Fio's is small, perhaps 20 tables, and has discreet windows into the kitchen at the rear.  The lighting is very yellow and the walls are a pale salmon, so the whole place is perhaps annoyingly pink and somewhat low in light.  The atmosphere is good - not overly classy and solicitous, but not down home.  The wait staff notice when you catch their eye, and seem knowledgeable.

Our waiter, Dan, was a laid-off aeronautical engineer (WashU, had worked at Fio's while a student) from Hong Kong, but his face said Shanghai (which is where his parents were from).

I started with a Kir Royale  which was just as it should be, while Stephanie stuck with water.  Our bottle of Beaujolais arrived along with a complimentary starter, a bite of raw mahi, a bite of a delicious red meat and some vegetable. 

We crafted our individual menus to maximize shared discovery:

Plate 1: Foie Gras & Pate w/pistachio in a herb sauce (tarragon mayonnaise);  the best Foie Gras I have ever had.  I got seconds, which are free at Fio's - the plates are small as wellut the meal was filling after so many small plates had arrived.  The pate was good.  She got crab and crawfish and half an artichoke with a lemon mustard sauce.  These were all very good, with the crab on the extra good side and the crawfish in a sauce that lacked strength to bring out its buttery flavor.  We both agreed I won this round with the Foie Gras.

Plate 2:  As this was served, the next table was served their well-done beef, and we shared a look of pain with the waiter.  I received the pork on pastry with blue cheese (gorgonzola, I think) and a cream sauce, while Stephanie had chosen a Gruyere and spinach souffle.  Fio's is known for their souffles, and hers was light and smooth, quite airy.  My pork was at the other end of the spectrum, rich and full of flavors, with a splendid proportion of the blue cheese so that it was an addition rather than domination.  We declared it a tie, each thinking theirs was better.

Main:  Stephanie decided to have black truffles for the first time, and so had ordered the black truffle risotto, which was earthy and sweet.  My veal was excellent, covered in various mushrooms and a demi glace that complemented nicely.  The asparagus, served wrapped in a strip of carrot, was overcooked although delightfully presented.  Another tie.

Salad:  The mixed greens had no bitter weeds, which we both despise, and was fine.  She thought the lemon dressing was too much, but I like strong flavors.

Dessert:  Souffles!  She had the Swiss chocolate, on the menu this month, while I had the white chocolate, a constant.  Hers came with a warm chocolate sauce that seemed to be melted chocolate and butter (thin, rich, not a chocolate syrup), while mine had an accompanying white chocolate sauce.  There was significant rum involved in the creation of the white chocolate souffle.  Both souffles were winners, although I think I won this round when I discovered that the sauce perfectly complemented the souffle. 

Coffee:  I always feel goofy asking for decaf espresso, but three hours into a meal is late enough that with caffeine I will be sharing my happiness with Stephanie well past one in the morning.  The espresso was good, bitter, with lemon peel on the side.  She hates coffee, aside from the smell, and thus managed tea (Earl Grey) with no complaint.  The coffee was accompanied by three parfaits, a chocolate (passable), a tiny creme puff-like creature (best of the lot), and a third that must have been good but slipped my memory.

Overall:  Expensive (damn!) and worth it (damn!).  Because it was Stephanie's birthday, the chef/owner's wife gave us a $25 coupon for our next visit, which we will use. 

Four Spoons.  Recommended the next time you visit St Louis.

Mark