SAUCE MAGAZINE
Posted On: 02/01/2009
As you walk into Companion’s Central West End location, you should probably keep your kids’ eyes facing forward, because immediately to the left, just inside the door, are two cases filled with cookies, cakes, pies and pastries. For our boys, this sugary cavalcade became immediate motivation to eat a good meal and clean their plates.
Adjacent to one of the pastry cases was an oddly shaped stand, with menus wedged into wire coils. Since it was busy, and the first time through a new menu with the boys can be pretty time-consuming, we stepped out of the flow of traffic and sat down on low benches in the front window. This comfy seating area had pillows with words printed on them, so the boys had fun rearranging the pillows into different sentences while Kathy and I skimmed through the menu.
After considerable negotiation, we settled on a broad selection of offerings, and I got in line to order while Kathy shepherded the boys to a table. As soon as they’d dropped off their coats, though, they were back over at the pastry cases, trying to work on their dessert strategies. I stood by the grill guys and chatted them up about the menu while our orders were prepped. That’s where I got turned on to some weekly specials: pizza on Fridays, and Grilled Cheese Thursdays, featuring seven unique riffs on the classic sandwich.
Two of those special grilled cheeses, though, are menu staples, so Brendan and I decided we didn’t need to wait for a Thursday. He got the more traditional Cheese on Cheese – Cheddar, Swiss, white Cheddar and tomatoes on grilled brioche. I chose the Cocktail Party, a delicate combo of creamy Brie, crisp apples and tangy apricot jam grilled on rustic walnut bread.
Duncan got The 1908, a grilled kosher hot dog loaded with relish, onions, slaw and mustard, while Kathy got a half sandwich (the BP: turkey, bacon and Swiss with a spicy Cuban sauce on grilled ciabatta), a bowl of broccoli-cheese soup, and a large salad – the Prom Queen – to share with the boys.
First lesson learned: At Companion, the concept of “large” hasn’t been devalued. Portions are decidedly enormous. For most kids, the half portion of anything on the menu would be sufficient. As it was, we knew right away we’d be packing up some take-home boxes.
Second lesson learned: We wouldn’t mind eating those leftovers. Not one bit. Both boys tackled their sandwiches quickly. Duncan abandoned the large poppy-seed roll that held his hot dog, preferring to go right for the sausage itself. After a few bites, he’d switch back to a bite of bun. Not a bad strategy, considering he’d never be able to fit the whole thing in his mouth otherwise.
Kathy’s soup smelled heavenly, and big chunks of broccoli were evident. She reported finding several semimelted lumps of cheese in the soup as well, adding some unique texture and an occasional tangy bite. The salad, a meal in itself, was richly apportioned with bacon, blue cheese, avocado, turkey, hard boiled egg and more. As for my Cocktail Party sandwich, it’s for good reason some have called it “St. Louis’ best sandwich.” The interplay of textures and creamy/earthy and crunchy/tangy flavors is amazing.
For Kathy and me, dessert wasn’t even a consideration; we were stuffed. But you can’t keep the boys down, especially if they’ve been staring across the room at the pastry case all through lunch. Duncan, still young enough to be satisfied with a cookie, chose just that. But Brendan had his eye on a Metropolitan – a decadent tower of chocolate cake, mousse and raspberry buttercream, smothered in ganache. But at $12 and of a size more appropriate to serving a small dinner party instead of a 6-year-old, the Metropolitan would have to wait. We cajoled Brendan down to the biggest cream-cheese brownie we’d ever seen, and he made it work.
Soups, salads and sandwiches are ubiquitous, from fast-food restaurants to school cafeterias. But so few places actually do any of these things so well, or with such creativity, as Companion. It’ll certainly be a regular stop for our family – particularly as the weather warms and outdoor seating returns. Or maybe, someday, we’ll just return for that elusive Metropolitan.
