Photography by Kevin A. Roberts
The creativity of chefs often astonishes people. Chef Brian Hardesty had the vision to take a staid former power-plant building, occupied on the first floor by a rock-climbing gym, and turn the second and third floors into a showstopper restaurant, Element. Now, new industrial meets old reclaimed as seamlessly as the steel angle iron used to bookend the old wooden tabletops. Hardesty had the vision to separate the lounge and dining areas, each garnering its own floor—and its own stellar, westward-facing patio. He had the vision to dramatize the lighting by illuminating each seating area differently, with fixtures that make you say, “Where’d you get that? I want one.” He had the vision to assemble a cadre of five chefs, co-collaborators on an inventive menu with simple, primal names like lobster, scallops, carrot, beef cheek, and goat loin. When a table of eight was recently asked about their single favorite dish, they debated before giving five definitive responses. Element? Absolutely. Think the element of surprise.
1419 Carroll
South City
314-241-1674
Lunch and dinner Mon–Sat
