Hey! There's A Quail On The Fireplace!

English charm is at the forefront of this week's visit into the bar scene of St. Louis: the cozy Fox and Hounds, located in the lobby of The Cheshire Inn.  A quick warning: groups larger than four cannot be accommodated on most weekends and parking can be a chore (though for a few bucks, a valet is an option).  This place is the epitome of small; there are about four bar stools, a couch positioned in front of a fireplace, a circular table that can hold about six people, a few wingback chairs, and a scattering of tables that hold two people each.  The place feels even smaller because of the piano-bass jazz duo that somehow fits into a corner.  The adjective 'intimate' is under selling the feel of the tavern.  The tavern is just that; decorations consisted of taxidermy (quail, caribou, etc.) and rustic wood paneling.  

When we approached the bartender, I asked for a Manhattan for my wife and an Old-fashioned for me.  To my chagrin, the bar lacked rye whiskey, upon which both of the drinks I ordered are dependent.  Rye is becoming more and more popular, so the fact that the Fox and Hounds didn't carry any was disappointing.  After settling on Maker's Mark, we found ourselves a place on the couch.  It struck me immediately that the bar was far understaffed.  With one bartender and one waitress taking orders, the time in between drinks was lengthy.  There is no specialty drink menu, and when I asked for a Tom Collins, I was told that the bartender could not make one because he didn't have any lemonade.  The inability to create any custom order (like, you know, a proper Tom Collins) definitely put a damper on the experience.  I eventually settled on a White Russian that wasn't made with cream (it was still good, but I'm a sucker for Kaluha).

If you want to experience the Fox and Hounds, you might want to try on a weeknight.  And don't expect too much; the drinks will be average, the service less than average, and most likely you will be knocking knees with a stranger (which isn't necessarily a bad thing, depending on the bar experience you desire).

Oh, and have a Tom Collins; they are refreshing.    

Tom Collins

Two parts gin
One part lemon juice
1 tsp Simple Syrup
Soda Water

Fill a Collins glass with the gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup.  Stir, and add club soda.  Garnish with a cherry.