Short Orders

20

SHORT ORDERS

[ST. LOUIS STANDARDS]

Every Dog Has Its Day

With more than a million wieners sold, Woofie’s is a nostalgic Overland institution

Written by CHERYL BAEHR

When Mary O’Leary wants to explain what her iconic hot dog shop Woofie’s means to people, her thoughts immediately go to her longtime customer, Pete. According to O’Leary, Pete has been coming in every day since the first owner Charlie isen was in charge; considering he sold the place in the late 1990s, O’Leary thinks that’s quite a commitment.

“When I think of why we’ve stood the test of time, I think of Pete, who’s been coming here since Charlie owned it,” O’Leary says. “He’s there every day between 3:15 and 3:45 [p.m.] unless he’s out of town, and he gets the same hot dog every single day. We’re all like, ‘Pete’s coming’ when we see him come around the corner so we can make sure to have his meal ready for him.”

O’Leary understands that the legions of fiercely loyal customers like ete come to Woofie’s for more than the delicious Vienna beef hot dogs. Since the 1950s, the Overland spot has been a mainstay for people seeking casual soda shop fare first as the diner Hamburger Heaven, and eventually as Woofie’s when isen took over in 1976. That such a place still exists in essentially the same form since its inception — its only real updates were a good cleaning and a fresh coat of paint when O’Leary and her husband, Craig Smith, took over the place in 2008 — is a testament to its nostalgic pull. From the quintessential blue and orange Vienna beef brand colors that give the space its vintage hot dog shop look to the dogs themselves Woofie’s has remained the same over the years, offering a consistent thread to the past that makes the place feel like a time capsule.

O’Leary would never think of changing that. As much a steward of the restaurant as its manager, she fell into the business thanks to her husband and has felt a re-

Woolfie’s die-hard fans come from as far away as other states and as close as a few blocks. | ANDY PAULISSEN

Woolfie’s has sold more than a million of these. You can trust them. | ANDY PAULISSEN

Mary O’Leary has grown to love Woolfie’s because of it customers. | ANDY PAULISSEN

sponsibility to keep its identity intact ever since, even if she wasn’t so keen on the spot in the first place. After all, Smith bought it on a whim, after a lunch conversation with the former owner, a man she knows only by the first name Paul. According to O’Leary, Paul expressed to her husband that he had lost interest in operating Woofie’s after his wife’s death and he was looking for someone to buy him out. Without giving it another thought, Smith volunteered.

“He came home and told me that he bought Woofie’s ’ eary recalls. “I asked him, ‘What’s Woofie’s ’ e told me that it was a hot dog place, and he was sur-

Woolfie’s still has that old-time feel. | ANDY PAULISSEN

prised that I’d never been there. We went out there to look at it on a January afternoon, and I was not impressed. I always wanted to own a place like a diner, where kids would come after school and do their homework, and here get Woofie’s. remember telling him the first thing we have to do is clean the place up.”

If O’Leary was apprehensive about taking over Woofie’s at first she had a change of heart in no time. Though she still retained her full-time job managing T for a law firm she dove head first into the restaurant business, relishing her interactions with the customers who animated the place. From local celebrities whose faces are plastered on the walls in old photographs to people like Pete who come in every day, O’Leary has enjoyed becoming a part of her customers’ lives — even those who live far away.

“I was running a Fourth of July special one year, and I had a woman from Georgia call and ask if she could get the same deal the next time she came into town,” O’Leary says. “I told her, ‘Of course.’ I have people message me from all over the country. We also have one woman who would drive in every Saturday from Ste. Genevieve and get ten dogs, double-wrapped. People come from all over.”

Though she understands that Woofie’s nostalgia is a big part of the draw, O’Leary knows that the restaurant wouldn’t be what it is without the quality of its food. The restaurant uses only the authentic Vienna dogs, brought in straight from Chicago, and cooks them to order; she’s emphatic that the restaurant only drops the dogs on the flattop the moment a customer walks in the door. O’Leary also notes that the restaurant steams the buns rather than heating them in the microwave like other places, and that she insists on using only ultra-fresh toppings. Nothing sits on the line, and if it doesn’t look good enough to her discerning eye, she won’t serve it.

Now dedicated to operating Woofie’s full time after retiring from her law firm job in ecember 2019, O’Leary feels like she is in a good flow with her team. She makes it a point to be at the restaurant and interact with her guests as much as possible, because she wants them to feel a real connection to the place; plus, it allows her to animate the restaurant with her self-described big personality. Having sold its millionth hot dog last January, it’s clear that this approach is working out just fine.

“I think with all of our personalities — and being kind of crazy — things just flow the way they are supposed to flow ’ eary says. “You just do fun things with customers and have fun, and that’s what makes Woofie’s Woofie’s. don’t know what made it what it was years ago, but that’s what it is today, and I haven’t had anyone leave disappointed.” n

Ben Welch is bringing his barbecue magic to Six Mile Bridge. | MABEL SUEN

[FOOD NEWS]

Ben Welch Joins Six Mile Bridge as Executive Chef

Written by CHERYL BAEHR

The air around Maryland eights will again be filled with the smell of sweet smoke thanks to Ben Welch. The acclaimed chef and pitmaster has joined Six Mile Bridge (11841 Dorsett Road, Maryland Heights; 314-942-2211) as executive chef, bringing his barbecue, Southern food and more to the brewery’s taproom.

Six Mile Bridge owners Ryan and Lindsay Sherring announced the news in a press release last week, noting a long-standing relationship with Welch since his days at his former smokehouse, Big Baby Q, which was open from 2016 to 2018. Because the smokehouse was located just minutes from Six Mile Bridge, the Sherrings got to know Welch and, like many in the St. Louis area, developed an appreciation for his barbecue prowess. When the opportunity arose for him to bring that smoked meat magic to Six Mile Bridge, they jumped at it.

“We first met en when he opened Big Baby Q just up the road from SMB [Six Mile Bridge] and couldn’t get enough of his food,” Ryan Sherring says in thepress release announcing Welch’s new gig. “He is an incredibly talented chef, and [we] could not be more proud to have him on the team. This is just the start of exciting projects to come.”

Welch’s new role with Six Mile ridge will be the first regular chance his many fans have had to experience his food since his departure from the Midwestern Meat + Drink last year. There, Welch built upon his success at Big Baby Q with a menu of both barbecue = and Southern inflected fare and he even went on to start a spice brand, Big Baby Spice Co., which launched in late 2019.

Though Welch is known for his barbecue, the menu he’s created (in conjunction with Six Mile Bridge’s Stephen Kovac) is less smoked meats-heavy and more elevated bar food. His famous corned beef will be featured prominently on a new corned beef Reuben; other dishes include a Nashville chicken sandwich, a double smash cheeseburger, beerbattered cod and flash fried russels sprouts. You can view the new menu in its entirety on Six Mile Bridge’s Facebook page. n

Chalk It Up

e Drawing Board brings Creole-inspired small plates to Tower Grove South

Written by HOLDEN HINDES

Fans of Ryder’s Tavern have a new spot in Tower Grove South for dining, drinking and games, courtesy of co-owners Matt and Paul Wamser and chef Alexa Camp. Their two-month-old bar and restaurant, the Drawing Board, promises to build upon the success of its former occupant with a creative and approachable menu, expanded beverage list, bar games, trivia and more.

The Drawing Board, which opened June 1 in the former Ryder’s Tavern, lives up to its name with chalkboards serving as menus and as entertainment for guests. Patrons scrawl personal messages, pictures of birds and, most consistently, a friend of Camp colors in large, detailed dinosaurs. Camp says that anything erased from the chalkboards will live on in small Polaroids hung on the walls.

There are more than just chalkboards in the old Ryder’s Tavern, though. Free darts and pool, live music on weekends and a spacious dog-friendly back patio keep guests entertained. Camp hopes a trivia night will be coming soon.

Perhaps the biggest change to the space is the food. Unlike the former occupant, the Drawing Board hopes to become known as much as a place to grab a good meal as it is a drinking establishment. The menu is the first that Camp, a former sous chef at Urban Chestnut, has built herself. Though the smash burger lives on from Ryder’s, the rest is new.

“Small-plate things and Creole are my biggest draws,” Camp says. “I wanted it to be things that people will enjoy but maybe aren’t things they would normally see on a menu in a south city bar.” Camp recommends the Medart-style (fully dressed) smash burger, the falafel sliders and the flatbread which has a rotating selection of available meat and vegetables.

“The veggie selection right now is a chile and roasted garlic Brussels sprout that’s topped with a little bit of lemon, and I’m obsessed with it,” Camp says. She is also passionate about pickling seasonal vegetables, a skill she brings from her time at Urban Chestnut. “Right now, we’ve got pickled green beans and carrots that are in a kind of Bloody Mary style, so they’re a little spicy with a little cayenne in them, but also vinegary, and rounded out with a really nice amount of oregano, so it’s savory but has a little tang at the back of it.” grilled cheese fills out the menu, featuring garlic herb goat cheese, white cheddar and the option to “make it fancy” with the addition of mushrooms, apple butter, and/or bacon. For dessert, “Gooey Babies” are a tiny take on a St. Louis classic.

Camp was brought on to the Drawing Board by co-owner Matt Wamser, who she became friends with while working together at Urban Chestnut. He admired her cooking, so when he was looking for someone to lead the kitchen at his new spot, he reached out. Camp shares that he has been encouraging throughout the process of creating her own menu for the first time.

“It’s been really, really fun with Matt,” Camp says. “He’s been so supportive and so open to letting me try a lot of different things. I’ve always liked to play with food, it’s one of the most gratifying things for me. I’ve always loved to cook… I enjoy the risk and reward of putting yourself out there in a way you’ve never been able to before. I’m really grateful that it’s been received as it has.”

Another upgrade from Ryder’s is the tap tower, which offers six local beers. Additional beer options are available in bottles and cans, and the bar boasts a deep and growing selection of whiskeys. A cocktail menu is in development.

Matt’s brother and co-owner, Paul, owned the space when it was Ryder’s Tavern. The COVID-19 pandemic spurred the decision to close Ryder’s and renovate the space into something that Camp describes as having a similar feel, but a little bit more elevated and welcoming. They’ve opened up windows to let in more light and refurbished the bathrooms and patio, with still more renovations planned for the future. While Ryder’s Tavern was mainly a place to drink and play games, the three are hoping that the Drawing Board will be known as a place to eat from a creative but approachable menu, to scribble on chalkboards and hopefully to hang out with some dogs on the patio.

The Drawing Board is open from 4 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 4 p.m. to midnight on Sundays. n

Chef Alexa Camp hopes to surprise patrons with e Drawing Board’s menu. | ALEXA CAMP

[REOPENINGS]

Brennan’s Has Finally Reopened (Again)

Written by JAIME LEES

St. Louis’ favorite Central West End bar is finally fully open for business again.

While every restaurant and bar in St. Louis has had to work hard to stay alive during the pandemic, Brennan’s (316 North Euclid Avenue, 314-497-4449) has pushed through all of that and more to open its doors after multiple crises.

At the end of 2020, a fire broke out at the location on North Euclid Avenue. The restaurant had just moved from its longtime home on Maryland Avenue, so the fire not only devastated the space but also crushed the plans of Brennan’s fans who were hoping to give the new spot a warm welcome.

None of these setbacks deterred the gang at Brennan’s, though. The company birthed a new side business, BoozeAndSnacks.com, during the pandemic that serves customers those tasty essentials that also serve as emotional support.

And now the “new” Brennan’s on North Euclid is ready to bring customers indoors again. After seven months of fire restoration, a couple of months of serving drinks outside on the sidewalk and a heck of a lot of resilience exercised, Brennan’s is now open and serving up food and drinks.

Starting now, it’s open seven days a week. Monday through Saturday, Brennan’s is open from 3 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. and on Sundays it’s open from 3 p.m. to midnight.

Keep an eye on the Brennan’s Facebook page for the latest information. n

e bar at Brennan’s has always had a huge selection of spirits. | R.J. HARTBECK