CRAB FROM CLUSTER BUSTERS, P. 2 4
June 2021 SAUCE I1 S T. L O U I S ’ I N D E P E N D E N T C U L I N A R Y A U T H O R I T Y // S A U C E M A G A Z I N E . C O M saucemagazine.com // F R E E , J UI N E 2MAGAZINE 0 21
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JUNE 2021 • VOLUME 21, ISSUE 4 PUBLISHER EXECUTIVE EDITOR MANAGING EDITOR DIGITAL EDITOR STAFF WRITER EDIBLE WEEKEND EDITOR ART DIRECTOR SENIOR DESIGNER CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
What is your favorite summertime snack?
Weird potato chips and sparkling wine
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
PROOFREADER ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES EVENTS COORDINATOR LISTINGS EDITOR INTERNS I go through bags of
Sungold tomatoes like potato chips.
Allyson Mace Meera Nagarajan Liz Wolfson Lauren Healey Adam Rothbarth Lauren Healey Popsicles Meera Nagarajan Michelle Volansky Julia Calleo, Jonathan Gayman, Virginia Harold, Izaiah Johnson, David Kovaluk, Meera Nagarajan, Carmen Troesser Lauren Healey, Amy Hyde, Meera Nagarajan, Adam Rothbarth, Michelle Volansky, Liz Wolfson Heather Hughes Huff Allyson Mace Angie Rosenberg Amy Hyde Amy Hyde Sophia Daniels, Hannah Freiberg, Blakely Gibeaut, Rin Hubbard, Natalie Mechem, Adam Siddle
Crackers topped with blue cheese, sliced cucumber, a sprinkle of everything bagel seasoning and, if I have it, pickled onion.
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Sliced tomatoes on toast with mayonnaise
A chocolate-vanilla swirl soft serve cone
whole or in part, of the contents without permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited. While the information has been compiled carefully to ensure maximum accuracy at the time of publication, it is provided for general guidance only and is subject to change. The publisher cannot guarantee the accuracy of all information or be responsible for omissions or errors. Additional copies may be obtained by providing a request at 314.772.8004 or via mail. Postage fee of $2.50 will apply. Sauce Magazine is printed on recycled paper using soy inks.
EDITORIAL POLICIES The Sauce Magazine mission is to provide St. Louis-area residents and visitors with unbiased, complete information on the area’s restaurant, bar and entertainment industry. Our editorial content is not influenced by who advertises with Sauce Magazine or saucemagazine.com. 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 June 2021
contents J U N E 2 02 1
editors' picks
features
26
9 EAT THIS
19
by adam rothbarth
Stacked enchilada platter at Southwest Diner
by amy hyde 10 HIT LIST 3 new places to try this month
by lauren healey, michelle volansky and liz wolfson 13 DRINK THIS Golden State at Retreat Gastropub
by meera nagarajan
PIZZA FUTURES
A look at some of the exciting new players in St. Louis’ pizza scene
by adam rothbarth 22
HIGHLY LEGAL
Edibles infused with legal cannabinoid delta-8 THC are popping up at shops across town
by lauren healey 24
CRAB CRAWL by liz wolfson
THE BAGEL BUNCH 28
HUSTLE & GRIND
Plant-based pop-up 12oh7 Herban Eatery has built a loyal following. But co-owners Brandy Dixon and Jasmine Yandell need more than a legion of fans to achieve their dreams.
by liz wolfson 34
GOLDEN HOUR SIPS
10 summertime wines perfect for an afternoon hang
by adam rothbarth
Tune in to St. Louis Public Radio 90.7 FM this month when Sauce joins St. Louis on the Air.
COVER DETAILS CRAB CRAWL St. Louis may be land-locked, but that doesn’t mean you have to have to hop a plane to indulge in a boiled crab feast. Learn more at p. 24. PHOTO BY CARMEN TROESSER
15 FOOD TOUR With Rep. Cori Bush
by liz wolfson
golden state cocktails at retreat gastropub, p. 13
last bite 36 WHAT I DO Matt Lebon of Custom Foodscaping
PHOTO BY CARMEN TROESSER
by liz wolfson
June 2021
38 LANDMARK Protzel’s Delicatessen
by adam rothbarth
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PARTNER CONTENT
Delivery methods for medical marijuana BY LAUR EN H EALEY
If the arrival of medical marijuana in Missouri has piqued your interest, it’s important to understand the numerous ways to consume cannabis. Swade Dispensary offers a robust menu of options for every type of patient. “We are really working to take away the stigma still associated with marijuana – it’s not just buying a bag of weed to smoke,” said Max McAnallen, general manager at Swade’s Cherokee Street location slated to open in the coming months. Edibles are a great choice for those looking to consume cannabis without smoking, and Swade offers dozens of options – from THCand CBD-infused gummies and chocolates to beverages that come with dosage cups – to make your experience a pleasant one. “This is no longer like eating a special brownie your friend made and not knowing how much to eat,” McAnallen explained. “We offer much more precisely dosed edibles so you know exactly what you’re getting.” The standard starting point for edible dosage is 5 milligrams, and Swade recommends patients take it “slow and low” and wait an
hour or two to monitor effects, as it is much easier to add than subtract from your dose. “We also have microdose edibles for folks easing in, and stronger options for those who have a higher tolerance,” McAnallen said, adding there are options that also include CBD to help temper the THC and “carry you more gently into your experience, offering what we call the ‘entourage effect.’” Tinctures are ideal for patients who are looking for faster acting relief and are taken sublingually. “You place it under your tongue and it’s very fast absorbing,” McAnallen explained. Topicals are other great options for those avoiding smoking and offer even milder effects than edibles. “If you’re nervous about ingesting THC or CBD, topicals like skin balms and salves are great for localized benefits,” said McAnallen. Topicals are good remedies for ailments like arthritis, achy joints and muscle pain and don’t have the high-inducing effects. For those looking to consume the oldfashioned way, Swade offers a wide range of marijuana strains to be smoked in a variety
of ways, from pre-rolls to water pipes and even vaporizers that are a bit gentler on the throat and lungs. There are also concentrates like oil and wax, along with vape cartridges similar to e-cigarettes. Everyone has an endocannabinoid system primed to receive cannabinoids like THC and CBD, and the Swade experts compare it to hearing a song. “Everyone hears the same notes in a song, but everybody gets taken to a different place – that’s how the endocannabinoid receptors work. We help you figure out the best cannabis consumption methods for you through a oneon-one consultation,” McAnallen said. “We are very patient-focused and take the time to get to know our patients and their needs to pair the appropriate products.” If you’re a medical marijuana patient and need assistance figuring out your best method, stop by a Swade location (now open in the Grove, St. Peters and Ellisville), where a product specialist will be happy to help you understand the various ways to consume and the best option for your specific needs. For more information, visit swadecannabis.com.
THC is a psychoactive component of cannabis that provides anti-anxiety and other benefits combined with a sense of euphoria, while CBD is non-psychoactive but still offers antiinflammatory and anti-anxiety benefits.
PHOTO BY SUPERDOG CONTENT
This advertisement is intended only for Missouri medical marijuana patients.
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Eat This
PHOTO BY JULIA CALLEO
Order the stacked enchiladas platter at Southwest Diner, and when you’re asked New Mexico’s official state question – “Red or green?” – answer “Christmas.” Served sideby-side, each enchilada is doused in its respective spicy chile-based sauce and blanketed with velvety cheese. The red sauce is earthy and smooth while the thicker green sauce features the roasted, tangy flavor of Hatch chiles. When the two ooze together, they create a bonus sauce that alternates hits of both the smoky red and pungent green chiles.
Southwest Diner 6803 Southwest Ave., St. Louis, 314.260.7244, southwestdinerstl.com
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3 new places to try this month
PHOTO COURTESY OF EXPERIENCE FRESH
hit list
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opposite page: the she wolf cocktail at the golden hoosier; this page, from top: the interior featuring a portrait by cbabi bayoc, guests at the bar and smoked tandoori wings all at the golden hoosier
THE GOLDEN HOOSIER The stunning view from the bar at The Golden Hoosier, warmly lit by antique light fixtures, is only more impressive when you remember the space’s former life as beloved South City hangout Southtown Pub. From custom-upholstered booths inside to the charming campground-themed patio out back, the bar offers plenty of ways to spend the night with friends. Feel fancy with a South Side Cavy cocktail made with Quebranta Pisco, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, egg whites and ango (club soda mixed with angostura bitters) or keep it casual on a stump stool by the fire with a draft beer like Logboat Shiphead Ginger Wheat. No matter which adventure you choose, you’ll want to stay until last call.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF EXPERIENCE FRESH; INTERIOR PHOTO BY MEERA NAGARAJAN
3707 S. Kingshighway Blvd., St. Louis, 314.354.8044, thegoldenhoosier.com
RAMBLIN' ROOSTER An awesome new fried chicken food truck, Ramblin’ Rooster, is parking it around town, most notably at 9 Mile Garden. The Me and Bobby McGee is a worthy option any time of day with perfectly fried chicken strips atop a Belgian waffle studded with crunchy bites of pearl sugar and served with bourbon butter and maple syrup. We also loved the Seoul Train with its gochujang-glazed fried chicken topped with kimchi slaw and black and white sesame seeds on a sturdy brioche bun. And the Cheech & Chong truly is a stoner classic with Nashville hot chicken strips, mac and cheese and spicy fries wrapped in a flour tortilla.
618.360.3473, Facebook: Ramblin’ Rooster for more on crab's landing, turn to p. 24
CRAB'S LANDING When the seafood craving hits, Crab’s Landing is ready to deliver the goods. Boiled crawfish and shrimp are served with corn and red potatoes and tossed in the sauce of your choosing; options include Cajun, garlic butter and “juicy special.” The crawfish were large, fresh and juicy, the tail meat sliding easily from the shell. When ordering from the boiled menu, select your own spice level. We chose medium, which we found not at all spicy, so those looking for some heat should start with hot and work their way up. The fried shrimp were similarly fresh and had a good fry, as did the waffle-cut sweet potato fries and hush puppies studded with sweet corn kernels; their tender interiors contrasted nicely with the crunchy exteriors.
701 N. Tucker Blvd., St. Louis, 314.833.3280, crabslanding.com
June 2021
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drink this The Golden State at Retreat Gastropub channels traditional Indian flavors into a cocktail. Notes of coconut, turmeric, ginger and lemon mingle with J. Rieger’s gin – it’s bold but balanced. But the pièce de résistance is the use of curry leaf to garnish the drink. This aromatic herb is commonly used in South Indian cooking and has a funky, peppery, mustardy complexity that can stand up to the drink’s robust ingredients.
Retreat Gastropub 6 N. Sarah St., St. Louis, 314.261.4497,
PHOTO BY CARMEN TROESSER
retreatgastropub.com
June 2021
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Knowing how hard local food businesses were hit by the pandemic, Bush is thrilled that she and her colleagues were able to pass the relief package that included the $28.6 billion Restaurant Revitalization Fund, but she also worries that owners of food businesses that aren’t restaurants don’t realize they also qualify to apply for funds. “I just want to make sure that people know that it’s not just [for] restaurants; it’s food trucks and food stands, food carts, caterers, bars and lounges, snack bars. It’s bakeries, it’s tap rooms, breweries, microbreweries, wineries, distilleries, it’s inns that do food sales – these places can receive up to $10 million,” she said. “So people should really, really look into this.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF CORI BUSH; PASTA PHOTO COURTESY OF KINGZ TURKEE SHACK
Though Bush loves home-cooked food and remains her family’s goto for the Thanksgiving turkey – “I need not
come anywhere near Thanksgiving dinner if I didn’t bring the turkey,” she said, laughing – these days, she doesn’t have time to cook as much as she’d like. She shared with us a few places that she always looks forward to visiting when she’s back home in St. Louis. Kingz Turkee Shack “Kingz Turkee Shack is a Black-owned restaurant – they have turkey everything. It is wonderful – you feel like you’re at home. I mean, I didn’t know you could do so many things with turkey. Cajun shrimp and turkey pasta. So many great things.” 3623 Page Blvd., St. Louis, 314.925.8860, kingzturkeeshack.com from left: rep. cori bush on her swearingin day in washington, d.c.; pasta with shrimp, turkey and lobster from kingz turkee shack
food tour WITH CONGRESSWOMAN CORI BUSH St. Louis’ recently elected U.S. House representative Cori Bush (D) – the first Black woman to represent Missouri in Congress – is acclimating to living and eating in Washington, D.C.; she’s found a place where she can get chicken and waffles and a diner she likes. But she admits that when she’s at work in the nation’s capital, she spends a lot of time missing St. Louis’ restaurants. “Every day I’m here, I miss my St. Louis food,” she confessed. “I have a few places that I always go as soon as I come back to town.” – Liz Wolfson
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MEDINA PHOTO BY CARMEN TROESSER; SALMON PHOTO COURTESY OF PRIME 55
owned restaurant. Absolutely so good. I go there and I get a chicken plate – that’s what I call it. It’s chicken, and I get the greens and cabbage, and then being able to just rip apart the bread just makes it so good.” 6665 Olive Blvd., University City, 314.833.4477, merhaba-restaurant. business.site/
Burger 809 “I love sandwiches – I don’t do very many. But I also love salmon, and Burger 809 on Cherokee Street has a salmon melt. And then I always get the greens and macaroni and cheese to go with it. Oh my gosh, it’s so good.” 2619 1/2 Cherokee St., St. Louis, 314.899.5959, burger809.com La Vallesana “And also on Cherokee Street, La Vallesana. I love to sit outside, especially early evening, because you have the June 2021
from top: the original palestine at medina mediterranean grill; salmon at prime 55
ambiance and the lights. I remember the very first time I went there, they had a mariachi band – well it wasn’t a full band, it was just one person, but he was serenading people, and it was so beautiful.” 2801 Cherokee St., St. Louis, 314.776.4223, neverialavallesana.com
Mom’s Soul Food Kitchen & Catering “I’m definitely a soul food girl. At Mom’s, I order the beef ribs, mac and cheese and the collard greens with turkey.” 4909 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314.328.1333; 1507 Goodfellow Blvd., St. Louis, 314.389.0916, momssoulfoodkitchen.net Merhaba Restaurant “Merhaba Restaurant on Olive – it has East African, Ethiopian food. It’s an Eritrean-
Medina Mediterranean Grill “I love going in Medina Grill, and they’re like, ‘Hey Cori!’ as soon as I walk in the door. I love how they’re just so wonderful in the community. I get the Original Palestine, I get the shawarma with chicken. And then I always get one of the salads like the Aigosthena or something to go with it. And I have to get extra sauce too, and extra pickles.” 1327 Washington Ave., St. Louis, 314.241.1356; 5 Maryland Plaza, St. Louis, 314.240.5301, medinagrill.com Prime 55 “Prime 55 is owned by somebody that I’ve been knowing for years, just a wonderful person in the community. They have a salmon stuffed with spinach and cheeses. And they have these great wings, great lamb chops. It’s a great place.” 6100 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, 314.553.9595, prime55stl.com
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While the pandemic brought fundamental changes and limitations to the way we dine, it also gifted us with fresh new paths to explore. The past year saw some restaurateurs pivoting to follow their pizza dreams, while others moved ahead with long-gestating concepts. As we move further into 2021, a few key players have all but guaranteed an exciting new pizza landscape for St. Louis going forward. B Y
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WHEN PIZZERIA DA GLORIA opened in November 2020 on the Hill, its food was immediately in high demand, and this spring has seen the restaurant picking up even more steam. Owner and head pizzaiolo Joe Kurowski points out that in the past six months his team has doubled in size, from five to 10, and with patio season in full swing and the dining room open for the first time, the space has finally started to become the neighborhood hub Kurowski envisioned when he opened it. “When it’s nice out and [the patio] fills up, it brings a whole new energy to this place,” he said. “It’s beautiful.” It also doesn’t hurt that people can finally eat his pizza straight out of the oven without it being boxed for carryout, which, when done wrong, can destroy even the most expertly made pies. “It’s so much more fun this way,” Kurowski said. For Kurowski, a philosophy of gradual growth is really starting to pay off. Pizzeria Da Gloria now has a more fleshed-out bar program and is on the hunt for skilled bartenders, while the restaurant’s small-but-mighty natural wine program now offers wine by the glass; an expanded dining menu features starters like brisket meatballs with ricotta as well as house and Caesar salads. After half a year of experimentation using Da Gloria’s wood-fired oven, Kurowski has had time to further dial in his sourdough recipe and has started offering seasonal pizzas like a spring onion pesto, a white clam and one with wild ramps; current menu staples include the stracciatella (tomato sauce, house stracciatella, olive oil, pepper), a broccoli rabe and house sausage, the Bonci (roasted eggplant, garlicchile oil, parsley) and the pepperoni, which sports Ezzo pepperoni and pickled jalapenos. Kurowski is also working on new branding and merch and is excited to finally have real menus for his restaurant. “It’s weird trying to figure all this out as we grow. I’m always redefining my position,” he said with a laugh. Across town, in Maplewood, Elmwood has been on a different kind of journey. “We loved what Elmwood was starting to become,” said Elmwood co-owner and general manager Chris Kelling. “Our goal with Elmwood was to
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be a neighborhood restaurant.” But when the fine dining spot’s doors shut last March due to the pandemic, Kelling and his team recalibrated. According to him, starting a pizza joint was always in the Elmwood team’s future, and tabling their dynamic regular menu presented the perfect opportunity to dive headfirst into that dream. Starting with a Detroit-style pizza pop-up last summer and then doubling down on a more traditional carryout concept that would eventually be branded as Pizza Champ, Kelling and Elmwood executive chef and coowner Adam Altnether have become fully immersed in ’za. Recently, they bought a Marsal commercial oven to level up their game. “Adam’s unrelenting with his commitment to his standards,” Kelling explained. “With everything we do, it’s always, ‘Is Adam proud of it?’ It’s inspiring.” So far, some of their winning pies include a grilled kale and ricotta, the A Fun Guy (mushroom conserva, fontina, tomato), a powerfully flavored taco pizza and the double pepperoni, which is far and away their bestseller. “It’s not even close,” Kelling said. “I think pepperoni is the king of pizza.” Other offerings have included Buffalo chicken wings, a grilled broccoli Caesar, a spicy chicken sandwich and dessert cannoli.
attention,” he explained. “I think so many people now are paying more attention to their phones than ever, so it was a way to grow naturally and keep it easy to manage.” N I C K W I L L I A M S – known to many on Instagram as Nicky Slices – has used the past year to develop a strong online brand and an innovative takeand-bake program. Having cooked in New York City for almost a decade, eventually running the kitchen at popular Brooklyn seafood joint Littleneck, Williams was about to open his own spot when the pandemic hit, which messed up his plan, so he moved home to regroup. With pizza in his DNA – his father owned now-closed South Grand pizzeria Natty’s – Williams decided it was time to return to his roots. He started Nicky Slices, a Detroit-style pizzeria operating out of a commissary, selling exclusively via Instagram, delivering to customers on Thursdays and Fridays. “I love take-and-bake. It’s previous page: from left, elmwood co-owner and general manager chris kelling and executive chef and co-owner adam altnether; this page: nick williams of nicky slices and his take-and-bake detroitstyle pizzas; opposite page: pizza champ pizzas
L AT E R T H I S Y E A R , P I Z Z A C H A M P plans to go live with its own brick-andmortar. Though Kelling is still keeping most details under wraps, he did share a little. “It’s a pizza joint. Classic salad, sandwiches, soft serve, cookies. The soft serve is a must.” When the pandemic hit, Matt Chapin had recently left his job as sales manager at Rockwell Beer Co. and was looking for something to do. Instead of immediately finding a new gig in beer, he turned to one of his other passions: making grandma-style pies and sharing them with his friends. “It started with me on my own personal Instagram saying, ‘I’m going to make two pepperoni pizzas tonight – get at me if you want them,’” Chapin explained. “It seemed to work.” Soon after, he’d set up an official page for Corners, an Instagram-only “pizzeria” where customers could direct message to reserve time slots for pickup, pay via Venmo or CashApp, and swoop their ’za in a contactless pickup at Chapin’s house in South City. At Corners, celebrated mains include a pepperoni pie and one with house-made garlic and fennel sausage and Calabrian chile; less popular is the excellent Philly tomato pie, which Chapin hopes will catch on soon. “It’s great for a snack, it’s great for a crowd. I wish more people ordered it and tried to take the time to get it,” he sighed. In addition to five pizzas, sides of ranch and Calabrian chile round out Corners’ small menu. Despite his success as a weekend pizzaiolo, Chapin is not looking to open a real restaurant. “I’ve never really looked at food as a career, but I say that only having worked in and around the food industry,” he said, laughing. For now, he’s content slinging pies to those hip to the way he wants to do it. “It creates this cool kids club, more or less – you only get it if you know or if you’re paying June 2021
going into your house. I’m part of your dinner now,” Williams said with a sentimental tone. “I love that people send me pics of their kids smashing the pizza.” Nicky Slices has gained a large following quickly and is mostly known for its outrageous weekly specials, from the Wild Thing (smoked chicken, barbecue sauce, Red Hot Riplet ranch, beer-braised onions, pickles) and the Chupacabraj (beef birria, consommé, queso Oaxaca, cilantro, onions) to one of Williams’ personal favorites, the Tropic Thunder (Vietnamese sticky garlic chicken, pickled daikon and carrot, cilantro, peanut ranch); popular regular pies include the Mom’s Spaghetti (four cheeses, roasted tomato, marinara, parsley pesto) and The Roner (pepperoni, basil, garlic-chile hot honey). For Williams, the bombastic pizzas take him back to his Littleneck days, where he would run new items daily, with two to three on the weekends. “I was doing at least four new dishes a week, expressing myself through those specials,” he said. While his weekly pizza allotment always sells out quickly, Williams isn’t looking to expand too fast, June 2021
recalling horror stories of other institutions that blew up and burned out. He definitely wants his own spot someday, but not anytime soon, despite investors starting to knock on his door. For now, he’s just focused on organic growth. “We’re just gonna keep pumping out fire specials,” he said. And why not? If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Pizzeria da Gloria 2024 Marconi Ave., St. Louis, 314.833.3734, pizzeriadagloria.com Elmwood 2704 Sutton Blvd., Maplewood, 314.261.4708, elmwoodstl.com Corners Instagram: @cornersstl Nicky Slices Instagram: @nickyslicespizza
INSTAGRAM ENTREPRENEURS While some chefs take on a “restaurants for life” mentality early in their careers, others have sought to find new ways to reach diners, especially during the pandemic. In the case of businesses like Nicky Slices and Corners, young restaurateurs are taking a path of digital resistance, opting to market themselves via social media apps (like Instagram), take orders through their inboxes, accept payment on Venmo, CashApp or Square, and deliver you the coveted pies you desire. Slots are limited and selling out is expected. So how can you break into the game if you haven’t already? Log onto Instagram, follow your favorite brands, wait for a preorder announcement, and pray that you’ll slide into their DMs before anybody else. You may not score a ’za each time, but there’s always next week. saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 21
a highly coveted medical marijuana business license. “I think of [delta-8 THC] as a very social option for cannabis products,” Maritz said. “Sometimes, people feel that they can’t partake in social situations because they get in their head or it makes them tired, but [delta-8] is like a party cannabis – you get the same kind of euphoria without the drowsiness or anxiousness.”
EDIBLES INFUSED W I T H D E LTA- 8 T H C , A LEGAL CANNABINOID, CAN BE FOUND AT NUMEROUS SHOPS IN THE ST. LOUIS AREA.
Delta-8 THC’s ready availability is good news for those looking to catch a buzz who are unable (or unwilling) to purchase medical or recreational marijuana as it becomes increasingly accessible. But what exactly is this new cannabis product, and how did it become so widespread?
Several stores in the area offer the cannabinoid in edibles like gummies, caramels and chocolates, as well as some topical and smoking products, in a variety of dosages. You can also often find delta-8 combined with CBD, another cannabinoid that’s purported to promote relaxation, among other benefits, without the psychoactive properties.
In the past year or so, delta-8 THC – one of roughly 100 cannabinoids contained in cannabis – has gained popularity thanks to the 2018 Farm Bill. The legislation legalized all cannabinoid products containing less than 0.3% delta-9 THC, the most well-known and studied chemical that produces psychoactive effects. Delta-9 THC is now legal medicinally in Missouri and recreationally in Illinois. Both cannabinoids can reduce anxiety, stress and pain while providing a sense of relaxation and, for some, euphoria. When consumed in edible form, effects of each take about an hour to kick in and can last anywhere from 2 to 10 hours, depending on dosage. KEY THC: TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL CBD: CANNABIDIOL
“Delta-8 and delta-9 THC are pretty similar,” said Dafna Revah, co-owner of CBD Kratom, which has over a dozen locations in the area. “Delta-8 provides psychoactive and psychotropic effects, but is said to be a less intense cousin with less of the negative side effects you sometimes have with delta-9, like nausea or paranoia.” The strength of delta-8 is roughly one-third of that of delta-9, according to Revah. “If you typically need 5
other brands, including Midwest Magic, a brand slated to hit the market in the next month or so with seltzers and a variety of edibles, including a bake-at-home brownie kit. While Mighty Kind products containing delta-9 THC are not currently available in the St. Louis market, the company is producing and distributing such products in Oklahoma.
milligrams of delta-9, you would want 15 milligrams of delta-8 to create a similar effect,” she explained. The legality is a little murky, however. “It’s kind of a loophole, and some states are looking to regulate it like delta-9 THC,” Revah said. Joshua Grigaitis, founder of Mighty Kind cannabis seltzers, said, “The science is moving faster than the law. There are a lot of fast-moving parts in the cannabis industry, and delta-8 is the grayest of the gray.” Although Grigaitis is not offering delta-8 in Mighty Kind products, he is manufacturing it for
According to Grigaitis, most products containing delta-9 THC have always also had delta-8, but labs have only recently begun to distinguish and separate the two. He explained that delta-8 products don’t technically have to include warning labels (for example, cautioning consumers against operating heavy machinery while under the influence or that they could fail a drug test). “It needs more attention in the world of education and proper labeling, so part of my delay if I do decide to use it in my brand is that I want to take all proper steps to make sure it’s safe,” he said. Midwest Magic owner Ted Maritz decided to go the delta-8 and CBD route when he was unable to secure
GET IT 1 STOP SMOKE SHOP 111 E. PEARCE BLVD., WENTZVILLE, 636.856.1587, FACEBOOK: 1 STOP SMOKE SHOP CBD KRATOM MULTIPLE LOCATIONS, CBDKRATOMSHOPS.COM EMPORIUM SMOKE SHOP 6254 DELMAR BLVD., ST. LOUIS, 314.721.6277, EMPORIUMSMOKESHOPSTL.COM JANE DISPENSARY 6662 DELMAR BLVD., UNIVERSITY CITY, 314.464.4420, JANEDISPENSARY.COM MR. NICE GUY MULTIPLE LOCATIONS, MRNICEGUYHEADSHOPS.COM N’BLISS DISPENSARY MULTIPLE LOCATIONS, NBLISSCANNABIS.COM OLE TOWN SMOKE SHOP MULTIPLE LOCATIONS, FACEBOOK: OLE TOWN SMOKE SHOP SUNSHINE DAYDREAM MULTIPLE LOCATIONS, SUNSHINEDAYDREAM.COM THE GREEN DRAGON CBD 14856 CLAYTON ROAD, CHESTERFIELD, 636.220.7278, THEGREENDRAGONCBD.COM THE NO SMOKE SHOP 4521 S. KINGSHIGHWAY BLVD., ST. LOUIS, 314.696.2855, NO-SMOKESHOP.COM
H I G H ly L E G A L BY LAUREN HEALEY
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June 2021
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CRAB CRAWL ST. LOUIS MAY BE LAND-LOCKED, BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN YOU HAVE TO HOP IN A PLANE TO INDULGE IN A BOILED CRAB FEAST. THERE ARE MANY LOCALLY OWNED OPTIONS FOR LOW COUNTRY- AND CAJUNSTYLE BOILS, AS WELL AS A NUMBER OF SPOTS OFFERING FRESH TAKES ON THE TRADITIONAL BOIL USING FLAVORS DRAWN FROM GLOBAL CUISINES. HERE’S A LIST OF PLACES TO TRY THE NEXT TIME THE YEN TO CRACK CLAWS HITS. – LIZ WOLFSON Cluster Busters Cluster Busters offers three boiled crab leg platters; all come with snow crab clusters, red potatoes, smoked sausage and six boiled shrimp as a little boiled seafood bonus. 5003 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314.449.1544; 4320 Dr. Martin Luther King Drive, St. Louis, 314.387.9111, Facebook: Cluster Busters
Gulf Shores Restaurant & Grill As the name suggests, this restaurant specializes in all things seafood. Crab legs – both king and snow – are on offer; options include platters served with your choice of two sides or a combo designed for two people featuring a pound of snow crab legs, half-pound of shrimp with your choice of preparation (fried, grilled, blackened or sauteed), four sides, two corn muffins and your choice of dessert. 12528 Olive Blvd., Creve Coeur, 314.878.3306; 215 Harvard Drive, Edwardsville, 618.650.9109, gulfshoresrestaurantandgrill.com
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Crab’s Landing
Peacemaker Lobster & Crab Co.
The Mad Crab
This recent addition to downtown’s restaurant scene offers snow crab legs by the half-pound or pound as well as in combos, tossed in your choice of Cajun or “juicy special” seasoning or garlic or plain butter, and served with corn and potatoes. A Dungeness crab combo is also available, served with a half-pound of boiled shrimp. 701 N. Tucker Blvd., St. Louis, 314.833.3280, crabslanding.com
Peacemaker’s king crab legs come with drawn butter for dunking, along with potatoes, corn on the cob, andouille sausage and a buttermilk biscuit. 1831 Sidney St., St. Louis, 314.772.8858, peacemakerlobstercrab. com/st-louis
The Mad Crab offers crab either a la carte or in combos; all are sold by the pound. Whole Dungeness or jumbo king or snow crab legs are available a la carte with the option to include corn, potatoes, pork or beef sausage and boiled eggs for an additional charge. Crab-containing combos include the Angry Combo, which features one pound of snow crab legs plus additional seafood choices, and the Hangry Combo, featuring either one pound of jumbo king crab legs or two pounds of snow crab legs plus one pound each of shrimp, black mussels, clams and crawfish. When you order, select your spice level, which ranges from “non-spicy – plain and simple” to “XXX – Can you Handle It!” 8080 Olive Blvd., University City, 314.801.8698; 12490 St. Charles Rock Road, Bridgeton, 314.455.4338, themadcrabstl.com
Mariscos El Gato This Mexican restaurant specializing in seafood offers several platters featuring crab legs. An all-crab option is available, or go for one of several mixed seafood platters that include crab along with shrimp, mussels, oysters or octopus. 4561 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, 314.282.0772, Facebook: Mariscos El Gato
Tiny Chef Though the Tiny Chef ’s Korean crab boil is a semi-regular special rather than a standard menu option, any local crab boil list would be remiss to omit this creative take. Chef Melanie Meyer, aka the Tiny Chef, tosses snow crab legs and sauteed shrimp in a custom spice blend and serves it alongside sauteed Shanghai bok choy, sliced, hard-boiled eggs, roasted small potatoes and Korean cheesy corn. Meyer does the boils about once every month and announces the boil’s availability through Tiny Chef ’s Facebook and Instagram pages one to two weeks ahead of time. It usually sells out quickly, so set an alert to remind you when ordering opens to avoid missing out. 4701 Morgan Ford Road (inside The Silver Ballroom), St. Louis, 314.832.9223, Facebook: Tiny Chef
Broadway Oyster Bar The New Orleans-style staple offers a platter featuring a half-pound of Alaskan snow crab Cajun-steamed and served with a baked potato and fresh green beans. Diners looking to up their crab quotient can also add an additional half-pound of crab to their platter. 736 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314.621.8811, broadwayoysterbar.com
LA Juicy Seafood At Cajun-style restaurant LA Juicy Seafood, you have the choice to order either whole crabs (Dungeness and blue crab) or just legs (snow and king crab), sold by the pound. All orders come with one piece of corn and two potatoes. 10732 W. Florissant Ave., St. Louis, 314.942.6668, stlouis.lajuicyseafood.com; 373 Winding Woods Drive, O’Fallon, 636.294.9171, ofallon.lajuicyseafood.com
Blue Crab Juicy Seafood & Bar At Blue Crab Juicy Seafood, your choice of whole blue or Dungeness crabs or snow or king crab legs can be seasoned with Cajun seasoning, garlic butter, lemon pepper or a combination of all three. Boils are sold by the pound at your preferred spice level and come with corn and potatoes. 3248 Laclede Station Road, Maplewood, 314.282.0055, bluecrabjuicyseafood3.com
Joyful House Vietnamese restaurant Joyful House is the spot for those looking to try Viet-Cajun seafood in St. Louis. The style blends the peppery heat of Cajun-style boils with flavors common to Vietnamese cuisine like lemongrass, ginger and garlic. At Joyful House, a great way to experience this culinary trend is by ordering your crab tossed in the house Joyful Sauce, which the menu simply describes as “the joy of Cajun.” Other seasoning options include sweet-and-sour tamarind sauce as well as the standard issue garlic butter and lemon pepper. King, Dungeness and blue crabs are all available by the pound or as part of combos, as are clusters of snow crab legs. 3900 S. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, 314.696.8255, Facebook: Joyful House Restaurant
June 2021
PHOTO BY CARMEN TROESSER
crab leg platter at cluster busters
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j o e o r f, f o u n d e r o f d o u g h j o e ' s , w i t h h i s p i z z a b a g e l s
Bagel THE
Bunch by adam rothbarth // photos by carmen troesser
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Are good bagels finally coming to S t . L o u i s ? No, they’ve always been here, most notably at The Bagel Factory in Creve Coeur and, in the old days, Central West End’s Basically Bagels. That said, there are some new bagel programs in the game that are worth knowing about. Dough Joe’s is slinging tasty plain, sesame, asiago and poppy seed bagels at the Tower Grove Farmers’ Market. Pick up some of their everything bagel seasoning if you want to do it yourself (or if you just want some extra bling on top of your spread). Joe’s secret weapon is the frozen pepperoni pizza bagel; if you grew up eating Bagel Bites, you’ll be in heaven once you heat this baby up.
Also gracing the Tower Grove Farmers’ Market is Adam Stroud’s Stroud City Bagels, which sells asiago, everything and sesame bagels on Saturdays. Occasional specials have included a bagel with nutella and cocoa nibs as well as a rainbow bagel and a loaded baked potato bagel. Stroud City also sells bagels elsewhere in the St. Louis area at pop-up events and farmers markets, so keep an eye on social media to make sure you catch Stroud City at the right time and place. While bagels tend to pop up more often in the city these days, bagel fans in the county can seek out Lefty’s Bagels, which operates out of The Bakers Hub, a shared kitchen
and incubator in Chesterfield that also hosts businesses like The Tipsy Goat and Gooey Louie Gooey Butter Cakes. There, Lefty’s Bagels – named for co-owner Scott Lefton – offers plain, poppy seed, sesame and everything bagels on weekends starting at 9 a.m. The bialy is a baked roll that isn’t usually boiled and sports an indentation in the center rather than a hole, but it serves a similar function to the bagel when sliced and dressed with tasty toppings. Case in point: the sesame seed bialy at Songbird, Forest Park Southeast’s newest brunch hotspot. There, diners can order a bialy with house-cured Scottish salmon, whipped cream cheese,
capers, a sieved egg, dill and pickled red onions. It may not technically be a bagel, but with that spread, we don’t really care what you call it. GET BAGELS HERE Dough Joe’s 224.383.4760, doughjoessaintlouis.com Stroud City Bagels Facebook: Stroud City Bagels Lefty’s Bagels 67 Forum Shopping Center, Chesterfield, 314.275.0959, leftysbagels.com Songbird 4476 Chouteau Ave., St. Louis, 314.781.4344, songbirdstl.
bagels in the works at dough joe's June 2021
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hustle
grind
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DINERS FROM ALL BACKGROUNDS ARE LOVING PLANT-BASED POP-UP 12OH7 HERBAN EATERY’S SOULFUL AND GLOBALLY INSPIRED MENU. BUT IT’S GOING TO TAKE MORE THAN A LEGION OF HUNGRY FANS TO HELP CO-OWNERS BRANDY DIXON AND JASMINE YANDELL ACHIEVE THEIR DREAMS. BY LIZ WOLFSON // PHOTOS BY IZAIAH JOHNSON
o p p o s i t e pag e : f r o m l e f t, c o - o w n e r s of 12oh7 brandy d i xo n a n d ja s m i n e ya n d e l l ; t h i s p a g e : the aloo burger
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perfectly squared, Japanese-style sandwich is splayed precisely, its midsection turned up, showing off perfect layers of white bread, shredded cabbage and what appears to be a breaded cutlet. An unsuspecting viewer would likely assume the cutlet, which features a crisp, rough exterior clinging to a tender, pale interior, was chicken – after all, we are currently living through a veritable chicken sandwich renaissance. However, this sandwich is from 12oh7 Herban Eatery, the plant-based food business owned and operated by partners Jasmine Yandell and Brandy Dixon. And at 12oh7, culinary sleight-of-hand with a soulful, globally inspired flair is the name of the game. While it’s easy to be seduced by what Dixon and Yandell describe as the “wow factor” of their food – the magical feeling one gets from seeing and tasting
something intimately familiar made with unfamiliar materials – it’s not the rabbit-in-a-hat trick of meat replication that sends you back for another bite or second order. It’s the deft spice blend of their Indian-style Aloo burger, the sweetand-spicy kick of their jerk “chick-un,” the crisp-yet-flaky fry on their fruit-filled hand pies. The “wow” might get diners through 12oh7’s proverbial door (despite a sizeable customer base that includes diners from out-of-state, they don’t yet have their own brick-and-mortar). Rather, it’s the flavors and textures that bring eaters of all dietary backgrounds back again and again.
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12oh7’s menu is largely the brainchild of Yandell, who attended culinary school and has spent most of her career in kitchens like Copia Restaurant and Wine Garden and Sunset 44 Bistro & Banquet as well as national chains like The Cheesecake Factory and Five Guys. “I worked in all kinds of restaurants because I had a goal to teach myself how to be able to run my own restaurant and what kind of restaurant I wanted to run,” Yandell explained. Her resume even includes a stint at Disney World, where on her first day, Yandell was assigned to the theme park’s largest kitchen and tasked with operating 22 fryers at once. While Yandell brings the restaurant experience to 12oh7, Dixon provides crucial kitchen and business support. Part sous-chef, part taste-tester and part general manager, she helps Yandell prep all of 12oh7’s meals and serves as the face of the business,
communicating with customers and running orders out for pickup. If Yandell’s primary perspective on their work is that of a chef, Dixon brings a natural knack for hospitality: “I look at everything from the customer’s pointof-view,” she said. As Yandell was working her way through St. Louis’ restaurant scene and dreaming of opening her own spot, Dixon was building her customer service experience through retail positions and nursing similar goals of going into business for herself. The two crossed paths at a job in 2015, where Yandell recognized Dixon’s business savvy and approached her for
help writing a business plan for her dream restaurant. When Dixon specified how much she would charge for her services, Yandell offered her half ownership of the business in lieu of payment. Dixon accepted, and a partnership was formed. The two launched 12oh7 in 2015 at an art and food event in downtown St. Louis and decided to take the date they formalized their business partnership, Dec. 7, as their new project’s name. Though a plant-based menu was not part of their initial model, it wasn’t long before they shifted to meat-free cuisine; both partners follow a plant-based diet and featuring meat “just didn’t feel like us,” explained Yandell. Each had their own reasons for giving up meat: Growing up, Yandell never developed a strong taste for it and first went meat-free as a teenager, while Dixon went vegan later in life (with Yandell’s help) in an effort to combat her adult acne.
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espite their different reasons for going plantbased, Yandell and Dixon are part of a growing group of Black Americans who are embracing meatfree diets. According to the BBC, Black Americans are three times as likely to follow a plant-based diet as other Americans. Similarly, a recent story on Eater pointed out the role of prominent Black artists, athletes and other celebrities, like tennis star Venus Williams and politician Cory Booker, in promoting plant-based eating. “The thing with Black people, what we forget, is we’ve always eaten off the land,” Yandell reflected. “When
we geared away from that, we caused a lot of health conditions, a lot of other problems, and a lot things that now people are trying to reverse.” While many of 12oh7’s dishes are meant to appeal to eaters who identify as vegan, the majority of the business’ clientele are not strictly meat-free; and furthermore, Yandell and Dixon don’t themselves identify as vegan or feel comfortable applying the term to their food. “The reason we don’t say veganism is, first of all, it’s a very white term, and it doesn’t exactly describe us,” Yandell said. “We are plant-based, but to me, when I think ‘vegan,’ I think of all the processed junk food that’s in modern day veganism. And that’s not what we want to do.” In the years following their 2015 launch, Dixon and Yandell slowly but surely built 12oh7’s following through
farmers markets, local and out-oftown vegetarian food festivals, catering gigs and pop-up events. During this period, Yandell took a job as a prep cook at Retreat Gastropub, working at the restaurant part-time while she and Dixon focused on growing 12oh7. At Retreat, Yandell quickly gained the confidence of co-owner Travis Howard and then-general manager Jack McGinn; both were impressed by her work ethic, positive attitude and, above all, her skill and creativity in the kitchen. “A lot of people who aren’t in management roles are good at executing things, but they’re not always creative or trying to develop June 2021
new things,” Howard explained. “But Jasmine was the sort of person who was taking recipes that we already had and giving feedback on them and finding little ways to tweak them and make them better.”
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cGinn remembered Yandell’s time at Retreat in the same way. “There wasn’t really a situation that came up that she didn’t have some idea or foundational knowledge about how to improve,” he said. Because a restaurant kitchen can be, as McGinn put it, “a very weirdly hierarchical place,” it’s easy for such critiques to spark conflict, but Yandell was able to offer feedback without ruffling feathers. “She always was just like, ‘Well, here’s something I’ve done in the past that works, take it or leave it.’ And we almost always took it, because it was almost always good,” McGinn continued.
But like so many Black women seeking to build their own enterprises, Dixon and Yandell have struggled to be taken seriously as business owners and to find the financial support necessary to fund their dreams.
The pandemic’s onset last March forced the cancellation of the farmers market and festivals that had been key to 12oh7’s success. But thanks to their flexible business model, they were
doing? Why are you guys in Jennings and Audi A8s and Teslas are pulling up into your driveway?’” Soon they added Retreat as an additional pickup location; Yandell’s former employers are happy to let her and Dixon use the kitchen to prep for events and catering jobs whenever they’re closed, so it made sense to add the restaurant’s off day of Tuesday to their carryout calendar. The ordering process is simple: Each week, Dixon posts the menu to 12oh7’s social media accounts and website; customers place orders through the website. On the pickup day, customers text their arrival time and identifying details for their vehicle and then text again once they’ve arrived, and Dixon runs their food out to their car. Even before the pandemic, Dixon and Yandell knew it was time for them to move into a brick-and-mortar of their
having their own space and having very limited time in a kitchen.” Their goal is to secure their own space by the end of 2021 or spring 2022 at the latest. For most businesses, this sort of runaway success story would auger a smooth path to transitioning to a permanent setup. But like so many Black women seeking to build their own enterprises, Dixon and Yandell have struggled to be taken seriously as business owners and to find the financial support necessary to fund their dreams. “Without having backing and without having a network behind you, you’re just kind of on your own,” Yandell lamented. “And then on top of that, being Black women inside of the [restaurant] industry really plays a big factor as far as people even just taking us seriously. When people see the food – it’s one thing for a social media presence. But then when you get
f r o m l e f t, ja s m i n e ya n d e l l a n d b r a n dy d i xo n ; f r i e s at 1 2 o h 7; a l o o burger; phish p l at e ; ja s m i n e ya n d e l l a n d b r a n dy d i xo n ; american burger
The team at Retreat knew Yandell had her own project she was working on, but it wasn’t until McGinn happened across 12oh7’s booth at the Tower Grove Farmers’ Market that he realized just how successful the business had become. “It was a slow, rainy-ish Tuesday afternoon, so not the busiest market ever,” McGinn recalled. As soon as Dixon and Yandell opened, though, he was amazed to see a crowd appear seemingly from nowhere to descend on them. “All these people – it was like they popped up from behind the bushes and swarmed on their little tent setup, and they were just immediately busy. So I knew they had a good following.” June 2021
able to pivot seamlessly to a regular carryout schedule using their house in Jennings as the initial pickup location. As a result, Dixon and Yandell found themselves busier than ever. “The pandemic literally quadrupled our business – we have never done so well,” said Yandell. Having organically grown a customer base accustomed to using social media to track 12oh7’s menu and availability at markets and events, their followers didn’t bat an eye at driving to Jennings to pick up meals. “When we were cooking from our house, the streets were packed,” Yandell recalled, laughing. “People were trying to figure out like, “What are you guys
own. The unexpected and explosive growth they’ve experienced during the pandemic has only made obtaining a space more urgent. “We have definitely outgrown what we’ve done, and we are no longer able to meet our demand,” Yandell explained. “We can only sell so much. We can only do so much, and we can’t really grow from it because of that.” Howard confirmed the duo’s need to move into their own facility. “I’m really hoping that they can find a place to call home before too long and see how much more they can develop it from there,” he said. “Because now, I’m sure that they’re somewhat limited in what they can offer, basically not
out there in front of people, people are like ‘OK, so where are the owners?’ I’m like, ‘I’m right here! I’m cooking the food, but I’m right here!’ “Even the banks taking us seriously – even crowd-funding or angel investors – there’s just so many people. … This has taught me one thing. There are a lot of people out there that can help us. They don’t believe in us. And then there are a lot of people out there that believe in us that can’t help us at all. It’s a catch-22, and it leaves us in a position to do it for ourselves and try to figure out how to get us from point A to point B.” saucemagazine.com I SAUCE MAGAZINE I 31
The hurdles Yandell describes are what motivated podiatrist Dr. Annessa Blackmun, a 12oh7 regular, to launch a GoFundMe campaign to help Dixon and Yandell raise the funds to secure a space. Blackmun recalled trying 12oh7 for the first time at the beginning of the pandemic. “I ordered, I picked it up, it was fantastic, and when I tell you that I have been a loyal customer – six months straight, I went every single week,” Blackmun said. “I just fell in love with the both of them.”
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lackmun knows from personal experience how difficult it is to be a Black female entrepreneur, especially in St. Louis, where she was born and raised. After completing her professional training in New York City and New Orleans, she returned home to start her own practice. Here, she found folks who were interested in her services but couldn’t afford them. After struggling for a while to make ends meet, Blackmun closed shop. “I ended up going out of business because I just couldn’t get enough people. [There are people] who have a lot of interest in you but maybe can’t afford it or that sort of thing. I just saw that happening with them,” she explained.
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"This has taught me one thing. There are a lot of people out there that can help us. They don't believe in us. And then there are a lot of people out there that believe in us that can't help us at all. It's a catch-22, and it leaves us in a position to do it for ourselves and try to figure out how to get us from point A to point B.” - J A S M I N E YA N D E L , CO-OWNER, 12OH7
Blackmun said she knows that 12oh7 can succeed based on her experience as a longtime customer of Lona’s Lil Eats, which similarly started out as a stand at the Soulard Farmers Market before transitioning to a brick-andmortar location. “I was one of those customers that was at Lona’s Lil Eats when they were at Soulard, and they were there hustling for four years, husband and wife, beautiful people,” she recollected. “12oh7 gives me that same feeling of these people who love to cook, who love to give quality food to people, who love people, who learned their names, who want to feel something that’s lasting.”
traits – one that helps counter-balance some of the city’s more challenging aspects. In this sense, her GoFundMe on behalf of Yandell and Dixon is as much an act of civic consciousness as it is an investment in food she finds delicious. She describes having seen many of her fellow Black professionals leave St. Louis, drawn by higher pay rates and job titles they’re unable to attain in this city. So when Dixon shared with Blackmun one day that she and Yandell had been offered an opportunity in Atlanta but turned it down, Blackmun knew she needed to do something to provide the pair with some support, to help make their effort to grow a little easier.
Blackmun sees this urge to create something lasting that helps provide people with a sense of belonging as one of St. Louis’ positive distinguishing
Yandell and Dixon confirm their commitment not just to the St. Louis region but also to the city specifically. When asked where their ideal location
for a restaurant would be, they describe customers begging them to open all over the metro area, from O’Fallon, Missouri, to Illinois. And while they see benefits to many different locations, “We really want to stay in the city,” Yandell explained. “We really love our city. We want to be a part of something that can help, that can be a part of the better picture.” Making their plantbased food accessible to people from all backgrounds – including those living in the city’s food deserts – is a top priority for Yandell and Dixon. “Everybody can’t go out to such and such to get one burger for a day,” Yandell pointed out. “So, if someone has to catch the Metrolink, we just want everybody to be able to reach us.” Yandell’s former bosses at Retreat have no doubts about her and Dixon’s chances of success. “I don’t want to understate how difficult the [restaurant] business is, because it is often difficult,” McGinn said. But he also believes that statistics regarding the high rate of restaurant closures in the first years of business fail to account for many first-time restaurateurs’ lack of prior experience in the industry. “I think that for Jasmine and Brandy, being as skilled as they are and being as hands-on as they are and already having the following that they have – I think they’re going to be very successful,” he stated confidently. Howard concurs. “They are the sort of people who are hustling very hard and are grinding very hard right now, and people who are willing to do that, they find a way to get there.” 12oh7 Herban Eatery 12oh7eats.com
For more information about the GoFundMe campaign to help Dixon and Yandell obtain a brickand-mortar, visit https://gofund. me/43a1d67d
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Golden Hour Sips BY ADAM ROTHBARTH // PHOTO BY JONATHAN GAYMAN
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After the year we’ve had, we don’t need to explain the magical satisfaction of meeting up with your pals for an afternoon wine hang. Whether you’re in the park, on a patio or just having a laid-back snack session indoors, you’ll want to pick the right juice for the situation, and we’re here to help you do it. Here are some of the fun, golden hour-friendly bottles we’ve been cracking this summer, from Spanish field blend rosés and Greek skin contacts to California boxed wine.
Ameztoi Rubentis
A blend of indigenous grape varieties grown on the northern coast of Spain, this rosé is an eternal summer banger. Impress your friends by explaining that it’s a txakoli, meaning that it’s a mildly sparkling, drier rosé from the Basque region, with good salinity and calm citrus notes. $24. Chateau Maplewood, 7326 Manchester Road, Maplewood, 314.899.0105, chateaumaplewood.com
C o l d i L u n a ‘ F l o r a’ Prosecco
This dry, citrus-y prosecco from Cappella Maggiore in northeastern Italy offers a sharp sip that cuts through spicy and fatty foods perfectly. Great with pizza, solo or in a spritz, this beautiful sparkling is super versatile. $16. 33 Wine Shop & Bar, 1913 Park Ave., St. Louis, 314.231.9463, 33wine.com
F o l k M ac h i n e B .Y.O. B . B ox e d R e d W i n e
Move over, Franzia and Bota – there’s a new go-to boxed wine in town. Hailing from California, this stainless steel- and oak barrel-aged red by Hobo Wine Co. subsidiary Folk Machine features
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carignan, petite syrah, tempranillo and zinfandel grapes. It tastes good and comes in a big three-liter box – what else do you need to know? $36. Pastaria Deli & Wine, 7734 Forsyth Blvd., Clayton, 314.773.7755, pastariadeliwine.com
Subject to Change Big S u n E n e r g y G r e n ac h e
This 00 (natural) grenache from California’s Subject to Change Wine Co. indeed brings big energy. A bit dry and very structural with notes of dark berry, pepper and orange zest, this is your grounding juice for the summer, guaranteed to keep you in the moment so you can focus on soaking up the sun. $28. Pastaria Deli & Wine
D o m a i n e G l i n avo s Pa l e o k e r i s i o
Cracking a crisp skin contact wine while enjoying a few salty snacks? One of the best things in the world. This semi-sparkling from Greek producer Dom. Glinavos uses debina and bekari grapes and will whisk you away to the Ionian Sea. $23. Parker’s Table, 7118 Oakland Ave., Richmond Heights, 314.645.2050, parkerstable.com
Lieu Dit Sauvignon Blanc
This sauvignon blanc was made for outdoor sipping. Grown in sunny Santa Barbara, California, these grapes receive both tank and barrel fermentation; they’re mineral-forward but also light and grassy, so you should be pairing this one with green salads, tomato dishes, lighter pizzas or your friend’s dope cheese plate. But do what feels right – it’s summer, baby! $21. Chateau Maplewood
L a C l a r i n e Fa r m s Albariño
pleasing white wine in your back pocket for when the sun peeks out and the homies must assemble quickly. This wine sees garganega and chardonnay grapes from a few different Italian municipalities, which all blend for chill notes of white flowers, apple and orange and a mild acidity. $16. Pastaria Deli & Wine
Domaine AMI Bourgogne Aligoté
W I N E Z O N E P L AY L I S T
These grapes get seven-months of skin contact, creating a beautifully hued wine that’s structural and acidic, full of tangerine, orange and other deepseated citrus notes. This one’s got a lot of bite, so pick something equally punchy to eat with it; we drank it with dill pickle-flavored potato chips, so we can confirm that anything goes. $28. Little Fox, 2800 Shenandoah Ave., St. Louis, 314.553.9456, littlefoxstl.com
Featuring a powerful blend of gamay, pinot noir and aligoté grapes, this dazzling wine from Burgundy takes up techniques more often associated with southern neighbors in Beaujolais; here, carbonically macerated grapes ferment in stainless steel, the result of which is a buoyant-but-dark juice full of red fruit flavor that will stay in your mind long after the bottle’s empty. $27. Little Fox
Les Alliés P e t- N at R o s é
This light, juicy French pet-nat rosé’s gorgeous color is enough to reel you in, and its peachy-melon vibes will keep you refilling your glass. At this price point, you can stash a few bottles in the fridge or in your cellar for when they call to you. $11. Grapevine Wines, 309 S. Kirkwood Road, Kirkwood, 314.909.7044, grapevinewinesandspirits.com
BY ADAM ROTHBARTH
You’ve got the wine, you’ve got your friends, the snacks are laid out, the golden hour is upon you. Did you forget anything? No, because you’ve smartly queued up the following playlist! Enjoy! Bonnie Raitt: “Nick of Time” Bruce Springsteen: “Sad Eyes (Studio Outtake - 1990)” Michael McDonald: “Matters of the Heart” Cassandra Jenkins: “Hard Drive” Neil Young: “Razor Love” Sarah McLachlan: “Building a Mystery” Japanese Breakfast: “Essentially” Bartees Strange: “Mr. November” Bruce Hornsby & The Range: “The Road Not Taken” Destroyer: “Sky’s Grey” Lucinda Williams: “2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten” The Smiths: “Reel Around the Fountain” Tom Waits: “Downtown Train” Rodolphe Burger: “The Passenger”
Scaia Garganega/ C h a r d o n n ay
At all times, you should have a dependable, affordable, crowd-
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L A S T B I T E // W H AT I D O
MATT LEBON
the team at custom foodscaping, from left: ryan albritton, emily leidenfrost, gabriel hahn, lindsay wolff, matt lebon and nelson curran
FOUNDER, CUSTOM FOODSCAPING
Custom Foodscaping’s founder Matt Lebon had little connection to plants or gardening growing up. But after returning home from two years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Paraguay, where his neighbors had yards filled with fruit trees, he was inspired to help people feed themselves from their own gardens. Here, Lebon shares some pro planting tips and talks about creating “magical food moments” through foodscaping. – Liz Wolfson
“We work just like a landscaping company, where you might hire somebody
“The other component of the business is we set up raised-bed gardens – we sometimes call these
kitchen gardens. Traditionally, we build them out of local, rot-resistant cedar and install drip irrigation and build in trellises to create 3D elements in a landscape.” “I’m one of the leaders of the team; I was the founder of the company. Now I focus on working with
the team, client relations, and design and implementation of our projects.” “I do think foodscaping is truly for everyone. Even at the tiniest scale of just
a pot growing in your yard or on your patio, there’s so much spiritual nourishment and humbling life lessons in watching something grow over time and taking care of plants.”
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“In a small South City backyard, we installed an espaliered apple tree
“We’re doing a sensory garden installation at the Wildwood YMCA.
“In terms of things that people might grow, I would encourage them
along a garage wall with mint planted around it. To me, that is such a win – how a tiny space can be a huge enhancement to the landscape. And it’s tiny, but this beautiful apple tree will, of course, make apples. And then this mint that is arguably the most productive plant you could put in a landscape, because it just offers so much in terms of a little bit going a long way, but it is also a very aggressive spreader, so it needs be planted in the right spot. I see that as a classic way of using a small space to do something unique.”
It’s got a lot of different components, each with a different theme. There’s a whole section of the garden based on citrus, where we’re planting everything that’s citrus-inspired, like lemon balm, lemon verbena, and the only hardy orange bush that you can grow in our climate. Then we’re doing another little pod we’re calling ‘the edible candy area,’ where we’re planting all these black licorice-flavored plants and strawberries and stevia – all these things that are sweet and found in candy.”
to try berries and fruiting shrubs. A lot of people don’t think about these things when they think about fruits, but they’re the easiest fruits to grow. Blackberries, raspberries and strawberries especially – those are easily available locally, and a lot of the local varieties are the varieties that we recommend.”
“Our first big restaurant client was Vicia – that’s been documented
a lot. We’ve moved on to the Royale. We’ve planted several fruit trees there already, espaliered pears and figs, and planter beds and grapes and jujubes. And we just finished at Songbird. We just put in some raised garden beds and some trellising and planted passion fruit vines.”
“Generally, the cool seasons are great [for planting], so that’s
typically going to be March and April as well as October. Late September to early October is the sweet spot there in the fall, because you want to get it in before it gets really cold. You want it to have a little bit of time to acclimate. And a good mulching if you’re fall planting is a great tip, because that helps insulate the ground.”
“Sometimes, I say we’re in the business of creating magical food moments, where you smell or
eat something and you’re just like, ‘Wow!’ A light bulb goes off. If we believe what I believe, which is that that moment can have a profound influence on the way that we make decisions around our health, the health of our yards, the health of our planet, health of our bodies, then we have to figure out ways to get [foodscaping] into public spaces where it’s not just in the backyards of those who can afford it. So I really would hope that we can continue to move from backyards to public spaces or workplaces where more public access can happen.”
June 2021
PHOTOS BY VIRGINIA HAROLD
to plant flowers and grasses and trees and shrubs. We do the same thing, but we plant edible plants: perennial vegetables like rhubarb and asparagus, perennial herbs like thyme and sage, fruiting plants like raspberries and blackberries, and fruit trees like pears and apples.”
June 2021
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L A S T B I T E // L A N D M A R K
PROTZEL’S DELICATESSEN BY A DA M R OTH BA R TH
greatest marketing tool I ever had, and it didn’t cost me a dime.” Generally, if a customer orders an original sandwich often enough, Protzel will write it down on a piece of cardstock and tape it up on the deli case; if it starts to stick with other diners, it might become part of the permanent menu. “The Mrs. Gladney Special comes from back when my grandparents were still alive,” Protzel said of a sandwich featuring peppered beef, salami, Swiss cheese and Dijon mustard, served on Jewish rye or a Kaiser roll. “She came in every Saturday and ordered that sandwich for the caretakers in her house,” he said. “A few months ago, her son and grandson came in. They were shocked it was still on the menu.”
the patio at protzel's delicatessen
It’s not easy to get your name on the menu at Protzel’s Delicatessen. Many have tried, few have succeeded. Since the deli opened in 1954 under the ownership of Bob and Evelyn Protzel, the list of offerings has remained almost exactly the same. “The only thing that has really changed on the menu is that specialty sandwiches have gotten added,” explained Max Protzel, grandson of the original owners and co-owner alongside his sister, Erica Kliethermes. “What’s fun about that is
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that all of the specialty sandwiches are named after some customers of the deli, so there’s meaning behind it.” In fact, nearly all of the special sandwiches are named for customers who have earned their place among the classics, and Protzel loves telling their stories. He recalls a Washington University student named Adam Starkman who came in frequently, ordering a brisket and hard salami sandwich with deli mustard – something that wasn’t on the
menu. One day, Starkman jokingly asked Protzel if he could just put the sandwich on the menu, and Protzel shocked him by saying yes. “Are you kidding?” Starkman asked. “No, it’s fine,” Protzel replied. When Starkman had tried doing that previously, at many delis in New York City, “they completely dismissed it and thought he was nuts for doing it.” Soon after, he returned with 30 of his friends to show off the Stark Diez, his namesake item. “The guys even brought their parents in,” Protzel said. “It was the
At the center of it all is the food, which is made almost entirely in-house. It’s not really different from any other deli; you can get bagels with lox and cream cheese, tuna salad, pastrami and corned beef. They have tongue, chopped liver and egg salad. People love the Reuben sandwich, which you can get at basically any restaurant with the word “deli” in its name. What makes Protzel’s truly special, as the menu shows, is that if you eat there often enough, you become part of it.
7608 Wydown Blvd., Clayton, 314.721.4445, protzelsdeli.com
June 2021
PHOTO BY DAVID KOVALUK
Protzel’s menu stands as a monument to a dedicated customer base that has, in some cases, been dining there since the beginning. “A lot of these customers have been coming in forever. I still have a lot of customers who came in as kids, and my grandparents waited on them and their grandparents,” Protzel said. “The majority of people I talk to and get to know are people who have been coming in for 50 years or more.”
June 2021
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