Charred Crust opens in Clayton

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Kevin A. Roberts

Goat cheese, charred almond, pickled red onion, and arugula on a sourdough crust

Whether in reference to a restaurant menu or a concept, hearing the term “chef-driven” is never a bad thing. When two chefs with fine-dining backgrounds choose to collaborate on a project—as Andrew Simon and James Flemming, the former lead chefs at Scape, have done—so much the better.

At Charred Crust, slated to open at 105 S. Meramec in Clayton on August 21 at 11 a.m., the duo’s shared vision is the use of blistering and charring to create different flavor profiles, such as the Maillard reaction, which occurs when a steak is cooked on a grill. A charred almond will taste harsh by itself, explains Simon, but when properly balanced with acids and fats, its bitterness is transformed, yielding an earthy, nutty house-made gnocchi with black garlic cream sauce, spinach, and Parmigiano Reggiano.

Oven-baked sandwiches served on charred baguettes will be napped with roasted-garlic aioli; salads will be invigorated by a smoked Caesar dressing or charred-orange vinaigrette. The menu (lunch only for now) in the fast-casual 32-seater revolves around sourdough-crust pizzas, sauced with a red sauce or charred béchamel and topped with specialty cured meats, seared vegetables, and specialty cheeses not featured elsewhere in town.

The partners knew that to be successful in Clayton at lunchtime—or in the pizza business anytime—more than passion would be required. Introducing a new set of flavors based on the oldest cooking technique known to humankind may seem elementary—until you realize that it’s revolutionary. 

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Photo by George Mahe