Aaron Teitelbaum and Jeff Orbin, owners of Monarch Restaurant, have provided further details regarding an upcoming renovation that will require the Maplewood eatery to temporarily close starting June 1.
According to a press release, Monarch is closing not just for “a massive interior renovation” but also to prepare for the launch of an additional dining concept: “The team behind Monarch has decided to offer a southern-inspired menu in a more relaxed and entertaining atmosphere to complement the existing dining room menu,” it states. The main dining room, bar and bistro are all slated to get a face lift, and when Monarch reopens toward the end of July or early August, patrons at the bistro and bar area will find that casual southern menu as well as a live music program.
The new bistro menu allows Monarch’s exec chef Josh Galliano, a NOLA native who has worked in his hometown at the highly acclaimed Restaurant August and the landmark Commander’s Palace, to return to his culinary roots and offer St. Louis a taste of approachable southern faves like crawfish étouffée, shrimp and grits, sweet potato flounder, crispy pork and beans, po’boys, bourbon-pecan pie, beignets, and homemade root beer floats. Most items on the new menu will be priced under $15, with plenty of appetizers and plates for sharing.
– Ligaya Figueras
This article appears in Apr 1-30, 2010.