St. Louis Magazine’s George Mahe has been feasting his eyes on Copia Urban Winery’s gumbo for a while, and today he gave readers of his blog, Feast, a glimpse of some appetizers and entrées – new and old – that diners can expect when the downtown hot spot reopens its doors on June 25. Besides the fare that Mahe noted, chef Dave Rook dished out these additional menu items in a conversation this morning with Sauce.
For starters, try nut-encrusted Brie topped with a roasted red grape-red wine reduction. If that cheesy delight doesn’t get your mouth watering, perhaps bacon-wrapped smoked shrimp with a mango-chile honey glaze will. And even when you encounter what appears to have been a dish from the original menu, expect a bit of a face-lift. “They’re just done differently,” stated Rook, offering as examples the gumbo lump crab cake and Copia’s 8-ounce fillet.
Where sweet endings are concerned, Rook and sous chef Phil Kurrus will be whipping up bread pudding, crème brûlée and white chocolate mousse with berries, and they are contemplating whether to include on the menu that St. Louis classic: gooey butter cake. What’s more, Copia may be the next restaurant in town to add an in-house pastry chef, as Rook mentioned they are on the lookout.
– Ligaya Figueras
This article appears in Jun 1-30, 2010.