Short Orders

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[FOOD NEWS]

Eat for the Cause

Juniper is raising money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society this month

Written by CHERYL BAEHR

As if you needed another reason to eat Juniper’s (4101 Laclede Avenue, 314-3297696) acclaimed fried chicken, chef and owner John Perkins has sweetened the deal. The entire month of January, the restaurant is running a fundraiser to benefit the eukemia ymphoma Society with the goal of raising , to help fund the organization’s research and advocacy efforts.

Throughout the month, Juniper guests will be able to donate to the eukemia ymphoma Society by using a QR code at their table or telling their server an amount they would like to donate and having it added to their bill. One hundred percent of all money raised will go directly to the orga-

Eat fried chicken for a good cause. It’s a win-win. | LUCAS PETERSON

nization, which has invested over $1.5 billion in research since its founding. According to the organization’s website, these efforts have helped advance percent of FDA approved blood cancer treatment options over the last five years, making it a vital actor in the fight against these diseases. The fundraiser is personal for Perkins, who disclosed last month that he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma this past August. Though he is currently in the midst of treatment himself, Perkins still felt compelled to do something to help an organization that has been so instrumental in the very research he is currently benefiting from.

“It wasn’t that long ago when my type of cancer would have been a death sentence,” Perkins says. “The treatment plan I have grew out of the research the eukemia ymphoma Society has done and sponsored. It has a success rate, and people are going through it and hitting remission, so in a real sense I owe my life to what they have done and want to help them continue to do what they are doing for the benefit of other people.”

This is not the first time Perkins has made Juniper a hub for charitable giving. hen the pandemic hit St. ouis in March of , he quickly founded Meals for Meds, a grassroots movement co-organized with Knead Bakehouse’s Kirsten Brown that fed area health-care workers. Before partnering with the national group Frontline Foods in May of that year, Perkins and Brown managed the restaurant strong effort that both provided meals to those on the health crisis’ frontlines and kept restaurant workers employed when dining rooms went dark. ike Meals for Meds, Juniper’s current fundraiser, too, serves a dual purpose. In addition to raising money for the eukemia ymphoma Society, the effort has the added benefit of providing joy and encouragement to Perkins as he undergoes treatment that will keep him out of the restaurant for the next several months.

“On a personal level, knowing people are coming into the restaurant is medicine for me,” Perkins says. “Support for Juniper over the next few months will be a kind of therapy while I am gone, and my team is holding it all down.” n

[COMING SOON]

Crowning Achievement

Bud’s Pizza & Beer to open on South Kingshighway this summer

Written by JAIME LEES

The corner of South Kingshighway Boulevard and Chippewa Street has seen some changes in the past few years as Garcia Properties tries to fancy-up the area.

The realty company purchased the whole block of buildings along Kingshighway between Mardel Avenue and Chippewa Street with the hopes of turning the area into a dining and retail destination it’s calling the Crown District.

In addition to the Garcia Properties office, the corner is also home to the Golden Hoosier, a bar opened by Ivan and Berto Garcia of Garcia Properties.

Now they’re looking to expand their tiny empire once again with Bud’s Pizza & Beer. There isn’t much news on the new place yet, aside from the fact that it will be located at 3805 South Kingshighway, and they plan to open this summer.

“Bud’s Pizza and Beer will help breathe new life into a block that for decades was home to a laughable/sad concentration of predatory lenders,” they wrote in the Facebook announcement. “Over the next couple of years we will restore all the buildings on this block from Mardel, south to Chippewa. We have dreamed of doing this for many years! Again we thank you for your support and let’s all continue to be the change we wish to see in St. Louis.” n

e new spot is the second venture for Gracia Properties. | COURTESY PHOTO

Relief Pitcher

Condado Tacos to open in Ballpark Village next summer

Written by CHERYL BAEHR

The Ballpark Village food game is again adding an exciting player to its roster, this time courtesy of a popular national chain. Condado Tacos, an Ohio-based tacos, margaritas and tequila chain, has announced that it will open its first Missouri location inside the Busch Stadium-adjacent complex next summer.

“We couldn’t be more excited to open our newest Condado Tacos restaurant in Ballpark Village and to bring our fresh and delicious tacos, margaritas and tequilas to St. Louis,” said Chris Artinian, Condado Tacos president and chief executive officer, in a release announcing the opening. “This new restaurant represents the furthest-west we have taken our brand, and we will continue to grow. We look forward to serving residents and guests at Ballpark Village, and we look forward to adding to our incredibly loyal following.” ondado Tacos first opened in Columbus, Ohio, in 2014, specializing in build-your-own tacos that use fresh, high-quality ingredients, as well as creative cocktails and a robust tequila selection. The Ballpark Village restaurant will be Condado’s 39th location and builds upon the brand’s reputation for creative flavors and a lively, colorful atmosphere.

The forthcoming St. Louis location, which is currently under construction, will come in at 5,225 square feet and consist of a main dining room, bar and outdoor patio. Though the restaurant is known for its vivid and lively aesthetic, Condado’s designers are working with local artists who will add a uniquely St. ouis flair to the space.

The setting will set the tone for ondado’s creative flavors. Build-your-own taco options can be made from a wide variety of ingredients, not all of which are traditionally thought of as TexMex. ook for such fillings as Sriracha butter chicken, Thai chili tofu and Korean BBQ jackfruit alongside more traditional TexMex ingredients like tequila lime steak and slow-roasted pulled pork. Guests are encouraged to mix and match creatively, and that expands beyond the protein choices. Condado offers four different types of shells, including a Kewl Ranch version, as well as double-decker options like the Peezler, which is comprised of both soft flour and hard corn shells held together with bacon refried beans, sour cream and guacamole. Nachos and taco bowls are also available.

Mike aMartina, chief operating officer for Ballpark illage, expressed his excitement at Co-dado joining the facility’s family of restaurants, bars and shops.

“We strive to bring new and creative concepts to our downtown neighborhood and the vibrancy and energy of Condado Tacos certainly fits the bill,” aMartina said in the release. “Our goal has always been to create a destination that offers a great variety of distinctive dining choices for our residents, tenants and guests on game days and beyond. With the addition of Condado, we’re continuing to deliver on this promise.” aMartina has reason for his enthusiasm. With the addition of Condado and the forthcoming Katie’s Pizza & Pasta Osteria and Koibito Poke, the venue will be at 95 percent occupancy. The complex

Condado Tacos will bring its popular brand of tacos, margaritas and tequila to Ballpark Village next summer. | COURTESY PHOTO

also boasts 90 percent occupancy of its office space and single digit vacancy at the One Cardinal Way residential tower. For aMartina, this means not only a premier game-day experience for Cardinals fans, but also a consistent energy in the entire downtown area all year long.

“When local and national restaurant operators look for new venues, it’s exciting that they’ve decided to call Ballpark Village and downtown St. Louis their new home,” aMartina said. “And this interest expands well past our retail partners. Demand for our premier commercial and residential options continues to remain strong, and this benefits downtown St. Louis 365 days a year.” n

[FOOD NEWS]

Duck and Cover

Burst pipe at the Shaved Duck temporarily closes restaurant

Written by SARAH FENSKE

Last month, the Shaved Duck got the kind of publicity that can drive a huge bump in foot traffic: The website Mashed declared it the best of all the “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” in Missouri. From there came an onslaught of stories suggesting the Tower Grove East barbecue spot was, in fact, Guy Fieri’s Show-Me State favorite.

But the restaurant’s ability to cash in on its viral glory came to a screeching halt just a couple of weeks later. On the afternoon of December 27, at the tail end of the brutal cold snap that gripped St. Louis over Christmas, General Manager Katie Gwaltney keyed in to the Shaved Duck to find a flood.

“When I walked up to the door, I could already hear the water running,” she says. Inside, she says, “it was raining from the ceiling.” Water covered the entire bar room and dining room. Part of the ceiling in the bar area had collapsed.

Suffice it to say, the damage caused by a broken pipe means the restaurant is now closed indefinitely. Gwaltney says the place will reopen — but at this point, it’s impossible to say when. “Because of all the pipes bursting right now, we haven’t been able to get someone to come out,” she told RFT on December 30.

The mess was a blow to the restaurant’s 15 employees — during a week they would normally expect to see healthy tips and lots of hours. “This is the worst time this could happen,” Gwaltney says, noting that January is traditionally extremely slow in the restaurant industry. Late December, especially a mild week like the one that followed the Christmas cold snap, is the last chance to make bank before business craters.

Hoping to help the staff get through what could be some very lean weeks, Gwaltney has put up a GoFundMe campaign. She’s urging people to donate. “We don’t know if it’s going to be a week or a month,” she says. “We don’t want anyone on the staff to worry about eating or gas in the car.”

Despite all the uncertainty, Gwaltney is sure about one thing. “We are going to reopen,” she says. n