Review: Sasha's in Clayton

In all the St. Louis area, the Guru knows only one block that has a truly European feeling. Certainly there are times when the Central West End or South Grand Boulevard offer a worldly aura, but one Clayton block speaks European loudly. It's DeMun Avenue from Rosebury to Northwood avenues. A coffee house (Kaldi's), a restaurant (Jimmy's on the Park) and Sasha's, which blends bar, restaurant and delicatessen, sit on the east side, but that's only part of it.

Across the street, Concordia Park offers the changing colors of the seasons, plus a quiet, cool, peaceful view that carries one back a zillion years, to the time of a Steve Sheldon drawing in my house that says, "A zillion years ago, the earth was a lot of dirt with trees and grass sticking out. It stayed that way for weeks."

Sasha's, which celebrates the joy of shopping as well as the joy of cooking, has an open front and a half-dozen tables on the sidewalk. Just inside the restaurant-wide glass doors are several more tables that are half-in and half-out, and there is a good-sized bar and more tables. The delicatessen counter displays salamis and smoked fish and other delectable things, but also is home to soup pots and crepe pans. And there's plenty of space for displaying a very wide selection of moderately priced wines to accompany lunch, dinner, late snacks or just an autumn afternoon without obligations.

There are working heaters for chilly nights, and they do a fine job of blocking the cold – most of the time. But for much of the year, especially 2004, to sit outside, to look at the greenery, to hear the murmur of conversation, or music that varies in style and volume but has not been objectionable (perhaps because I'm usually in the midst of a conversation), to snack and talk, is a most pleasant way to pass the time.

And best of all, Sasha's is open late, which makes it a perfect stop after a theater performance, or a concert, or a lecture, or a ball game, or even after a party that has become vaguely unsatisfying, even to the point of boredom. At midnight, or even later, folks are settling in for a nightcap, often with a sweet, or a nibble of Volpi smoked meats, or the wonderful cured salmon known as gravlax, or the more common, and equally tasty, Scottish or Norwegian smoked salmon known as lax, or lox, a word common to Norwegian and Yidddish, and to vernacular American, and with the same meaning in all.

Sitting in Sasha's also offers marvelous ambience. There's a fine mixture of people of all ages, styles and mannerisms. Coats and ties are seen, though rarely, but mostly it's a casual atmosphere, with the patrons often those who live in the neighborhood, or go to school there. And the most European touch of all is that dogs are welcome (probably cats, too, though they don't get out much). Most of the dogs who are out walking their people are on the small side, but there is under-table seating as well as lap availability, and the fact that the dogs socialize well may be the reason that the people seem to socialize well, too.

Irregular pieces of polished stone are used as serving plates, and whether it's Italian prosciutto from Volpi or Spanish serrano ham, the meat is splendid. Both arrive with complementary cheeses. I think the Spanish ham is a little stronger in flavor, but both are rich and tasty. An assortment of sausages and salamis also is extremely tasty, accompanied by the proper cornichons, or small, sharp gherkins. Nicely toasted crostini come alongside, as does some good, grainy mustard.

Fish fans can choose among plain smoked salmon from Iceland, peppered smoked salmon from Scotland and the cured gravlax from Norway. Cured fish, with lots of dill and an almost sushi-like texture, is elegant, just like cured ham, known as prosciutto. Smoked trout also is available, and Sasha's "spice of life," involves all four fish, with sliced onion, capers and crostini. Cheese arrives in varying combinations of hard and soft, and is served with dried fruits and nuts and more of the crunchy crostini. I think the trout is splendid, but my personal preference is for gravlax, with is smoky and fishy, and just melts in the mouth.

One of the house specialties is a vegetarian chili, which I find just right for my taste. It's spicy, with lots of cumin and garlic to perk up a thick combination of red beans and corn, bolstered by diced green peppers, onions and tomatoes. It's a fine beginning to a meal. Salads are good, especially the chopped vegetables, which brings chopped tomatoes, red onions, hearts of palm, Vermont cheddar, pistachio nuts and dried cranberries, all chopped together and served on lettuce. It's beautifully dressed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and the best thing about it is the textures contrast just like the flavors. Outstanding.

And then there are sandwiches, beginning with a chicken salad that changes weekly, and a group of standards including a BLC, or bagel, lox and cream cheese, and a delicious hummus on pita bread. Crepes are either sweet (fruit, sugar, Nutella, chocolate and a particularly delectable banana-sour-cream-and-brown sugar) or savory (cheese, smoked trout, prosciutto, seasonal vegetables). Pastries come from Hank, whose cheesecakes are legendary, but he makes some other delicious cakes, too. Chocolates are (or were) provided by Neika Soissons, the super-talented chocolatier.

As mentioned, wines are modestly priced and usually young, fruity and quite drinkable, available by glass or bottle. There are two excellent roses, one from France and one from Spain, and they are delightful for quaffing. Service is friendly and knowledgeable, and the entire aura is one that makes the Guru pleased that he is already retired – because after a couple of hours with Sasha, the idea of going back to work is simply unacceptable.