Best Seasonal Restaurants in Forest Park

Great restaurant. Very clean and the staff was fantastic. They knew what we needed before we even had a chance to ask for it. The sticky cauliflower is amazing. The scallops and the fish and chips were fantastic. All the breading on the food items was light and crunchy (exactly how fried items should be enjoyed). The mac and cheese is probably the best I've ever had. And well the beef wellington needs no introduction. Great place with even better food.

Our server, Sebastian, was attentive and knowledgeable, giving us helpful details about our selections.

Being an executive chef in the past, I’m usually not all that impressed with restaurants. I’m frugal. I figure if I’m going to spend money on someone else to prepare my food, I’d better be making yummy noises with every bite… RARELY does that happen. For our 34th anniversary, my wife and I decided to give Russel’s a go. The atmosphere was quiet and charming, intimate. The wine selection was well suited to the menu. We started with the baked ricotta… Simple, delicious, unctuous. Main course: I ordered the pork chops, my wife ordered the pot roast. Two simple, humble, basic entrées readily found in any home kitchen. THIS was not home cooking. Both meals were visually stunning. The pot roast was melt in your mouth, delicious. The hint of sweetness form the braising reduction, paired with the light bite of the horseradish, along the the creaminess of the potatoes was a perfect bite. My meal, the pork chops, ummm… WOW! A thick double chop, that I honestly thought would be on the bland side. However, the chef was able to pull flavor all the way through the chop. Cooked to a perfect med-rare center, without the exterior becoming even a little dry and chewy is a feat, but they did it. The depth of flavor was amazing, tasting different nuances in every bite. Yes, I made yummy noises with every bite, my apologies to the table next to us. As a chef, I’m usually left searching for that “extra something” in my food… it’s called “love”. The back of the house staff is obviously very skilled, producing an incredible plate, but they also put their heart into their craft, giving that “extra something” that we crave. Hat’s off, knives down to you Russel’s on Macklind. You’ve made this chef very happy.

Girls lunch and everything was perfect. Everyone enjoyed their food. The ambiance was spot on for the holiday season. This was my first time there, and I plan on going back soon. I had the Deluxe Salad, and I don't remember ever having a salad as good as that one. Service was amazing, too! Warning, parking can be difficult, but going there is worth the hassle.

This is a fun spot. The food was excellent. I'm a salad fiend and their fall salad is now at the top of my list. The staff, though clearly well-meaning, were over burdened. No one checked in with us after we were served. If they had, I could have told them that the chicken I requested was left off the salad. This is no big deal; it happens. What was a bigger deal is that, after flagging a server down and being told they would get it, it never arrived. When the bill came, I was told then that the chicken would take too long to cook so they just...didn't. That's a new one on me. My hope is that as the kinks get worked out at this new and very promising eatery, such events will be a thing of their past. We absolutely plan to go back, though. This oddity did not tarnish our overall opinion. Great pre-Fox show choice.