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Photo by Kevin A. Roberts
Reasons abound to envy the Washington University community’s dining choices, and the fact that students living in the new dorms in The Loop will have both Joe Edwards’ Peacock Diner and Suchin Prapaisilp’s United Provisions market on the ground floors of their buildings just raised the envy quotient a bit higher.
Prapaisilp owns Global Foods Market in Kirkwood, a store that many a chef loves with good reason. While the introduction of an international market in the heavily trafficked Loop area is reason enough for excitement, there’s more: Ben Poremba, chef-owner of Elaia and Olio and the upcoming Old Standard (a fried chicken and whiskey joint slated to open in mid- to late-September), is behind The Dining District, a restaurant within the market that will cater to Washington University students, faculty, and staff, but is open to everyone.
With a ribbon-cutting ceremony on August 5, a private party for the buildings’ architects Tao + Lee a couple of nights later, and the grand opening on Monday, August 11, The Dining District has occupied much of Poremba’s time lately. It was ten months or so ago when Poremba signed on to the partnership, which began at Global Foods, where he regularly shops. Providing some “friendly advice” to the Prapaisilps when asked about how one might best utilize the market’s space to include a restaurant, Poremba eventually became a partner in the venture.
Poremba, who continues to receive recognition from patrons and critics alike for Olio, Elaia, and La Patisserie Chouquette, which he co-owns with pastry chef Simone Faure, is particularly excited about The Dining District. In a recent interview, Poremba said that the restaurant, whose concept is similar to Dean & DeLuca and Eataly, “will be the first of its kind in St. Louis.” If you’re thinking, what about Central Table, Poremba explained that the two concepts are inverted: Central Table is primarily a restaurant with a small market tucked inside, while United Provisions will be a 15,000-square-foot, full-service grocery, with a restaurant occupying only a small—but well-designed—portion of that space.
Poremba promises that The Dining District will have an urban, “big city” feel, so much so that it won’t seem like St. Louis. If you’re familiar with Olio, you know that he’s already achieved that positive sense of dislocation with the über-cool space (if you want to see how carefully attention is paid to everything, check out the toilet paper in the bathroom).
Calling The Dining District’s food “timeless” and “contemporary American,” Poremba explained that roast beef sandwiches will sit alongside bahn mi. Stations will include sushi, a raw bar, a grill and a plancha, and a deli, with artisan cheeses and cured meats—something Poremba knows well from his Salume Beddu days. Smoked fish, ceviche, rotisserie chicken, salads, dips, and spreads are just a few of the other available choices. At lunch, customers will order at the counter and either eat in or carry out, while dinner will be full service. A large selection of pre-packaged foods for sale throughout the day will complement the made-to-order options.
One of Poremba’s goals, he said, was to design a concept in which customers can experience the space in many different ways. In addition to the lunch and dinner service and the take-out menu, there will be a coffee shop within the restaurant with its own entrance and seating. Drip coffee from Northwest Coffee will be available as well as espresso from a Nespresso machine. Chouquette’s pastries will be sold in the coffee shop as well, which has been designed for students and others to stay a while.
Also included in the larger space is a conference room separated by barn doors, where student groups or faculty might meet or where large parties can dine. One of the “greenest buildings in the country,” according to Poremba, the enterprise follows Washington University’s commitment to reduce its carbon footprint through innovative, LEED-certified building design, recycling, composting, and the collection of cooking oil for biodiesel fuel.
During our interview, Poremba chatted with family and purveyors who stopped by our table, and we watched a number of potential employees drop off their resumes as part of the ongoing job fair for The Dining District and Old Standard.
Gearing up for a private party on Sunday to celebrate his recent inclusion in Conde Naste Traveler, Poremba seemed to take the chaos in stride. He acknowledged that critical recognition is great, but the most important thing he focuses on is what kind of food is served at his restaurants and how his diners’ experiences are. Based on that focus and the success of his current ventures, there is no doubt The Dining District will make some news both here in St. Louis and beyond.
