Photograph by Katherine Bish
If you dined in the Central West End in the last quarter of the last century, the name Balaban’s no doubt conjures a reflective story or two: of frisky Friday nights in the bar, wine-tinged soirees in the open-air café, maybe even the 40th birthday party of a certain dining editor. The original owner, Herb Balaban, died in 2001, and his building was subsequently sold. But his former executive chef, Steve McIntyre—the recipe keeper for dream-about items like cucumber bisque, morel pasta, and smoked-trout pancakes—“still had one more project left in him.” By Thanksgiving 2009, an updated version, Balaban’s Wine Cellar & Tapas Bar, will have emerged, this time in Chesterfield. Another reason to give thanks? We’ll let you know after that first plate of Ligurian pasta.
Sum up your involvement with the original Balaban’s.
Tom Flynn and I bought the business [from Herb Balaban] in 1986. The day Tom died in June of 2001 was the worst day of my life. Had Tom remained alive, we would have bought the building as well.
So how did it end for you?
I was unable to work out a lease extension with the group that eventually purchased—and still owns—the building. So I decided to sell the business when I had plenty of lease left. I really didn’t have much of a choice. But I had a good lease and was uncomfortable about buying it alone. In retrospect, maybe I should have.
So why didn’t you sell the Balaban’s name when you sold the business?
The name was important to me and wouldn’t transfer until certain financial obligations were met…and since they were not, I retained the name. The new owners never contacted me about transferring the name. No one has any idea what I would have taken because no one ever asked.
What would you have sold the name for?
I don’t know…but I’m glad I didn’t.
An obvious question: why do a restaurant in this economy?
No better time to negotiate a lease or get a construction loan. My partner and I actually thought it was the perfect time to do it. The economy will bounce back.
The old place was practically synonymous with the CWE. Will reopening in a west county suburb help or hurt that association?
St. Louis continues to move west…Clayton is the new downtown, Chesterfield is like the old Central West End. As it’s grown and grown up, there’s more disposable income there. When Tom and went west in ‘96 to do Balaban’s Bistro 201, that was not the case…we were a little ahead of our time.
Were all of those great recipes yours?
Not exclusively, but with so many years as executive chef, I’m in the best position to re-create them. I have the recipes.
Refresh my memory.
Here’s the list: cucumber bisque, pasta Liguria, BBQ salmon—which was a dry, Asian style rub—smoked trout pancakes, oysters with champagne vinegar sauce, hearts of palm salad, creme caramel, beef Wellington, crab cakes, firecracker shrimp and chicken salad... but not the chocolate fritters—they require a big walk-in freezer which we do not have.
Can you re-create a restaurant that was so iconic?
We’re not trying to. This iteration will be smaller [4,800 square feet] and devoted to gourmet retailing of wine and food, classics like Balaban’s chicken salad, cucumber bisque, beef Wellington and Ligurian pasta…plus a 50-seat café for new and classic items presented in small-plate form.
What would you say to those who say “tapas” as a concept is stale or passé?
Call it whatever you want, but people don’t want to see giant bowls of pasta anymore. Has it ever tasted even remotely as good the next day? Rarely. The sheer volumes of food being put out are obscene….people today want smaller but better.
Will it be exclusively small plates?
Yes, and focused on matching those small plates to wine. No one here is doing that well. Vinegar and oil are not natural partners, but when you mix them properly…it’s almost a gestalt theory, and it’s very important to us.
So we’ll see a lot of wines by the glass?
At least 20, constantly changing, and from lesser-known producers. The whole biodynamic movement, with its improved farming and soil-management techniques, makes for a better product, and we will have a lot of them.
You have more wine experience than a lot of people realize.
In the 1990’s, I was also the fine wine manager for several local wholesalers and I’ve maintained my supplier contacts, so I will be doing a lot of direct importing…really good, yet unfamiliar, items that I can buy right.
So you’ll have wine for retail sale as well?
One third of the space will be devoted to retail wine. There will be an interactive kiosk that will match a food with a wine and vice versa. It’s a real job and we’re not finished…don’t know if we’ll ever be finished.
What’s changed most in the wine industry in the last 10 years?
The quantity of really excellent wines in the $12 to $25 retail price range, most of which haven’t appeared in the U.S. Wines in that relative price range in the ’90s were undrinkable.
Did you really hold onto Balaban’s library of wines?
I sold the business, but not the wine. The 4,000-bottle inventory will again be available, and very reasonably. Prices for older vintages will not be much different than current releases.
There are a lot of arms on this beast.
And we didn’t even discuss gift baskets, wine seminars, tastings, and wine dinners. Since we won’t take reservations, there will be nights when we close to host a party or event…restaurants can no longer afford to pass on that business. The compromise is that the take out area will not close.
What three words describe Steve McIntyre…
Loyal to friends and associates, and I can be difficult…but I always try to live by the golden rule.
What aspect of the business do you like the least?
The late hours, all the excuses—and playing Dad, like, “Steve, can you loan me a couple hundred till payday?” People take advantage…eventually and unfortunately, you have to become a bit of a jerk to survive.
Your hardest lesson?
I may be getting ready to learn it…today, you have to be completely ready to go on day one. The forgiving, soft opening is history. With instant communication, get ready to be slammed your first day. I'm more than a little concerned.
Assuming the new Balaban's is successful, what's next?
Downtown intrigues me. All those condos and lofts will sell sooner or later. Then it will get interesting.
Last question…the baguettes. Will you have those crunchy, mini baguettes?
It wouldn’t be Balaban’s without them.
