January 2017

o n e s

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w a t c h

T R E N D I N G

REVIEW

KUNG PAO EVERYTHING

YO L K LO R E

WINES

P. 17

P. 27

N O W

P. 15 ST. LOUIS’ INDEPENDENT CULINARY AUTHORITY

January 2017

KING OF

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ST. LOUIS’ FIRST C A T

C A F E P. 46

FREE, JANUARY 2017

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J A N U A R Y 2 017 • VO LUM E 17, ISSU E 1 What trend do you hope dies in 2017?

PUBLISHER ART DIRECTOR MANAGING EDITOR MANAGING EDITOR, DIGITAL ASSOCIATE EDITOR EDIBLE WEEKEND EDITOR PROOFREADER PRODUCTION DESIGNER CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATOR CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Culinary pontification. I don’t need a complimentary side of moral superiority.

For me, it’s just as immoral to burn a steak as it is to eat factory farm beef.

FACT CHECKER ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE ADVERTISING ACCOUNTS COORDINATOR EVENTS COORDINATOR LISTINGS EDITOR INTERNS

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Our reviewers are never provided with complimentary food or drinks from the restaurants in exchange for favorable reviews, nor are their identities as reviewers made known during their visits.

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St. Louis, MO 63103 January 2017

contents JANUARY 2017 editors' picks

28

EFFICIENT KITCHEN Magic tomato sauce

by kellie hynes

9

EAT THIS Grilled chicken sandwich at Square One Brewery

by catherine klene

31

MAKE THIS Savory granola

by dee ryan

baked goods at yolklore, p. 17

11

HIT LIST

LAST COURSE

7 places to try this month

by heather hughes, catherine klene, tiffany leong and meera nagarajan

44

STUFF TO DO by catherine klene

REVIEWS

46

WHAT I DO 17

NEW AND NOTABLE Yolklore

Dana Huth and Ben Triola of Mauhaus

by heather hughes and kevin korinek

by michael renner 20

Features

Egg

32

LUNCH RUSH by andrew barrett

ONES TO WATCH

23

Food and drink pros with promise

NIGHTLIFE Louie’s Wine Dive

by matt berkley

by julie cohen, catherine klene, heather hughes, michael renner and kristin schultz

dine & drink 25

COVER DETAILS

A SEAT AT THE BAR

PHOTO BY JONATHAN GAYMAN

Four experts tell us what to sip, stir and shake

by glenn bardgett, katie herrera and ted and jamie kilgore 27

ELIXIR King of Wines

by sean netzer

January 2017

Tune in to St. Louis Public Radio KWMU 90.7 FM this month for Sound Bites, when Blood & Sand’s Zac Adcox, a member of Ones to Watch class of 2017, joins art director Meera Nagarajan to talk about his passion for wine.

ONES TO WATCH Meet the Sauce Ones to Watch class of 2017 on p. 32. Clockwise from top left, Elijah Barnes, Sam Witherspoon, Troy Bedik, Zac Adcox, Jake Sciales, Alex Pille and Jen Epley PHOTOS BY CARMEN TROESSER

CORRECTION: In the December 2016 issue, we incorrectly spelled Vista Ramen on p. 32.

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editors' picks

EAT THIS

Chicken sandwiches are a dime a dozen, but the unassuming GRILLED CHICKEN SANDWICH at SQUARE ONE BREWERY is a diamond in the rough. A juicy, tender charred cutlet is draped in smoked white cheddar and topped with scallions and crispy bacon, served on a sturdy yet yielding ciabatta bun. But the crown jewel is the PHOTO BY CARMEN TROESSER

pungent, creamy swath of house honey mustard sauce, which takes this chicken sandwich to the next level.

SQUARE ONE BREWERY AND DISTILLERY, 1727 PARK AVE., ST. LOUIS, 314.231.2537, SQUAREONEBREWERY.COM

January 2017

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hit list

7 new places to try this month

lemon gem owner beth styles

LEMON GEM KITCHEN GOODS

PHOTO BY MICHELLE VOLANSKY

The Grove’s new kitchen shop has the hardware you need to whip up a fabulous meal and the Instagram-able tableware you want to present it on. Located in the former home of Rise Coffee, owner Beth Styles stocks basics like Cuisinart pots and Victorinox knives, as well as collectible jadeite cake stands and Missouri oak rolling pins from woodworker Collin Garrity. Head upstairs to peruse Lemon Gem’s cookbook nook for inspiration, then head home to make your kitchen as Pinterest-worthy as the shop you bought it in.

4180 Manchester Ave., St. Louis, 314.696.2744, lemongem.com

January 2017

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1 There’s not much to 2nd Shift Brewing’s new tasting room on The Hill: It’s basically a warehouse with some tables and cute orange chairs, separated from the brewing equipment by a rack of barrels. But it’s all you need to enjoy some of the best beer in the city. Right now, there are only a handful of 2nd Shift beers available on draft, alongside guest taps from like-minded locals like Side Project Brewing and Perennial Artisan Ales, and some classic pours like Oskar Blues Pinner Throwback IPA. Look for a fruited variant of 2nd Shift Katy for a sweet twist on the tart and effervescent original Brett beer, or peruse the longer list of bottles available. Until kitchen construction is complete, food is only offered on weekends, catered by Mission Taco’s Tilford Restaurant Group.

2ND SHIFT BREWING

1. from left, 2nd shift crew mikey manning, jake senn, co-owners libby crider and brewer steve crider, becca senn and mike sweeney

2. beers at 2nd shift brewing 3. beers at gezellig tap house & bottleshop

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The Grove’s newest beer destination is named for the Dutch word gezellig, meaning a cozy, convivial environment or a sense of togetherness among loved ones. It’s a spirit owner Brandon Cavanagh hopes patrons feel as they settle in at the bar with friends and enjoy a beer from the 28-tap list displayed on two large TVs. Look for seasonal and special releases like 4 Hands Brewing Co. Bonafide or Stone Brewing Xocoveza Mocha Stout, available in full or 5-ounce pours. Or head to the wall of refrigerated bottles and cans and choose from hundreds of options from here to Belgium. Nonbeer fans can enjoy bottled classic cocktails like Negronis or gin martinis, as well as straight spirit pours served neat or on the rocks. Rather gezellig at home? Grab bottled brews to go for 20 percent off the list price.

GEZELLIG TAP HOUSE & BOTTLESHOP

4191 Manchester Ave., St. Louis, 314.833.5532, gezelligstl.com

8148 Olive Blvd., University City, 314.738.9923

Thanks to Urban Chestnut Brewing Co.’s new consumer research bar and pilot brewery, anyone 21 or older can be a beer critic. Open daily, The Urban Research Brewery (or U.R.B.) offers tastings Wednesday through Saturday evenings, and $1 gets you a flight with up to four 2-ounce pours of experimental beers as long as you provide feedback online. Order a slice or two of New York-style pizza while you judge. Try the sunchoke pizza with jalapenos and Frank’s Hot Sauce for an extra kick, or go traditional with the house-made sausage and mushroom pie. The crust’s sourdough-like tang cuts through the rich cheese to add a boost you didn’t know you wanted.

THE U.R.B.

4501 Manchester Ave., St. Louis, 314.222.0143, urbanchestnut.com

January 2017

PHOTOS BY MICHELLE VOLANSKY

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1601 Sublette Ave., St. Louis, 314.669.9013, 2ndshiftbrewing.com

Cate Zone offers the warm, comforting dishes we’re craving right now. English translations of the Chinese menu are enigmatic, but offer rich payoff despite a lack of description of the Dongbei regional cuisine. Slice Beef Onion with Special Sauce appears with thin curls of sliced beef and onions in a dark, intensely savory sauce that is definitely special.

Served over sticky rice, the dish comes with the unexpected bonus of a sunny egg. Those looking for something more familiar will be delighted by the sweet and sour pork, which is tender under a crunchy crust in a pool of gloriously sticky sauce. Or try the head-on, in-shell Sichuan spicy shrimp, which practically float with the lightness and addictive crunch of a chip.

CATE ZONE CHINESE CAFE

4

The new Southampton restaurant offers a wide array of Indian and Nepalese specialties from skewered meats cooked in tandoor ovens to biryani rice dishes. Start with an order of fried Himalayan Chicken Momo, sturdy dumplings filled with spiced ground chicken and served with a delectable tomato-sesame dipping sauce.

Chunks of tender lamb swim in a rich curry sauce in the lamb rogan josh, or opt for the saag paneer, with chunks of the house-made Indian cheese in a thick spinach cream sauce. Whatever you choose, be sure to order plenty of thick, soft naan to sop up every drop.

HIMALAYAN YETI

PHOTOS BY MICHELLE VOLANSKY

5 You’re going to need a INTOXICOLOGY bigger bar cart after a visit to Intoxicology.

The cocktail supply store aims to be a one-stop shop for the home bartender, offering artisan sprits, liqueurs, shrubs, barware, recipe books and more. We were particularly impressed by Intoxicology’s bitters selection: 60 varieties from classic Angostura and Peychaud’s to peppercorn-bacon, cherry-cedar and chile-chicory. Step up to the bar to sample the shop’s latest acquisitions, then stock up with everything you need to tend bar at home – right down to the Boston shaker and delicate vintage coupes.

4321 Manchester Ave., St. Louis, 314.833.3088, Facebook: Intoxicology STL

January 2017

3515 S. Kingshighway Blvd., St. Louis, 314.354.8338, himalayanyetistlouis.com

4. vintage glassware and bar supplies at intoxicology 5. intoxicology

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A look at what’s on the plate, in the glass and atop our wish list right now

BY HEATHER HUGHES, CATHERINE KLENE, TIFFANY LEONG AND MEERA NAGARAJAN

Taste the magic

LIGHTNING IN A CUP

Magic Shell is making appearances outside grandma’s sundae bar these days. We noticed it with caramelized honey and honeycomb candy on soft serve at The Honey Paw in Portland, Maine, and over caramel corn and vanilla malted milk balls at Girl & the Goat in Chicago. But Peacemaker Lobster & Crab Co. has offered the topping on soft serve since it opened in 2014, and our favorite matcha-chocolate cookie gelato pop from Porano this summer was dipped in Magic Shell. Taste’s new brownie dessert with candy cap ice cream and toffee sauce lives in a Magic Shell house, too.

Loaded with antioxidants, vitamins and a large dose of caffeine, yerba mate is a light, herbaceous tea that’s creeping its way into local spots like Sweet Art, where it’s served hot, and Comet Coffee, where it’s found in two forms: as hot tea and as a mochanut mate made with toasted mate leaves, chocolate, hazelnut and marigold flowers for a sweet treat.

Pick up some of the loose-leaf tea to brew at home from international grocers like Global Foods Market or United Provisions.

BURGER PHOTO BY MICHELLE VOLANSKY; MAGIC SHELL PHOTO COURTESY OF MATHEW RICE

MEAT LOLLIPOPS Some St. Louis chefs are frenching chicken drumettes, trimming classic wings into little meat lollipops. The trend has a confusing extra-work-for-less-meat quality, but we’ve bought jeans with holes in the knees, so we’re not here to judge. Try the lollies at Mona’s, where they’re smoked and served with a creamy giardiniera sauce and salsa verde, or at Copper Pig with a Vietnamese fish sauce caramel or a sweet chile basil sauce. Scapegoat offers a more traditional Buffalo version.

KUNG P A O T H AT

Smash and Grab St. Louisans don’t have to wait until Shake Shack opens later this year to get their griddle burger fix of thin patties smashed on a flattop. Get a taste at Reeds American Table, where two patties are smothered with Swiss cheese and tallow aioli, or head to Olive & Oak in Webster Groves, where the kitchen keeps it classic with American cheese and dill pickles.

The smashed Farmhouse Burger has been a fixture at Retreat Gastropub since it opened in October 2015, and The Dam in Tower Grove South does smashed patties – though the burgers are stacked so high with fixins, it’s hard to tell. Find griddled burgers at Brasserie, Local Chef Kitchen and Baileys’ Range, too.

The Chinese staple is popping up outside the takeout box these days at restaurants like Mission Chinese in San Francisco, which has a kung pao pastrami we hope someone in town will replicate.

Chefs at Cleveland-Heath were inspired by a celery dish at Mission’s NYC location to create a shaved raw beef and celery kung pao special for St. Louisans to enjoy last summer.

The Preston swaps in calamari for a sophisticated take on the dish, and the pop-up and future restaurant Good Fortune is crazy about kung pao. It incorporated the flavors into a bratwurst made for a collaboration with Brasserie, and made a kung pao pizza for an event with Delicious Pizza in Los Angeles.

January 2017

RISE AND SHINE

DRINKING LIKE A VEGAN

Aquafaba, aka the cloudy liquid in a can of chickpeas that usually goes down the drain, has seen new life as a vegan egg replacer in baked goods. Now it’s found its way behind the bar and into Pisco Sours at Los Angeles establishments like Birch and Gracias Madre. Small Batch pulled a similar move in its Cicer Sour with aquafaba, smoked almond Pisco and dry curacao.

Bengelina Hospitality bar manager Drew Lucido shakes it with Old Tom Gin, Becherovka and lemon juice in The Walden at Olio, while the team across the street at Nixta uses a cream whipper to add a foamy, egg-free head to the No. 3.

The Egg McMuffin will always hold a special greasy place in our hearts, but area restaurants are taking breakfast more seriously these days. Whole concepts, like Egg on Gravois Avenue and Yolklore in Crestwood, are devoted to breakfast beyond the standard flapjacks, eggs and bacon. Quick counter-service options at newly opened eateries like Sardella and The Garden on Grand mean we’re setting our weekday alarms a few minutes earlier. Even pop-up eateries are getting in on the action: Revel Kitchen chef-owner Simon Lusky and chef Adam Altnether recently hosted the breakfastthemed Waffle Nut Pop-up, serving sweet and savory waffle combos and cereal milk coffee beverages.

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reviews All Sauce reviews are conducted anonymously.

johnny ham hands from yolklore

new and notable Yolklore

BY MICHAEL RENNER // PHOTOS BY JONATHAN GAYMAN

J

udging by the recent proliferation of breakfast menus, either people are finally listening to their mothers about the most important meal of the day, or we’re witnessing the latest trend since fried chicken and striped bistro napkins. Regardless,

new and notable YOLKLORE p. 17 / lunch rush EGG p. 20 / nightlife LOUIE'S WINE DIVE p. 23 January 2017

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John Bogacki of yolklore

reviews NEW AND NOTABLE p. 2 of 3

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King Edward’s Fried Chicken and Fish sat before it moved down the street.

Outside, drivers can pick up breakfast at the drive-thru window. Inside the smartly branded room, diners order at a counter, grab coffee and utensils and take a seat at the long, stainless steel communal table running the length of the restaurant before picking up their meal at another counter. A few tables and long big dippers bar provide more at Yolklore seating.

Mary Bogacki’s experience as a pastry chef shines with daily selections of breads and pastries, seasonal cream puffs and even chocolate cake for breakfast.

for me, breakfast encompasses the optimism of the morning. At Yolklore, a quaint fastcasual breakfast-brunch spot in Crestwood, the first ray of optimism arrived in the form of the Classic Breakfast: two eggs, griddled potatoes, sausage, bacon, turkey chorizo or ham and a biscuit blanketed with sagesausage gravy.

In precious foodie speak, Yolklore is chef-driven, a term used to distinguish pedestrian, high-volume food from menus designed by chefs based on their personal styles and using purposefully sourced ingredients. That my eggs – with yolks as deep orange as the rising sun – came from

AT A GLANCE Yolklore

January 2017

Buttonwood Farms, the sausage, biscuit and gravy were made in-house, and my coffee came from new St. Louis roaster Dubuque Coffee, further dismissed equivalence with a typical diner breakfast.

The restaurant veterans behind Yolklore include John Bogacki (Old Warson Country Club, Bolyard’s Meat & Provisions); his wife, Mary Bogacki (Strange Donuts, Four Seasons); and Billy Oziransky (Four Seasons, Pi Pizzeria).

Raising more than $20,000 with a Kickstarter campaign, the trio opened their tiny box of a restaurant late last summer in the tired strip mall where

Where 8958 Watson Road, Crestwood, 314.270.8538, yolklore.com

Don’t Miss Dishes Johnny Ham Hands, Big Dippers

The three breakfast sandwiches named for each owner were more knife-and-fork affairs than hand-held edibles. The Johnny Ham Hands, with thick-cut ham, soft-fried egg and local greens spiked with spicy Devil Sauce aioli all cushioned between a cheesy sliced gougère, made other ham and egg sandwiches downright anemic in comparison. The raucous Billy the Kid put a slinger on a ciabatta bun (pork sausage patty, fried egg, cheddar cheese and a mess of meat and bean chili) while the Mary B.E.A.R. combined melty brie, apple butter, arugula, softboiled egg and tangy pickled red onion on the same bread for a tamer, more cosmopolitan wake-up call.

Desperate to sample Yolklore’s pancakes, I ordered the Lil Dippers, a child-sized version of the Big Dippers (three versus six). Every pancake house should be judged against these hotcakes: fluffy, high, crispy on the outside yet soft and yielding in the mouth, with just discernable sweetness and a hint of vanilla. My desperation was triggered by the MO Garden Greens, which I had just finished.

For some reason that made sense at the time, a salad for breakfast seemed like

Vibe Small and stylish with exceptionally quick service

a good idea. Bright, fresh, local greens mixed with pickled carrots and herbs topped with three falafel cakes and a side of lemon vinaigrette, the salad was excellent, and made even more so with the optional added goat cheese. Had I waited until after breakfast, it would have made a lovely light brunch. Note to self: Always start with pancakes.

Think of the Nest Egg as a cross between a potpie and the egg-in-a-nest your mom made by cutting out the middle of a thick slice of bread and frying an egg in it. Here, flaky biscuit dough, formed and baked into a round shell, held two softcooked eggs, crumbled bacon, cheddar cheese and a smattering of greens. Slivers of pickled red onion and bits of preserved lemon cut through the richness for a oneof-a-kind signature dish.

Entrees are reasonably priced under $10 and include a choice of fruit or crispy griddled baby Yukon Gold potatoes.

But with add-ons like smoothies, fresh juices and a pastry to share, breakfast for two can easily push $30, causing some diners to wonder why they’re eating chefdriven food out of compostable carryout containers, drinking fine coffee from paper cups and bussing their own tables, scraping food into a trashcan, careful not to accidently throw away the real flatware.

Regulars who join the Coffee Club get a ceramic Yolklore mug hanging near the order counter, which is a little nicer.

Eating those remarkable pancakes out of a waxed paperboard basket was too much like the first (and last) time I ate McDonald’s pancakes off Styrofoam.

There’s a visual and sensual pleasure involved in eating off a real plate.

Unfortunately I’m seeing this more and more in upscale, fast-casual restaurants, especially breakfast and lunch operations.

But to be perfectly honest, I’d eat those hotcakes off the stainless steel table if that’s how they came.

Entree Prices $8 to $9.50

When Mon. to Fri. – 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Sat. and Sun. – 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

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reviews LUNCH RUSH

Lunch Rush EGG

BY ANDREW BARRETT | PHOTOS BY JONATHAN GAYMAN

Egg nests in the former Spare No Rib space on Gravois Avenue and is run by some of the same exceedingly cordial staff. The breakfast and lunch menu lays out classics that will go over easy even with finicky eaters, but has enough fresh takes to keep things interesting.

with salty pork belly and creamy hollandaise. It actually improved the texture of the dish, overcoming the biggest challenge of a classic Benedict: cutting the muffin.

CHAKCHOUKA If you name a restaurant Egg, then you better know how to cook one. On my visits, every egg came out cracking good.

The restaurant’s mastery of its namesake is most evident in the chakchouka. Two are baked atop a tomato, bell pepper and carne asada stew until the whites are completely set but the yolks can still let loose.

Even the vegetarian version of this dish brimmed with savory flavor, sans asada. It warmed and satisfied without feeling too heavy.

CORNBREAD BENEDICTS I was skeptical of cornbread replacing the English muffin in my eggs Benedict, fearing it might end up too sweet. One bite dispelled those concerns. The sweet and crusty cornbread sang in harmony

BBQ CHICKEN WRAP Simply labeled “BBQ Chicken Wrap” on the menu, you’d be forgiven for skipping this unassuming gem. But the spicy, North Carolina-style barbecue sauce dripping down roasted hunks of chicken, crisp romaine and avocado in a crunchy, grilled tortilla made for the best diner wrap I’ve ever had. It shouldn’t be as good as it is, but names can be deceiving. eat comfortably with my hands.

But it was so worth it. Other restaurants take note: this is how to do a breakfast taco. Two would make a full meal.

BREAKFAST TACO I thought I’d round out my meal just a little with a chorizo and queso taco. What a mistake. Teeming with meat, cheese and egg, it was too big to

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EL CERDO The El Cerdo hash features some of the best cooked home fries I’ve ever had. Seasoned just so and mixed with carnitas, spinach and jalapenos, this well-rounded dish proved Egg’s chops as the brunch to beat. If you’re too full for the hash, get the potatoes as a side.

HOT ESPRESSO MARTINI This isn’t the kind of drink I

expected to endorse, but here we are. If you’re on a lunch that’s more pleasure than business, this stirred mix of a double espresso with hazelnut-coffee liqueur and vodka is sure to get you pleasantly scrambled.

THE DOWNSIDE Service can take a while, which is not ideal for a workday lunch, but preferable since it means your meal is cooked to order. The space is still festooned with Spare No Rib livery and still gives off that barbecue joint vibe. Not a big deal, but confusing if you don’t know the ownership connection.

Egg 2200 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314.202.8244, breakfastcamefirst.com January 2017

CHAKCHOUKA AT EGG

January 2017

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nightlife

reviews

Louie’s Wine Dive

NIGHTLIFE

BY MATT BERKLEY | PHOTOS BY DAVE MOORE

to imagine a better drink with which to start your night. Another enjoyable and unusual pick was the Trip to Jalisco, a warm weather margarita-type drink that deftly balanced pineapple with agave, cilantro, lime, serrano Louie’s Wine Dive tequila and a dusting of 16 S. Bemiston Ave., guajillo pepper salt. Bold Clayton, 314.875.9373, and fun, with each sip louieswinedive.com I mentally slipped into the sand of an imaginary tropical beach.

Happy Hour The regular afternoon and late-night happy hour deals are a steal.

Generous pours of house wines are served for $5, along with $4 local beers and a handful of small plates that eat like a meal for $4 to $7. Standouts include the simple and satisfying crispy Margherita flatbread and the plump, deep-fried calamari served with an unusual, scrumptiously sweet serrano pepper sauce. The charcuterie and cheese plate is likewise fantastic to go along with a few glasses of wine. There are larger plates like the classic comfort food fish and chips and a filling pork gnocchi available for the hungry.

D

espite the name, the meticulously modern decor and well-curated menu belie any claim that Louie’s Wine Dive in Clayton isn’t fancy. You wouldn’t know it to look at the place, which is hardly cookie-cutter, but Louie’s is a franchise with eight locations. And it’s fancy, all right – charming, even, and has a lot more to offer than just good looks.

The Wine There’s no shortage of delectable and affordable wines here.

The wide-ranging selection of bottles hovers around $40 to $50. There isn’t a cheat sheet of descriptions, but the bartenders and wait staff are a big help in navigating the wine list, which straddles the line between entirely accessible and downright daunting, depending on how much you know

January 2017

about wine. I like big bold reds, and I quickly found the beautiful Il Bruciato blend for $16 a glass. Though worth it, this was definitely higher end. Most by-the-glass options come in around $8 to $12, and there are about 50 available for those who don’t want to commit to a whole bottle. Even better, any bottle can be tried by-the-glass if you buy two glasses. The remains are then listed on the oversized wine board, making for an even better list.

The Cocktails Louie’s is a wine bar, sure, but the cocktails alone are worth a return trip. The most enjoyable signature drink was the Clayton Cocktail, a slightly sweeter take on the Manhattan using lavender- and vanilla-infused Dolin Blanc vermouth to cut the crispness of Bulleit rye whiskey. It’s hard

The Scene The primped-up crowd is typical to downtown Clayton. See-and-be-seen types clad in suits or expensive casualwear abound. Expect to come across date-night couples, young professionals, middle-aged friends meeting up for a low-key drink, and at least a few plunging necklines. This place is jazz, not hard rock. On my first visit, a waiter copped an attitude of annoyance, but overall it’s a tight ship. Service is usually efficient and fast.

The Look A massive overhaul of the space stripped it down to exposed brick and threw in gorgeous marble wall coverings along with rustic, distressed barn wood and designer wallpaper. Oversized leather booths and wooden tables lend to the cheery communal vibe, as does the island bar and sizzling open kitchen. The slick, ultramodern space feels comfortable and inviting, but certainly not like a dive.

High marks go to the owners for creating a vibrant and original space that lends itself to long conversations over tall glasses of wine.

ORDER IT: Louie's Wine Dive

The Trip to Jalisco will take you to an imaginary beach with pineapple, cilantro, lime and serrano tequila.

Order the plump, deepfried calamari with sweet serrano chile pepper sauce.

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dine

& drink skip the champs; beer is the new bubbly for mimosas

ILLUSTRATIONS BY VIDHYA NAGARAJAN; PHOTO BY JONATHAN GAYMAN

A SEAT AT THE BAR / Four experts tell us what to sip, stir and shake We love Four Roses singlebarrel bourbon so much we literally bought a whole barrel. Each is unique because it’s bottled one barrel at a time, but the flavor profile is consistently packed with baking spices, TED AND JAMIE ripe red fruits and rich KILGORE caramel notes. Check each USBG, B.A.R. Ready, BarSmart bottle’s label to find out and co-owners/bartenders at Planter’s House which barrel it came from.

Enjoy it on the rocks or in any bourbon cocktail. $37. Starr’s Wine & Spirits, 1135 S. Big Bend Blvd., Richmond Heights, 314.781.2345, starrs1.com January 2017

I’m a big fan of Austria’s Zweigelt reds, and the beautiful acidity and fresh berry fruitiness of the 2013 Johannes Zillinger Velue Zweigelt will GLENN BARDGETT make you one, too.

Member of the Missouri Wine Made with natural and Grape Board and wine yeast and no added director at Annie Gunn’s sulfites, Zillinger’s wines are some of the purest on the market. $22. Parker’s Table, 7118 Oakland Ave., Richmond Heights, 314.645.2050, parkerstable.com

Get more Vitamin C in the form of beermosas.

Add 1 to 2 ounces freshsqueezed orange juice to a light-bodied, crisp Pilsner, IPA or wheat beer and voilà – your year is off to a healthy KATIE HERRERA start. Or check out Co-founder of Femme Perennial Artisan Ales’ Ferment and manager at The Side Project Cellar new Cave Torch, a wheat IPA dry-hopped with Galaxy and Amarillo and fermented with mandarin oranges. $5. Perennial Artisan Ales, 8125 Michigan Ave., St. Louis, 314.631.7300, perennialbeer.com saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 25

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WINE

king of

wines

BY SEAN NETZER

The dessert wines of Tokaj (pronounced TOH’-kay) are so revered in their motherland that they’re called out in the Hungarian national anthem.

They’ve been famous for so long that Tokaj has some of the oldest official appellation controls preventing copycat winemakers from using the name to attract consumers. And though others have the same nickname, King Louis XIV of France supposedly called Tokaji the “wine of kings, king of wines.”

Louis was sipping on Tokaji made from late-harvest grapes infected with Botrytis cinerea (the fungus affectionately nicknamed “noble rot”) when he crowned them king. As the story goes, Tokaj pioneered the counterintuitive practice by accident when a winemaker had to delay harvest due to the threat of invading Turks. Instead of throwing out the Botrytis-infected grapes, the winemaker had them pressed and vinified separately for the greatest gross-out discovery before penicillin. Noble rot dehydrates grapes, concentrating their juice and leaving a higher sugar content for dessert wines brimming with complexity and depth.

ILLUSTRATION BY VIDHYA NAGARAJAN

It’s not all sweet on the stems in Tokaj, however. The main varietal in Tokaji wines, furmint, is ambidextrous – capable of turning out equally compelling sweet and dry whites. Here, four bottles that showcase the versatility of Tokaji on the table.

and a crisp mineral finish. $26. Union Loafers Cafe and Bread Bakery, 1629 Tower Grove Ave., St. Louis, 314.833.6111, unionloafers.com

DRY

2013 Kiralyudvar Tokaji Furmint Sec

So named because this dry furmint is plucked from the vines before its sweeter cousins, The Oddity pulls you in with apricot and honey on the nose, then hits the palate with peach, subtle oak

Kiralyudvar translates to “the king’s court,” and this dry white doesn’t disappoint. Bursting with bright notes of orange zest, grapefruit, honeysuckle and white pepper, it pairs beautifully with charcuterie and grilled vegetables. $24.

33 Wine Shop & Bar, 1913 Park

2013 Royal Tokaji The Oddity Furmint

January 2017

Ave., St. Louis, 314.231.9463, Facebook: 33 Wine Shop & Bar

BUBBLY

2012 Kiralyudvar Pezsgo Henye This vibrant 85-percent furmint, 15-percent harslevelu goes through a secondary fermentation (called methode traditionelle in wine speak) for added effervescence. Aromas of natural honey and stone fruit jump from the glass, and a creamy mouth feel and toasty, dry finish make this great with apple pie. $33.

Reeds American Table, 7322 Manchester Road, Maplewood, 314.899.9821, reedsamericantable.com

SWEET

Evolúció Late Harvest Furmint The late harvest furmint grapes in this dessert wine offer some lovely peach, apricot and white flower notes. Furmint’s naturally high acidity creates a complex, balanced sweetness on the palate. $10. The Wine Merchant, 7817 Forsyth Blvd., Clayton, 314.863.6282, winemerchantltd.com saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 27

EFFICIENT KITCHEN

Magic Tomato Sauce

BY KELLIE HYNES | PHOTOS BY JONATHAN GAYMAN

Winter cooking is all about comfort food. And by comfort, I mean snuggling in front of the fireplace instead of driving to the grocery store.

The downside is that, around 5:30 p.m., I’m frantically curating a meal out of whatever lurks in the back of my pantry. For a while, dry cereal and crunchy Swiss Miss mini marshmallows

Efficient Kitchen helps you cook versatile, whole food recipes with less time, money and waste. It’s written by Kellie Hynes, author of Sauce Magazine’s award-winning Vegetize It column.

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January 2017

did the job. But then I found a large can of whole peeled tomatoes, and an entire world of culinary possibilities was revealed.

My canned tomato journey began with Marcella Hazan’s four-ingredient tomato sauce. If you are a jarred sauce person (no judgment – I was, too), Hazan’s recipe will change your life: Simmer a pot of canned whole tomatoes with a halved onion, a little salt and an abundance of butter; extract the onion and serve over pasta.

It’s elegant, fuss-free and allows you to consume nearly a stick of butter without feeling bad about yourself.

While enjoying Hazan’s sauce on every carb I could find, I tried it between layers of lasagna noodles. Oh, how the mighty fell! The sauce turned into an oily (but still delicious) mess when mixed with cheese and eggs. There had to be a way to employ Hazan’s treasure in other tomato-based recipes, so I put down my hot cocoa and got to work.

First, I reduced the butter to a mere tablespoon to minimize the fat but retain the velvety mouth feel.

Unfortunately, when I cut down the butter, the tomatoes’ acidity became overwhelming. A pinch of sugar and splash of balsamic vinegar helped with the metallic taste, but adding ingredients was counterproductive to my goal of being lazy simplifying.

I wondered if I could fix it by using a different brand of tomatoes, and tried my reduced-butter sauce with three different brands: Cento San Marzano peeled tomatoes, Trader Joe’s unsalted whole peeled plum tomatoes and Red Gold whole peeled tomatoes.

The Trader Joe’s tasted identical to the Cento San Marzano tomatoes.

But I couldn’t have been more surprised that the unpretentious, mainstream Red Golds tasted sweeter and less acidic than my favorite designer brand, San Marzano tomatoes. To confirm my suspicions, I talked to Marianne Moore, culinary creative director of Dierbergs Cooking School. “I actually prefer Red Gold to the Cento, as well,” she said. “I think it is a palate thing.

Taste is perspective. You could bring January 2017

in five different people to taste one pot and get five different responses.”

The only drawback to Red Gold tomatoes is they seemed more watery than the others. Adding extra tomatoes threw off my proportions, so I discarded one-half cup of tomato juices and pureed the finished sauce with an immersion blender until it was thick and smooth.

This sauce works beautifully in lasagna and – with a few modifications – as the base for tomato soup, pizza sauce and much more. Feel free to double the ingredients, increase the cook time at least 15 minutes and freeze the extra for another use. You’ll be rewarded with meals that taste like you made a real effort, even though you just opened a can.

MAGIC TOMATO SAUCE

Inspired by Marcella Hazan’s Tomato Sauce

30 minutes. Discard the onion. Blend the sauce with an immersion blender until smooth.

2 CUPS 1 28-oz. can Red Gold whole peeled tomatoes 1 onion, peeled and halved 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter ½ tsp. kosher salt • In a 3-quart pot, add tomatoes and all but ½ cup juices. Use your hands to crush the tomatoes. Add the onion, butter and salt.

• Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to low and simmer

PASTA SAUCE Serve over 1 pound cooked pasta noodles.

TOMATOES AND TOAST Rub thick slices of buttered toast with roasted garlic. Top with Magic Tomato Sauce and Parmesan or feta cheese. Broil 1 to 3 minutes until the cheese softens slightly.

PIZZA SAUCE Add a 6-ounce can tomato paste, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil and ½ teaspoon garlic powder to the Magic Tomato Sauce.

Makes enough for 2 medium pizza crusts.

BAKED ITALIAN EGGS Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Coat individual ramekins with a thin layer of cooking spray. Spoon warm Magic Tomato Sauce into ramekins and break 1 or 2 eggs on top. Bake 8 to 10 minutes until the whites are solid and the yolks are slightly runny. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with crusty bread.

TOMATO SOUP Mix together equal amounts of Magic Tomato Sauce and low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth. Finish with 1 tablespoon cream, if desired. Serve with toasted Gruyere sandwiches. saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 29

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January 2017

MAKE THIS SAVORY GRANOLA

PHOTO BY JULIA CALLEO

ACTIVE TIME: 5 MINUTES

Ditch the croutons and pump up the volume on your MAKE THIS soups and salads with this crunchy, savory topper.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup oldfashioned oats, ½ cup slivered almonds, ½ cup raw sunflower seeds, ¹∕³ cup grated Parmesan, ¼ cup raw sesame seeds, 2 Tbsp. chopped rosemary, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper and ½ teaspoon garlic powder. In a small bowl, beat 1 egg white until frothy, then add it and ¼ cup olive oil to the oat mixture. Toss to combine. Pour onto a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and bake 25 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Let cool, then break into chunks. Store in an airtight container up to 1 week. – Dee Ryan

Play with your food: Instead of sunflower seeds, Parmesan and rosemary, try unsweetened coconut flakes, pepitas and curry.

Or substitute grainy mustard, thyme and buckwheat groats for something completely different.

January 2017

saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 31

ALEX PILLE, S O U S C H E F, ANNIE GUNN'S

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January 2017

O

O BY j u l i e c o h e n , c a t h e r i n e klene, heather hughes, michael r e n n e r a n d k r i s t i n s c h u l t z /// PHOTOS BY c a r m e n t r o e s s e r

o n e s t o w a t c h

FOOD AND DRINK PROS WITH PROMISE

January 2017

saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 33

Blood & Sand 1500 St. Charles St., St. Louis, 314.241.7263, bloodandsandstl.com

shot on location at randall's wines and spirits

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zac adcox G E N E R A L M A N A G E R , B LO O D & S A N D // A G E : 2 2 W H Y WATC H H I M : H E ’ S A B A R E LY L E G A L O E N O P H I L E .

H o w t o t a k e o v e r

Be young. Be bored with your scenery. After high school, move from Phoenix to Baltimore to live with your dad and stepmom. At night, sit around the kitchen table drinking wine with them because you have no friends.

Get a busboy job at a French bistro. Try foie gras for the first time paired with a glass of Sauternes. Freak out. Study wine every free moment you have, even though you’re still just a busboy. Get promoted to server and sell more wine than anyone in the restaurant.

While other kids your age are begging older siblings to buy them cases of Natural Light, loiter in liquor stores until employees notice you taking photos of wine labels.

Approach friends, strangers – whoever will listen – with the picture of the next vintage and varietal you need to try and say, “Please buy this for me.”

Do this for a year.

Consider it a big life event when a liquor store salesman

January 2017

lets you buy something without showing ID. Buy a bottle of Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

Take your girl to New York City for a fancy dinner. Realize no one is going to sell you wine, then bury your face in the wine book for a half-hour until a sommelier finally approaches the table.

Travel to St. Louis for the first time to take your certified sommelier exam. Celebrate your passing with dinner at Blood & Sand. Love the restaurant so much that you ask owner TJ Vytlacil if you can work there. Find out he just sold the place. Be persistent.

A few weeks later, move to St. Louis to work at Blood & Sand even though you’ve only been there once in your life. In three weeks, sell more bottles of wine than Vytlacil sold in the previous six months. Take over the front of house; run the wine program; be unstoppable.

Turn 22.

– Julie Cohen

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troy bedik B R E W E R , T H E C I V I L L I F E B R E W I N G C O. // A G E : 2 9 W H Y WATC H H E R : S H E D O E S W H AT E V E R S H E WA N T S .

Before she became a professional brewer, Troy Bedik concocted a homebrew recipe so good, Steve Crider of 2nd Shift Brewing mass produced it.

Now, after recently landing the highly competitive and coveted position of brewer at Civil Life, she’s already developed a Kölsch recipe owner Jake Haefner declared a favorite of the past year.

Considered one of the most passionate in the field by her peers, this won’t be the last time you hear about Bedik. But first, hear it in her words: “I love getting my hands dirty – it’s my favorite part of what I do. I like being on my feet all day, moving around, getting to move heavy things. I like having a job where I’m physically crafting something. I can brew the beer, package the beer, put the beer on draft and then enjoy the beer. It’s the ultimate satisfaction.”

“The craft beer world can be a very intimidating environment for women. It’s gotten better, but you have to fight for people to take you seriously, to prove that you know what you’re

talking about. It’s good to have a strong support group.”

“I always get the joke from people: ‘Oh, you’re a brewer – where’s your beard?’ Sometimes if I’m wearing a dress, I wonder if it automatically discredits me because I don’t look the part. I think people mean well by it, but you don’t have to look a certain way – like a 30-year-old bearded guy. There’s room for everybody.”

“One of my favorite moments while working at Civil Life was one day when I was wearing my big work boots, work shorts, a headlamp and safety glasses, and I walked into the bathroom and saw this little 5-year-old girl.

“She asked me, ‘Why are you dressed like that?’

“And I said, ‘I’m a brewer. I work over there.’

“Her eyes got wide and she said, ‘That’s so cool!’ Then she ran over and told her dad.

“I loved it because she saw that you can have a job that lets you get a little dirty – you can do whatever you want to do.”

– Julie Cohen

The Civil Life Brewing Co. 3714 Holt Ave., St. Louis, thecivillife.com

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Farmhaus 3257 Ivanhoe Ave., St. Louis, 314.647.3800, farmhausrestaurant.com

jake sciales HEAD CHEF AND BAKER, FA R M H A U S // A G E : 2 9 W H Y WATC H H I M : O N T H E I C E O R I N T H E K I TC H E N , H E ’S A C O M P E T I TO R .

T h e g re a t e s t l e s s o n J a k e S c i a l e s has learned in his four years baking bread is respect. “Bread doesn’t care how busy you are. It doesn’t care when you need it, how many reservations you have. It does its own thing and you have to adapt and react,” he explained.

Shortly after hiring Sciales, Farmhaus chef-owner Kevin Willmann had his friend Matt Herren, then owner of 222 Artisan Bakery in Edwardsville, teach the crew how to bake bread. It wasn’t long before Sciales was heading up Farmhaus’ bread program. “Two to three weeks after I started, it kind of got tossed on me,” Sciales said.

Sciales looks at restaurant work as a competition for the adrenaline to get though daily challenges. He accepted his new

January 2017

role of bread baker, on top of being chef, like the athlete he is. “I took it as a way to endear myself to the new crew I was joining,” Sciales said. “I wanted to take the responsibility and start contributing to the team.”

Sciales got his start washing dishes at Sky Hi in Columbia, Missouri, after college. He was initially attracted to a career in the restaurant industry for the same reason he played a lot of sports growing up, and still plays hockey every week.

“A desk job isn’t a good fit for

me,” he said. “Being active and having the rush of cooking, the pressure and intensity of it, drew me, and I ran with it.”

With bread baking, Sciales found a new awareness. “It was almost calming because I just followed the process; there was no cheating it, you just have to do it,” he said.

“You have to work with it. It doesn’t work with you.”

Something is definitely working.

Willmann insisted Sciales puts out some of the best bread in St. Louis. “He’s ambitious for sure,

and reliable, with a magnet of a personality,” he said.

Sciales loves working with Homer, the 20-plus-year-old wild yeast mother used to make Farmhaus’ rustic country loaf, and is pretty into sourdough pretzels now.

What’s next? “It jumps around,” he said. “Four, five months ago I was getting into focaccia.” Sciales’ mercurial interests fuel what breads Farmhaus serves, but one thing is clear: “Without Matt and Kevin, I probably wouldn’t be down this road right now.”

– Michael Renner

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elijah barnes B A R M A N A G E R A N D H E A D B A R T E N D E R , C L E V E L A N D - H E AT H // A G E : 2 9 W H Y WATC H H I M : H E C R E AT E D A B A R P R O G R A M T H AT K E E P S PA C E W I T H O N E O F T H E A R E A’S B E S T K I TC H E N S .

Eight years ago, Elijah Barnes was learning how to mix a Lobsterita. Now he’s in charge of one of the most thoughtful bar programs in the Metro East.

Here’s how he got from there to here and a look at where the nomad is headed next.

Red Lobster, Fairview Heights, 2007 “I took an interest in bartending when I was 19 and a server at Red Lobster. As soon as I turned 21, I started training at the bar. Before long, I was tending more than serving, and then I was doing inventory and more of the systems work.”

Cleveland-Heath, Edwardsville, 2011 “Opening the bar at ClevelandHeath was scary. We had next to no budget to stock the bar, and I had no experience writing a cocktail menu. I experimented at home and read books. We ended up with seven cocktails that all used local soda. Seven soda cocktails. It’s horrifying. … I had a huge hurdle to get the bar program where we wanted it to be.”

Tales of the Cocktail, New Orleans, 2013 “They advertise correctly: the end-all, be-all for bartender education. The first year I booked every single time slot I could. I was in class more than six hours a day. I was there to

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learn. … When I went this year, I focused on management rather than, ‘Let’s taste a bunch of scotch and yell about it.’”

Buck and Breck, Berlin, Germany, 2016 “I travel for my own personal pleasure and sanity, but always with a focus on what’s happening in bars and the experience in different markets. In Berlin, there are all these over-thetop speakeasies. You go to this unmarked door and knock.

Someone slides the window open and sometimes lets you in.”

Cleveland-Heath, Edwardsville, 2017 “We never expected to have a really high-end cocktail bar,” said co-owner Ed Heath. “He came in and took it to another level. He works like me, like a chef – he comes in and has to do his mise en place, his inventory, his ordering.

His creativity is through the roof. He is as important as an executive chef.”

Destination Unknown, 2021 “Bartending is a young man’s game, and I’m starting to feel the physical wear and tear. I plan on teaching spirits classes. I’ve also been consulting with a restaurant in Salt Lake City and thought about being a brand ambassador.

Those may be directions I’d like to head.”

– Kristin Schultz

January 2017

January 2017

Cleveland-Heath 106 N. Main St., Edwardsville, 618.307.4830, clevelandheath.com

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jen eple y A S S I S TA N T G E N E R A L M A N A G E R , V I C I A // A G E : 3 1 W H Y WATC H H E R : S H E K N O W S W H AT YO U N E E D B E F O R E YO U D O.

Jen Epley has her eye on you. Where did you sit, what did you order and what was your favorite dish? If you don’t like cilantro, you won’t see it – now or the next time you dine with her.

For Epley, successful service means everything appears effortless. Wine keys, pens, lighters and birthday candles are accounted for before the night begins. Guests are greeted warmly, treated with friendly respect and watched carefully from the moment they’re seated until the last glass of wine is consumed.

“You have to know something about them.

They are there for that experience of connecting with the food, the servers, the beverages. They want to feel everything that you put into that restaurant,” Epley said. “You have to be part of it. … If you don’t love it, you shouldn’t be there because that resonates with all the guests that walk in.”

This is something she’s learned from hospitality pros in some of the best restaurants in the city, starting at Five Bistro five years ago.

“She’s really one of the unsung heroes of service in St. Louis,” said advanced sommelier Andrey Ivanov.

He trained Epley on Mediterranean and Middle Eastern wine when they worked at Olio and Elaia.

“She’s so technically sound that she can do everything

better than most people on autopilot, and meanwhile … look around the room and anticipate what’s next.”

“So many people treat serving as ‘Same job, different apron,’” said Sardella general manager Chris Kelling, who worked with Epley at Niche. “She has goals to ascend in the industry and be amongst the best. That is something I’ve only recently seen in St. Louis, that people are taking hospitality as a career.”

It seems only natural that Epley’s next step is to help open Vicia under co-owner and general manager Tara Gallina, who was service captain at Blue Hill at Stone Barns – a restaurant lauded as much for service as culinary talent. Before a recent wine tasting meeting, Epley pulled out a tote bag filled with polished stemware and ever-present spiral-bound notebooks.

“When I write things down, it’s easier to remember than typing,” she explained, rifling through pages filled with impeccably written wine tasting notes and potential front-of-house hires. Epley loves the puzzle of it all, carefully sorting each detail into its proper column. “It’s a fun game of Tetris,” she said.

“She’s always two steps ahead, which is what you have to be, and seeing the big picture at all times,” Gallina said. “She really just gets it.”

– Catherine Klene

Vicia opening early 2017, viciarestaurant.com

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Annie Gunn’s 16806 Chesterfield Airport Road, Chesterfield, 636.532.3314, anniegunns.com

alex pille S O U S C H E F, A N N I E G U N N ’ S // A G E : 2 8 W H Y WATC H H I M : H I S G A R D E N I N G E X P LO I T S A R E L I K E LY TO L A N D O N YO U R P L AT E .

Annie Gunn’s sous chef Alex Pille grows the usual slate of Midwestern fruits and vegetables like tomatoes and peppers, but that’s where the similarities to your grandmother’s garden end.

“I love to try new things,” Pille said. “Amaranth is an ancient grain crop. It has a giant flowering head that can be dried and is kind of like quinoa.” He’s also grown sorghum, rice, saffron and zucca – one of the world’s largest gourds that can weigh up to 100 pounds.

He grows produce his boss, executive chef Lou Rook III, never knew existed and some stuff he has a hard time finding. “I’ve been working with farmers since 1989 and had never heard of these [lemon drop] chiles,”

January 2017

Rook said. “I was so excited about them and Alex goes, ‘Oh yeah, I grew those last year. They’re great.’”

“I research online, but with the more obscure things, it only goes so far,” said Pille. “That’s where the chef part comes in. I found out a lot of people use zucca as a filler in jams. I decided to make applesauce with it.

It worked out great.”

The current beneficiaries of Pille’s harvest are his family, friends and sometimes diners at Annie Gunn’s.

But that may change.

“Last year I had a variety of around 60 plants growing,” Pille said. “I kept expanding my garden and before I knew it, it was a quarter of an acre.” This

spring he plans to plant at least one of the five acres he recently bought in De Soto. “Hopefully by the end of the year, I can have a greenhouse out there, too.”

For Pille, farm-to-table is not a marketing gimmick; being a better farmer makes him a better chef. “He’s farming the food to bring to the table,” Rook said. “He understands food, how to prepare different things, because of his farming background.”

Eventually, he’d like to have his own produce business, selling to area restaurants.

“I could be in both realms.

I can grow unique things and also offer methods and applications for these obscure ingredients.”

– Kristin Schultz

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Sardella 7734 Forsyth Blvd., Clayton, 314.773.7755, sardellastl.com

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sam witherspoon E X E C U T I V E S O U S C H E F, S A R D E L L A // A G E : 2 7 W H Y WATC H H I M : H E P R O V E S G O O D G U Y S C A N G E T A H E A D. Sam Witherspoon’s resume reads like a cutthroat careerist’s: the New York Culinary Institute of America to Danny Meyer’s Maialino to Donald Link’s Cochon, then Gerard Craft’s Niche and now Sardella. The lineup may evoke a sense of coldbloodedness, a ruthless master plan, but that impression would be wrong for the guy Sardella executive chef Nick Blue called his “softer side.”

“I’ve never really had a plan,” Witherspoon said. “I always just kind of go where I want to go and I figure it out when I get there.” He’s gotten where he is simply by aiming high, giving it a shot. He secured the job at Niche with a cold call – an effort that would seem laughable if it hadn’t worked. “I have the attitude of start at the top,” he said. “Because it’s easier to start there than it is to start down and try to move up.”

This strategy, of course, only works if you have the skills to support it. “He has a really playful sense of food … an ability to translate comfort food into modern food,” Craft said. Take, for example, Witherspoon’s recent special at Sardella: a pastramispiced brisket and squash agnolotti served with pickled and butter-braised cabbage. “It doesn’t taste like it’s just a riff [on a Reuben],” Craft said. “It is its own dish – something nuanced and unique.’”

But for Witherspoon, being a chef has as much to do with how you treat people

as what you serve them. “It’s almost impossible not to smile when you see Sam. He boosts everybody’s mood,” Craft said.

“He’s a very positive spirit in the kitchen. That’s totally separate from cooking ability, but almost more important sometimes.”

He learned this during his externship at Maialino, where it wasn’t just the high pressure or long hours that impressed him.

“These guys were very serious about what they did, but they walked in every day, they shook your hand, asked you how you were doing,” Witherspoon said.

“They really invested in you, and that’s something I’ve carried with me throughout my entire career.”

A focus on hospitality in and out of the kitchen may sound peripheral, but it’s something that sets Witherspoon apart. A lot of people with serious culinary talent don’t make it past sous.

“To be a great leader, there’s a certain amount of positivity that has to be there for people to want to work for you,” Craft said. He was equally impressed by Witherspoon’s ability to interact with guests. “If you’re going to do your own thing, you’ve got to have it – or you better hire somebody who does.”

There’s no doubt Witherspoon will have a lot of people working for him someday. For now, aside from having his voice heard through more dishes on Sardella’s menu, his goal is simple: “I would love to be able to give Nick Blue a day off.”

– Heather Hughes

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stuff to do:

JANUARY

BY CATHERINE KLENE Schlafly Cabin Fever

Jan. 14 – noon to 4 p.m., Schlafly Bottleworks, 7260 Southwest Ave., Maplewood, 314.241.2337, schlafly.com Tickets include unlimited samples of 40 beers, from classics to boozy brews like barrel-aged Imperial stout and Sticky Toffee Porter. Bonfires, ice sculptures and casks on an ice bar abound. Tickets available online.

Tower Grove Winter Market Jan. 14 – 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., City Garden Montessori School, 1618 Tower Grove Ave., St. Louis, tgmarket.org Backyard gardens may be barren, but the Tower Grove Winter Farmers Market is filled with winter produce to hold you over until spring. Stock up from Joe Ringhausen Orchard, Ivan’s Fig Farm and Robinson Family Farm and grab snacks from The Tamale Man.

Cross Pollination II Jan. 16 – 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., 7036 Clayton Ave., St. Louis, 314.932.7818, Facebook: Chef’s Night Out Chefs combine forces for a five-course meal at Boundary. Chefs Rickey Halen of Reeds American Table, Booker Riley of Sardella, Josh Poletti of Basso and Esteban Rosas of Indianapolis’ Rook prepare dishes using locally sourced ingredients. Tickets available online.

Sweet Tooth Tour Jan. 21 – noon to 5 p.m., participating locations, Maplewood, cityofmaplewood.com Indulge your sweet tooth during a selfguided tour showcasing 14 Maplewood businesses. Swing by Kakao, Vom Fass, Strange Donuts, Pie Oh My, Living Room

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and more for a sweet bite. Tickets available at select participating locations.

Freeze-Que Jan. 28 – noon to 5 p.m. and Jan. 29 – noon to 4 p.m., Highway 61 Roadhouse, 34 S. Old Orchard Ave., Webster Groves, 314.968.0061, hwy61roadhouse.com Around 50 barbecue teams fire up the smokers during Freeze-Que barbecue competition. Vote for your favorite rib tip dish, then grab a bite and a pint from host Highway 61 Roadhouse. Proceeds benefit Carney’s Kids Foundation.

Bubbly Dinner Jan. 27 – 6:30 p.m., EdgeWild Restaurant & Winery, 550 Chesterfield Center, Chesterfield, 636.532.0550, edgewildwinery.com EdgeWild Winery celebrates fizzy wine from all over the world at a four-course wine dinner. Look for pairings with French Champagne, Italian prosecco and Spanish cava. Reservations required; available by phone.

sponsored events Clayton Restaurant Week Jan. 23 to 29, Clayton, claytonrestaurantweek.com The eighth annual Clayton Restaurant Week features 16 Clayton restaurants like Louie’s Wine Dive, Herbie’s and The Libertine. Select from a special three-course dinner menu for $25 or $35 per person. A full list of participating restaurants is available online.

January 2017

January 2017

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from left, dana huth and ben triola

WHAT I DO

Dana Huth and Ben Triola

There’s a small island off the coast of southern Japan so overrun with cats that it makes internet cat videos look like a cheap ball of yarn. But before you start booking expensive airfare, try relaxing at Mauhaus Cat Cafe and Lounge, a new spot that caters to felines and the good people who endlessly share their memes.

Co-owners Dana Huth and Ben Triola opened the cafe as a space where people can leisurely bond with and potentially adopt the animals while enjoying lunch or fresh pastries. They also co-own a software company, video game development studio and real estate investments, but said that helping animals in need is worth the stress – and the cat snuggles don’t hurt, either. Here, the couple talk about why a cat makes for a programmer’s best friend.

– Heather Hughes and Kevin Korinek

from left, rachael rogers and her father, doug marshall

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January 2017

GETTING ATTACHED “Basically, we’re like a big foster family for these cats, except that we also serve coffee and food. … The adoptions can be a little tough on us but ultimately it’s a very happy thing to find these cats a good home. We partner with Tenth Life Cat Rescue and they have over 100 cats in foster homes, but right now they’re almost at capacity. If we can help get cats adopted, that means Tenth Life can take in more.” –B.T. “The cat cafes in Asia are full of specialty cats, and they’re not adoptable. Every time you go, you see the same cats. But we knew that was a problem here – so many cats need homes and so many get killed at shelters every year. … I cried when the last ones that got adopted left. I had a very special connection to those cats.

But it’s so good; they have great homes.” –D.H.

PHOTO BY ASHLEY GIESEKING

CAT MAGIC “We were not at all planning on opening another business until we went to this cat cafe in Thailand.

We were like, ‘We have to have this at home.’ What was most magical about it was not that there were cats, but that there were so many.

It’s not like going into someone’s house who has three cats. To see like 15 cats living in a space, and you get to come in, be surrounded – you get to experience their home. … And to have really nice food, that was definitely a bonus.” –D.H.

January 2017

BRING ON THE FUN “This is talked about a lot in the game development industry: fun is really hard to plan for. It can be really elusive … you don’t know on paper if XYZ is going to be fun, so you have to build something and then play with it and then go back

and figure out which parts were fun and which weren’t. There’s a lot of iteration. We call it ‘finding the fun.’

I think that’s kind of what we’re trying to do with the cat cafe – find the fun and share it with other people.” –B.T. CUTENESS OVERLOAD “Any morning we come into the cafe, it’s basically a stampede of cats coming toward the door to all get attention.” –D.H. CAT THERAPY “There’s this thing in programming, where if you have a problem you’re supposed to get a rubber duck and explain the problem to the rubber duck. In the course of explaining the problem out loud, you usually find the solution. But I think you can use the cats just as well – explain your problems to the cat and you might just figure some things out.” –B.T. INTEROFFICE ROMANCE “I feel really lucky that this is our life. It works really well for us because we’ve known each other so long, we think on the same wavelength. I think for a lot of people that could be difficult – spending that much time with your significant other, but I really wouldn’t have it any other way. We’ve worked with a lot of people, had other partners, and it’s not that any of those were necessarily bad, but I’ve never been able to communicate with anyone better than I can communicate with Dana. It makes sense that we do pretty much all things together.” –B.T.

Mauhaus Cat Cafe and Lounge, 3101 Sutton Blvd., Maplewood, 314.384.2287, mauhauscafe.com

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