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On the first cold day of winter, we found ourselves inside a small café seated at a table near the unprotected front door—one lacking a breezeway, overhead heater, or protective curtain. We stamped our frigid feet and wondered why so few customers were in the house… Wait a minute: We just answered our own question. Restaurant owners are normally adept at cost-benefit analyses; in this particular case, however, many inexplicably fall short. How much can a hoop and velvet curtain cost, we ask, and how quick’s the payback? In the meantime, we made a beeline to our still-warm car and drove to a cozier restaurant.
INSIDER TIPS
Popping Up
In 2015, it was fried chicken and barbecue that exploded in St. Louis. In 2016, ramen shops are expected to follow suit, and we contend that pop-up restaurants won’t be far behind. Expect to see and hear about these one-day dining experiences throughout the year. Here are several of the the players and pertinent info: Dorm Room Dinners (monthly guest chef dinners are hosted at 33 Wine Shop & Bar); The Silk Rodeo (guest chef dinners are held at furniture/collectibles store Hammer & Hand; next event January 16); Soigné (chef Ben Grupe’s ongoing series of dinners is held at various locations in metro St. Louis; events are currently scheduled for January 16, February 13 and 14); Rooster and the Hen (chef Michael Gallina and his wife, Tara, are scheduling pop-up dinners to test the waters for a possible brick-and-mortar location; inaugural event is a sold-out dinner on January 11, followed by dinners on February 1 and 22); This Is Not a Restaurant (a series of dinner events is held at the B Hive at Brennan’s in the Central West End).
HOT SPOT
The Fuss Over Gus
Since the moment the doors opened in early December, Gus’s has been hot. It’s still hot, and it may forever be hot. (Apparently, lines out the door are common at all locations.) We speak, of course, of Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken in Maplewood, the 13th unit of the Memphis-based chain. Because the place is so popular, however, the rules are different than at other restaurants. First, there are no call-in orders—yet. It’s simply been too busy. And since that’s the case, the phone at Gus’s does not get answered at present (a message to that effect would be helpful). Second, there’s almost always a waiting line, for both dine-in and pick-up orders. Customers queue in the same line, where names and preferences get taken, and get called when space is available. (Wait times for both are generally accurate.) Third, Gus’s chicken is not cooked until you order it, which means orders are ready 20 to 25 minutes after they’re placed. The bottom line: it’s a time-consuming experience, but the chicken is very, very good. 7434 Manchester, 314-899-9899.
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