By George Mahe
Photograph by Katherine Bish
When you claim that your next restaurant will “do Italian like it’s never been done here before,” reactions will run from “That’s interesting” to “That’s kinda ballsy.” We’ve already got scores of Italian places to choose from—some deservedly well known, too many others underappreciated—so if you’re going to reinvent, how do you plan to make it work?
That’s the big question for restaurateur Jim Fiala. Although his other endeavors—Liluma, in the Central West End, and Clayton’s The Crossing—have achieved middle-aged success, this spring he added a cocky, fresh face to still-booming Maplewood when he introduced his edgy newcomer, Acero—which just happens to be Italian for “maple wood.”
So how do you plan to reinvent Italian? I want Acero to be recognized as an “artisan” restaurant, a place that embraces the Italian artisans, the guys who, through their pastas, their cheeses, their salumi, have elevated our palates and now our expectations.
What can we expect? The dining experience keeps morphing toward smaller portions, more hanging out, less formality, more wine. Our menu will combine quartinos of wine with creative tasting-size pastas and antipasti. I see a lot of diners bypassing the entrée altogether.
Wait—no entrées at all? We’re not killing the entrée, but I am after a different feel and a lower price point. Yes, we’ll have a great steak and a veal chop, but to do that right, everybody must pay more. The emphasis here will be on casual, reasonable and authentic, and it will even showcase a few tableside preparations.
Such as? One item will be made on what I call a polentaria, a marble slab I’m using to cool and finish polenta at the table, blending in interesting ragouts and cheese gratings. The marble cools the polenta so it can be cut and served with a spatula.
What’s this “quartino” thing? It’s the perfect wine serving: a quarter-liter carafe. It’s a serious glass’ worth and then some, so it’s good for sharing a taste. It’s usually a better value than the standard glass pour, because the price is usually the same.
Does this “Italian tapas” concept lend itself to lunch? Lunch was only really profitable in the day when the tables were littered with martini glasses. Today people want unsophisticated good food—it doesn’t matter what your restaurant serves at night.
You’ve been at this awhile. What’s your biggest pet peeve? When a customer deconstructs a dish and then says it was just OK. My dishes have maybe five ingredients, so if you take one or two away, you’re not left with much. Next time, if you don’t like parsnips, let the chef substitute, let him re-create the dish with something you do like—don’t just whack away at the creation he’s put together.
7266 Manchester, 314-644-1790. 11:30 a.m.–2 p.m. Mon–Fri., 5 p.m.–10 p.m. Mon–Sat.
