Tour de Toast: Hendel's in Florissant

If you never felt that St. Louis was a gaggle of small towns that eventually morphed into a city, visit Hendel’s restaurant in Florissant. On a quiet corner, it looks as though it’s been there for decades. Of course, that’s because it has.

In 1873, it began as a general store and grocery. In 1915, the Hendel family bought it, running a grocery and butcher shop until they retired in 1994. The late Ed Bennett purchased the property, and turned it into a restaurant. It’s homey and retro without being cloying, the décor frequently changed to reflect the season. Lunch and dinner are available Tuesday through Saturday, and then there’s Sunday brunch.

Brunch is busy, served from a menu rather than buffet-style. Even though they don’t take reservations for fewer than six, tables seem to turn reasonably quickly and they’re adept at keeping track of the waiting diners.

While the menu is varied, with lots of lunch-ish options, there’s also a good selection of morning cocktails worth investigating. The grapefruit fizz contains a little hit of St. Germain, balancing out any bitterness from the grapefuit without moving heavily into sweetness, plus some gin and club soda. Hendel’s take on the morning glory cocktail was orange juice, a little more St. Germain, a little grenadine and some sparkling wine. Both those outranked a mimosa which was generally less exciting and seemed light on the bubbly.

The star of the table was the crab cake Benedict, showing crab that actually tastes like crab. For those who don’t think every bite of that crustacean should wear Old Bay Seasoning or its relatives, this is for you. The crab is not in big lumps, but it is very flavorful, the eggs are properly cooked, and the English muffin bases aren’t styrofoam-tough. Buttery hollandaise is applied lightly rather than drowning the dish.

The lorraine omelet isn’t actually an homage to the quiche. Yes, there’s bacon, and plenty of it, but there’s also spinach, both ingredients incorporated into the eggs rather than folded inside, with Swiss cheese melted on top. Breakfast potatoes here are the expected chunks, lightly seasoned and tasting more of potato than many of their ilk.

Angled slices of baguette begin Hendel’s french toast, each sprinkled with powdered sugar, pecans and raisins. Other than the powdered sugar, this isn’t a version with much sweetness, so the warm syrup is quite welcome. Pecans are always a positive for both their texture and flavor, of course. I’m fine with raisins, although a surprising number of people don’t care for them. Here, they aren’t a remarkable addition to the dish, but it’s quite acceptable, especially when paired with link sausages that are moist and with a little bit of pepperiness to punch things forward.

Medium-roast coffee tastes fresh and arrives hot, plus they’re using real dairy, not the packaged “kreme”. Expect crackerjack service that's watchful but not intrusive.

For years, Hendel's has been a well-rounded option for nearly everyone, including families, and brunch begins earlier than most, a nice touch as well.