Photo by Cheryl Baehr
Johnty McCoy understands that people think of Scarlett’s Wine Bar, first and foremost, as a place to grab a glass of wine. That reputation is not stopping the ambitious young chef from making a compelling case for the Central West End spot as a culinary spectacle in its own right, though.
Since coming on board as executive chef at Scarlett’s this summer, McCoy has been hard at work transforming its culinary offerings from background fare meant to nosh on while having wine or cocktails into an event in its own right. The results of his efforts is an elegant, bistro-style menu with appetizers, entrees and pastries that are poised to turn Scarlett’s into a must-visit dining destination.
“I want us to be known more for our food—that people think of it as equal to the wine,” McCoy says. “We want to create a communal space, get people talking and enjoying themselves and sharing food. We hope to appeal to the neighborhood but also be a destination where people will go out of their way to try us.”
Photo by Cheryl Baehr
McCoy has a robust background from which to draw inspiration. The talented chef first got into cooking when he was just 15 years old, while in the juvenile detention system. There, he entered a culinary apprenticeship program and found his calling; when he got out of the system, he worked at the Candlestick Inn in Branson, then moved to St. Louis, where he attended L’Ecole Culinaire and found a job at the former Mosaic downtown.
From there, he went on to such places as Prime 1000, Oceano Bistro, Catering St. Louis, Patty Long Catering, and Baida. The restaurant that he credits with having the deepest influence on what he is doing now, though, is Basso, where he was part of the opening team. “I learned a lot helping to open it with Patrick Connolly,” says McCoy, who describes the new back-of-house setup at Scarlett’s as a traditional French kitchen brigade, with he and his team make everything in house.
Photo by Cheryl Baehr
McCoy thinks of the menu as what you’d find at a gastropub and notes that the offerings lean toward Spanish and Italian influences with French technique. Dishes include sharable plates such as burnt cabbage with brown butter and herbs; charred ricotta with honey and roasted garlic; and a salad of beets with whipped chevre, castlefranco, frico, and toasted pine nuts in a poppyseed vinaigrette.
Scarlett’s is still using its wood-fired oven to make a variety of pizzas, but McCoy has added several entrées to the restaurant’s bill of fare as well.
Photo by Cheryl Baehr
A bistro filet features a shoulder cut steak with oyster mushrooms and watercress, and spare ribs confit are complimented with pincho spice and served with mustard greens. He also serves a wood-fired fish of the day.
McCoy encourages guests to save room for such sweet treats as cardamom panna cotta and Fuji apple pie, made with decadent gjetost, a Norwegian brown cheese known for its caramel-like flavor.
Photo by Cheryl Baehr
McCoy understands that to be successful will require changing people’s perceptions of the restaurant. With the feedback he’s received so far, though, he's confident that patrons will be thrilled. “People have been very receptive so far,” he says. “They see us putting the emphasis on eating here, and they have been enjoying it.”
