The rumor mill’s been in overdrive the last 36 hours over purported happenings at The Shaved Duck; one published report even sounds the death knell for the South City eatery. Not so fast: Executive chef Brendan Noonan will be leaving the kitchen, but The Duck is not closing, confirms owner Alastair Nisbet. A fine-tuning is in the works, however, and Nisbet said that the restaurant will shutter for three weeks after Saturday’s dinner service to implement a few changes, including the installation of a huge smoker out back. When The Duck reopens on Jan. 27, guests will find an approachable menu of rustic dishes designed to pair with the restaurant’s lengthy list of American craft beers, including meats and barbecue smoked in-house, flatbreads, substantial salads and several chilis (served with milk!) that range from from mild to screaming hot. But don’t panic; favorites like the duck-fat frites, confit and scallop-wrapped bacon will stay. “The restaurant is just evolving, and we’re getting back to the American side of our concept,” Nisbet said, though he was quick to point out that quality would not suffer. “We’ll continue the emphasis on high-quality food that Brendan established.” Residents in the Tower Grove East area will be pleased to note that the new Duck will also offer takeout, though the current dinner-only (and brunch on Sundays) hours will remain. Watch this space for updates in the coming weeks.
This article appears in Jan 1-31, 2009.