Short Orders

21

[CAFE]

Stay the Course

For Avenue’s Bryan Carr, pleasing diners remains “the main thing” even during COVID-19

Written by CHERYL BAEHR

When Bryan Carr describes his motivation for getting into cooking, there is one word he keeps coming back to: curiosity. A liberal arts major in college, Carr found himself unsure of what path he would take after graduation until some friends’ experiences in a professional kitchen piqued his interest. Inspired to check it out, he left Missouri for California and quickly discovered he’d found his calling.

“Back then, if you wanted to be serious about cooking, it meant going to New York or California,” Carr says. “I like the outdoors and knew I wasn’t going to have any money for a while, so I figured I’d rather be poor in California.”

Carr feels fortunate for his time in California. For ten years, he worked in restaurants in San Francisco and Napa Valley, learning everything he could about cooking by working hard and listening. Eventually, though, he felt the pull to be close to his family in Potosi, so he left the West Coast and headed to St. Louis.

Here, he worked for the St. Louis Club and a few other properties before striking out on his own. In 2002, he opened Pomme and its sister restaurant Pomme Cafe & Wine Bar in downtown Clayton, which quickly became two of the area’s most popular dining spots. However successful they were, though, he could not get over the logistics; the two restaurants were separated by another storefront, making it di cult to run them as complementary concepts. After twelve years, he decided to close the two restaurants and merge them at a new location just a few blocks away.

The result of that merger, Avenue (12 North Meramec Avenue, Clayton; 314-727-4141), has been a staple of the Clayton dining scene since it opened in 2014 — something Carr credits to his inclination to stay completely focused on what he’s doing and not worry about the “food scene” at large.

“I don’t try to ignore it, but I am just so busy and absorbed with my own thing,” Carr says. “There is this quote: ‘The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.’ Keeping that in mind at all times is very important.”

One external force Carr has been forced to reckon with over the past year is the COVID-19 pandemic. He describes himself as fortunate; not only have he and his loved ones stayed relatively healthy throughout the year, but he’s also been surrounded by a team and customer base that has been willing and able to adjust and accommodate for the challenges the virus has posed. He admits it’s been quite a change going from plating food for diners who linger over two- and three-hour meals in the restaurant to putting food boxes in trunks of cars. Still, he feels lucky that he’s been able to serve people and looks forward to continuing to do so, no matter what the other side looks like.

“Some of the changes to the experience of being in a restaurant are COVID-related, and some were already there,” Carr says. “I don’t know what this will do to dining out. Some people will continue to want to look at menus and order on their tables. Some like to look at what a restaurant is serving in advance on their phones — personally, I like being surprised and letting the story reveal itself. However, I don’t begrudge people for their preferences. One will do one thing and another will do something different. Our culture is rushing to judgment, and we also have very short memories.”

Carr took a moment to share his thoughts on the past year, his daily rituals and who the people in the restaurant business all owe a debt of gratitude.

Bryan Carr knows the industry has changed, but he’s determined to stay the course. | DIANE CARR

What is one thing not many people know about you?

I bake a lot of bread at home. I particularly enjoy baking bread outside in our kettle cooker.

What daily ritual is non-negotiable for you?

Reading newspapers. I like the quote that “journalism is the first draft of history.”

Who is your St. Louis food crush?

I admire Nobu Kidera at Nobu’s. He has been doing things the right way for a long time without making a fuss about himself.

Which ingredient is most representative of your personality?

Salt, because it is at its best when not easily noticed.

What is your after-work hangout?

Home. I like to read in bed at the end of the day.

What is the most positive thing in food, wine or cocktails that you’ve noticed in St. Louis over the past year?

The public has shown enhanced consideration for food-service workers.

Who’s the one person to watch right now in the St. Louis dining scene?

It’s not one person, but I think that immigrants are very important. I don’t know how the hospitality business will remain viable without them. n

Dream Team

Noto Italian Restaurant hopes to build on its success

Written by CHERYL BAEHR

When Josh Poletti first walked into Noto Italian Restaurant (5105 Westwood Drive, St. Peters; 636-317-1143), he was just a customer, curious to find out why everyone was making such a fuss about the wildly popular eatery. Blown away by the place, he quickly became a regular and eventually found himself staying one night until 1 a.m., talking shop with the restaurant’s co-owner, Wayne Sieve. That conversation turned into a job offer that now has him working as executive chef alongside Sieve and Sieve’s wife, Kendele Noto Sieve, to create a new menu that firmly places Noto in the conversation as one of the top Italian restaurants in the St. Louis metropolitan area.

“I came here all the time and love this place,” Poletti says. “It’s small and quaint, and what drew me here was that I get to focus on quality and finishing touches that you don’t get to do at larger restaurants. I get to make sure that every single bite is perfect.”

Poletti, a veteran chef whose resume includes Niche, the Libertine, Louie, the Smokehouse Market and Prasino, joins the Noto team fifteen months into its run. As Sieve notes, it’s a crucial point for the restaurant having gained a robust following of both St. Peters locals and those from the St. Louis side of the river, he and Kendele are eager to build upon what their guests have come to love about the place. That means offering the authentic Italian cuisine and Neapolitan pizzas that guests have come to love, while pushing diners to try something a little different, including offerings on the completely revamped menu. He believes the trust he and Kendele have gained over the last year plus will give people the confidence to try new things, even if that means leaving their comfort zones.

“People will still recognize things, but any changes we are doing are only for a better product and better quality,” Sieve says. “Things are executed at a higher level but still familiar. I think there are only three things staying on the new menu. We’re taking our number-one pasta sellers and changing them — but change is good. I wouldn’t want to be doing the same menu and executing the same pastas day in and day out. That gets boring. To keep people intrigued and excited, change is needed. It allows experimentation and education and growing. I know some people will be upset, but the vast majority will be excited because it’s only going to be better.”

Some of the new dishes Noto diners can expect include gnocchi with guanciale, white wine, tomato conservation, pesto and pecorino Romano cheese and malfada (a ribbon-shaped, wavy-edged pasta noodle) with smoked salsiccia ragu and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Poletti is also excited about doing composed salads, including a citrus salad with arugula, radicchio, blood orange, orange, grapefruit, pistachio, ricotta salata and honey vinaigrette, as well as housemade charcuterie, a craft he has honed over his many years in the kitchen.

Poletti and the Sieves are enthused about the opportunity to stop and rethink what they want Noto to be — something Sieve says happened as a result of the pandemic. As he explains, things were extremely busy pre-COVID, then came to a screeching halt, giving him and his wife a moment to take a breath and focus on what they wanted to become in terms of the big picture. Now, with Poletti on the team, they feel confident they are achieving that.

“This is our dream team,” Sieve says. “For those who think it can’t get any better, just try it.” n

New executive chef Josh Poletti’s innovations include the citrus salad. | WAYNE SIEVE

[REOPENINGS]

Bailey’s Range Reopens After Jeep Crash

Written by CHERYL BAEHR

Awhite Jeep Patriot crashed through the front window of downtown restaurant Bailey’s Range (920 Olive Street, 314-241-8121) in late April, shattering the glass and steel facade, as well as the nerves of the staff and patrons inside.

The incident happened at approximately 11:30 a.m., just after the restaurant opened for the day’s service. No one inside the restaurant was hurt; it wasn’t clear whether the driver of the Jeep was injured.

News of the crash was posted on the Bailey’s Range Facebook page that afternoon, though there was no information on the cause. The restaurant was forced to close for the remainder of the day and evening to clean up and board the windows — a tough pill to swallow considering the year of revenue loss that restaurants have had to endure due to the pandemic.

“It’s hard, especially after the past year, to have to turn business away, but we are so grateful to our amazing team and the first responders who were immediately there to help all involved,” the post reads.

Rather than dwell on the incident, however, owner Dave Bailey feels extremely fortunate that it did not result in tragedy.

“Everyone has had a hard and emotional year, so we are not about to sweat some broken metal and glass,” Bailey says. “We are so thankful no one was hurt.”

The popular burger spot reopened for normal business hours the following Sunday; Bailey credits the resiliency of his team and the first responders for making that possible.

“We are so grateful for the help from our staff that cleaned up,” Bailey says. “From the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department to the St. Louis Fire Department and St. Louis Streets Division, everyone worked so hard that we were able to reopen back up the next morning.”

Beyond the shattered glass, Bailey is hoping that the situation does not shatter the confidence of patrons who might focus on this negative event. Instead, he remains bullish on downtown and sees this as a blip in an otherwise upward trend — one he is confident will continue. “Downtown is the beating heart of this city,” Bailey says. “Vaccines at the dome, baseball back at the stadium, the Wheel, the zoo, the museums, the architecture — all of it. St. Louis is one amazing town.” n

is Jeep made a disastrous entrance at Baileys Range. | COURTESY DAVE BAILEY

Tai Davis and Grand Spirits Launch Dinner Series

Written by CHERYL BAEHR

Athrilling new dinner series celebrating the food and spirits of Mexico is bringing together four heavy hitters in the St. Louis food and beverage scene. Conexión, a celebration of agave and tacos, launches Wednesday, May 5, at Brennan’s Work & Leisure (3015 Locust Street, 314-620-3969) and will feature food from the talented Tai Davis paired with drinks from Grand Spirits, a beverage consulting company from the genius cocktail minds of Ray Edwards, Michael Fricker and Kyle Harlan.

According to Fricker, who is also the beverage director at the Gin Room, the idea for Conexión arose organically during conversations with Davis. Both share a deep respect and appreciation for regional Mexican cuisine and mused about doing something together to express that.

“He’s just an electric person and is just so authentic and real with who he is and what he wants to be,” Fricker says of Davis. “We met up one night with Ray, had drinks, made food and really connected. When Tai said he wanted to do this pop-up, we were 100 percent in. We wouldn’t do it if we didn’t have a true understanding of Mexican cuisine.”

Fricker says that this respect for Mexican food and spirits is the defining characteristic of Conexión. After spending nearly a year cooking alongside a friend’s grandmother at a taco cart in Oaxaca following culinary school, Fricker developed a passion for its culinary tradition — something Davis, too, embraced after several stints in Mexico. He emphasizes that they are eager to show their love for the food and drink in a way that showcases the rich traditions.

For Davis, the format for this expression is the taco. Conexión will explore the various regional cuisines of Mexico, all the while centering on the street-food staple. The first dinner will focus on the cuisine of Oaxaca, with each subsequent dinner (the plan is to do one per month) looking at a different region, but through the same lens. Dishes for the first dinner include a green chorizo taco with sweet potato, fried egg, tomatillo salsa and queso fresco; a fish tempura taco with pico de gallo, Mexican creama and charred lime; and beef soup with guajillo chiles and bocoles.

As for the drink component, Fricker is excited to showcase a different agave spirits maker at each event. For the inaugural dinner, he and the Grand Spirits team will be highlighting the local company Una Vida Tequila, pairing a different tequilabased cocktail with each of Davis’ dishes. Though they are still putting the finishing touches on the cocktail menu, guests can expect a banana-washed punch, Una Vida Reposada with herbal elixir and a clarified mole negroni. In addition to the dinner, there will be a tasting table and educational presentation.

“We want to educate as much as entertain,” Fricker says.

Tickets for Conexión can be purchased through Eventbrite for $75, inclusive of food and drinks. Two seatings — one at 5 p.m. and one at 7 p.m. — are available. n

Tai Davis is teaming up with Grand Sprits for a new dinner series. | MABEL SUEN