The Scoop: Chef Eric Brenner to helm upcoming Lascelles Granite City Tap & Grill

Chef and restaurant consultant Eric Brenner is at it again.  The former chef and general manager of Alumni St. Louis and partner at Fit Fuel 365 is developing a new, upscale-comfort food concept slated to open in Granite City, Illinois by the end of the year.

Brenner hopes Lascelles Granite City Tap & Grill, located kitty-corner from Granite City Hall at 1324 Niedringhaus Ave., will bring more diverse dining options to the community. “There’s a concerted effort to redevelop the Granite City downtown,” said Brenner.

Brenner, who is both executive chef and general manager at Lascelles, has designed the menu around modern riffs of culinary classics, like meat and potatoes or chicken and dumplings. “The combinations are things people will understand,” Brenner said. “But we’ll try to push the boundaries within that name as much as possible.”

For example, his spin on pork and applesauce will feature a porterhouse pork chop topped with a house-made apple compote and served with sweet potato purée and braised red cabbage. Another common combination, beef and barley, will be served as braised short ribs served with barley risotto and roasted seasonal vegetables. Brenner said the menu will also include a lineup of burgers and sandwiches, and he hopes to experiment with house-smoked items, as well.

Appetizers will include dishes like shrimp and grits and mac-n-cheese. For dessert, Brenner looks to put a twist on iconic combinations like coffee and doughnuts or cookies and milk (a gooey butter cookie served with a vanilla milkshake and a spoonful of blueberry sauce). Lunch and dinner will be served Monday through Saturday.

Behind the bar, guests will find 12 taps featuring brews from both sides of the river, along with a variety of domestic cans and bottles. Cocktails and wines by the glass will also be available.

For the past few months, Brenner has helped oversee renovations to the 2,500-square-foot building, which was built in the 1920s as a bank. The interior design will incorporate historic elements of the building, such as the original granite flooring, and the bar will be situated where the bank teller counters once stood. Even the kitchen’s walk-in cooler will be installed in what was once the bank vault.

Brenner estimates Lascelles will seat between 60 and 70 guests with additional seating outside; he hopes to add an adjoining Biergarten come spring.

-photo by Josh Monken

This article appears in December 2014.