Review: Riddle's in St. Louis

The University City Loop may be the last bastion of hippie-dom in St. Louis and environs.  Slackers, poets and those who prefer their flesh either pierced or colored wander the neighborhood, noting the sidewalk stars dedicated to those who left their mark on River City, making mental notes of what their own stars will say some day in the obviously not-too-distant future.

The Guru lived in the Loop when he first moved to St. Louis nearly a half-century ago, and while it has gone through several deaths and resurrections, and Mac Brown's gas station is no longer in the big middle of things, it was then as it is now, a homeland for free spirits, bookstores, movie theaters, music venues, walkers and talkers.

Among the losses are Paul's Books, the Magic Barrel, Rinaldi's Italian Restaurant and a couple of hardware stores.  Gains, besides the arrival of Andy Ayers, include Joe Edwards' ever-widening participation in the neighborhood, its incipient expansion east of Skinker and the arrival of numerous ethnic restaurants.  A constant has been the Brandt family.  When I lived there, Jay's father ran a liquor store on the site of what is now Jay's restaurant and wine shop.

Andy, moving here with his wife, Paula, from a small but successful pizza parlor and restaurant on Natural Bridge Road, close to the University of Missouri-St. Louis, already had built a reputation is an eclectic restaurateur and raconteur, a man of full beard and strong opinions, a chef who believed that the closer to field and garden, the better the raw materials and, therefore, the better the meal.

He's also a die-hard Cardinal fan and, as a tribute to the team, he has exchanged a traditional chef's toque for a red newsboys' cap with a Cardinal emblem.  He claims he owns the entire remaining stock of the style.

Up on Natural Bridge, the restaurant was just Riddle's (his grandmother's maiden name), but on moving to the Loop he added "penultimate."  When I asked the reason, he answered, in typical Ayers style, "Well, I may have one more restaurant in me after this one."  It looks more dubious every year, but with Ayers, one never knows.

In addition to his whenever-possible use of local farmers and purveyors, and he goes so far as to note on the menu the specific farm and people who provide, Ayers is one of the major supporters of the Missouri wine industry – actually, the world wine industry.  He was among the first in town to have a dispenser for wine that kept the bottles chilled and oxygen-free after they were opened, and he was the first restaurateur to push a by-the-glass program with a generous pour and a huge, moderately priced wine list.  The same goes for a distinguished beer collection and even extends to one of the world's great drinks, Woodpecker Hard Cider, on draught.

Another Ayers touch involves two menus, one that almost can be described as "permanent," another that changes from day to day.  As Ayers explains, this means that regular patrons can save time by just checking the daily menu.  If the choices don't work, they already know what's on the longer menu, because it's been around for years.

The daily menu doesn't change daily, but enough to keep it fresh.  For example, we visited about two weeks apart.  There were seven appetizers on the menu; five were the same, a group that included smoked trout, sauteed Missouri shiitake mushrooms, crostini wth goat cheese from Harrisburg, Mo., foccacia bread with boursin cheese and smoked salmon and a plate of a Fuji apple and French St. Andre cheese.  The latter selection, by the way, can be an appetizer course, a dessert or just a late-night snack, and it is suggested in all ways.  That sort of imaginative presentation is what keeps Ayers' customers coming back for new adventures.

The appetizers diverged in that one offered scallops ceviche and a charcuterie platter of Italian and German specialties, and the other had chilled leeks in white wine and cream, garnished with fresh asparagus, and crabmeat-stuffed artichoke bottoms.

The "permanent" menu of steaks and chicken and shrimp and pasta dishes is led by three of the restaurant's specialties, chicken Major Grey, poached in brandy and served with a sauce of sour cream and mango chutney.  It's a dazzling dish, and has led the menu for many years.  The other specialties are chicken rose, with a rose wine-and-soy sauce, and shrimp Sara, where the sauce involves white Port, tomatoes, artichoke hearts and cream.  All three show distinguished flavor and are richer than Midas.

Entrees, from either menu, come with a choice of soup or salad, and salad greens, the menu notes, came from Walnut Grove Farm in Eureka on one visit, Lori Blue Farm in Wright City on the other.  Soups long have been a standby here, with garden vegetable a standard, plus some imaginative combinations like sausage-and-succotash or spinach and artichoke hearts.  Orange-apricot soup, served chilled, is a superior dish, but the Guru prefers it for dessert rather than as a soup course.  Ayers caters to idiosyncratic diners, since he is one himself.

The daily menu showed venison tenderloin, advertised as melt-in-your mouth and definitely living up to the advertising claim.  Belgian ale, orange and sage combined in a sauce that was different, but a rich and idyllic combination with the venison.  Pulled pork is Memphis-style barbecue, and while I think the restaurant's sauce merely gilds the lily, I think that the rub Ayers uses brings out all the flavor of the pork.  Slow cooking and proper pulling add to the delight.  I'd prefer mine with a bit of vinegar-based or mustard-based sauce to complement the rub, rather than a heavy, tomato-based sauce that gets in the way.

We tried the salmon, which was very good, but had a glaze and a crust that interfered with the wonderful flavor of the fish.  Another winner was lamb loin Istanbul, which involved delicious lamb loin chops, grilled quickly to retain their flavor and served with fig tapenade, a relish of figs and olives that combined sweet and salty to perfect effect, and practically made the lamb sing.

Riddle's also sets itself apart in the vegetable department.  Yes, the menu has a vegetable plate, but it also displays a selection that is a dazzling complement to any meal.  As we got into June, the menu showed spinach from Thies Farm in St. Louis County to go along with broccoli that never saw a rubber band, as Ayers described it, green beans, asparagus, boiled new potatoes, even zucchini (of course), but zucchini cooked with prosciutto, romano cheese and oregano.  The Guru is leery of zucchini in any form, but this was as close to tempting as I've ever seen the vegetable. Spinach was wonderful, however.

Paula Ayers is in charge of the desserts, and Mrs. Guru refers to her as "Paula, the Pie Queen," a title she richly deserves, especially for crusts that are among the best we've ever tasted.  Strawberry-rhubarb is a killer, and so are most of the others, all made with fresh fruit.  In addition, Riddle's also makes its own ice cream flavors to go with fresh berries in season, or the standard sundae toppings.  We happened on a very fine batch of strawberry-chocolate chip, with the delicate taste of fresh berries, and no artificial color, a perfect blend with dark chocolate chips. And, just in case there are hunger pangs around, there are cheesecakes, brownies and other rich, delicious desserts.

Through the years, Riddle's has sometimes turned dark and dingy, service has been problematic, even the meals have occasionally varied. But Andy and Paula have helped a lot of youngsters from the neighborhood with jobs, or advice, or other things, and most of the serving staff is enthusiastic and knowledgeable, which is about all you can ask.  But right now, the idiosyncratic decor is working well, and Riddle's is on a culinary high in terms of menu adventures and tastes. Solid flavors and lots of imagination come from the kitchen. It can be noisy, but only in the front, and it is friendly and helpful everywhere.  And one of these days, Andy and Paula will have their own star on the Walk of Fame.  They've earned it.

And one more thing.  Ayers is a great letter-writer on a wide range of topics, and he has discussed things with the Guru from time to time.  He has been happy, through the years, to point out errors, and now it's my turn. The Loop may be casual and extremely understanding in many respects,  but despite the way the new menu spells it, Mrs. Ayers' first name is Paula.  Not Paul.