Vegetarian lasagna at Reeds American Table
Reeds Rules
Many eateries struggle when (and if) they begin to mature, buried by the constant buzz of the newest restaurant kids on the block. Reeds American Table created a splash right from the start, and as it approaches its third birthday, it's only gotten better. The team of executive chef-owner Matthew Daughaday, general manager Zac Adcox, and beverage director Alisha Blackwell-Calvert have created what remains one the region's best food experiences. Start with one of Blackwell-Calvert's recommendations and the signature bacon fat–fried cornbread, offset with an order of pickled cauliflower.
Follow with one of the more interesting “salads” on local menus: folded bresaola with sauteed agretti (a crunchy, salty, Mediterranean plant), Parmesan, and mint croutons. Not to miss: the vegetarian lasagna—house-made pasta layered with roasted mushrooms, fontina, grana padano, garlic scape bechamel, lemon brown butter, and a sunny egg, showered with pea shoots. 7322 Manchester, 314-899-9821.
INSIDER TIP
The mad scientist of ‘stickers
David Dresner deserves major props for opening a restaurant that focuses on a somewhat unexpected item: the potsticker. At Crispy Edge, Dresner’s dumpling love has translated into some interesting iterations, such as turmeric dough and chorizo-date filling, served with lemon pepper cream. His latest creation is squid ink dough with an octopus cayenne filling, coated with Italian bread crumbs atop marinara sauce. Next up: a riff on the bagel, with seasoned "everything" dough, chive cream cheese, and red onion, wrapped in house-cured lox and sauced with caper butter nectar. Crispy Edge, in Tower Grove South, is open Friday nights, a split shift on Saturday, and brunch on Sunday. 4168 Juniata, 314-310-3343.
MICRORANT
“Approachable” menu prices
It’s no secret that the word “approachable” is grossly overused when describing restaurants—especially regarding their price points. And while we concede that the term is highly subjective, forking over $150 per couple for a Tuesday night dinner is not approachable (on most people’s budgets anyway). Such an expenditure is more appropriate for date nights. In our opinion, an approachable amount is what the average couple is willing to spend on an average weekday night. So-called approachable restaurants need to recognize this and market themselves accordingly.
Follow George on Twitter @stlmag_dining or send him an email at gmahe@stlmag.com. For more from St. Louis Magazine, subscribe or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
