The Lucky Accomplice opens in Fox Park

After opening the critically acclaimed Shift (formerly Savage) in 2018, chef Logan Ely adds a more casual, neighborhood-friendly concept nearby.

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Before he opened his debut restaurant Shift, chef Logan Ely knew little about the Fox Park neighborhood where the restaurant resides. Now, two years later, he’s excited to bring his second restaurant, The Lucky Accomplice (2501 S. Jefferson), to this little piece of South City that he’s fallen in love with.

“I didn’t really know about Fox Park before we opened, but we feel so lucky that we landed here,” Ely says. “It’s such a great neighborhood; not a lot of places are like this, and we are glad to be a part of it and that we found this space.”

For Ely, The Lucky Accomplice, which opened September 30, is not just another venue in which to serve his Fox Park neighbors; it was also inspired by them. As Ely explains, when he opened the upscale, tasting menu–focused Shift (previously known as Savage), he was doing so as a way to learn and grow in his craft. To that end, he succeeded. Shift quickly earned accolades for its innovative, sometimes daring cuisine, including a nod in Bon Appétit as one of the nation's 50 best new restaurants in 2019.

For all of the acclaim, Ely was most proud of the large group of regulars, friends and acquaintances from the neighborhood. As much as he and his team made Shift a welcoming environment, however, it was simply not set up to be the sort of neighborhood gathering place that he desired. With that goal in mind, he set out to open something more approachable.

“Really, this came from us wanting to have a place where our friends and regulars and people from the neighborhood could come and not have to make a reservation and spend $150,” Ely says. “We wanted to do something where you could grab a bite to eat and a beer at the bar and just hang out.”

To that end, The Lucky Accomplice offers a stylish yet comfortable space. (At the moment, the restaurant is only offering outside service during the COVID-19 pandemic.) Once the dining room opens, patrons will be able to sit at the long wooden bar, a cocktail table, or one of the Art Deco-inspired semi-circle booths.

A teal painted wall serves as the backdrop for the bar, which offers a brief, but interesting cocktail list, including the Oaxcan Gimlet (featuring mezcal and lime) and the Jungle Bird (comprised of rum, Campari, and pineapple). The bar also serves a small but thoughtful selection of beer and wine, as well as a frozen Screwdriver and a draft version of a Pimm's cup (pictured at right).

Patrons familiar with Shift are aware of Ely’s knack for innovative, sometimes esoteric cuisine. Though the food at The Lucky Accomplice transcends typical bar food and is infused with his immense talent, it's still approachable. Sweet potato bread with whipped quark and golden raisin gremolata evokes the same comfort of rolls and butter.

An Everything Tater Tot (pictured above), served with cured salmon, cream cheese, and pickled red onion is a like delectable marriage between bagels and lox and diner fare. Perhaps the restaurant’s biggest showstopper, due to its size, is the whimsical take on toasted ravioli; the classic St. Louis dish is dinner plate–sized (making it a raviolo) and filled with with Bolognese and Parmesan foam. Served with a Screwdriver slushy, the food at The Lucky Accomplice is the sort of fare that's meant to be shared and enjoyed with friends.

The convivial setup was intentional for Ely. “I wanted a menu that is simple, something not so serious,” he explains. The acclaimed chef admits that he welcomes the departure from the more formal style at Shift, something he says is the result of his evolution as a chef. Though he loves both restaurants and envisions running both of them when Shift reopens (it is currently closed because of the pandemic), he notes that he is enjoying the idea of a restaurant where he can simply keep his head down, cook quality food in the back, and send it out for people to enjoy without the pomp, circumstance, and attention of a tasting menu setup that placed him center stage.

At the Lucky Accomplice, he's able to take a more low-profile approach and focus on the food, something he’s grateful for during the chaos and uncertainty that’s beset the restaurant industry since mid-March. It’s something he tries not to think about, not because he’s in denial, but because he feels like the only way to survive is to keep moving.

“I think it’s the cook’s mentality to just put your head down and get to work,” Ely says. “I don’t think too much about what’s going on that I can’t control, and I don’t want to create an atmosphere where the world is ending. The way to get through it is to keep grinding it out.”

The Lucky Accomplice is currently open for patio service only from 11 a.m.–8 p.m. Wednesday–Saturday. Reservations are accepted. Indoor dining is slated to begin at a later date, as will online ordering and carryout.

The Lucky Accomplice

2501 S. Jefferson, St Louis, Missouri 63104

314-354-6100

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Inaugural hours: Wed-Sat, 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. for patio dining only (reservations accepted). In-restaurant dining will begin at a later date, as will online ordering/take-out.

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