Short Orders

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SHORT ORDERS

[ST. LOUIS STANDARDS]

A Family Affair

Maplewood mainstay Michael’s Bar & Grill o ers a little something for everyone

Written by CHERYL BAEHR

In 19 9, ichael alliotakis, an immigrant from the reek island of Rhodes, sat down with his then-wife’s dad and struck a deal. Diagnosed with cancer ust a year after he took over the bar himself, alliotakis’ father-inlaw needed him to buy him out. The bar, a raucous neighborhood tavern called Nick’s ittle ebble, wasn’t necessarily the sort of place alliotakis wanted to run, but he could sense this was an opportunity he needed to accept.

“It was a rough place,” recalls atina alliotakis, ichael’s daughter and the current proprietor of ichael’s ar rill. t was a Cracker ack bo of a place, really small with pool tables — a typical Maplewood neighborhood bar, and a really rough place. ike every reek who comes to merica, he had a dream of opening a restaurant, and eventually, he got tired of the ruckus, shut down, dug out the basement with his bare hands and the help of some guys in the neighborhood, and reopened as a restaurant.

Four decades later, Michael’s ar rill has become a mainstay of the city’s dining scene, beloved for its ability to execute both classic merican comfort food and traditional reek cuisine. s atina alliotakis describes it, ichael’s is the sort of place that will serve kids the best grilled cheese they’ve ever had as their parents en oy a gorgeous rack of lamb. Known as much for its burgers and wings as it is its reek salads and moussaka, alliotakis credits the restaurant’s staying power to its ability to offer a little bit of something for everyone, a way of dining she believes is waning in

Katina Malliotakis guards her father’s legacy at Michael’s decades a er he turned a rough bar into a neighborhood pillar. | ANDY PAULISSEN

the current restaurant climate.

Considering his culinary pedigree, there’s no way that the elder alliotakis could have done things any other way. The son of a butcher, ichael loved his mother’s cooking and taught himself how to prepare her dishes. Though he had no professional e perience, he snuck his way into the reek army’s food service at the age of nineteen, telling his superiors that he was a chef so that he could make sure everyone ate good on his watch. hen they asked if anyone was a chef, he raised his hand,” his daughter says. e said he wanted to make sure he had the food situation covered. e also told them he was a tailor so he could handle the washing. e was determined to have good food and crisp, clean clothes. fter leaving the army, ichael was introduced to Katina’s mother, who had come back to reece for their arranged marriage. The two moved together to t. ouis, where Michael was immediately thrust into the restaurant business and reali ed he had a knack for the industry. e was a keen observer, picking up on what business owners did right and what they did

Not even the pandemic has been able to stop Michael’s. | ANDY PAULISSEN

wrong, and banking that knowledge in the hopes that he would one day have a place of his own. ne of his most formative obs was at the iconic cafeteria aravelli’s, where he was taken under the wing of the owners and taught everything from how to carve meat to how to run the business. ventually, ichael alliotakis took the leap and opened his own cafeteria-style restaurant in downtown t. ouis, then another concept on Cherokee treet. owever, it was ichael’s ar rill where he really staked his claim. Though he reopened as a restaurant with only a few menu items written on a small chalkboard, he found immediate success and kept building upon it. t didn’t take long for more items to appear on the menu, which was finally printed after a short while,

Regulars have kept the restaurant going all these years. | ANDY PAULISSEN

followed by an expansion of the physical space to accommodate the legions of regular diners who ocked to the taverna for a taste of his e cellent cooking. atina alliotakis has been by her dad’s side through it all, understanding that it was her duty to carry out the restaurant’s legacy as Michael’s right-hand woman — even before she was old enough to truly know what that entailed. was about twelve years old when he called me up and said he was sending a cab for me and needed me to get down to the restaurant because he needed my help,” she recalls. showed up that day and never left. e even bought the house two doors down from the restaurant, and we moved in. call this place the otel California, because no one ever leaves.

Though alliotakis describes her fate as being sealed that day she walked into the restaurant, she wouldn’t have it any other way. She admits she frequently questioned whether or not it was what she wanted for her professional life, and even tried to venture away from the industry a couple times to try out a different career. owever, all of her other endeavors were short-lived, because she knew, deep in her heart, that hospitality was her calling. alliotakis also felt a responsibility to be there for her dad and knew there was no one else who could be his go-to like she could. That reality filled her with a sense of duty that has been especially salient since 2008, when Michael suffered his first stroke and had to hand over some of the day-today operations to her. ince then, she’s been steering the ship — with her dad’s guidance, of course and has done her best to make sure the restaurant keeps going, even in the midst of the challenges the pandemic has created over the past year and a half.

“There was no way that, after 0 years, we were going out like that, alliotakis says. This is about his legacy, and I need to make sure it succeeds. The people who come in here and have supported us through this all are family and friends, and I couldn’t imagine not being here. n her mind, that’s the key the guests who come through its doors every day, some of them since the very beginning, who are willing to support Michael’s because they know they will consistently get a good meal prepared by owners who pour their hearts and souls into everything they do. ’ve always appreciated everyone who comes through the door, but I had no idea that they felt that way about us, too, alliotakis says. eople have been so supportive and thank us for being here. tell them, No, thank you.’ t’s great they feel the same way I do and that they are ust as grateful. There’s nothing better than seeing people eating and drinking and having a good time. e’re reek. The only way we know how to show our love is by feeding you. n

[FOOD NEWS]

St. Louis Wing Company Seeks Buyer

Written by CHERYL BAEHR

Bobby Tessler knew people would be upset when he let the world know that he was closing his beloved Rock Hill restaurant St. Louis Wing Company (9816 Manchester Road, Rock Hill; 314-962-9464). However, he wasn’t fully prepared for the outpouring.

“It sent a shock wave through the city,” Tessler says.

For ten years, Tessler’s wing spot has been a staple of the Rock Hill dining scene, drawing in guests for its outstanding chicken flats and drummies dressed in a wide variety of creative flavors. He’s built a loyal following — some regular customers insisting, quite seriously, that they’ve thought about getting his logo tattooed on their bodies — and has enjoyed robust business, even in the midst of the pandemic. However, as he explains, the catastrophic staffing challenges that are currently wreaking havoc on the hospitality industry were simply too much for him to bear.

“I’ve been in the restaurant business for over 25 years, and this is the worst I’ve ever seen in terms of staffing,” Tessler says. “It’s happening across industries, but it’s really affecting restaurants. You drive down any street, and all you see are ‘Now Hiring’ signs. That’s what drove me insane enough to say that I can’t do this anymore. I was having daily anxiety waking up every day and wondering what’s going to go wrong, who was going to call in, and who wasn’t going to show up. I had to choose my health over my brand.”

However, Tessler is hoping that his decision to step away from St. Louis Wing Company is not the end for the popular restaurant. In a social-media post the Friday after his closing announcement, Tessler announced that he is looking for a buyer to keep the brand alive. With the help of a broker, he’s looking to sell the St. Louis Wing Company brand, a deal that includes all furnishings and equipment, proprietary recipes, policies, procedures and checklists, and the company van. In an interview with the Riverfront Times, Tessler disclosed that he is asking $250,000 for the sale — a number he understands may seem like a lot to invest, but that he feels is actually quite reasonable considering how well the restaurant is doing and its potential to expand.

“If somebody came in fresh with enthusiasm, and they could find a good staff, it’s worth well more than that,” Tessler says. “If it gets into the hands of the right people, you could put it all over St. Louis.”

Tessler insists he is not looking to sell to just anyone, though. The sale includes a contingency that provides for him to stay on as a consultant to help train the new owners. He is particular about who he wants to take over what he considers his legacy and, though he is eager to sell, he is looking for buyers who share his enthusiasm for the brand.

In the meantime, Tessler is grateful for all of the support he has received over the years and is trying to take things day by day.

“I sound chipper and cheerful, but it’s pretty depressing knowing that I conceptualized something on my couch eleven years ago, made it happen and now this,” Tessler says. “My emotions are all over the place, so it would be great if someone could come in, step up and sell some chicken wings. I’d love to show them how to do it.” n

St. Louis Wing Company is seeking a second chance with a new owner. | KHOLOOD EID

Nadine’s Gin Joint Has Closed

Written by CHERYL BAEHR

Abeloved Soulard watering hole is the latest casualty of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nadine’s Gin Joint (1931 South 12th Street, 314-436-3045), the two-decades-old gathering spot, served its last guests on August 29.

Nadine Soaib, who has owned the tavern for 1 years, confirmed the news, citing staffing shortages and associated revenue decline as the reasons for the closure.

“Personally, I spent too much time in the kitchen and was closed half of the hours I should’ve been open, because ust couldn’t find cooks,” Soaib says. “My restaurant is open six days a week, and it was just me and one other cook

Pour one out for Nadine’s Gin Joint. | JAIME LEES

Wednesday, Thursday and Friday night, and Saturday and Sunday for breakfast. That means the kitchen was only open about 50 percent of the time it could be open, which affected sales. It also affected the income of the servers and bartenders, who graciously didn’t abandon me, even after they knew we were closing. I’m so grateful to them and to customers, but ultimately, the lack of food affected the bottom line.”

oaib’s situation re ects a crisis that has plagued the hospitality industry since restaurants and bars began to reopen last year after temporary, pandemicinduced closures. Establishments across the spectrum — from elegant fine-dining restaurants to fast-casual spots to neighborhood bars have all struggled to fill their ranks to meet demand from eager guests, turning to increased wages and hiring bonuses to entice would-be workers.

For Soaib, there was simply no way to hang on any longer, despite her loyal front-of-house staff and customer base.

“I have people who came here for our last night— Customer Appreciation Night — on Sunday, and they were teary-eyed,” Soaib says. “Everyone had a story, and they all told me things like this was their safe place to come and have a drink or read a book. You just never know what a place means to people.”

Despite the closure, Soaib remains upbeat about her situation. Because she owns Nadine’s building, she has been able to lease it out to a forthcoming establishment. The arrangement allows her a little bit of time to figure out her next move — one that will hopefully not take this veteran Soulard bartender too far from her old place.

“I’m not sure what I am going to do yet, but I have an idea for a smaller-scale, breakfast-only restaurant,” Soaib says. “Only time will tell, but I feel so fortunate that I own the building and have been able to lease it out. There are a lot of people out there who don’t have that, and it’s heartbreaking to me. I feel so fortunate.” n