Photograph by Kevin A. Roberts
Six months ago, at a time when radishes and asparagus were still in season, my wife and I ventured into Salt, the funeral home–turned–restaurant in the Central West End. Chef Wes Johnson had recently decided to open a place of his own, after working at a string of other local restaurants. Given Salt’s unusual location—an enormous white mansion along Lindell Boulevard, away from the bustling business district—it was a risky move, especially during the recession.
Stepping inside, we immediately spotted Johnson. He scurried from kitchen to dining room, ushering patrons to follow him on informal tours of the building. He pointed out the bright paintings on the dining-room walls (done by his mother-in-law), descended to the basement’s 14-seat wine room, and then climbed upstairs to an Egyptian-themed lounge before rushing back to the kitchen. Our server for the evening was equally energetic. The seared scallop, he noted, was served in a tiny Mason jar filled with cedar smoke that the chef piped in. (The result didn’t disappoint.) So comfortable was the dinner experience that we decided to grab a nightcap. Pulling up to the bar, we struck up a conversation with two gentleman seated nearby: Dave Scott and Armando Siliceo-Roman, former Microsoft employees who’d taken a chance by investing in Salt. As they scanned the packed dining room, they smiled.
Of course, such success isn’t always the case. Some dining establishments seem to have all the right ingredients, but still don’t survive: In the past year alone, acclaimed restaurants like SLeeK, An American Place, and Terrene have shuttered (p. 96). At the same time, others have managed to thrive: On a recent trip to SLM’s 2011 Restaurant of the Year (p. 98), nary a parking spot could be found. In our cover story, SLM’s dining team highlights two dozen other new and exciting restaurants worth a visit (p. 74). And yet other entrepreneurs are reinventing the concept of eating out altogether, taking their menus to the streets via food trucks (p. 102), a trend that has gained traction in larger cities and provides an affordable alternative to brick and mortar.
Like so many dinner specials, you never know which dining spots will find a permanent place on the city’s menu of options and which will be a flash in the pan. Chefs spend a lifetime dreaming, saving, and fine-tuning—then ultimately waiting to see what you, the customer, will decide. (Coincidentally, Savor—the former tenant at 4356 Lindell, where Salt now resides—was named SLM’s Restaurant of the Year in 2005, only to close its doors three years later.)
For now, we can only recommend this: Sit, sample, and savor St. Louis’ ever-evolving dining scene.
