On the (high) heels of last week’s announcement of the arrival of Shelly's in Soulard comes news that Fleur de Lilies, a Creole Fusion restaurant, will open this spring at 1031 Lynch, just north of AB-Inbev in an area some folks call South Soulard.
The owners of Fleur de Lilies are Misha Sampson, a 4th generation Creole, and Alexis Kim, whose family is Korean. Sampson is a partner in a construction company (always an advantage when opening a restaurant) and Kim, a veteran restaurateur, is the owner of the 7-year-old BBC Café & Bar in the CWE. Prior to that, she was GM of Wasabi Sushi Bar and sushi chef at Kampai Restaurant.
Sampson met Kim at BBC, the two became friends, and after much discussion they are excited to offer something new to St. Louis: a Creole Fusion restaurant, one that they say hits “the sweet spot between casual and fine dining.”
Sampson is a St. Louisan whose family has roots in Mobile, Alabama, where both Cajun and Creole culture predominate (the Louisiana Creole flag is at right). In discussing the project, she opined that while plenty of Cajun influence exists in local restaurants, there’s very little true Creole, and the two usually get lumped together.
According to Sampson, the menu will be predominantly Creole, with Korean, Caribbean, and Spanish influences, which translates to dinner items like Jerk Wings, Creole Pomme Frites, Stuffed Mirlitons, Fried Cabbage, Lobster with Ginger Sauce, Fusion Tacos, and Bananas Foster Spring Rolls.
The restaurant will be open for lunch (think Lobster Rolls, Po-Boys, Bánh Mì sandwiches, and Muffalettas) as well as weekend brunch, with temptations such as Eggs Sardou, Crawfish Omelets, and Calas (rice fritters) & Catfish. A dim sum component is also planned.
Sampson is quick to point out that despite plans for food pairings with both bourbons and international beers, Fleur will be “more restaurant than bar, rather than the other way around.”
In the early 2000s, the two-story building at the corner of 10th and Lynch was home to the Lynch Street Bistro, which in 2007 begat Sage Urban American Grill, and the short-lived Gusto’s 314 in early 2014. The building is notable for the hidden deck on the second floor and a substantial, tree-shaded patio on the first.
Design changes call for new wooden flooring on both levels and a bronze and royal purple color scheme, a carryover from the logo. Sampson says the second floor will be used for weekend seating and for private events. The secluded outdoor deck makes the latter especially appealing.
Despite a water pipe break several days after the lease was signed, Sampson expects to have the doors open by June 1. And since she’s in the construction business, this restaurant just might open on schedule.
