What's opening or closing

By Joe Bonwich

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

08/03/2005



The news has been mixed the past few weeks in the downtown loft district, with no fewer than three chefs - Marc Felix at Red Moon, Spencer Wolff at Mosaic and Joe Papendick at KitchenK - leaving their restaurants. It doesn't necessarily signal anything, given the relative mobility of kitchen staff, but it's disquieting given the reliance on the loft district as a catalyst for the revitalization of downtown.



On the plus side, however, work should begin soon on the long-anticipated new restaurant from Eddie Neill of Cafe Provencal, a gut-rehab of the bottom of the Bee Hat building at 11th Street and Washington Avenue. To be called the Dubliner (with a nod to James Joyce), the restaurant will exploit both the large oak beams within the building and the downtown "steam loop," underground steam tunnels that provide heat to many buildings. A raw bar is planned as part of the restaurant, and a tap into the steam loop will be used, if feasible, to cook some of the shellfish.



KitchenK owner Pablo Weiss also notes several recent positives for his own business and for the neighborhood in general. KitchenK added a Friday night DJ to increase its bar business "post-happy-hour into late night," according to Weiss, and his new nightspot, Nectar, is scheduled to open officially Aug. 20 at 20th and Locust streets. Weiss also says he just signed off on the neighborhood petition granting a liquor license to Joe Edwards' planned bowling alley at 1123 Washington.

I don't really understand the comment "it's disquieting given the reliance on the loft district as a catalyst for the revitalization of downtown". IMO, a chef leaving a restaurant should not be used as a guage for DT revitalization. As stated, kitchen staff are nomads - this happens all the time.

The articles comment makes sense. While it might be common for kitchen staff to move around alot, if such movement were because of problems with the resturants on Washington Ave not nomadic tendencies, then this would be a bad sign for the health of downtown's newest resturants. Think about it, if Washington lost KitchenK, Red Moon, and Mosaic wouldn't that be a big hit to the city? BTW, IMO that washington ought to focus on adding many high quality resturants and that that is really what the street should become known for. Leave the Clubs and bar to the Landing and the shopping to Olive.

We need a Brazilian Steakhouse on Wash Ave...one like Fogo De Chao.

Its a huge leap in logic to suggest a couple of chefs leaving has anything to do with us losing three restaurants (which by the way from all indications are thriving) . Of course it would be a huge loss if these restaurants went away, but let's get real!

It is possible that the person writing for the post does know more than you or I. Then again it is the Post Dispatch, so its possible that the guy knows nothing.

In my experience as a server, unless the chef is an owner, they move around a lot, especially in newer places. I know of a pantry chef who recently won money on a boat one night and left for CA the next morning, phoning in his resignation from the airport.

Chef changeover is actually pretty important in the restaurant biz. For one, the owner sets the tone as far as what they want out of their restaurant (in most cases), and then the chef works off of that. In the case of Mosaic, the change will probably be for the better, because overall I was pretty dissappointed with the food there, it was okay, but it didn't have any real great flavors. It needed a little more flare.



And I wouldn't worry about Red Moon...that restaurant is owned by two guys from Chicago, and they have 3 very successful restaurants in Chi-town. They are talking about opening another restaurant in the city. These guys are experienced, and the place gets very good business. I don't see them going anywhere anytime soon.



Mosaic needs the change to improve their menu, otherwise they're in trouble. And I've honestly never eated at Kitchen K, so I can't vouch either way.

Flannery's is understaffed. I've been there a couple times, and both times they had two servers for the entire floor. That's just not smart business. And I only had the food once, but calling it decent might be a stretch. The beer however, is cold.

JMedwick wrote:The articles comment makes sense. While it might be common for kitchen staff to move around alot, if such movement were because of problems with the resturants on Washington Ave not nomadic tendencies, then this would be a bad sign for the health of downtown's newest resturants. Think about it, if Washington lost KitchenK, Red Moon, and Mosaic wouldn't that be a big hit to the city? BTW, IMO that washington ought to focus on adding many high quality resturants and that that is really what the street should become known for. Leave the Clubs and bar to the Landing and the shopping to Olive.

What? That's the lamest thing I've ever heard. Umm, no. Washington Avenue has too much potential to just settle for a bunch of trendy restaurants. Trendy restaurants are good, but that doesn't make a interesting neighborhood. Washington Avenue should strive for mixed-use businesses-- that means chic restaurants, nightclubs and bars (yes), retail stores, art galleries, garment businesses, and basic services. Restaurants alone are just cheesy and boring.

i haven't been to St. L in a while (about a year), if i were to head down to Wash Av on a Friday night would i see a lot of people strolling around?



(i guess, more specifically, using the Delmar Loop as a comparison (an area i know very well) are there more, less, or about equal amount of people going about on Wash Av on a Friday night?)

Washington Av. is still a mob scene on weekends. Around midnight, cars are bumper to bumper up and down the street, people are out walking, hanging with friends, and the clubs have lines out the door. There may not be as many actual music clubs anymore (I think the powers-that-be are trying to shift them elsewhere, in favor of more upscale restaraunts), but the people still show up. And if there's a ballgame or something downtown, forget-about-it!





But as far as comparing the loft district with The Loop, I would guess that the Loop is more crowded. Its a more compact area, after all, and has more variety of businesses open at night. Let's keep in mind, the Loft District is still a work in progress. Check back in another year.



As far as the Loft District restaraunts go, I keep hearing about more that are soon to open, and none that are actually in danger of closing.

STLgasm, wow when i wrote that you really just imagined a big street with nothing but resturants surounded by vacant store fronts. That is sad; you really take things too narowly. Go to EAT St. in Minneapolis, an area known for its resturants. There are other shops and bars mixed in, but what the area is predominantly known for is resturants. I am thinking something similar. Sure the street can still have bars and drug stores, and markets, and any elitest entries you want, but what should really make Washington go around is nice resturants. Wild clubs and bars, thats not what the area should go after, leave that to the landing. Big name retailers and larger stores, leave that to Olive and let the area become the big shopping district for the city. Why not think about where to put things a bit and have three great areas and not just one little strip.

JMedwick,



I understand what you're saying, but I disagree that the Bars/Clubs scene should be left to the Landing. I think that there should be Bars/Clubs in the Landing, in Wash Ave, the Bottle District, etc. IMO, the Wash Ave district was founded really on the club scene. That's the way it's been for years, and I think it should keep some of that heritage (not that it's really historical). But places like Velvet and Rue 13 are staples in the Wash Ave district.



I've heard rumors that Velvet is moving because the owners are getting pressure from local residents to clear out. People are complaining about the noise and such. Wash Ave needs to continue to be a nightlife district. You should be able to go to Lucas Park Grille for a drink, and then party at Rue 13 or something until 3.



I don't know, I just really like the diversity of the area right now, and I would like to see it even more diverse. I'd like to see a lot more go into the area like a Jazz Bar, a Blues Club, and a Rock n Roll place (like the old galaxy).

Found at www.saucecafe.com



Chef Marc Feliz stepped down at Red Moon to focus on writing a cookbook and producing a TV show. He will stay in St. Louis. Chef John Crow will replace him.



Mosaic's Spencer Wolff has taken a post in New York.



Sounds like their success on Wash Ave has helped them take the next step in their careers.

Has anyone else eaten at Mosaic? Was anybody impressed?



I certainly wasn't. I'm hoping the change improves the food.