Photography by Kevin A. Roberts
Reunions—they can be memorable, even enlightening, events. Chefs Ben Anderson and Jonathan Olson hope this will be the case when the two again join forces at Gist, Anderson’s new bistro, which opened last month in Ballwin. The duo met at Canoe, Anderson’s former bistro in St. Chuck, with Olson then moving on to two more bistros, Erato on Main in Edwardsville, Ill., and the short-lived, underrated Market Grill. So it’s no surprise that Gist would also be…a bistro, defined by Anderson as “casual, rustic, homemade, locally sourced,” descriptors that for many represent the essence—the gist—of dining. It’s the sort of gathering place where names of local farmers and ranchers become as familiar as, well, family; where “steak frites” means a grass-fed strip from Rain Crow Ranch and French fries—crisp and as long as the steak itself—made just behind the chocolate- and cream-colored walls; where smoked trout cakes might supplant the ubiquitous crab; where the HB Salad is a tribute to Ben’s father, Hal. And it’s the sort of place where reunions are celebrated. Break out the banners and balloons.
Gist
403 Lafayette Center
Manchester
636-527-3300
Dinner Tue–Sun, brunch Sun
