Review: King Louie's in St. Louis

They are not as obvious as flashing turn signals, but young restaurants offer positive signs about the directions they are about to take. Where King Louie's was concerned, the signal was loud and clear the day television sets came out of the bar. The operation was smaller in those days, but it was obvious that Matt McGuire and his partners were telling their patrons that this was going to be a fine restaurant, not a bar where people could order a beer or two and watch the sporting event.

McGuire was true to his word, and the arrival of his cousin, Kirk Warner, as the chef, put the exclamation mark on the statement. King Louie's has grown into an excellent restaurant, offering contemporary American cuisine at its best, prepared with style and imagination and benefitting from Warner's love -- and success -- as a chef who loves to experiment with flavors, colors, ingredients, spices. If the run continues, one of these days, chef K. Warner will be as well-known, and as honored, as quarterback K. Warner.

In the interest of full disclosure, the Guru has known Matt McGuire since he was a toddler; was a colleague and friend to Matt's father, John Michael, for some 30 years, friend and admirer of his mother, Lynn, for an equal time.

The major remodeling of a few years ago moved the beautiful bar from the northwest corner of the room to a new room on the south side. With the bar, and its smokers, drinkers, gamblers and other sinners now in their own restricted area, away from the white tablecloths and elegant wine glasses of the main dining room, McGuire also resurrected the television sets. Then, out of challenges for a day or two, he went to work on the patio, which now not only sprouts tables and herbs in pots, but also had provides Warner with another kitchen. A grill and a brick oven, and a separate menu, are now in place. However, the grill menu is available only on the patio or in the bar, and only in the evenings. But it's good, offering dishes and tastes that are extremely different.

The wine list is long and wide-ranging, with selections from all over the world, some fine vintages and with prices that range from moderate to, "Wow!" Service is quite good, and some of the veteran staffers make the restaurant extremely welcoming. Speaking of welcome, the entrance/bar area, with French doors to the patio, a small but warm waiting area and a collection of lovely photographs, is dazzling. The main dining room seems rather plain by comparison

Warner, like his fellow-chef Dave Owens of Cardwell's at the Plaza, is a vegetarian, and it shows in their extensive use of vegetables and fruits. Ground cherries, which the Guru had seen only in France and Norway, were a garnish at a recent visit (they look like tiny tomatillos) and Swiss chard, leeks, beets and a variety of items that are delicious, but not common in American restaurants. Grilled vegetables of all types, which the Guru considers one of his favorite dishes, are regular visitors, both from the main kitchen and the grill.

And that doesn't get in the way of excellent french fries and mashed potatoes, flash fried artichoke hearts, carrots, mushrooms and roasted tomatoes that add a certain fillip to almost any dish. Like Andy Ayers at Riddle's, and some other chefs, Warner is a large supporter of local farmers, and both he and Ayers list the local and area suppliers of fruit, vegetables, cheese, lamb, venison and other raw material.

The menu changes often, and it covers the world. A recent visit offered superior bouillabaisse with a variety of seafood, pearl couscous (the Israeli kind that is a pasta) and a rich aroma and flavor. From across the world, Warner offers "pho," the Vietnamese soup pronounced "fuh," and it was practically as good as that made by the best local Asian chefs. The lemon grass-flavored broth, with mushrooms, mango, dumplings and a variety of garnishes, brought that sweet-sour-hot combination that awakens the taste buds.

Warner's playfulness and love of different flavors comes to the fore in his combinations – a glorious, rich pork chop with dried fruit and a cheese-potato casserole, or soft shell crab with pepper marmalade and fingerling potatoes, or pan roasted chicken with potato gnocchi, snap peas, imported olives and roasted peppers, or grilled shrimp with roasted sweet potatoes, or duck breast with tamari-orange glaze, fried lotus root, pickled Japanese turnips, a wild rice cake and bok choy (or Chinese cabbage).

Warner also does standards like venison hamburgers, or a tuna burger spiced in the Asian style and the equal of anything that ever came from a steer.

As mentioned, the grill has its own menu, but it includes the tuna burger, and no one has been able to satisfactorily explain to me the difference in flavor between the tuna burger, or a venison burger, or a steer burger, cooked on gas in the kitchen or the one cooked on wood at the grill. I haven't found one, either.

The grill menu includes a remarkable steak, sliced after cooking, and served with roasted tomatoes and fingerling potatoes. It was truly elegant, reminiscent of a hangar steak or a superb London broil, tender and flavorful. A venison Salisbury steak, prepared with a chipotle pepper glaze for a lovely, smoky heat, was another winner, and roasted scallops, served with yellow grape tomatoes served as an elegant appetizer.

Small pizzas, and a bread collection from Black Bear Bakery on South Jefferson Avenue also are special. Does it sound like the Guru is babbling?

He is trying not to.

And speaking of purveyors, Louie's also uses Ron Ryan's ice cream, quoting Warner as saying that yes, he'd love to make his own, but no, it would not be as good. Ryan's Quezel brand, in cinnamon, raspberry with chocolate chips or any other flavor you can envision, is the best ice cream in town.

And King Louie's is in contention for the restaurant title.