the place has had. I would personally be ashamed to serve this kind of food even from my amateur kitchen at home.
read full review
emily_23
February 04, 2007
When I ate here, and the waiter was helpful, also he recommended a dish for me. I also asked if we could make it spicier, he did it no problem. The dessert was amazing. Overall it was a good experience.
read full review
schlanger816
November 29, 2006
The staff at Zoe ruined my family's evening and sent my wife home in tears. I have lived in the Central West End for years and I have never been to a restaurant with such rude staff and impersonal ambiance. The owner was especially unkind and embarrassingly unprofessional. It really is too bad that such a nice neighborhood has such an establishment.
read full reviewThe Details on Sapphire Pan Asian
Top Choice:
Highly recommended is the Thai beef filet, an 8- to 10-ounce filet mignon prepared in a light soy marinade.
Zoe at Work:
For an exotic picnic or office party, Zoe packs picnic and box lunches.
Category:
Payment Methods:
Cash, Diners Club, Discover, Visa, MasterCard
Restaurant Special Features:
Outdoor Dining, People Watching, Online Reservations, Date Spot, Bar Scene
