1 of 2
Photographs by Tuan Lee
2 of 2
When midtown’s Revival closed in 2009, what followed was no small amount of weeping, rending of garments, and gnashing of teeth. Although alive for a short run of about two years, the locally sourced food, gorgeous space, and thorough lack of pretense made the restaurant an understandable favorite around town. The space has been through a couple iterations since closure, with the City Cottage on Chouteau now the name of the venue; it’s a private events space and kitchen-for-hire, though it’ll probably forever be known as “the old King Louie’s.” (And for some of use, “the old Revival.” Sniff, sniff.)
This past weekend, Entre: Underground opened it up to a small, select portion of the dining public, crafting a special, five-course dinner for just Friday, Saturday, and Monday nights. With a dozen staffers, the EU crew mixed-and-matched jobs with bartenders, hostesses, and servers all found in the kitchen at various points, plating dishes, refilling water carafes, or washing pots-and-pans. The line was primarily handled by a pair of chefs named John, who set the menu, executed the heavy lifting on the stoves and grills and, ultimately, set the pace for what amounted to a leisurely night of drinks and dining.
Started by John Perkins, in 2008, Entre:Underground began with a series of e-mails to Perkins’ friends, but as luck and legend would have it, St. Louis Magazine’s staff foodie George Mahe was among the first attendees, the invitee of an invitee. In time, the local food columns and blogs began to write up the movable, monthly dinners and Perkins’ basic concept, and that process began to popularize the EU scene. Now, the pure rush of exclusivity has been replaced by the democratizing elements of social media and a most-questions-answered website. Those who are interested can sign up for the next offering and, if intrigued, they can secure a spot at the communal table.
While more open than at the very beginning, there’s still curiosity that builds around each month’s dinner, which runs in the $60-$80 “donation” vein, with another $20, or so, requested for multiple rounds of drinks. (Again, all of this is dependent on the night’s offerings and food costs.) Those who sign up are given password-protected clues prior to the event. A week before, it’s the menu that arrives. On the day of, directions to the venue are offered. And the look of those spaces can vary wildly, from private homes in Kirkwood, to abandoned storefronts, to the backyards of Cherokee Street. It’s safe to say that no two events are the same.
This past weekend, Perkins and crew were working in an environment they know reasonably well, as his catering efforts are now handled in the Cottage’s nicely sized kitchen, too. From that kitchen, he sent out his courses, themed to the Valentine’s Day season. Oysters came and went, scallops were spotted, wild boar raviolo made an appearance, as did a Kobe sirloin and the pimped-out finale, a “red velvet twinkie.” Spirits, wines, and beers were paired throughout the night for an audience that veered between hipped-in hipsters and well-heeled socialites. With everyone sitting at two long tables, conversations darted the length of the room and back, on topics relating to food and just about everything else. Each course was introduced by one of the Johns.
In the kitchen, the pace was measured, steady. Perkins isn’t a yeller, though he’s quick to call for “extra hands” on jobs that don’t require his full attention. Managing the Apple laptop’s music output, he opted for MGMT’s recent Congratulations album as appropriate sonic pacing (“I was getting a little sleepy”). He also took time to occasionally jab at himself with good nature (“God did not bless me with the skill of organization”), while taking a well-timed moment to save a large pot of lobster consomme from loss (“I hate to ever waste that kind of flavor”). The running commentary was an enlightening insight into a chef’s night.
If the scene set first in the bar, then the dining room, was enjoyable... well, the atmosphere in the kitchen was even more of that, with omnipresent photographer Tuan Lee lensing every morsel and associates of Perkins jutting out from every corner of the kitchen to introduce themselves. With food simmering everywhere, the music on, and movements shifting rapidly, every sense was engaged.
As is true at every restaurant the world over, there’s fun to be had in the dining hall. But the real, interesting, gritty stuff’s happening in the kitchen. If you wind up booking a slot at an Entre:Underground event, do yourself a favor and ask nicely for a peek. You’ll be glad you did.
