Kyla’s Kitchen

On Wednesday afternoon, after a long day of classes, senior Daniel Roseman, Emma Ratliff and I went to the Chesterfield Valley and stopped at the 54th Street Grill and Bar for an early dinner. The restaurant was fairly empty, so we had our choice of tables, and it had a nice quiet atmosphere.

I was not super hungry at that point, and although 54th Street has a variety of buffalo sauce themed appetizers, I was craving the sauce and cheese combination, so I went for the buffalo chicken quesadilla appetizer. It sounds pretty plain, and small, but it ended being the perfect meal. The slightly spicy buffalo sauce paired with the pico de gallo added a nice zing to the grilled chicken and crispy tortillas, the contrast of the spicy and savory coupling nicely. The Monterey Jack cheese added an entire other layer of flavor to the quesadilla, flavorful enough to slightly cover the taste of the pico de gallo at times, but ended up blending well with the whole meal.

I paired this meal with a side of ranch, waffle fries and the strawberry lemonade in a 25-ounce frosted mug. The cool ranch with the warm chicken and gooey cheese created a beautiful palette with a very homey feel. Waffle fries at 54th Street are simply a

must, as they are just that one step above regular fries. The waves in the fries add something extra to the classic salt and ketchup combination. The drink pairs fantastically with almost any meal on the menu, and, true to form, its cool and refreshing flavors mixed with the sugar on the rim did not disappoint. The only downside to the specialty drinks is that you are limited to one refill, but, depending on how thirsty you are, that’s all you need.

Determined not to leave anybody out, the restaurant also features a section of the menu devoted vegetarian options, with everything from spinach and artichoke dip and a summer blend salad, to a loaded potato and a veggie burger. They also offer a variety of pastas, soups, southern favorites and their special Gringo’s Mexican Kitchen. The desserts are reasonably priced and come in pretty large portions, and while we did not get any, choices like the cinnamon apple crisp and salted caramel and chocolate brownie would be a fantastic ending to any meal.

The 54th Street Grill has a wide variety of choices on their menu, and a wide variety of decorations, like a giant elephant head (so big I refuse to sit under it) and pictures of celebrities, inside the restaurant. The staff was attentive and cordial, making sure we had everything we needed. The overall aesthetic was very eclectic, and a great place to go for a quick bite or a fun, sit-down dinner.

Emma’s Eats

Whether it be for an after school snack or a full-on dinner, 54th Street Grill and Bar is a great place to satisfy that craving.  Kyla Hatton, senior Daniel Roseman, and I all were in the mood for an after school meal that wasn’t too small, but also not super heavy.  Since it was about three in the afternoon, it wasn’t very busy, so we got the nice choice of a quaint booth to enjoy our meal.

Now, I was counting this meal as more of an early dinner so I opted for the 54th Sliders which consists of four miniature burgers topped with American cheese and onions with an option of bacon for 50 cents extra.  I, personally, am not a fan of cheese on my burgers so I had the waiter hold that and just for a little extra, I added the bacon on top.  I was not disappointed with my decision because the little bits of onions and savory bacon perfectly contrasted with the sweet ketchup and made for a fantastic flavor profile.  All of this topped with the soft little bun made for an excellent burger.

Most of the entrees come with a side of regular fries, but being bold, I decided to go for crispy waffle fries as opposed to the plain

crinkle-cut fries.  This was an amazing decision as well because I love a crispy, salty fry when paired with ketchup or barbeque sauce because the flavors go so well together.  If given the option, I highly recommend waffle fries over regular fries because, honestly, they just make the meal so much more fun.

Along with these choices there is a long list of appetizers, of which I’ve tried a few.  One of 54th Street’s specialties is their Gringo Dip, which is essentially a cheese dip.  However, what makes it so special is the Pepper Jack cheese flavor mixed with pico de gallo along with a few other spices.  This is served with tortilla chips and salsa to complete the appetizer.  If you were to pair this with one of their huge and delicious iced strawberry lemonades it would make a great start to any meal.

While the atmosphere was nice at this time of day and the decor is really fun and makes the experience more enjoyable, I would imagine the wait would be longer on a weekend or at night.  Along with this the wait for our food was a little longer than expected, but it was well worth it when the food was served.  Our server was super friendly and overall made the trip to the Chesterfield Valley very exciting.  If given the chance, I would highly recommend you try 54th Street Grill and Bar.