On Monday, September 30th, 2019 part of the renovation of St. Louis Union Station will be complete as the St. Louis Wheel officially opens. The 200 ft Ferris Wheel is a beauty to behold from dusk through the night as the brilliant colors offer a kaleidoscope of optic art and illumination. In addition to The Wheel, a carousel, and miniature golf course will be opening.
A new eating establishment will be opening as well, The Soda Fountain. Located in the former Hard Rock Cafe Building, The Soda Fountain is basically an upscale burger and malt shop with a 1950s retro-vibe.
I had an opportunity to preview the restaurant before the grand opening and I was really impressed. I realize that at events like this everyone is one their best behavior because everyone wants to make the best impression. But, even with that in mind, I was still impressed by everything.
Food
Although The Soda Fountain is somewhat arranged for nostalgic appeal to the Baby Boomers – Gen-Xers, what people will really be coming to the place for is the food. Water is always available and there are some basic beverages (including the adult variety), but The Soda Fountain also offers it’s on concoctions. I drank the Union Station Sarsaparilla. It came in a large glass with a paper straw and had a cookie on top. There aren’t many places in this area where you can find a good sarsaparilla, so I haven’t drunk too many in may life, but the one I drank at The Soda Fountain has to rank as one of the best ones I’ve ever quenched my thirst with.
For my main course I at the Grilled Double Cheeseburger with Onion Rings. The cheeseburger was pretty good, but the onion rings were so scrumptious. They were perfect onion rings: not too crispy and not too soggy in the center. Most places that serve onion rings are unable to achieve the balance between the two, but The Soda Fountain did.
For dessert I tried something completely different. The Soda Fountain offers a selection of typical sundaes, shakes, etc. However, they also have a menu called “Freak Shakes.” These are ice cream shakes decorated like a Southern antebellum ballroom for Christmas. I tried the “A Very Happy Un-Birthday.” This thing had cake frosting with sprinkles on the rim, a cup cake, a rainbow candy cane stick, and a giant cookie. Oh, there was also ice cream covered in whip cream and two cherries. So, happy un-birthday to me!
Ambiance
The servers and staff at The Soda Fountain were dressed in white shirts, black aprons, and either black ball caps or red bandanas. In terms of pants, the staff seemed to have some flexibility in that department. I liked the uniforms. They were simple, but not still gave off a 1950s retro-feel.
The music playing varied but some of the songs I heard included “Mr. Sandman”, “Rockin’ Robin”, “Stand By Me”, “Tutti Frutti”, “Riding Along in My Automobile,” and an Elvis tune (I forgot which one).
Other Stuff
The Soda Fountain has a little gift shop where they sell T-shirts and stuffed animals of sharks (like the ones in the Aquarium). However, they also sell candy and lots of it. There’s one wall that is filled with giant test tube-like jars of jelly beans. There’s also barrels full of different kinds of candy. Kids will drive their parents wild in this place.
Bathrooms
I often will use the bathroom of a public place as a barometer to truly figure out if it’s good or not. I’ve been to some really nice restaurants that had horrible bathrooms. And I’ve been to some small greasy spoon places that had pristine restrooms.
The bathrooms at The Soda Fountain are of good quality and clean. The stalls in the men’s room were a bit more spacious than average. However, taking a play from the port-a-potty industry, they also have really fancy door handles that have an “not vacant” sign that shows up when the door is locked.
Overall, I was really impressed by The Soda Fountain. The place is a bit pricey, but is typical for a place to eat at on a special occasion. The staff was so friendly and courteous. The food was delicious and a person will definitely get their fill.