CAFE Simple Joys

Ivy Cafe offers fresh, soulful food — and an amazing sourdough loaf — in downtown Clayton

Written by CHERYL BAEHR

Ivy Cafe

14 North Meramec Avenue, Clayton; 314776-9377. Sun. 9 a.m.-3 p.m.; Mon.-Thurs. 7 a.m.-3 p.m.; Fri. 7 a.m.-3 p.m. and 5-10 p.m.; Sat. 8 a.m.-3 p.m. and 5-10 p.m.

If you’re at Ivy Cafe on a weekday, sometime in the two o’clock hour, there’s a good chance you’ll bear witness to the revelation upon which the restaurant is based. That’s roughly the time when co-owner Julie Keane pulls her sourdough from the oven — something you’ll know is happening by the way the intoxicating aroma scents the air. For quality control purposes, of course, Keane often pulls one of the loaves for herself, cracking it open with her hands and then placing in it a good-sized cube of unsalted butter that slowly melts, soaking into every nook and cranny so that the interior glistens.

Should you be in this right place at the right time, chances are pretty good that Keane will offer you half of the loaf, which will give you a closer view and make the experience even more multi-sensory. You will feel the rustic golden exterior, hear it crackle when pulled apart and see the warm steam that rises from the inside. You’ll smell the delightfully nutty, slightly sweet perfume of the naturally fermented dough, see the creamy butter gild the layers, then taste the rich, mildly tangy masterpiece that is her handiwork.

Most importantly, however, you’ll understand why Ivy Cafe is a delightful — if not essential — addition to the Clayton dining landscape.

If Ivy Cafe is built upon this solid, sourdough foundation, the idea for the charming eatery was built upon Keane’s passion for fresh, soulful food. A former medical device salesperson, Keane found herself regularly traveling to the West Coast, where she fell in love with its food culture, most notably the bread and shockingly fresh ingredients she would encounter even at the most low-key spots. When she’d return from the road, Keane would play around in her own kitchen, working out recipes and perfecting dishes to share with her family and friends.

One of those friends was Ashley Morrison, who has co-owned the

St. Charles tapas restaurant Bella Vino for the past decade. The two had often casually talked about opening a restaurant together, and as Keane got more serious about her cooking, those talks, too, became more serious. The pair understood that the Clayton area needed a reasonably priced yet elevated cafe-style spot and, after finding and then losing another location, they settled on the upstairs part of the former Miso on Meramec storefront and opened Ivy Cafe last July.

The smell of baking bread, when present, might be the most notable feature of Ivy Cafe’s atmosphere. However, it is rivaled by the setting itself. The small restaurant is positively stunning, outfitted in a botanical motif that includes a sparkling, hand-glazed emerald-green tile wall; another wooden-planter wall with a small overhang interspersed with hanging plants and vines; gilded flatware and rustic, earth-tone ceramic plates and mugs that Keane made herself. Keane and Morrison are also proud of the cafe’s commitment to supporting local artists, so you will see anything from paintings to sculptures to books and table adornments, which give the restaurant a whimsical flair.

That feeling carries through to the food. The heart of Ivy’s menu is its tartines, served atop Keane’s outstanding sourdough. Though the bread is magnificent on its own, it offers a stunning canvas for Keane’s culinary creativity on tartines such as the Brentwood, which features luscious herbed ricotta topped with vibrant tomatoes that have been fire-roasted to the point just before they pop. The juice from these local greenhouseraised jewels counters the rich ricotta and soaks into the bread for an experience that is surprisingly complex considering how few ingredients it contains.

Ivy’s other tomato tartine, the Pershing, is equally outstanding. Akin to a caprese, this version features thick slices of fresh mozzarella, local tomatoes and fresh basil. The elevating component, though, is the truffle glaze, a powerful nectar of truffled balsamic vinegar. Often overpowering, here the truffle is tamped down by the sweet vinegar, leaving behind a gentle earthiness that combines beautifully with the pungent balsamic.

Keane further shows her adeptness with putting together such counter flavors on the Linden tartine. Here, plump hunks of marinated steak are placed atop the sourdough alongside blueberries and funky blue cheese. A sweet fig glaze finishes this delectable dish. The Buckingham, a play on avocado toast, is equally compelling thanks to pops of pomegranate seeds, fresh dill and a drizzle of honey. Our server smartly advised us to add an over-easy egg to the toast; the molten yolk transformed an already-delicious dish into a luxurious affair.

There is much more to Ivy than tartines, though. A gorgeous shrimp salad pairs the shellfish with tender greens, pomegranate, sunflower seeds and goat cheese, which is dressed in a wellbalanced honey-lime vinaigrette. Keane’s quiche, too, is worth the visit. The Lorraine features a custard-like filling flecked with bacon and onions, though the highlight of the dish is the crust — so nutty and rustic, it evokes the perfect pie crust your grandma made. The dish that may put Ivy on the map, though, is the French toast.

Using her sourdough as a base, Keane soaks the bread in coconut milk, then griddles it off so that it forms a sweet, pound-cake-like slice that is balanced with a hint of bitterness from the crust’s toasty edges. It’s rustic and decadent at the same time.

Still, you’ll be just as happy if you walk into Ivy Cafe and order a simple platter of fresh sourdough with butter and housemade preserves. On our visit, the latter was mixed berry, a tart concoction that had the ideal texture — not liquidy but not so thick, so it was able to soak into the tiny holes throughout the bread’s interior. Sipping a smoked salted honey latte and noshing on such a pure pleasure, you’re reminded of how much joy a simple piece of bread can bring — especially when it comes from hands as talented as Keane’s. n